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It was late when she got to the island that night. She rode the last ferry under the starry sky. The gum trees that rose high and dark around the town of Kellyville swayed and rustled as she drove the station wagon, which Dad had left parked at the ferry terminal for her, back to the house.
Her father greeted her with a kiss and a sparkle in his eye. “It’s good to see you, love. I’m glad you’re home. Sorry it didn’t work out the way you’d hoped it would. But he’s a lout if he can’t see what’s right in front of him.”
“Thanks, Dad. I’m exhausted. I think I’ll go right up to bed. Is Dani in?”
“She’s having dinner with friends in Kellyville.”
“I’m glad she’s found some people to connect with. Please tell her I’ll see her in the morning if you’re still awake when she comes home.”
Bea lugged her suitcase up to her bedroom, took a hot shower and collapsed into bed. Her throat was sore and her glands were swollen. She was spent and her head throbbed. It’d been a long day. So much had happened. Plus, she’d travelled by train, plane, bus, boat then car. If she could find a horse, she’d be able to cross every mode of transportation off her list in one day, but she was too tired to go looking for one.
The next morning, she rose early feeling much better. The sore throat was gone, and the headache too. As she walked down the stairs to the kitchen for breakfast, she felt well rested and eager to see the cottage and how much progress Brett had made while she was gone.
Dani was at the table eating a bowl of cereal. She wore athletic gear, and her cheeks were bright red.
Bea kissed the top of her head. “Hi, honey. Already been for a run, have you?”
Dani grinned around a mouthful, chewed and swallowed. “I’m glad you’re back, Mum, but I wish you and Dad could’ve worked things out. I’m assuming this means you won’t?”
Bea slumped into a chair beside her. “Sorry, honey, it doesn’t look like it. I know you wanted that for us, but we tried.”
Dani’s face clouded briefly. “That’s okay. We’ll figure out a way to be a family. I want you to be happy more than anything.”
“I know you do. And I’m excited to see where you’re up to with the cottage. How does it look?”
Dani’s eyes sparkled. “It’s almost done. I can’t wait to show you. We’ve got a few touch-ups to do here and there. I can’t believe how quickly they’ve worked, but Brett said it’s such a small job that he needed it done fast so they could move on to their next, much bigger job.”
“Good for us!”
They finished breakfast and got dressed. Bea wore shorts and a t-shirt with a hoodie tied around her waist. There was a cool breeze. Nothing like the one that cut right through her coat in Sydney. Even though it was spring it was overcast, and the usually cheerful sun was hidden behind low-hung clouds. The wind whipped the ocean into small white tufts of froth. They drove the old station wagon down the narrow winding track to the edge of the beach.
Bea was surprised to see Aidan’s truck parked next to the cottage. The landscaping was almost complete, with a patch of turf and a few small mulched garden beds holding hardy Australian shrubbery. There was a short gravel path leading up to the front porch. But no sign of Aidan.
“Wow. It looks amazing,” Bea gushed, climbing out of the car.
“Wait until you see inside,” Dani said, her brown eyes crinkling at the edges as she ushered Bea along the path.
The kitchen was first — the marble bench tops were stunning in white with grey and black flecks. The white cabinetry with a Hamptons-style finish was perfectly suited to the beach setting. As was the light blue floral wallpaper with the tiny yellow flowers.
“I love it. It’s come together so beautifully.”
“I think so too,” Dani agreed.
When Bea stepped into the living room, she saw Aidan standing on a stepladder adjusting a framed portrait of her with Dani and Harry.
He glanced over his shoulder and climbed down from the ladder, then raised his arms in the air. “Ta da! What do you think?”
Her throat tightened. It was amazing. There were photographs and pieces of artwork hung on every wall in matching timber frames. Pictures of her family and of the beach as well as some colourful artistic prints she’d never seen before. The room was unfurnished, but the space had been completely transformed with freshly installed timber flooring, white walls and new light fixtures. The photographs completed the look and brought tears to her eyes.
“You did this?” she asked, her voice catching.
He nodded. “Dani helped me get the photos, and she did the artwork.”
“What?” She glanced at Dani, whose cheeks flushed pink. “You did this?”
Dani shrugged. “I like playing around on my laptop.”
She pressed both hands to her chest. “It’s breathtaking. I couldn’t have asked for anything more. Thank you for this. You are so talented. I mean, I knew that, but seeing how far you’ve come… wow.”
