Secrets in Pelican Crossing (Pelican Crossing #2)

Forty-three

When Liz opened her eyes on Sunday morning, it was as if the storm had never happened. The sky was clear, the birds were making their usual racket and when she opened the shutters, the sea looked calm.

She rose and showered quickly. There was a lot to do. Before meeting Finn the previous evening, she’d called both Tara and Julie to give them the news and invite them to brunch – she’d already ensured Mandy and Gary would come – and had gone food shopping. While there were plenty of spots in Pelican Crossing where they could have met for breakfast, Liz wanted this special occasion to be held in her apartment. Joan would be there too, and although Liz had told her mother she could bring Stan, to her relief, Joan had refused, saying it would be better if this time, it was family only.

Tuning the radio to a local music programme, Liz sang along as she set the table on the balcony for eight. It would be a crush, but they’d manage to fit. Then she made the tomato and olive damper she loved, chopped the sweet potato and red onion, and grated the carrot for the two salads she planned, ready to add the other ingredients later. She’d bought two ready-made quiches in the delicatessen, knowing they’d be a lot better than any she could make, and it would save her a lot of time.

Finally, everything was ready, and Liz poured herself a glass of champagne and orange juice and leant on the balcony rail to enjoy the view, contemplating how only a few months ago, she could never have predicted this happening .

Everyone was already there when Mandy and Gary arrived. Tilly was more subdued than usual. While excited at the prospect of having a new cousin, she was wary of meeting Mandy who had made such a fuss about her and her mother. Even though Liz assured her it wasn’t her fault, she seemed to have difficulty in believing her.

Liz gently drew Julie and Tilly forward to meet Mandy, who was all smiles.

‘I’m sorry I was so difficult,’ she said. ‘I hated that Mum kept such a big secret from us. But I shouldn’t have behaved the way I did. Gary told me to get my act together, but it’s taken this baby to make me do it. I’m pleased to meet you both.’

‘I can’t believe I have two new aunts,’ Tilly said, forcing Mandy to laugh.

‘And I have a new sister and a niece I knew nothing about,’ Mandy said. ‘Welcome to the family, both of you.’

‘I think a drink is in order,’ Mark said, picking up the bottle of champagne, while Tara collected the orange juice. ‘Can Tilly have a tiny drop too?’ he asked Liz who nodded.

Tilly beamed.

‘To family reunions,’ Joan said, when everyone had a full glass.

‘Family reunions,’ they all echoed.

Liz was pleased to see everyone getting on famously as the food quickly disappeared. Tilly and Mandy found common ground in a joint interest in exercise with Mandy inviting Tilly to join one of her personal training groups which met outside school hours, while Tara and Julie seemed to be in the process of forming a firm bond.

They were all enjoying coffee when Mark said, ‘Bad news about The Courier .’

‘What?’ Liz’s ears pricked up.

‘I was talking to a mate at the footy yesterday. He said it looks like they’re going to come up short of the money they need to keep it going or whatever it was they were trying to do with all the fundraising.’

‘No, that can’t be right. The fundraising thermometer outside the town hall has been going up.’ Her voice rose in alarm. Surely Finn would have told her if there was a problem ?

‘Don’t shoot the messenger.’ Mark lifted both hands defensively. ‘It’s what I heard. ’

‘Well, your source is wrong.’ It must be. She and Finn were only at the beginning of their relationship. Everything was going so well. What would happen if the paper couldn’t be saved? What would he do? Suddenly, the day which had begun with such promise started to crumble. Tears came to her eyes, which she wiped away with the back of her hand. ‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘I don’t know what came over me.’

‘Let’s all go inside,’ Joan said, taking charge and hustling everyone into the apartment’s living room. But the celebratory mood had been broken, and the group gradually dispersed till only Liz and her mother were left.

‘Finn has never mentioned there was a problem,’ Liz said.

‘Maybe he didn’t want to worry you.’

‘But how could he behave as if nothing was wrong, as if the campaign was working, as if they were going to save the paper, if he knew all along it was a lie?’

