The Plantation - Di Morrissey [181]
Caroline poured them each a champagne and they touched glasses.
‘So, what’s next, David?’ asked Julie.
‘Plugging on. I’ll be going back to Sarawak. Y’know, I’d love to meet your Aunt Bette before I go. Is that possible?’
‘I’m sure she’d love to meet you,’ said Julie. ‘After all, if it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t have found her.’
The bypass meeting transformed into a neighbour-hood party to celebrate with people rushing home and bringing food and children back to the Reagans for a barbecue dinner. It was late when Julie headed home, but after a shower she curled up on her bed in her pyjamas to send a long email to Christopher filling him in on all the news about Bette and the bypass.
As she was brushing her teeth she heard the ping of an incoming email and hurried to her laptop, hoping it was a reply from Chris. But it was Shane, answering her email at last about Roland’s friend Bill.
Found him! He used to send Christmas cards to Grandfather Roland years ago, but the last address we have for him is 6 Park Place, Goondiwindi, Queensland. Best of luck and stay in contact. S. xx
Julie stared at the screen then burst out laughing. ‘Goondiwindi! I don’t believe it. Well, that is a turn up! Bill, I hope you’re still out there!’
14
CAROLINE WALKED THROUGH THE garden of Bayview to the letterbox and found a letter addressed to her in a spidery hand, from Goondiwindi.
‘It’s from Bill!’ she called to Paul. ‘Well, Shane and Peter were on the money with the right address,’ said Paul.
Caroline skimmed the letter and said, ‘Actually, he’s moved from that address. Listen: “I’ve moved into a retirement village, still in Goondiwindi. Mrs Peterson, who bought my house, was kind enough to bring me your letter when she received it. I remember Roland very well. We were very good friends, especially during the war, and I would love to meet his daughter, if you can get to Gundy.”’
‘I think we should contact the staff at the retirement village to find out how strong he is,’ Caroline said later over the phone to Julie. ‘We don’t want to race out west and find that he’s really not up to visitors.’
‘Mum, he sounds as sharp as a tack, but I will ring, just to check,’ said Julie.
When Julie finally spoke with the manager of the retirement village, she was assured that Bill Dickson was brilliant for his age. ‘He still plays bridge and does the crossword puzzles in the daily paper, and his mind is quite active. Mind you, he’s a bit slow to get around these days. His arthritis can be a problem for him at times. But I can assure you that he certainly loves visitors. In fact, I can guarantee that he’ll give you a warm reception. Bill likes a chat.’
When Julie spoke to Bill on the phone she found him to be as alert and strong as she expected.
‘What a surprise, lass. You’re related to Roland, you say? Let me get this straight, you’re his granddaughter? Are you Philip or Caroline’s child?’
Julie explained that she was Caroline’s daughter, and that she and her mother would love to drive to Goondiwindi and meet him.
‘So, you’re little Caroline’s daughter. That makes me feel like an old-timer. Where do you live? You’re welcome to drop by any time.’
‘Both my mother and I live in Brisbane. How long have you been there, Bill?’
‘In Gundy? Or this retirement place? We came out to Australia in the late fifties and my wife Vera and I had a nice little house down the road. Vera died a few years ago, so I moved in here. Our kids are all scattered to the winds, all over Australia, but they like to visit me. They’re good kids.’
‘You didn’t stay in Malaya?’ asked Julie.
‘Only for a time. After the war I went back there. It was great to catch up again with Roland. I took up my position again in the Civil Service, but once Malayanisation started, I found that there was no place for me, so I went back to the UK. No place for me there either and I couldn’t take the blasted cold weather. I was married by then, and so Vera and I decided to emigrate to Australia.’ He paused as if waiting