The Islands (56 page)

‘Rubbish! Are you trying to make yourself out to be a pathetic creature?' said Catherine digging him in the ribs. ‘You have made me more content than I ever dreamed possible. We have so much going for us.'

‘Not to mention two gorgeous daughters,' he added, giving her a quick kiss.

‘Did someone mention us? Mum, the salad is ready. Shall we throw the meat on the fire?' Ellie smiled at them. Both girls admired the devotion and love of their parents and each dreamed of being lucky enough to find a partner and have a marriage as solid and loving as Rob's and Catherine's. Their life was filled with fun and laughter as well as a deep love and respect.

As the smoke and aroma from their campfire wafted into the crisp blue sky, Catherine studied the distant scene where she and Rob had established their eco-farmstay resort. When cattle prices had slumped Rob and Catherine decided to try something new, inspired by Catherine's friend Eleanor. Together they did the figures, planned and built the romantic farmstay, which a new type of tourist soon discovered. The cosy cottages, hidden among gum trees, offered country space and peace, an opportunity for families to participate in rural life or just unwind and rethink the pace at which they lived in the city and reassess their priorities. Gradually more cottages – furnished with the attention to detail Catherine had learned from Eleanor – grew into a self-contained development. Keith and Rosemary had been very excited by the idea and had invested in it. They had then bought a place in town and started to travel, leaving
Heatherbrae
to Catherine and Rob.

Aware of Eleanor's sensitive inclusion of Hawaiian culture at the Palm Grove, Catherine had invited several local Aboriginal families, stockmen and elders to become part of
Heatherbrae's
farmstay staff. They were involved in all the aspects of the business, including Dave's campfire cookout, music, storytelling and taking visitors riding or on mini walkabouts.

There was a communal dining pavilion, swimming pool, outdoor barbecue and campfire area as well as an old-style bush camp and a small stage where there were informal singalongs, poetry readings, storytelling and dances. There were activities from art classes to nature rambles and many visitors liked to work on the farm with the animals. Catherine always drew on her experience and observations of the Palm Grove by trying to keep the atmosphere warm, friendly and natural. She had written and talked to Eleanor over the years as she and Rob had developed
Heatherbrae
into a first-class country retreat. Rob said it seemed that Eleanor's spirit hovered like a guardian angel over their development.

‘So we'd better maintain her standards or else,' Catherine had laughingly told him. She thought of the warm and generous-spirited staff at the Palm Grove and hoped that those who worked for them at
Heatherbrae
felt like family and part of the enterprise too. Their old friend and neighbour Dave and his wife and family lived on the property. Catherine and Rob oversaw the entire running of the resort where they still ran a few stud cattle, as well as feed and some organic vegetables. Having listened to her Aboriginal head stockman talk about the old days and ways of nurturing the land, they began to experiment with conserving the water that flowed from a nearby natural spring.

Ellie came and sat next to Catherine. ‘You look so far away, Mum. What are you thinking about? Hawaii?'

‘Not at all. I was thinking about
Heatherbrae.
What your father and I have achieved. How happy I am.'

‘Oh, Mum, that's lovely.' Ellie put her arm around Catherine's shoulders. ‘But you will enjoy going back to the Islands won't you? We're so impressed with you writing a book.'

Catherine smiled. ‘It is something, isn't it? I just hope he'd approve. Lester was modest and a bit of a loner, but he was very aware of his achievements. The hard part is going back knowing Eleanor isn't there anymore.'

‘I wish I'd met her. I'm so pleased that you named me after her. She would have been so proud of you writing a book about Lester. Do you have any photos of her when she was young? I've only seen ones when you knew her.'

‘No, I don't, come to think of it. She left a lot of her Hawaiian collection and some personal pieces to Beatrice and Lani for them to put in a museum.'

‘What are you two talking about?' Emily sat down beside them.

‘I guess we're talking about Eleanor and my book launch,' said Catherine. ‘My book. I'm still not used to saying those words. I never thought it would ever be published.'

‘Why did you write it if you didn't think it would get published?' asked practical Emily.

