The Kookaburra Creek Café Read online

  ‘That didn’t quite go according to plan,’ Joey said. He reached out a hand to help Alice up. Her legs were splayed, and her backside was stinging.

  ‘That’s going to bruise,’ Alice said with a laugh as he lifted her to standing.

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ said Joey, not letting go of her hand.

  ‘It was my fault as much as yours,’ she smiled, ‘but we are definitely not the top.’

  Joey raised a hand to her cheek, brushing aside her hair. ‘How are you doing really? With all this café business?’

  Alice sighed. ‘If I lose this place, I don’t know what I’ll do.’ Her shoulders slumped, she looked at the deck.

  ‘We’ll figure it out,’ Joey said, lifting her chin with his hand. ‘You’ll be okay.’ He stared into her eyes.

  He leaned in close, his lips almost touching hers. How easy it would be to stay in his arms.

  ‘Joey?’

  ‘Yes?’ He breathed heavily.

  The weight of their past hung between them.

  ‘Alice?’ He cradled her cheek in his hand.

  ‘There’s something I need to say,’ she whispered.

  ‘What’s that?’

  ‘I’m sorry.’

  ‘For what?’ He frowned.

  For everything I’ve ever put you through. So many words she wanted to say yet none of them seemed adequate. He was in a good place now. She had to let him go.

  ‘Alice?’ His eyes bore into her, waiting, searching.

  Alice shook her head and closed her eyes. She stepped back. ‘I’m sorry.’

  Joey’s hand fell from her cheek. He took half a step forward, then moved back. ‘I’m sorry too.’ He turned and strode across the grass clearing.

  Alice let out a long sigh, her shoulders dropping, and she leaned against the wooden railing surrounding the deck.

  ‘Don’t you like him?’ Becca asked softly, coming out of the café.

  Yes,’ Alice nodded, ‘I like him a lot. He’s one of the best men I’ve ever known. The best.’

  ‘So,’ Becca jumped up and sat on the railing, ‘what’s the problem?’

  ‘Fiona Harris, for a start.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘Isn’t that enough?’

  ‘Nope.’ Becca shook her head.

  ‘And a whole lot of history, I guess.’ Becca was too young to understand.

  ‘You know there’s nothing in it, right?’

  ‘In what?’

  ‘This thing with Fiona.’

  ‘What?’ Alice frowned.

  ‘I know what you’re thinking. While you’ve been stuffing about trying to decide how you feel, Fiona’s swooped in and stolen your man.’

  ‘He’s not my man.’

  ‘But you wish he was.’

  Becca was sharper than she gave her credit for on matters of love, not that Alice was going to admit that. ‘Now you’re just making things up,’ she said.

  ‘I don’t think so. And I see the way he looks at you.’

  ‘I think Cupid’s arrow must have struck you right in the eye, Miss Giggling-in-the-corner-all-night-with-Freddy-Harris. Don’t think I didn’t see you.’

  A mischievous expression crossed Becca’s face. She jumped down from the railing and threaded her arm through Alice’s, leading her down the deck stairs to the creek. Alice loved these walks they took together at the end of the day. They reminded her of the strolls she used to take with Hattie when she first arrived in Kookaburra Creek. Funny how life moved in circles like that – her turn now to offer comfort and shelter to a scared lonely girl.

  ‘Don’t try to make this about me,’ Becca said. ‘This is about you two old folks sorting your stuff out, and stop pretending you’re not into each other.’

  Alice opened her mouth, but no words came out.

  ‘Personally I don’t think he’s all that special, but he’s totally into you. And he’s fine, I suppose, as far as old men go. And, let’s face it, it’s not like this town is drowning in hot bachelors.’

  Alice had to hand it to her. Becca certainly did have a unique way of looking at things.

  As the sun began to set, Alice and Becca wound their way through town. They stopped by the white bench in Dandelion Dell. Sitting down, Alice pulled two cupcakes out of her bag and Becca handed Alice the thermos of tea.

  ‘Ladies,’ came a voice from behind them. They turned around and saw Sergeant Carson waving to them from his green ute.

  Alice waved back. ‘Looking forward to rehearsal tomorrow?’ she called.

  ‘Absolutely.’ He saluted and drove on.

