The Maxwell Sisters (23 page)

When Phoebe finally opened the floor for small talk, it was easy. Maybe because they steered clear of all touchy subjects – the wedding, the family and the restaurant. It was like an unspoken agreement and she remembered how good they'd been at that. Always seeming to know what each other needed without voicing it.

They did have a good laugh about an old high school story though and shared some funny speculations on whatever happened to Melissa, the girl they'd all loved to hate.

It had been so difficult to come home, but it seemed worth it now. She had needed to see her sisters again. And Spider too. Sitting under the shade of the gum tree, the problems they were all having seemed to fade in significance. Or maybe that was just the comfort food talking.

‘Do you think that's her?' Tash asked suddenly.

‘Who? Where?' Phoebe sat up straighter, dusting pastry off her fingers.

‘She just entered and is ordering something.' Tash sat up on her heels, shading her eyes. ‘We should have brought binoculars.'

Eve giggled. ‘We're not that far away. And don't you think it would have been a little obvious if we had?'

‘Good point,' Tash agreed.

‘I can't see her.' Phoebe shook her head. ‘Why do you think it's her?'

‘Well, it's nearly three. She's the only female apart from Alice in the bakery …
and
she's young and gorgeous.'

‘Oh.' Phoebe's shoulders slumped.

‘Have a look.' Tash patted her shoulder. ‘See what you think. She's sitting down in the alfresco area with a takeaway coffee – short blonde hair, tall and skinny.'

Phoebe shaded her eyes to examine the scene. Eve looked over as well. The woman had blonde curly hair that covered her head in an elf-like style. She sat primly reading through a few pages in a slim file that she had with her, delicately sipping her coffee. Eve didn't recognise her.

‘Are we supposed to recognise this person?' she asked hesitantly. As usual, Phoebe and Tash seemed to know the whole story while she was left to feel her way around in the dark.

‘Yes,' Phoebe groaned, ‘we are supposed to know her and we do. I mean,
I do
! She's been in town for a while. She's one of Claudia's friends and is staying at Oak Hills.'

‘You've met her?' Tash raised her eyebrows.

‘Yes,' Phoebe frowned. ‘She's very nice. Her name is Bronwyn Eddings. I can't believe it. I won't believe it.'

‘Believe what?' Eve demanded.

Phoebe looked stricken as she turned her gaze upon her. ‘That Spider is having an affair with her.'

‘What? That's mad.'

‘Really?' Phoebe enquired. ‘You really think so? Because he's been pulling away a lot lately.'

Eve's mind boggled. ‘He's hurt about your behaviour, not having an affair.'

‘My behaviour?' Phoebe's eyes widened.

Damn it! You said you weren't getting involved.

‘So you know something I don't?' Phoebe glared at her.

Eve put her hands up, happy to surrender immediately. ‘No, of course not. I'm just trying to say that Spider is sulking at the moment, not cheating.'

Phoebe's lips pursed and Eve added for good measure, ‘He's fully dedicated to you. Always has been.' She lowered her eyes. ‘Believe me,
I would know
.'

‘Yes, yes.' Phoebe frowned. ‘I get it. You're his best friend, he confides in you. But do you think he would tell you about an affair when you're my sister?'

Eve was growing cross. ‘Why are you getting all annoyed with me? I'm trying to reassure you.'

‘You just accused me of bad behaviour.' Phoebe put her hand on her hips. ‘I want to know what you mean by that.'

‘Nothing. I just thought maybe you could have handled the wedding preparations better.'

‘Did he say that to you?'

Luckily, she was saved from answering when Phoebe's phone rang, though it seemed at first that Phoebe didn't want to answer it. She opened her mouth to say something further to Eve then shut it indecisively as her phone kept ringing. Was it possible that her younger sister was more intimidated by Eve's friendship with Spider than she let on? Finally, Phoebe yanked the phone out of her handbag to switch it off when she spotted the caller ID.

‘It's Spider,' she whispered. ‘Should I answer it?'

‘Of course you should answer it,' Tash nodded. ‘Ask him where he is.'

Phoebe put the phone to her ear cautiously. ‘Hello?'

There was silence as she listened a moment to what he was saying. ‘I'm in town. Where are you?' She mouthed, ‘He's back home.'

Eve watched Phoebe's eyes start to mist as Spider continued talking and couldn't help but feel a lump develop in her throat. At one time she had wanted Spider for herself, but if he broke her sister's heart, she would never forgive him.

