Rain Music (2 page)

‘Hey!' He could hear Toni's voice sharpen in alarm. As she gunned the engine, it seemed to drift away as the blackness closed in and Ned passed out.

2

Bella straightened her papers,
tidied her
In
and
Out
trays, turned off her computer (noticing as she did so that there was yet another email from the HR department telling her that she needed to take some of her holiday leave), put her diary in the top right desk drawer, checked the water in the vase which held a single rose, pushed her chair in, picked up her handbag and phone and closed her office door. She was the last person to leave the office that Monday evening, so she flicked the lights off as she passed through the main lobby and out into the carpark.

Bella liked order around her. She was methodical, organised and efficient. When crises occurred at work, Bella was swift to deal with them in a calm and effective manner. She knew she was a lateral thinker, and while she hoped to solve whatever dramas occurred in the simplest possible way, part of her was already thinking of alternative solutions just in case. She worked for the Tourism Office for Tennyson, the large provincial city in Victoria where she lived. She'd initially worked for a few years in Melbourne, which had been a useful experience, but it had also confirmed that living in such a large and impersonal metropolis wasn't for her. She earned a good salary, her co-workers were nice people and she loved living in the place where she'd grown up. But sometimes she thought she'd really like to run her own business, although she wasn't driven enough to take the plunge. Occasionally she trawled through job websites looking at other opportunities but the longer she stayed in local government and the more benefits she accrued, the harder it became for her to consider moving on, despite a gnawing feeling that her job wasn't always fulfilling.

Between her old schoolfriends and her workmates, she had a busy social life. She sang with an
a cappella
group, went to pilates classes and loved doing courses like pottery or cooking. She enjoyed being out and about, involving herself with various events and functions in the local community. Bella's outgoing, vivacious nature made her the well-known face of tourism for the area, and the local media loved her. She'd had no shortage of boyfriends, but her relationships rarely became serious. Brendan, her current boyfriend, had suggested several times that they move in together, but something was holding Bella back from agreeing. Nevertheless, she cared about Brendan a great deal and they spent most of their weekends together either at her place or his.

She nosed her car into her mother's driveway and made her way into the house. Bella and Josie Chisholm tried to have dinner together once a week. They got on very well, never running out of things to talk about, be it mutual friends, the current news, books or movies. Sometimes on weekends Bella and Brendan took Josie out with them when they went exploring or picnicking. Josie protested that they didn't have to include her, as she had a wide circle of her own friends and a busy social life. But Bella insisted, saying quite truthfully that both she and Brendan enjoyed her company.

‘Hi, Mum. Sorry I'm a bit late. Something smells good. What gourmet delight have you concocted tonight?' Bella asked as she walked into the kitchen.

‘Nothing too special,' replied her mother, kissing her daughter's cheek. Although Josie was in her mid-sixties, it would be impossible not to notice how alike mother and daughter were, with their petite figures, untamed curly hair and huge, attractive brown eyes. ‘A nice fresh mushroom and cream risotto and a pomegranate, mint and apple salad. Heather gave me a bag of fresh mushrooms this morning at tennis. She has some secret source but refuses to tell me where.'

‘I suppose she knows which ones are mushrooms and which are toadstools.'

‘Of course, you know what a gourmand and food snob she is,' Josie said with a laugh. ‘How's work? Pour us a glass of vino, please, sweetie.'

‘Work is the usual,' Bella said, opening a cabinet and taking out two wineglasses. ‘I'm late because I was working on that big project for the council, you know the one. It's on track, just awaiting the funding. It'll be even more work when that comes through, though,' she said with a grimace. She unscrewed the lid on a bottle of wine. ‘Not much else to report, except I think Margie might be leaving. Her boyfriend has a job promotion interstate. She'll be tricky to replace, she's good at PR. Personally, I think she's nuts to follow him to New South Wales.'

‘Maybe she wants a permanent relationship.' Josie looked as though she was about to say something further but then changed her mind.

Bella avoided her mother's eye and studied the wine as she filled their glasses. ‘Hmmm, well, I don't think Margie will have any trouble getting another job.' She replaced the cap on the wine bottle and put it on the bench. ‘So, what's new with you, Mum? What have you been up to this week?'