‘Not exactly a lie, Liz. I’m sure he and Joe are still hoping to make it happen. But it’s a big ask, to start a new paper if that’s what they intend to do. It doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a lot of money and effort. The effort has been there but maybe not the money. We’re only a small community after all.’ She patted Liz’s back, making her feel like a child again. But she was no longer a child, and this was something her mother couldn’t fix. She pulled away. She needed to talk to Finn to find out if it was true. Then she wasn’t sure what she would do.

*

The house was silent when Finn awoke, the kitchen empty when he walked in. He looked around in surprise. Normally, on a Sunday morning, there would be the aroma of coffee, Adele would be preparing breakfast, and Sandy and Bluey would be racing around, getting under everyone’s feet.

‘Where’s Mummy?’ Sandy appeared, bleary eyed, Bluey at his heels as usual. He had a guilty expression. ‘I’m sorry, Grandy. I know Bluey isn’t allowed in my room but…’

‘It’s okay, champ. I won’t tell your mum this time. Don’t let it happen again.’ But he knew it would, boys would be boys, and a boy and his dog… Where was Adele ?

He caught sight of the calendar hanging beside the sink. There was a black circle around today’s date. How could he have forgotten? It was a year ago today Tim had died, drowned in the ocean trying to save Sandy. A wave of guilt flooded him. He should have remembered. He should have been there for her. He’d been so caught up with Liz and his problems with the paper, he’d completely forgotten the date. What sort of a dad did that make him? He knew where Adele would be. She’d be visiting Tim’s grave.

Finn crouched down beside Sandy. ‘I think Mummy has gone to visit the cemetery, to talk to your daddy. She’ll be feeling sad today. It’s a special day to remember him.’

‘Oh!’ Sandy’s eyes filled with tears, and Finn cursed himself for making the little boy feel sad, too.

‘Are you hungry, champ?’

‘Yes. Bluey is, too.’

‘Well, why don’t you feed Bluey, and I’ll fix us breakfast? Mummy can have hers when she gets back.’

‘Okay.’ In the way of little children, Sandy’s mood lifted immediately. ‘Can we have pancakes?’

‘We sure can.’

While Sandy poured food into Bluey’s bowl, managing to spill most of it on the floor, Finn looked in the pantry, hoping to find the pancake mix he’d seen Adele use. Spying the packet at the back of a shelf, he gave a sigh of relief. He had no idea how to make them from scratch.

Sandy climbed up onto a chair and Bluey, having eaten his fill, lay down on the floor beneath him, while Finn followed the instructions on the box of pancake mix and heated a pan.

Once he had cooked a batch of pancakes, Finn sliced up a banana and took the bottle of maple syrup out of the fridge. He placed them on the table along with a glass of orange juice for Sandy and made himself coffee. Then he sat down beside his grandson.

‘Is Daddy in the cemetery or in Heaven?’ Sandy asked. He had clearly been thinking about what Finn had said about Adele.

Finn took a deep breath. ‘He’s in Heaven with Nana and Pop, but because your mum can’t visit him there, he has a special place in the cemetery where people can remember him and where your mum can go to speak to him. ’

‘Can I go there too?’

‘If you really want to. We can ask your mum when she gets back.’

‘Mmm.’ Seemingly satisfied, Sandy cut his pancake into little pieces and began to eat them slowly.

Finn turned a blind eye when he saw Sandy drop a few pieces of pancake to Bluey who immediately gobbled them up.

Now Sandy was occupied, Finn had time to think, and his thoughts turned to Liz. They’d had a lovely time last night at the yacht club… and afterwards, but he felt guilty at keeping his worries about the future from her. He knew it would be a blow if he had to leave Pelican Crossing, and he should have shared the possibility with her. But things were going so well, he didn’t want to spoil what they had together unless he had to. Was it selfish of him to want to enjoy their relationship for as long as he could? Was he only setting them both up for heartache if it had to end?

