North Star (7 page)

Bright and early the next day, Jenny, Nathan and the kids all pitched in at the house. They loaded up utes and horse floats full of rubbish and slowly each room emerged from the clutter and debris. By the end of the day they were left with a bare, grubby house and Kate stood beaming at the result.

‘It's still a mess,' Jenny said, turning in a slow circle to take in the echoing living room.

‘Yes, but at least now I can get to it to clean. This is fantastic. Nathan, kids, I can't thank you enough for all your hard work. Jen, you're having tonight off—I'm taking us all out to dinner at the pub.'

Bugger the budget
, thought Kate. After the hard work they'd all put in, they deserved a treat.

It was a lovely evening, too. Even Georgia and Liam seemed to be having fun, and for the first time in months Kate was able to let go and enjoy herself.

People stopped by the table throughout the meal and Jenny introduced Kate to more people than she could hope to remember. Everyone seemed surprised that she was bothering to clean up Henry's house. Most assumed she would sell the land and that, more than likely, Matthew Unterheinner would buy it.

Kate saw John Cafferty the minute he walked in. She watched him greet people and stop to chat with a few older farmers at the bar. He was dressed in civilian clothes tonight, looking every bit the country boy in jeans and a flannelette shirt. She envied the way he, at least, could blend in.

The barmaid, Rhonda, who was also the publican's wife, and almost a twin for the receptionist at the solicitor's, handed him a tall glass of beer with a smile that Kate could only describe as rapacious. John acknowledged her with a polite nod of thanks.

Then he glanced up, saw Kate watching him and gave her one of his lazy smiles. Kate felt herself start to blush and looked away.

When she looked up again, she saw with a mixture of dread and anticipation that he was heading for their table.

‘G'day, John. How's things?' Nathan asked as the big policeman wandered up.

‘Can't complain. How are you, Jenny?' John asked with an easy familiarity. ‘Kate.'

She could feel his eyes on her and she forced out a greeting, wondering if she sounded as flustered as she felt.

‘Pull up a chair,' Nathan said, sliding out the vacant seat beside him.

‘So how's the house coming along, Kate?' John asked, placing his glass on the coaster in front of him.

‘Great, now. I had a lot of help today and we're finally making some headway.' She flashed a grateful smile at her friends.

‘Well, if you need an extra pair of hands I can come out next weekend,' he offered.

‘Good idea,' said Nathan before she could answer. ‘Come out and stay for a barbecue—we're going to take the kids down to the river in the afternoon for a swim,' he offered in his friendly, generous way.

Kate shot Jenny a look of alarm. Jenny just gave a small shrug and failed to hide her grin.

‘Count me in,' John said, and Kate didn't know whether to be pleased or terrified.

Later that night, after the kids had all finally settled down and gone to sleep, Jenny and Kate folded laundry together. It was over the most mundane tasks that the two women were catching up on the lost years of their lives. Over the washing-up the night before they'd laughed so hard over something they'd remembered that Nathan had come out to make sure they were all right. He'd stared at his wife, bent over the kitchen sink, clutching the edge of the counter to stay upright as she brayed like a donkey, a laugh that had set Kate off in a fit of hysterics again.

‘It's like having two flamin' sets of teenagers in the house,' he muttered, shaking his head, which only made the women laugh harder.

‘I didn't know you and Nathan knew John,' Kate said, trying to sound nonchalant, as she folded Liam's school shirt.

‘Everyone knows John around here.' Jenny gave her a teasing grin. ‘So how
does
a woman who's been in town a little over a week manage to already be on first-name terms with the local policeman?'

‘Don't ask,' Kate groaned. ‘Suffice it to say, it was a strictly professional meeting.'

‘He seems rather smitten with Widgerry's latest bachelorette.'

Kate gave a snort of contempt. ‘He's probably just gone through all the other eligible women in town.'

‘John's not like that.' Jenny sounded serious now.

‘Okay, so why is a good-looking thirty-something policeman still single? Maybe Clive knows something we don't,' Kate said with an impish smile.

‘What? You can't seriously think John Cafferty is gay?'

The smile melted from Kate's lips as she suddenly realised that this was exactly how rumours started in places like this. ‘Of course not. I was just mucking around. There's probably a very good reason the guy's not married. I can actually think of a number of arguments against the institution myself.'

‘Oh come on, just because you picked a dud doesn't mean they're all like that.'

‘You and Nathan seem to have it worked out. You two make it look easy,' Kate said wistfully.

‘Don't believe it,' Jenny scoffed. ‘It's bloody hard work. But I have to admit, I got lucky.' Kate watched as her friend's eyes softened. ‘The big lug.'

Kate tried to ignore the little knot in her stomach. She wasn't entirely sure it was a matter of being lucky. She had a feeling there was more to it than that. Somehow, for some reason that must have been connected to her childhood experiences, she had been unconsciously attracted to a man who turned out to have an extremely destructive addiction. Surely that wasn't just a coincidence, a matter of bad luck?

And how had her lovely, gentle gran ended up with Henry? And then there was her mother with her never-ending list of hopeless men, not to mention the addiction to drugs and alcohol that had dogged her all her life.