‘There is news,' Josie said accepting a glass of wine from Bella. ‘You'll never guess. I've been hanging out for you to get here. I knew you were coming for dinner, so I wanted to tell you in person. Just read that letter on the bench. I think it's very exciting.'

Bella picked up the letter and saw that it was from the Tennyson Hospital, where her late father had spent most of his working life. A smile spread across Bella's face when she realised what it contained. Her father had been a brilliant surgeon and a fine administrator and was very well liked and respected amongst his colleagues as well as by the general community. It seemed the hospital wanted to dedicate one of the lecture rooms in the new hospital wing to him and they were hoping Josie would unveil the commemorative plaque. The letter explained that the health minister was coming from Melbourne just for the occasion and the mayor and other important dignitaries would also be in attendance. Bella looked at her mother in delight. ‘Wow! This is a seriously big deal! And they want you to do the unveiling. Will you?'

‘Of course. I'm so proud that the hospital board wants to recognise Alex's work. It's a really great honour. He's the only doctor in Tennyson to be recognised in this way, you know. I had no idea they were doing this.'

‘I think that is no more than Dad deserved. What about Ned? I suppose he'll want to be there, too.'

Josie paused. ‘I emailed Ned earlier today, but, you know him, there's been no reply.'

‘Yes, I do know my brother.' Bella frowned. It was so typical of Ned not to check his emails and to ignore the family and it rankled her. ‘Do you think he'll come? I think he should be here for the dedication. It's not every day that your father gets such a huge honour.'

‘It would be nice, of course,' said Josie, her smile tight. ‘But goodness knows where he is. I assume he's fine, or we would hear something.'

‘But Mum, it's so selfish of him not to reply,' said Bella.

‘Maybe he hasn't checked his email today.' Josie shrugged. ‘We all walk to the sound of our own music.'

‘I think Ned only hears what he wants to, and ignores anything inconvenient.'

Josie looked at her daughter. ‘It's just how he is . . .'

‘Mum! Let's not get started on “Ned is just Ned”. I just think that he is not always very considerate towards you.'

Josie peered intently into the risotto pot. ‘Ned just needs to find himself.'

Bella held her breath for a moment to control her anger. She didn't want the argument about her brother to continue. Privately she thought that now that Ned was pushing forty, he should have found himself already.

‘Don't be harsh on him, Bella,' Josie said, sprinkling some seasoning into the risotto. ‘He may not call as regularly as I would like, especially lately, but he rings when he has something to tell me. He's not like the two of us, who love to chit-chat regularly about anything and everything.'

‘That's for sure.'

‘But that doesn't mean he loves us any less, honey.'

‘Well, I think it's ridiculous that we can't reach him when we want to. What if there was an emergency?'

‘Well, there's not. He'll get back to me,' said Josie. ‘Just the same, I agree with you about his attending the dedication. It would be nice for your brother to be here, so that all of Alex's family can acknowledge what a wonderful man he was. He wasn't just a loving father and husband, he was admired by so many people in the community.'

Bella glanced at a photo of her handsome father pinned to the fridge. ‘He was a pillar of Tennyson, wasn't he? It's hard to believe he's been gone for nearly a year. I know you still miss him terribly.'

Josie's eyes misted over. ‘Of course I do. He was everything I could have dreamed of in a husband. Funny, clever, wise, and so loving. Life with him was never dull because he was such exciting company. You know something, Bella, when I first looked at the invitation, the first thing I noticed was that the date of the ceremony is the same date as his death.'

‘Oh, Mum,' Bella glanced at the invitation again. ‘I didn't see that. Why would they do that?'

‘I'm sure it wasn't on purpose. They just wouldn't have realised. But it did rather bring home to me again just what I lost when your father died . . .' Josie's voice trailed off and she put down her wooden spoon as she tried to collect herself.

Bella patted her mother's hand. ‘Look, Mum, when you speak to Ned, I really think that you should put your foot down with him. You should tell him exactly how you feel and that you want him to come home for this dedication.'