There was no question in his mind what Liz would choose if he had to leave town. He could take his family with him… if Adele and Sandy agreed to go. But all of Liz’s family were here, including her newfound daughter and granddaughter and the grandchild Mandy was carrying. No matter how much he thought about it, he knew the relationship wouldn’t survive him leaving Pelican Crossing.

The door opened, and Adele walked in, her shoulders drooping, her eyes red with tears.

‘Mummy! Did you talk to Daddy? Did you tell him about Bluey?’

Adele stared at Sandy, her eyes wide with astonishment.

‘I remembered what day it was. I knew where you’d gone. I told Sandy you’d gone to speak to Tim.’

‘Oh!’ Adele slid into a chair and closed her eyes.

‘Can I get you something? Tea? Coffee?’ Finn asked.

‘We’re having pancakes,’ Sandy announced.

‘That’s nice, darling,’ Adele said in a toneless voice. ‘Coffee, thanks, Dad. Then I think I’ll have a lie-down. I’m not hungry.’

Finn gave her a concerned glance then rose to fetch her a cup of coffee.

‘Is Mummy sick?’ Sandy asked, when Adele had taken her coffee to her bedroom.

‘No, not sick, she’s just a little sad,’ Finn said .

‘Mmm. Did talking to Daddy make her sad?’

‘I think so.’

‘What will we do today?’

Finn thought quickly. Adele would probably spend most of the day in bed, the visit to the cemetery having sent her back into the pall of grief from which she had gradually been emerging. It would be best if he took Sandy out somewhere so as not to disturb her. It was amazing how much noise one small boy and his dog could generate.

‘Why don’t we go to the beach?’ he said. ‘We can have fish and chips for lunch, then watch the pelicans at Pelican Plaza.’

‘Yay! Bluey, too?’

‘Yes, but you’ll have to keep a firm grip on him when we’re watching the pelicans.’ The area close to the marina which was called Pelican Plaza was a semicircle of stone steps where every day at two o’clock, volunteers fed the pelicans and took the opportunity to educate visitors about the bird colony and keep an eye on the condition of their health. A loose dog could cause havoc.

‘I will, Grandy. Promise.’

By the time Finn had cleared up after breakfast and organised Sandy and Bluey, it was mid-morning. The beach was quiet for a Sunday, and the boy and his dog had fun running along the sand, searching for shells and paddling in the water while Finn looked on. Then, after enjoying fish and chips at a bench by the shore, they headed to Pelican Plaza to join the crowd of locals and visitors who were waiting to see the pelican feeding.

They found a seat not too far from the front, and Finn took hold of Bluey’s lead. He didn’t trust Sandy not to get excited and forget his promise. And Sandy did get excited watching the large pelicans come in to land close to the shore and after coasting the waves for a few moments, hop onto the path and make their ungainly way towards the helpers with their buckets of fish.

The little boy laughed with the rest of the audience as the birds opened their large beaks to catch the fish which were being thrown. But it wasn’t all entertainment. Among the volunteers feeding the birds, were a couple of wildlife wardens checking out the creatures. They spotted one which had a fishing line wrapped around one leg and, catching it carefully, managed to untangle it. Once freed, the bird darted off to join its companions in the competition for fish .

As suddenly as it had begun, the entertainment was over. The buckets were empty. One of the volunteers clapped her hands and, as one, and with a great flapping of wings, the pelicans rose into the air and flew off.

As people began to leave, Sandy sat still, mesmerised.

‘It’s all over, Sandy,’ Finn said, as Bluey began to pull on his lead. Fortunately, he’d been very well behaved all through the performance. ‘Time to go.’

‘Can I have an ice cream?’

‘I guess so.’ Finn grinned. In Sandy’s world, there was nothing that couldn’t be cured by an ice cream.

As Finn and Sandy wandered along Main Street eating their ice creams, Finn couldn’t help wondering how he would find Adele when they returned home. He hoped she’d managed to have a good rest and was feeling more cheerful, though he wasn’t optimistic. The day was a sad reminder of all she’d lost. Only a year ago, she, Tim and Sandy had been a happy family, now she was a single mother living with her dad.