  Becca let out an audible sigh.

  ‘He’s one of the good ones, you know. No finer country cop than Bob Carson. A good mate, too,’ Alice said.

  It’s not him.’ Becca shrugged. ‘It’s his car.’

  ‘His car?’

  ‘It’s the same.’

  ‘The same as what?”

  Alice waited for her to continue.

  ‘Same as his. My mum’s boyfriend.’

  ‘Did he hurt you?’

  Becca stared into the distance.

  ‘It’s okay, Becca. You can tell me.’

  ‘He . . . he hit me.’ Becca shrugged. ‘A lot. Once Gran died there was no one to protect me.’

  Alice reached out and squeezed Becca’s hand and the girl didn’t pull away.

  ‘And . . .’ Becca looked up with desperate blue eyes, scared blue eyes. A look so familiar to Alice a wave of grief hit her.

  ‘You’re safe here, Becca. You can tell me anything.’

  ‘But you’ll think I’m . . .’

  ‘I’ll think you’re a brave young woman who’s carried this burden alone long enough.’

  ‘And he . . . he touched . . . he made me . . .’ Tears broke through Becca’s defences. ‘The first time was in his green ute.’

  ‘Oh, sweetheart.’ Alice took her in her arms and Becca sobbed into her shoulder. ‘It’s okay,’ she whispered. Her own problems faded into insignificance. ‘He won’t find you here.’

  ‘And if he does?’ Becca wept.

  ‘He won’t. But if he does, we’ll protect you. All of us. You’re family, Becca, and in Kookaburra Creek nothing means more.’

  Through sniffles Becca nodded. They sat there till dusk turned to night, then Alice suggested they head back.

  I’m running.

  As fast as I can, but it isn’t enough. I’m screaming, but nobody hears. He’s behind me. He’s in front of me. He’s on top of me. He’s yelling. I’m screaming. He’s sniggering.

  He slaps my face and strokes my breast. He punches my stomach.

  I run.

  He catches me.

  I scream. He smacks his lips together. I run.

  It’s dark. I can hear him breathing, all around me. I can smell his cheap cologne. A bright light. A pain in my head.

  He stands below my window, outside the café, looking up. I hide behind the curtain, but he sees me.

  I scream.

  ‘It’s okay.’

  A voice.

  ‘You’re safe,’ I hear again. It’s Alice’s voice.

  ‘It was just a dream.’

  I open my eyes. She’s holding me.

  ‘Shh. It’s just a dream. You’re okay.’

  Alice wipes the hair from my brow. I’m dripping with sweat.

  ‘He’s here,’ I spit at her.

  ‘No one’s here,’ she says.

  ‘He was here.’

  She holds me tight. ‘It’s just you and me.’

  ‘He found me.’ I’m sobbing.

  ‘Shh. It’s all right. He won’t find you here.’

  She rubs my back.

  ‘Out the window. Look,’ I shout.

  She stands to look, but I can’t let her go. Together we walk to the window.

  ‘There’s no one there.’

  I feel dizzy. My legs give way.

  Alice helps me back to bed. She lays beside me, stroking my hair. My breathing slows.

  She sta
ys. One hour turns into two, but she doesn’t leave my side.

  Kookaburra Creek, 2005

  n the kitchen of the Kookaburra Creek Café Alice scrubbed the pots and pans she’d put off washing the day before and cleaned out the pantry. She wrote a list of ingredients and supplies she needed. The sugar was running very low, and she’d need to top up her herbs and spices soon. She threw out the empty rice sacks and wiped down the shelves. She moved the spare flour canister to behind the larger main container, checking that the zip-lock bag of money was still safely hidden inside.

  After all the cleaning was done Alice drank a cold glass of water and looked round the kitchen. It wasn’t easy running the café now that she’d built a bit of a reputation. And with Tammy underfoot and into everything, it wasn’t getting easier. Not that she was complaining. She’d never complain. She knew how lucky she was.

  The roster Betty had come up with was certainly helping. These rare moments without Tammy were a godsend when it came to getting work done. She couldn’t believe how willing everyone was to chip in and look after Tammy for her. Joey took her Monday afternoons, Claudine and Hattie alternated Wednesdays, even Clive took a turn every now and then for an hour or so when Betty had an errand to run on her rostered Sunday afternoons.