Josie sniffed and straightened up. ‘I can only tell Ned that it's happening in a few weeks and hope that he decides for himself that he wants to come. It's up to him to make the decision.'

When Bella looked at her mother in complete exasperation, Josie looked away from her and changed the subject.

‘You've been working so hard lately,' Josie said, tasting a spoonful of risotto. ‘Have you got plans for some time off soon?'

‘I've certainly got a lot of accumulated leave, and I'm being pushed to use it. They don't like you storing up too many holidays, but I don't want to go on leave while this project is on. It'll be a while till I've got some free time again.'

‘Why don't you and Brendan take a trip?'

Bella wrinkled her nose.

‘I thought you both got on very well. Brendan Miller is a very thoughtful and kind man,' said Josie.

‘He is, he's nice and he's smart, but the relationship just isn't . . .' Bella chewed her lip. ‘Well, it's just not all that exciting. I think that going on holidays with a dentist would be just too dull.'

‘That's a shame, because as far as I'm concerned I think that you could do a lot worse than Brendan,' said Josie firmly.

‘Anyway, enough about Brendan. Come on, let's eat dinner. I'm starving.'

Bella had dropped the subject of her big brother but still felt annoyed by his cavalier attitude to their mother. If he refused to attend the dedication, and she was pretty sure that's what his response was going to be, she would certainly be calling to tell him in no uncertain terms that he had to be present at the dedication of the ‘The Dr Alex Chisholm Lecture Room'. It was the right thing to do. Their mother needed him and it was time he showed up.

*

The next day, Tuesday, Bella slammed down her phone in frustration, tears forming in her eyes.
I can't believe it. After all that work
. Her phone rang again and she recognised Josie's number. She gingerly picked up the receiver.

‘Hi, Mum,' she said quietly.

‘Hi, darling,' came Josie's bright voice. ‘How's your day going?'

‘Horrible!' said Bella, closing her office door and plonking herself back in her chair. ‘I've just heard that my big project is off!'

‘Oh dear,' said Josie sympathetically. ‘And after all the work you've put into it.'

Bella sighed and rubbed her eyes with one hand. ‘The funding got pulled. I can't believe it. And yet, somehow it seems typical!' She gave a bitter laugh.

‘Well, I'm sorry to hear that, darling,' Josie said. ‘I've heard from Ned though. He replied to my email this morning.'

‘Oh yes,' said Bella. ‘How is he? Where is he?'

‘He said he'd been singing at a few festivals and some nightclubs but that he was going to stop in one place for a bit and try to do some serious composing.'

‘So? Is he coming to the dedication?'

Bella heard Josie pause. ‘He said he was a long way away, right up in the tropics in Far North Queensland. Said it's really interesting and beautiful.'

‘Well, at least he's in the country. Are you going to insist that he comes back for the dedication?' Bella pressed.

‘To tell you the truth, he wasn't very enthusiastic in his email. He said it was a long way to come just for one afternoon, and that it would go ahead whether he was there or not. He sent his love.'

‘So you're going to let him off the hook,' said Bella in frustration. ‘I really think that he should make the effort. For heaven's sake, it's not that hard to fly from one part of the country to another, and not all that expensive, either.'

Josie made a noncommittal sound. ‘The hospital has asked if there is anyone in particular we'd like to invite. I think we should add your cousin Sue, don't you?'

‘Whatever you think best, Mum.' But Bella was mentally fuming.

*

As they walked his dog through the park the following Monday evening, Brendan tried to be supportive.

‘Sounds like you've had a rough week, Bell,' he said gently. ‘Don't be so hard on Ned, though. He probably figures there'll be so many people at the dedication ceremony
that he won't be missed. And he's right, it is a long trip back here for one event, even such an important one.'

Bella bristled. ‘Well, the dedication should mean a lot. It's a huge honour for our father, and if Dad can't be there to appreciate it, then I think the least we can do is to have all our family there. And it's on the anniversary of Dad's death. Mum wants Ned to come, but she won't say that to him. You know, sometimes I think that Ned could be a bit nicer to Mum all round. He needs to spend some time with her.'