‘I know.' Phoebe shut her eyes as a single tear rolled down her cheek. ‘I'd like to talk too.' She covered the mouthpiece to address her sisters. ‘I might just take this over here if you don't mind.'

Eve and Tash nodded and she stood up to take the call privately. Strolling over to another gum further away from the bakery, she leaned against the tree.

‘Well, I gotta say,' Tash's voice sounded cynical, ‘that's a relief.'

‘Spider would never have an affair,' Eve announced adamantly.

‘He loves her too much. What he craves more than anything is more of her attention.'

She looked over at Tash, who was eyeing her carefully, as though searching for the right words to respond.

‘I just want Phoebe to marry a man she can trust,' her big sister finally said.

‘Me too.'

‘Then I hope those two work this out,' Tash agreed, her gaze straying back to the bakery where Bronwyn Eddings was still sipping coffee. Just at that moment someone else arrived. He sat down at Bronwyn's table, his face wrinkling briefly in an offbeat smile that seemed both casual and intimate at the same time. Bronwyn covered his hand reassuringly, holding on to it for a little too long before letting go.

Tash gasped. Eve looked in the direction of Tash's stunned gaze. ‘Wha–?'

And then so many things crystallised in that one awful moment. His midlife crisis. His constant disappearing acts. Her mother feeling like he was keeping something from her.

‘You've got to be kidding,' Eve cried as her eyes once again darted across the scene in front of her. ‘Dad's the one having the affair?'

Tash's mind was reeling.

‘Are you seeing this?' Eve whispered as Bronwyn reached over and held their father's hand again.

He was gazing at her like she was his lifeline – the answer to all his prayers. He took a blue velvet jewellery box from the inside pocket of his jacket. It was the one she had seen in his study. He passed it across the table.

‘Is that …?' Eve gasped. ‘Is that jewellery?'

‘Yes,' Tash responded even before Bronwyn opened it and smiled mistily. She felt completely numb, unable to move. The hairs on the back of her neck had risen to spikes and a wave of nausea washed through her. ‘I can't believe this and yet it makes perfect sense.'

Eve's eyes widened. ‘I know, right? This is the secret he's been hiding.'

‘He told me this morning that you can't sit in the same place you've always been and wonder why you're not having fun any more,' Tash continued.

‘Mum says he's always disappearing, sometimes for hours on end,' Eve added, glaring at the happy couple again with a shake of her head. ‘Now we know where he's been. I bet you he hasn't been hanging out with Horace at all.'

‘No,' Tash agreed.

They were both silent for a moment. Eve plucked at the grass beside her legs awkwardly. She glanced over at Phoebe, who was still on the other side of the park, in conversation with Spider. Her sister hadn't noticed their father rock up to the bakery yet.

‘Should we tell Phoebe?'

Tash shuddered. ‘No, she's having a hard enough time with Spider and the wedding. Besides the fact that it would just crush her.'

Eve nodded. ‘I'm not doing so good myself.'

‘Me neither.' Tash shook her head. The whole scenario was so surreal. But she could hardly deny that all the pieces of the puzzle concerning her father were finally falling into place. She felt sick. He wasn't just cheating on her mum, he was cheating on their family, on her sisters. He was going against everything he had ever taught them about loyalty.

How could he do this?

She must have said this out loud because Eve muttered two words, ‘Midlife crisis.'

‘That's not an excuse.'

‘For him it is.' Eve tore her gaze from the scene at the bakery and breathed deep. Though she was putting on a brave front, Natasha could see how affected Eve was. She was as white as chalk.

‘Hey,' she held out her hand, taking Eve's and squeezing it, ‘we're going to figure this out.'

‘How? What's our next move?'

For once, Tash did not have a plan ready. She had no idea what was correct protocol for moving forward from this point. She stared blankly into space, unable to find her voice.

Eve seemed to grow even more worried by her silence. ‘Tash? Do we sit on this? Or do we confront them?'

‘What do you think?'

‘What do I think?' Eve swallowed. ‘You're asking me?'

‘Yes, I'm asking you,' Tash croaked. ‘Do we sit on this? Or do we confront them?'

‘I don't think we should confront them,' Eve said slowly. ‘I mean, I know you're good at that sort of thing but I'm not and a public scene isn't ideal. We wouldn't want the whole town talking about this.'

Tash nodded. ‘Good call. We wouldn't want Mum to find out that way either. We have to protect her.'

Eve exhaled in relief. ‘For how long?'

Tash finally seemed to be getting her bearings. ‘We need to talk to Dad first. See if we can set him straight.'