  What could she prepare for tomorrow? Mondays always brought Mrs Harris’s church group and that meant burgers, salads and cupcakes. The bus that ran from Glensdale to Sydney had had a timetable change and would be stopping for morning tea too, so that meant even more cupcakes. There wouldn’t be enough time in the morning to bake them all.

  She looked to Sylvia.

  Rocky road cupcakes.

  Alice mixed the marshmallows, shredded coconut and cashew nuts into the chocolate-cake batter as she hummed quietly. She soaked the raspberries in sugar so the coulis would be ready to add to the chocolate frosting. At least she’d be half a step ahead in the morning instead of three steps behind like she normally was.

  With aching feet at the end of the day, Alice made her way to Hattie’s and went into the guest room. She quickly changed, put on a load of washing before going to pick up her girl. All along the wall of the hallway were photos of Tammy. Hattie loved her as if she were her own granddaughter.

  She touched the last photo on the landing. The one with Tammy sitting in the dandelions by the creek. It was her favourite picture – Tammy dressed in her pretty white dress, the dimple in her left cheek deep with joy, her eyes so blue it looked as if they’d been painted in. It wasn’t always easy, seeing so much of Dean in her, but she managed to push aside foolish thoughts most of the time. Except when he visited her dreams. Thankfully that was happening less and less.

  Alice walked into her room and looked at the mail on her small desk. All bills from various suppliers – the usual suspects. She thumbed through them again. It was silly, she knew, to think maybe she’d missed something, that a letter might have got caught behind another, or had slipped to the floor unnoticed and would somehow reveal itself now. Yet, she still held foolish hope. Even after all this time.

  She sat on her bed. Deep down she knew it, even if she didn’t want to admit it. He wasn’t going to respond. Dean had made his choice.

  Alice put the letters down.

  October, 2006

  Somehow Alice had made a life for herself and Tammy in Kookaburra Creek. Of all the places to end up. She’d never imagined her life like this, but the years passed by and here she was, running a successful café with Tammy having just turned two.

  ‘Good morning.’ Hattie greeted her with a cup of tea in bed and a thick envelope.

  ‘What’s this?’ Alice’s eyes widened.

  ‘Look inside.’

  Alice peeled the flap open frantically, her hands shaking more violently as she read the opening words on the paper inside.

  ‘I don’t . . . you can’t . . . I don’t understand.’ She stared at Hattie, her bottom lip quivering.

  ‘Now, petal, don’t go getting emotional over nothing. This is strictly a business deal. I can’t afford to have you running off to greener pastures when some big-city headhunter comes calling for your cupcakes, and I can’t afford to pay you any more than I already do. So this is the perfect solution, wouldn’t you agree?’

  ‘You’re giving me the café?’

  ‘Not giving. Leasing. At a much reduced rate, granted, but if you read the paperwork you’ll see there are quite strict terms and conditions. Profit margins have to be met and the like. And you’re free to decorate as you see fit, change the menu, run the place as you like. But any ideas about changing it into a massage parlour or such, and I’ll have none of it. Now, keep reading.’

  Alice read the whole thing over three times.

  ‘And you’re giving me the apartment, too?’

  ‘All part of the lease deal.’

  ‘It’s too much.’

  ‘Codswallop. You need your own space. Not much fun living with an old codger like me. It makes sense for you to live in the apartment above the café. That way, you can bake all night and quite literally fall straight into bed. Well, you have to make it up the stairs first. A pain when it rains, but you’ll mana—’

  ‘Oh, Hattie.’ Alice embraced the old woman. She had her very own business. ‘Thank you so much.’

  ‘Stop that nonsense, or I’ll change my mind.’ Hattie chuckled and hugged her tightly.

  August, 2007

  It was funny how life sometimes made decisions for you. Alice often stood in the dining room of the café, still not quite believing it was hers. She kept expecting to wake up and find it all a dream. But it was real. She now had a secure future for her daughter, for herself. Which was so much more than she’d hoped for in recent years.