This was why she hadn't exposed her children to Henry and North Star before now. This was why she continued to hide the extent of their father's addiction and why she continued to let Georgia blame her for the divorce. By denying her past, she'd tried to shield her children from the harsh realities she'd been forced to deal with from an early age.

The bone-chilling discovery that Georgia had been experimenting with drugs had thrown Kate into an absolute panic, but there was no way in hell she was going to stand by and allow the cycle of addiction to claim another generation.

Looking across at Jenny, Kate felt angry at herself for not defying her grandfather and returning before now. If only she hadn't been such a frightened rabbit around the man. Surely in the last few years of his life he wouldn't have posed any serious threat to her.

So why, then, she wondered, had she been too terrified to come back and stand up to him?

Over the next two days Jenny and Kate scrubbed the old house from top to bottom, removing years of accumulated dust and grime. It felt rejuvenating, almost as though they were wiping the slate clean, ready for a new start.

The back rooms which had stored much of the house's furniture held a bounty of treasures.

Jenny eyed a faded old sofa that had once graced the living room. ‘You know, I can whip up a new cover for this lounge in no time and it'll be as good as new. We can go into town later and buy some fabric,' she said.

The rest of the furniture was good quality too. Solid timber bookcases, tables, chairs and beds, all stacked and waiting to be returned to their rightful places.

Kate felt a small pang of regret for her own furniture, the things she'd lovingly picked out over the years to fill her perfect house in her perfect world . . . until reality had taken her by the shoulders and shaken her awake. They'd sold it all to pay off Andy's debts.

‘I wonder what possesses a person to shut themselves away from the world like your grandfather did,' Jenny said as she and Kate dragged a heavy headboard up the hall into the bedroom that would be Georgia's.

Kate didn't answer.

‘As a kid I used to get a bad vibe whenever I saw him,' Jenny said seriously. ‘You never used to let me come inside, do you remember? If we wanted a drink or a snack, you'd go in and bring it out. I used to think you didn't want me to see something in here because you were embarrassed, but it wasn't
what
was in here, it was
who
.'

Kate shuffled uncomfortably.

‘It was your grandfather you didn't want me to be around, wasn't it?'

‘He just liked things to be . . . quiet. You know what kids are like, running, banging and shouting. I guess he wasn't used to kids being around all the time, he got a little . . . twitchy.' When Jenny opened her mouth to ask more questions, Kate cut in, ‘So what do you think, bed by the window or against the wall?'

‘Wall,' said Jenny with a look that made it clear she knew full well Kate was avoiding the discussion. ‘While we're getting the fabric for the lounge we'll pick up new curtains too. Come to think of it, we may as well go the whole hog and paint as well,' she added with a satisfied nod.

‘Um, Jen, I don't want to rain on your parade here, but I really don't have a huge budget to work with.'

‘Well, if you're not too fussy about the colour scheme, I have quite a bit of paint left over from the last time I painted our place. It's still out in the shed.' Jenny looked around the room, mentally calculating how much paint they'd need. ‘We should have more than enough to do the bedrooms at least.'

Kate shook her head. ‘Jen, I really can't keep accepting all this, you've already done so much—taking us in and helping me clean out the house, offering to sew. I feel as though I'm imposing.'

‘You honestly think I would let you struggle out here all alone?' Jenny said, staring at her old friend curiously.

‘Well . . . it's been sixteen years. I don't feel as though I've been a very good friend to you.'

‘Kate, I do understand. I won't lie—I was heartbroken when you left without a goodbye, but I guess I somehow always knew you'd be back one day—you always came back eventually.'

Kate felt her throat thicken against a rush of emotion. Looking back now as an adult she saw them for what they had been—two little girls, best friends, constantly separated by the whims of a selfish mother. Tears stung her eyes as she understood the honest simplicity of the friendship she shared with Jenny. Other than her grandmother, Jenny had been the one constant in her life, someone who had helped make the rest of her life bearable.

‘If I'm being too pushy, say so,' Jenny said, cutting into her thoughts. ‘It's just so much fun having a project like this to sink my teeth into. Moving into your in-laws' house has its disadvantages,' she added with a small grimace.

‘But I thought you and Nathan had the run of the house and property,' Kate said.

‘We do, but Nathan's parents still come up from the coast to check on the place. We might run Goonda but they own it. When I repainted the kitchen it almost caused a family feud. The house in particular is still very much his mother's domain. I've come to accept that Goonda won't truly be ours until they've gone.'

Kate smiled sympathetically. ‘Nathan won't stand up to her?'

Her friend gave a small laugh. ‘He knows better than to be caught between his mother and his wife.'

‘Well, friend, consider this place a blank canvas. As long as we can decorate on a budget, you can let your creative juices run wild.'

Jenny nodded and bit her lip thoughtfully, then took a deep breath and smiled. ‘Come on, let's have a break.'

‘Jen,' Kate groaned, ‘I'm sure I've gained weight these last few days. All we do is eat scones and drink coffee.'

‘I didn't bring scones today,' Jenny informed Kate haughtily, ‘I brought Tim Tams, and if you don't stop complaining, I'll eat your share too.'

