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Bea’s stomach tightened. It really was kind of exciting. What would they find on the film, and would it even be discernible after all this time?
“How old is the film?” Penny asked, pushing her blonde curls behind her shoulder.
“We can’t say for certain,” Bea replied. “But we’ve owned the cottage for around forty-five years. Dad thinks the cottage was only a few years old when we bought it. So maybe the photos are fifty years old? Something like that, anyway.”
“Fifty-year-old photos that no one has ever seen. I’m officially intrigued.” Taya’s eyes narrowed. “But why would someone hide a roll of film in a wall cavity?”
“Maybe it’s one of those time capsule ideas,” Bea suggested. “A fun way for history to be preserved.”
“I hope whatever it is doesn’t involve any drama. I’ve certainly had enough drama to last me a lifetime.” Taya shook her head.
“I was sorry to hear about your husband’s death,” Bea said, reaching out to touch Taya’s arm. “I wanted to be here for the funeral, but I couldn’t make it in time.”
“Thank you, and I completely understand. You can’t always get a last-minute flight to a tiny airport in northern QLD. But your flowers were appreciated.”
“It must’ve been hard losing him like that.”
“The hardest thing I’ve ever been through,” Taya said, her eyes bright. “No one should die of cancer in their twenties. We were planning a family, but when we found out he was sick, we decided to wait. Of course, I was already pregnant, and we didn’t realise it. Camden turns twenty next month. She’s amazing, and she’s studying in Cairns to become a chef at one of the big resorts there.”
“Wow. You must be proud of her.”
“I am very proud.” Taya wiped her nose with her napkin. “She’s the spitting image of her father. I only wish she’d had the chance to really know him.”
They spoke in more subdued tones for a while about family and the passage of time. Then with a yawn, Penny announced it was time for her to go home and bottle-feed a bilby she’d rescued the previous week.
“Now that’s a statement I never expected to hear,” Evie said with a laugh. “Come on, I’ll walk you out.”
They all stood and made their way through the dining room, then out into the balmy night air. Overhead, a canopy of stars blinked bright in the clear sky.
“How did you get here?” Taya asked Bea.
“Aidan Whitlock drove me.”
“Ooooohhh…” all three women said at once, facing her with wide eyes.
Penny grinned. “You wait until now to tell us this? When did you and Aidan get back together?”
Bea’s face flushed with warmth. “We’re not back together. He drove me out here because the road is a mess after the rain. I haven’t bought a vehicle yet, and I can already see that I’ll need something that can handle rough terrain when I do.”
“That was very gallant of him,” Taya said.
“Have you seen him lately?” Penny asked Taya. “He is still just as fine as he was in high school.”
“Better, in fact,” Evie added. “He’s grown up well.”
“Come on, ladies, no need to talk about him like he’s a piece of meat.” Bea’s cheeks could set a match alight.
“It must be serious, then,” Evie said with a whistle.
“Not at all. I’m still married and am broken-hearted. It will be a while before I can move on with someone else. And Aidan doesn’t deserve to be mistreated, which is exactly what would happen if I jumped into something too soon. Besides, I’m not sure I’ll even date again once the divorce goes through. I’m happy to be single for the rest of my life after this nightmare.”
Taya, Evie and Penny all crowded in and threw their arms around her.
“We’re just teasing you,” Penny said.
“Of course we’re teasing. You take all the time you need to heal.”
“And being single is actually pretty fantastic,” Taya added. “I’ve been single for almost two decades now. My life is very predictable, no heartbreak, no drama. I’m organised, on time to everything, and I get a lot done.”