  Betty had convinced her to go to TAFE in Glensdale and do a business course and she was loving it – learning all about the ins and outs of proper bookkeeping and tax practices. Maybe one day she’d even do the marketing course they ran. Not that the Kookaburra Creek Café needed marketing. It was successful enough without it. But it sounded like it might be fun.

  ‘Mummy bake.’ Tammy tugged on Alice’s apron strings, staring up at her with big blue eyes. Sometimes she looked so much like Dean.

  ‘Sure, sweetie.’

  In the kitchen Alice got the ingredients and utensils ready.

  ‘I want to scoop.’ Tammy held out her hand, stopping Alice from measuring the sugar.

  ‘Okay. This is how we do a Tammy scoop.’ She showed her how to level off the cup measure.

  Tammy licked her fingers and smiled. ‘Del-i-soso.’

  ‘Del-i-soso?’

  Tammy nodded and they baked a dozen chocolate fudge cupcakes.

  While Tammy sat under the bench colouring with her crayons, Alice tidied up.

  The doorbell to the café jangled and Alice sighed, wondering who it could possibly be.

  ‘Jo-jo, Jo-jo,’ Tammy squealed and jumped up, running into the dining room.

  ‘He’s not due back for a few days, sweetie.’ Alice followed Tammy out.

  ‘How’s my favourite girl?’ Joey asked as he picked Tammy up and spun her round. ‘My, you’ve got big.’

  ‘Jo-jo.’ Tammy threw her arms around him, kissing him on the cheek three times.

  ‘Something smells delicioso. Have you been cooking?’

  ‘Del-i-soso.’ Tammy nodded. ‘What’s that?’ She pointed to a basket at Joey’s feet.

  ‘Thought we might go for a picnic dinner,’ he said with a smile. ‘If Mum says yes.’

  Tammy clapped.

  ‘Welcome back,’ said Alice.

  Good to be home.’ He winked at her.

  ‘Picnic.’ Tammy clapped her hands again and Joey looked to Alice.

  ‘Of course,’ she said.

  Before they reached the bridge that lead into town, Joey set Tammy down from his shoulders. Dandelion Dell: a small patch of long, green grass covered in tall dandelions, nestled against the creek edge. Tammy took off her shoes and sat in the middle
of the patch, talking to the delicate white seed heads, a crooked grin spread across her face. Joey sat down beside her and joined in.

  Alice leaned against the bridge, wondering how often they did this on their Mondays together; making up dandelion stories. It was Tammy’s favourite place in all Kookaburra Creek.

  Tammy rose to collect some twigs to balance into a pile in the grass. In her imagination that pile might become a princess castle, or perhaps a fairy house.

  Joey stepped up beside Alice.

  ‘So, what’s new in town?’

  ‘Please, you know the answer to that.’

  Joey laughed and poured them each a glass of sparkling water.

  ‘How was Italy?’ Alice asked.

  ‘A bit hard this time. Nonno isn’t doing too well.’

  ‘I’m sorry.’ Alice reached out and squeezed his hand.

  Joey shrugged. ‘He’s eighty-two. Had a pretty good life.’

  ‘And your nonna?’

  ‘She’s the strongest woman I know.’ He looked Alice in the eye. ‘One of the strongest, anyway. Mum’s fussing over her, and she’s shooing Mum away. In the end I felt a bit like I was in the way.’

  ‘Do you ever think you’ll move back?’

  ‘I was supposed to.’

  ‘When?’

  ‘Not long after Mum and Dad went back. They’d moved us out here when I was only six and Dad set up the bakery. It was their new life. When I was twelve he put me in the kitchen and that was supposed to be our future. Baking together for the rest of our lives.’

  ‘But then your grandfather got sick?’

  Joey nodded. ‘Then Nonno got sick. About six months before you got here Mum and Dad went home to help out a bit. They were supposed to come back. But it was obvious Nonno wasn’t going to get better and they decided to stay over there.’

  ‘And you stayed here.’

  He sighed. ‘About a year later Dad told me to sell up and head over.’

  ‘Why didn’t you?’

  ‘Well, by then I’d figured out there was stuff here worth sticking round for.’

  He looked deep into Alice’s eyes and her cheeks burned.

  Joey looked away. ‘This is the only home I’ve ever really known. I don’t remember much of Italy.’