Tears of the Moon - Di Morrissey [173]
‘That seems to be John’s philosophy as well. You know he took the news about Hamish very badly. He hoped Doctor Shaw was a comfort to you. But like you, he has come to accept what life has dealt him. If you ask me he leads a sort of waiting life. He goes through the motions but it’s like he is waiting for something, waiting for his real life to begin,’ said Mabel.
‘This reunion with Maya and his granddaughter will bring him back to life again,’ enthused Toby. ‘Will they stay here? Where is her husband?’
Olivia took a deep breath. ‘There’s more to this. Not only have I found Maya, but have just discovered Hamish is the father of her child. They planned to get married after the war. She didn’t know she was pregnant when he left. She came to Shaw House and only ever knew me as Mrs Shaw. Hamish, of course, kept the Hennessy name.’
The Mettas stared at her in stunned silence and Olivia went on.
‘They met in Albany when he was there in the Naval Brigade for a year. That’s where her adopted family are.’
‘So the little one is your granddaughter, too … ’
‘Naturally Gilbert and I want them to live with us. But John has to know about it all and the final decision will, of course, be Maya’s.’
‘How sad for her, but God certainly works in mysterious ways. He’s brought you all together.’ Mabel patted her hand. And the three of them sat in silence for a moment, all thinking of Hamish.
Toby spoke first. ‘The fleet will be back in a day or so. What are your plans, Olivia? Why are you here at the Conti and not in your house? Does Minnie know you’re back?’
‘No. I’m about to go around. I didn’t tell anyone I was coming. I’d have to go into why and it just seemed easier simply to come and bring Maya. Seems a bit strange now I suppose.’ She gave a small shrug. ‘And I was thinking I’d sell the house up here. No reason for me to keep it on and what with the setbacks in the business and the cost of setting up in Fremantle, I need the money. I have to cut my ties here, my future is down south now.’
‘Not a good time to try and sell, Olivia,’ said Toby. ‘People are leaving Broome, not moving here. We, too, have thought about leaving. I could get work elsewhere, but this is our home. We’ll hang on. Tyndall is convinced things will pick up. He predicts the twenties are going to be great years.’
‘I certainly hope so,’ Olivia answered wistfully.
It was sunset when Olivia took Maya and Georgie to her house. Maya had been quiet and said that she was simply feeling ‘crowded’. So many memories were coming back to her. Seeing Georgie rush into the pearl shed and clatter amongst the bags of pearl shells stacked in the dimness of the shed, the light falling through the high open squares that served as windows beneath the tin roof, was like seeing a picture of herself. While the shed was silent and empty, she looked at her daughter running about and heard again the singsong voices, smelled the pungent odours of oysters, and remembered a tall man’s laugh.
Olivia glanced at Maya as they stopped outside the gate. She gestured towards the garden and the sweep of the vine-shaded verandah. ‘Do you remember this place? Your father brought you here almost every evening.’
Maya shook her head. ‘No. But it feels familiar. I feel I have been here before.’
At that moment Alf came around the side of the house and stopped in his tracks, then with a smile splitting his face, he hurried forward. ‘Mem! Strike me down, Minnie didn’t tell me yer was coming up.’
‘She doesn’t know. It’s a surprise.’
A voice rang out. ‘I see you and I don’t believe my old eyes. Them not so good no more. I think mebbe I seein’ t’ings. No, by crikey it’s mem talkin’ to Alf jist like old days.’ Minnie was stepping stiffly down from the verandah and hurrying to the gate as Olivia stepped into the garden. With her arthritis