‘Yes,' Eve agreed, ‘let's do that. When?'

‘Tonight, tomorrow, as soon as possible. Will you come with me?'

‘Of course, and not just for moral support. I think I need to hear it from his lips.' She grimaced. ‘I just can't believe that he would do this.'

‘We never thought he'd retire so early from winemaking either,' Tash said quietly, ‘but he did. He's changed since we last saw him, Eve. There's no doubt about that.'

Eve looked at her hands and Tash knew what she was thinking because she was thinking it too. Neither of them had seen their father in over a year because they'd been too busy fighting with each other. If they'd just been more vigilant, more like the caring daughters he'd always known, then maybe he wouldn't have had to turn to Bronwyn Eddings of all people.

‘Eve –'

‘Tash –'

They both spoke at the same time and grimaced at each other.

‘No,' Tash held up her hand, ‘let me go first. I'm the one who owes you an apology. I blew up at you way too fast after the restaurant fire. I made all sorts of judgements and assumptions. All I thought about was the money and I was completely insensitive.'

‘You were just worried about our parents.'

‘I was.' Tash nodded. ‘But I was concerned about you too, Eve.'

Her sister seemed to clasp her hands a little too tightly in her lap. ‘You were?'

‘Of course. The restaurant was your dream. And you were so good at it. I didn't want to see you throw it all away.'

‘I wasn't good at it,' Eve blinked. ‘Spider was.'

Tash gave her the ‘Are you for real?' look. And Eve tilted her head defensively.

‘Well, it's the truth. After he started losing interest in the restaurant, everything went downhill. Even before the fire.'

‘I think you're over-dramatising.'

‘No, I'm not.' Eve folded her arms. ‘I can't do it without him.'

‘Yes you can.'

Eve groaned at her lack of understanding. ‘I know I'm a pretty good cook but –'

‘Eve,' Tash put her hand up to stop her, ‘you are a
bloody fantastic
cook. It's undisputed. You should have your own TV show, not Spider. Though,' she added as Eve opened her mouth to protest, ‘I know that's not your thing, the restaurant is. I was always so envious of you.'

‘Me?' Eve was startled. ‘Why on earth?'

‘You had so much talent and you were getting to live your dream. You know, work in a job that you love with your whole heart and soul. And you can still do that.'

‘You love your job too,' Eve protested.

Tash snorted. ‘Hardly.'

‘You excel at it. You're like a cross between a powerhouse and a bullet train. I thought you loved life in the fast lane.'

‘Don't get me wrong,' Tash nodded, ‘I don't hate my career, and there are some parts that I do like. But I don't
love
it. I slid into marketing.'

‘I don't get it.'

Tash sighed. ‘I wanted to move out of home. I wanted to go live in the city. I got good marks at school and it seemed like a good degree at university. It wasn't something I knew I was going to do from childhood. You always knew you wanted to be a chef.'

‘That's true,' Eve acknowledged. ‘But it doesn't mean that I haven't often had self-doubt.' She winced. ‘No more so than right now and since the fire. I just didn't feel I could talk to you about that.'

‘Why?' A little spark of hurt pricked.

‘Because you're so perfect. I didn't think that you would understand what it means to feel like a failure. You always have it all together.'

Tash gasped. ‘I
do not
have it all together. I don't even partly have it all together.'

If there was a minute in time that was perfect to open up to her sister about Heath, this was it. She wanted to and she felt safe to. Talking to Eve, she realised that she didn't need to be invincible all the time. In fact, it was better not to be. If she hadn't been so unapproachable all these years, then maybe Eve would have confided in her earlier. They certainly hadn't had that problem as teenagers. Somewhere between her moving out and getting married they'd lost that intimate connection. It wasn't until sitting across from her right now she realised how much she wanted it back.

The moment, however, was lost when Phoebe suddenly returned to them, dropping down onto the grass beside Tash in the cross-legged position. ‘Spider and I had a good talk. I completely overreacted.' She smiled and added, ‘Looks like Bronwyn's gone too. I can't believe I thought they were having an affair. That's so ridiculous, right? Spider's just not that kind of person.'

Eve and Tash's gazes quickly swung to the bakery. Their father and his girlfriend had indeed gone.

‘Yes,' Tash agreed baldly. ‘Absolutely ridiculous.'

Though the words tasted like sawdust in her mouth, she knew better than anyone how easy it was to be fooled by a person you trusted.

On their wedding day, she never would have imagined that Heath was the type of man who could forget a child of his so easily, or find her grief frustrating. It wasn't until they were actually faced with that challenge that she had seen his limitations firsthand.

