I know you’re more than capable of dealing with everything but it is a lot to take on with the added problems of Papa’s issues and all of the paperwork that must entail.
Remember that trumpet player who noticed me when we went for dinner in Sydney with Ernest? He wrote to me, dear sister. I’m thrilled. I can’t wait to see him. I wonder how he found me? Did you give him my address?
Give my love to everyone.
Your dearest sister, Gertrude.
P.S. Did I ask you to put flowers on Mama’s grave for me? Would you mind, Wilz?
Billie folded the yellowed paper and slid it back into the envelope. Questions started firing in her mind. Who was Gertrude and why did her mother have the letters and more importantly, why were they hidden away? She was always the secretive sort and it was one of the things that Billie struggled with growing up. Too many missing pieces and one of the reasons she became a reporter. She loved to dig into things. Being nosy and not minding her own business is how her mother described it but she’d never understood her daughter at all.
And dig into the past was exactly what she was going to do now she had a job again. The excitement stirred up her blood, something that had been missing of late. She slid the envelopes back into her drawer for another day and headed back to the main house, keen to share her news with the family. It wasn’t the usual blood and guts mystery she would have been excited over but it was a start, one she was grateful for none the less.
Billie entered the house again, hurried through to the hall, gripped the rail and raced up the stairs, listening to the chatter echoing from the lounge. She paused at the door and glanced in the room as had become her habit. The first thing she saw was the one item that stopped her in her tracks every damned time, but she didn’t have the courage to do anything about it.
Her wedding photo. She made a concerted effort to glance instead at the family shot of her, Stephen and Alex taken the Christmas before he died. It wasn’t the picture of her and her husband on their big day that she found difficult to take, she had the very same one on her wall. It was the way it was positioned beside her parents wedding portrait that seemed to take away from the day she had shared with Stephen. As if it wasn’t their day at all but one experienced with another couple at another wedding in another time and place. In her head it made sense, but she knew to say it out loud would have people stare at her as if she’d lost her mind. There’d already been enough of that kind of talk happening. Better to suck it up and try to get over it.
“Billie, come in, come in.” Lucy beckoned her over and smiled. “Alex has been keeping us amused with his tales of school today. I’m so glad he’s making friends.”
“What can I get you to drink, darling? Gin and Tonic?” Father stepped over to the antique drinks trolley and picked up a heavy glass in anticipation.
“Yes, that would be perfect. Thank you.” She strode over to her son and leaned down to drop a kiss on his head before ruffling his hair. “Well, gorgeous boy. Sounds like you’re having fun at Grammar School from what I overheard coming up the stairs.”
“Yeah, it’s pretty cool there. Hey guess what? I found Grandad’s name on the Honour Board in the school hall today and the principal said he remembered hearing about him when he first started there. Fancy being in the same place for that long.” His eyes bugged out. “The old timer must really like his job to still be there.”
Billie ruffled his hair again, this time not so gently and her watch slipped down her arm. She really did need to get it made smaller. With an impatient move, she pushed it out of the way. “Respect, young man. I don’t like you calling the principle an old timer, you’ll be that age one day and I bet you wouldn’t like it.” She accepted her drink from Father, and took a seat where she couldn’t see the wedding photos, thus making her feel better.
“How was your day, darling?” Her mother stood behind the couch Alex sat on, her hand casually draped close to her grandson.
“Wonderful. Sam called me into his office. He was thrilled …”
The front door slammed followed by a flurry of curse words strung together and interrupted her mid-sentence. Alex sniggered at the language that came loud and clear from their neighbour. Billie bit her bottom lip, trying not to follow suit. Swear words didn’t seem to gel with the tweedy professor and it was that more than the words themselves that had her grinning.
Father leaned out the door and called down the stairway. “Hamish, you alright?”
Heavy footsteps thundered up the carpeted treads. “Sorry. Wind caught the door before I could grab it. Caught my finger, damn thing.”
Father came back into the room followed by Hamish inspecting his bloodied finger. He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and held it around the tip, putting pressure on it. When Billie stood up to offer assistance when he met her gaze.
“Don’t fuss, it’s okay, really.” He gave her a crooked smile that seemed all too personal and she focused on the drink in her hand before sitting again to pick up where she’d left off.
“As I was saying, Sam called me into the office today.” She paused and surveyed the room, noting she had everyone’s attention again. Pride rose in her throat and for the first time since she’d arrived in
