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Chapter 26
The following day
‘I’m sorry but we’ve exhausted all avenues at this point.’
Despite the open windows the office was stuffy with the smell of leather and legal tomes. Roger sat on the other side of his wide desk; Meg’s file lay open in front of him. She couldn’t lift her gaze from the gilt edging of the green tooled-leather insert. If she did, she would explode. But it wasn’t Roger’s fault. Clenching her hands in her lap, she worked to control her breathing.
Beside her, Geoffrey set an arm on the desk and leaned forward. ‘What you’re saying is that there’s nothing we can do until the government offices reopen in the new year?’
At last, Meg looked up.
Roger spread his hands and met her gaze. ‘I’m sorry to have to give you this news, Margaret, but they refused. I even tried offering to pay a premium if they would put your request through before the office closed for the Christmas holiday, but everyone seems determined to start their celebrations early. No exceptions, they said.’
‘So we won’t be able to celebrate our first Christmas with Jennifer.’
‘Not this year, my dear.’ Geoffrey reached across and took her hand in his.
Were all these bad things happening because she was a bad person? In the back of Meg’s mind, her father’s voice laid down judgement. Those who do not follow God’s will shall be punished. He’d been referring to a young, unwed mother whose child had been stillborn, but Meg could hear the same response being given to her. After all she’d endured, and in spite of her marriage yesterday, in her parents’ eyes, Meg would also be a fallen woman. If bad things happened to her, it was her own fault. The knowledge sat like a stone in her stomach.
Roger was shaking his head. ‘I’m afraid not, unless you’ve had any luck reaching the Anglican archbishop?’
Geoffrey drummed his fingers on the desk. ‘Not yet. We delivered our petition requesting his assistance in reuniting our family, but he may not have even seen it yet.’
‘In that case, and as hard as it is, all I can suggest is that you make what you can of our first peaceful Christmas in years and be waiting on the doorstep of the records office when they reopen.’
Gripping her handbag in one hand, Meg stood. The muscles in her neck and back were tight but she extended her other hand to Roger. She couldn’t muster even half a smile as they shook hands. ‘Thank you for what you’ve done for us so far.’
‘I only wish my news were better.’
‘You’ve gone above and beyond for us, Roger. We’re very grateful for your help. All the best to you and your family.’ Geoffrey set a hand on Meg’s back and held the door as she exited. They didn’t speak until they were out on the footpath.
Queen Street was abuzz with pedestrians and a bell clanged as a tram approached a nearby stop. The street wore a festive air thanks to the council’s encouragement of businesses to decorate. Garlands were strung along shop fronts and even the tram—their number, Meg noted—carried a Christmas wreath in its front window.
So much joy all around. Her sense of loss would crush her if she let it. Reminding herself they had done all they could, she held her head high.
‘Would you like to head home, Margaret, or shall we call into the tea shop and revise our plans?’
‘Tea would be nice.’ She slipped her arm through his and they headed down to the Brisbane Arcade. Her only plan had been watching her daughter opening Christmas presents and sharing their first proper Christmas together. Nothing could replace one more year lost, but Vera was gone, Gerry was grieving, and Geoffrey—dear Geoffrey—deserved so much more than gloom and doom from her.
They turned into the arcade, and natural light from overhead clerestory windows flooded the space. Passing several polished timber shopfronts, they stopped in front of the tearoom. Geoffrey peered through the stained-glass window. ‘It’s still open.’ He opened the door and held it for Meg. ‘After you.’
A waitress seated them at a corner table where a piece of blue glass gave Meg the sense of hiding behind it while allowing her to look through an adjacent piece of clear glass at the passing foot traffic.
Geoffrey ordered a pot of tea and a plate of sandwiches then turned his full attention on her. ‘I regret that we won’t have our daughter with us for our first Christmas.’
Our daughter.
Ourbelonged to Seamus, and maybe even to Vera who had cared for Jennifer like her own child. And yet each time Geoffrey said that she felt a flutter in her stomach. If they could find Jennifer, the three of them would be a family. When we find her, not if.
Clinging to that hope, she dragged in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. ‘I’m trying not to think about it for the moment. But I agree we need to revise our plans. We could try to find a chicken for Christmas lunch. What did you have in mind?’
‘If you’re up to it, we could do some Christmas shopping. I know Jennifer won’t be here for Christmas Day, but we can save her presents until she’s home. What do you think?’
‘Delay Christmas?’ She nodded slowly. ‘I’ve dreamed of watching her open her presents since she was born, and last Christmas, when she might have had some idea what it was about, I couldn’t get leave.’
‘You agree then? After our tea and sandwiches, we go shopping?’
‘Yes.’ And when they had Jennifer’s present, Meg was going to look for a gift for Gerry. And Geoffrey. ‘You’ve already given me my present.’