It was funny how she'd always thought she was such a good judge of character – that she knew her husband through and through. Turned out, he'd never let her in his head. They weren't close like a husband and wife should be. There was an emotional barrier between them that just couldn't be breached. Whatever the case, life had to go on and she couldn't keep beating herself up about failing at the most important relationship in her life. He had not responded when she had tried to reach out. It took two to tango and he was just as much to blame as she was.

 

The house was fairly quiet that night when the three sisters got home. Spider and Phoebe had decided to take his parents out to another winery for dinner and Adam had not accompanied their father home that evening. So it was only the five of them around the dining table for the evening meal.

‘Well, personally,' Anita commented deprecatingly, ‘I find it a little insulting that they've decided to go off and eat somewhere else. What's wrong with my cooking?'

‘I don't think there's anything wrong with your cooking,' Eve tried to explain to her quietly. ‘They probably just wanted to explore the region a little more.'

Their father grinned and added, ‘Or maybe they just wanted a little privacy.'

‘Privacy?' Anita's eyes widened and Tash wanted to throw the salt shaker at him. Hadn't he done enough damage without purposely provoking their mother as well?

‘Why would they need privacy?' Anita demanded, her eyes darting from one person to the next before finally resting on her husband again.

‘I wouldn't know,' he responded nonchalantly.

Anita took in his indulgent smile with frustration. It stretched even further when she said, ‘That Patricia woman is undoubtedly up to no good, probably trying to press her opinion on them without my knowledge.' She sniffed. ‘The last thing any bride needs in her wedding preparation is an interfering third party. I don't know why she can't just keep her head down like the rest of us.'

Eve stared unwaveringly at her plate.

Tash cleared her throat. ‘She means well, Mum.'

As she glanced upward, she met Heath's eyes over the salad bowl. They were dancing and that all-too-familiar warmth of intimacy streaked through her. She quickly looked away again, forcing her body to stop tingling.

Annoyingly, straight after dinner, their father left the room as they were clearing the dishes from the table. Natasha hadn't expected that he would be gone long but as they completed their team wash-up effort in the kitchen, she noticed he still hadn't returned. Apparently he had taken himself off to bed. This was highly disappointing given that Eve and Tash had intended to confront him after dinner. It looked like that was out of the question now.

‘We'll have to wait until morning,' she whispered to Eve in the hall.

Her sister nodded in agreement.

After that, Tash went to the sitting room and tried to read a book, which was more or less what she expected the others to do. But her mother and Eve went off to the den to watch television instead and before she realised the trap she'd laid for herself, she was alone with Heath. He was on one couch and she on the other, both reclining, propped up with pillows. It could have been a scene from their own home a year earlier. They had always enjoyed reading together. It was almost metaphysical really. Both lost in completely different worlds, yet sharing the experience through companionship. Silence had never been a problem for them. There was comfort in just being around each other and knowing the other was there. Now as she lay there, her feelings took on a whole different form.

Never had being quiet been less easy.

She couldn't relax. In fact, she was getting pins and needles from holding her legs too still. She had read the same damn page at least three times and was about to do so for the fourth time when Heath sat up.

He swung his long legs off the couch onto the floor, throwing his book onto the coffee table so that it skated on the surface before coming to a stop. He leaned forward, lacing his hands loosely between his legs.

‘I think we need to finish the conversation we were having in the restaurant this morning.'

‘I thought we were finished.' She didn't look up from her book, pretending to be thoroughly engrossed.

‘Come on, Tash,' he rasped. ‘Put that down. I know you're not reading it.'

She finally looked up. ‘What do you want from me, Heath? Another confession? I'm sorry, I'm all out of those today.'

He shook his head with a frown. ‘No, of course not. I didn't want the confession you gave me this morning. Frankly, it took me completely by surprise.'

With a heavy sigh, she shut her book, hugging it to her chest and staring at the ceiling. ‘Why?'

‘Because I had no idea you thought I blamed you for our child's death.
Worse
, that you believed it yourself.'

After a long pause she asked, ‘Well, isn't it the truth?'

‘No, the loss of our child was caused by chromosomal abnormalities, which is just an unexplained problem with its DNA that basically caused it to stop growing.' It was like stepping back in time, witnessing his complete lack of compassion as he repeated to her once more the doctor's diagnosis – calling their child ‘it' rather than ‘she'. He had done this often, as though trying to snap her out of a trance that she knew she was not in.