Catherine thought a moment. ‘I'd put all those memories away for so long that when I got the parcel from Lester's estate a few years ago and found he'd left me all his albums, scrapbooks and the very first medal he won for swimming, I felt I owed it to him.'

‘To tell his story . . .
The Waterman
. But why did he leave those things to you? Didn't he have anyone else?' wondered Ellie.

‘No, Lester didn't have any family, although Eleanor and Ed had always been kind to him,' said Catherine. ‘He might have left his things to her, but she died long before him. I don't think Eleanor ever got her light and joy back after that tsunami destroyed the Palm Grove and her life's work. Lester was way ahead of his time with being a fitness fanatic. Maybe that's why he lived well into his nineties, even if he did have really bad arthritis. But most of his contemporaries died before him.'

‘He sounds a sad man,' commented Emily.

‘Maybe to outsiders he seemed lonely. But I don't think he was, as long as he was close to the sea. He would have been very lonely stuck in some place for old people on the mainland,' said Catherine.

‘Are there still watermen in Hawaii?' asked Ellie.

‘Ah, there'll always be watermen,' said Catherine softly. ‘The ocean is a great definer of men. Men will always challenge the power of the waves even though it is the sea that controls them.'

‘Men trying to prove themselves,' said Emily.

‘Only to themselves. The championships, the big money, the commercialism, that's new. And different from what watermen are about.' Catherine prodded her girls. ‘Hey, what's happening with our lunch?'

In bed that night, Rob lay on his back, his hands under his head, staring at the ceiling. Catherine glanced at him and put her book down.

‘Shall I turn out the light? You're not reading.'

She rested her head on his chest and he put his arm around her, smoothing her hair.

‘Cath, I'm so proud of you. Having a book published is a wonderful achievement. I'm so excited about this trip. I'll see the places that you loved and I can't wait to meet Kiann'e and Aunty Lani. I feel I've known them all our marriage.'

‘Rob, I love you so much, that's a lovely thing to say. Every day with you has been wonderful and it just gets better and better. How is that possible?'

‘Ah, we must be getting used to each other.' He kissed her. ‘Better get some sleep, we have to be up before six to meet that private plane bringing in a group of guests tomorrow.'

As the late afternoon golden light streamed into the screened sunroom that had been her mother's sewing and knitting space, Catherine put down her cup of tea and picked up the advance copy of her book –
The Waterman.

The publisher had done a beautiful job of illustrating Lester's story with the photographs Lester had taken over the years. Catherine had gone through his albums and carefully selected the photographs she wanted for the book before sending them to her publisher who returned them to Kiann'e for safekeeping. It had been strange sifting through the photos at
Heatherbrae
where the winter frost on the garden and paddocks was a contrast to the pictures of sunny sand and surf.

Lester's photos of himself, so handsome, of the famous Waikiki beach boys, of the Duke, of surfers outside the Outrigger Canoe Club and of his collection of boards depicted a world that seemed very far away. His pictures, of old Waikiki; boys climbing coconut palms, the original hotels, hula dancers, some of the old plantation homes now gone, the outriggers filled with tourists, a fisherman casting a net, Hawaiian keikis playing in the tidal pools all captured an essence of the Islands. That appeal still survived and still attracted visitors. The stunning and serene beauty, the warmth of the people and the knowledge that the Islands were separated from the rest of the world and its worries by a great sea of blue, meant you became part of island life, drifting to its rhythm: the sway of palms, its music and song and its constant heartbeat – the throb of the waves.

Catherine had decided that she would take Lester's scrapbooks and albums back to Hawaii with her and give them to Kiann'e to see if they could be housed in an appropriate place. Dear old Aunty Lani might have a suggestion too. Although she was getting on, she'd promised to fly over from Kauai, where she now lived, for the book launch in Honolulu. She told Catherine that Uncle Henry mightn't be able to make it as he had good and bad days now and he was just as happy to stay on his porch in the sun. Catherine had promised to visit them both after the book launch.