At the end of the week Kate and Jenny stood arm in arm observing the results of a busy few nights of sewing and painting. The bedrooms all had a fresh coat of paint and the new curtains brightened the rooms up even more, framing newly clean windows. After sanding and varnishing, the timber floors gleamed.

The kitchen was the biggest transformation of all. They'd dragged Gran's old timber kitchen table out from the back room, and it was now back where it belonged, reviving happy memories for Kate of sitting at the table chatting with her gran as they topped and tailed beans, peeled potatoes and drank tea. She ran her hand along the smooth timber surface and smiled. Cheerful yellow curtains hung in the window and a leafy green pot plant sat on the windowsill. Cleared of all the junk, the kitchen was roomy and spacious and was again the focal point of the house.

Bright and early on Saturday morning, Kate helped Jenny pack an esky with enough food to sink a ship and they headed out to tackle the yard. Nathan and the boys unloaded the mowers and a Whipper Snipper, and soon the smell of petrol and the drone of mowers filled the air.

Kate, on her hands and knees pulling at stubborn weeds, jumped when a shadow fell across her.

‘Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. Making any headway there?' It was John, his voice touched with amusement.

Kate wiped her brow and frowned at her dirty hands. ‘Not a great deal. I hope you didn't put off anything too important to come out here today—you didn't have to come and help.'

‘Technically I'm on call twenty-four/seven, but I have my radio and phone with me in case there's an emergency.'

‘I really appreciate all this help. Jen and Nathan have been so great. I don't think I could have managed without them.'

‘I have a feeling you'd have found a way,' he told her, holding her gaze steadily.

A blush crept up her face and she bobbed her head to hide the fact his admiration had pleased her.

‘You made it at last,' Nathan yelled from across the yard when he spotted John. ‘I thought you coppers were supposed to be ready for action all the time?'

‘I've been out upholding the law—and I
am
ready, so give me something to do,' John called back, moving across to shake Nathan's hand in greeting.

Kate returned to her digging with renewed vigour.
You don't need any complications—just keep digging!
she scolded herself.

A few hours later she went inside to help bring out cold drinks for morning tea and almost dropped her tray as John rounded the corner of the house, bare-chested, his head dripping from a recent dunk under the hose to cool off.

Jenny let out a soft low whistle from close behind, earning a flustered glare from Kate. ‘For God's sake, don't encourage him. And you shouldn't even be looking, you're married,' she added in a whisper, although she couldn't hide the small grin that tugged at her lips.

‘I can look. Anyway, you'd have to be blind and half-dead if
that
didn't do anything for you,' Jenny said, just loud enough for Kate to hear.

Looking over, John caught the two women staring and gave a lopsided grin as he pulled on his shirt and came across to take the tray from Kate's hands.

‘It's okay, I have it,' Kate said, refusing to relinquish her load. There was a brief battle of wills before she surrendered, realising that her hands were somewhat unsteady and she'd already sloshed half the contents onto the tray.

‘Thanks,' she murmured a little grudgingly.

Jenny raised a knowing eyebrow at her friend as she weaved past carrying a plate stacked with scones and cream. ‘Like I said, you'd have to be dead if that didn't do anything for ya.' She giggled at Kate's scowl.

It had been painfully established—Kate was not dead.

The tray rattled as she carried it back up the front steps after morning tea had been summarily demolished. She hooked the screen door with her toe and squeezed in sideways as she juggled her load of empty cups and plates. The door suddenly opened wider and she gasped as a hand reached over her head and steadied it. Turning, she found John holding the door for her. There was that grin again. Kate gave a polite thank you and ducked beneath his tanned forearm to continue into the kitchen.

John followed her. ‘I was hoping for a tour around the old place. I've never been inside.'

Depositing the tray on the sink, Kate nervously brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. ‘We've only been working on the main areas—the four front bedrooms, lounge room and this room.'

‘It's looking great,' he said with genuine warmth.

‘Thanks,' she said. ‘Out there,' she pointed to the small room beyond the kitchen, ‘is the mud room and laundry, which opens out onto an area where Gran used to have her veggie garden. I'm going to start on that as soon as I get the inside liveable.'

‘You have a green thumb then?'

‘Actually, no. There were a few unfortunate incidents with indoor plants that I'd rather not talk about. I'm hoping a green thumb is something that comes with age.'

His deep chuckle sounded nice, and she found herself responding with a smile, until she remembered she'd sworn off men forever, and she turned away from temptation. ‘This is the bathroom, and kids' rooms, and my room.'

‘What's through there?' he asked, nodding towards the closed door at the end of the long hallway.

‘That leads to the original part of the house,' she said, her steps slowing. ‘As the family grew, they extended the house and more or less tacked together two separate houses. The verandah encompasses the entire structure. This part,' she said, opening the door and feeling the chill of the untouched rooms rush past her, ‘hasn't been lived in for a long time. My grandparents more or less shut it up and only used it to store things in.'

The floorboards in the hallway were the original timber, wide, roughly sawn planks that Kate thought had more character than the milled timber of the later part of the house.