“Good for the bees and therefore good for my vegetables.” Lena could hear her now. The unregulated way her mother planted out her garden didn’t conform with any pre-planned ideas or garden manuals. It was haphazard and wild but it worked. The tomatoes and peppers dripped massive quantities of fruit alongside double frilled poppies buzzing with bees. Herbs filled the ground space around the roses that rambled over the tops of the carrots and twisted around the wire netting put up to keep out the wild rabbits who found a haven amongst the densely planted vegetables.
Choko vines covered the chook house and gave shelter from the bright sun with their big green leaves, but also giving her mother plenty of fruit for preserving. Everything in the garden had its place and Lena was looking forward to losing some of her pain in the familiarity of the outdoors where she’d grown up. Nothing soothed the soul like time spent in the garden getting your hands dirty.
The sign post for Hidden Lane came up before she had too much more time to think. Clicking on her indicator, she took a deep breath and turned in knowing the next couple of hours were going to be hard. The trees on either side of the unsealed road hung heavy with dark green leaves. Soon they would turn gold, red, and brown and fall to the ground leaving a carpet of rich molten gold on the dusty road.
She passed the letterbox of the old dairy farm, its flag facing down toward the ground, and felt a pang of regret. Her father had told her when she phoned him about Kyle coming for the holidays, that the Helkins had sold the property and moved into town some time ago. Lena hoped the new owners were going to keep the farm going. It was too nice to let go to ruin after all the years of hard work put into it. The old dairy was closed and quiet. It was unusual to see there were no cows here anymore.
The tumble of red and white geraniums blooming wildly over an old picket fence marked the beginning of home and the tension eased from her shoulders. Three and a half acres of flowers, vegetables gardens, fruit trees, and memories of growing up wild in the countryside swamped her and the tears threatened. Lena pulled into the driveway beside her mother’s little red car. You can do this, hold it together.
The front door screen slammed and Kyle ran out to greet her. “Mum.”
Chapter 3
Kyle threw himself at her as soon as she climbed out of the car. Lena wrapped her arms around her son and held him close, thankful she still had him in her life. She was prepared to comfort him when she arrived, but it seemed he was the one doing the comforting as she burst into tears and cried uncontrollably. Kyle was almost as tall as she was and Lena dropped her head onto his shoulder.
“Hey, don’t. We’ll be okay, Mum. We’ve done it before, we can do it again.” He patted her back and she tried to pull herself together.
The last thing Lena wanted to do was fall apart in front of her son. All the way from Sydney she’d thought it over and what she could say to him to make him feel valued and loved. It had all gone wrong when he opened the door and stepped out to greet her. Her grown up boy was soothing her and she was immensely proud of him.
Lena stood back and wiped her eyes, trying to laugh it off. Be brave, pull yourself together. “Sorry, babe. I didn’t mean to do that to you.” She sniffed and wiped her cheeks with the sleeve of her shirt, desperate to appear okay and under control. Something she’d blown as soon as she saw him. “You’re an amazing kid, you know that, right?”
He blushed, bit his lip, and looked down at the ground, kicking at stones in the dusty driveway. “I’m okay. We’re worried about you. Nona has the kettle on; said you would be hanging for a cup of tea.” He gave her a look from under his lashes. “Ready to face Nona and Papa yet, or do you want another few minutes?”
What I want is to run away with you and forget what’s happened, but that’s not on the cards. Let’s get this over with. Lena slipped her arm through his and walked through the open gate, down the cobbled path her father had made from the hand cut stone found on the property, and into the house she would call home for the unforeseeable future. The rich sweetness of roasting tomatoes, basil, sage, and black pepper filled the warm open kitchen. A big stainless steel preserving pan sat on her mother’s pride and joy, a six plate gas stove. Looking through the glass of the oven door, she could see trays of cut tomatoes with their skins wrinkled as they dried in the restaurant-sized appliance.
Home. “Smells good.” She put her car keys on the table and stepped forward to hug her mother.
Sofia Hawkins wiped her hands on her rose print apron and held her arms wide, grabbed her daughter against her ample bosom. A typical Italian mother, she hugged and cried with her children when things went wrong. “Oh, my poor girl. Papa and I will look after you.” She squeezed Lena tight before pushing her back to look into her face. With gentle fingers she wiped away the fresh tears and kissed the tip of her daughter’s nose. “Sit, bella, we talk and get it out of our systems so we can get on with life. It is the best way.”
Yay, lets air the dirty laundry. Stop it Lena, they only want to help. It’s why you came home, remember.
Lena glanced at her father, seeing the sympathy in his gaze. He wasn’t as emotional as her mother, but