Catherine put the book to one side and flipped through Lester's albums. She'd had copies made of her favourite pictures but there were blanks in the album not just where she'd taken out photos for the book. There were many other gaps where pictures had been removed over the years and she wondered why.

On her way to the bedroom she began to plan what to pack, remembering how warm, tropical and casual the Islands were, and found she was full of excitement and anticipation. What great fun she and Rob would have there. She had a pile of summer clothes piled on the bed when Rob raced in.

‘Cath, darling, quick! Dave's come off that bloody mad horse. I think he's broken his leg.'

‘Oh, no! Have you rung for the ambulance?'

‘Yes. He seems to be holding up okay but I'm sure he's going to be out of commission for a bit. Sandra will go to the hospital with him.'

‘Rob, this is going to leave us very short handed, isn't it?'

‘We've got that big group just in, so we have a full house.' Rob looked at Catherine. ‘How would you feel if I didn't go to your book launch?'

‘Disappointed, but you're right, the business comes first. But it's very upsetting.'

‘Cath, I've got an idea,' said Rob suddenly. ‘Why don't you ask Mollie to join you? Didn't she go there with you before?'

‘Mollie came to visit a couple of times. She loved the Islands . . . that's a brilliant idea. I bet she'd love it. She met Lester. They both thought each other was great.'

‘There you go then,' said Rob sounding relieved. ‘Give her a call.'

‘Fabulous! I'll drop everything,' shrieked Mollie. ‘I was going to suggest I go over but Jason said I shouldn't horn in on you and Rob. Of course I should be there! My God, I think I still have the muu-muu I bought when I went to see you there. It's about the only thing I can get into these days. Ooh Waikiki, here we come. I'd love to see Kiann'e again.' Mollie bubbled over with plans and reminiscences. ‘Say, Cathy, you should send Bradley a copy of the book. Where is he these days?'

‘Still in Washington DC with his wife. I doubt he'd be interested, we haven't spoken in years. But I will send Aunt Meredith a copy. She's still going strong. She's a good old stick, I like her.'

‘Yeah she was good fun when she came out here on that cruise a few years back and we had lunch with her,' said Mollie.

Meredith had always sent Christmas cards and followed Catherine's life closely over the years, so when she had come to Sydney on a cruise ship, Catherine had made the trip to Sydney to see her.

‘It's been a wonderful trip. I thought it would be a great chance to visit Australia and hopefully see you. I'm so glad you could come,' Meredith exclaimed.

Catherine had taken Meredith around Sydney, introduced her to Emily and Ellie, who were both living there at the time and, the day before the ship sailed, Mollie had joined them all for a riotous lunch at a smart restaurant overlooking the harbour.

As they hugged goodbye Meredith held Catherine's hand. ‘I'm so happy at the way your life has turned out, dear girl. You always had a spark and I worried Bradley might extinguish your fire. You just weren't right for each other. He's happy, with a compliant wife and children who always tiptoe around him and never raise their voices. Everything is just the way he wants it.'

As Catherine chuckled, Meredith added, ‘Don't have regrets, Catherine. Your time in Hawaii was a growing time. I'm sure you learned a lot. You were brave to leave Bradley. But it was the right thing to do.'

‘Looking back I know it was. I worried about hurting him and I thought I was punished because I left, but often these things that seem disasters at the time turn out well,' Catherine had said.

‘So how do you feel about going back? Be a few memories there, eh girl?' said Mollie. ‘Now to important stuff: what are you taking to wear? Is your book launch cocktails or morning tea? Are we going to Kauai? Maybe we should do a twirl around some of the other islands?'

Catherine laughed. ‘We'll see, but, yes, Kauai is a must. Aunty Lani and Uncle Henry are there now. And I must go back to Hanapepe and see if Miranda's
Joss House
is still there.'

‘It's going to be a blast,' said Mollie emphatically.

At their first glimpse of the Islands from the plane, those green gems scalloped in sandy beaches and white-crested waves, Catherine grabbed Mollie's hand.

‘Look, we're flying over Kauai.' And she found that even after all these years she could still identify peaks and valleys, the north shore beaches. The places PJ had showed her.