‘And are these your toys?’ Hope went on, pointing to the rug. ‘What are you building with your Lego?’
Brodie hesitated, as though she was trying to decide whether to make a bolt for the safety of her uncle. But the opportunity to show off her toys was too great to resist and instead, she reached for a multi-coloured rectangle of blocks.
‘Are you building a house?’ Hope asked and had to hide a grin when Brodie flashed her a look that clearly suggested she was insane. ‘A castle? A rocket?’
Sitting down on the rug, Brodie reached for another brick and added it to her construction. She stared at Hope expectantly.
‘A car?’ Hope hazarded, scouting around for further clues. Her gaze landed on a plastic silver dressing-up ring, complete with a flashing emerald in the middle, and the penny dropped. ‘Oh, it’s a puzzle box!’
Brodie beamed at her. She picked up the ring and dropped it inside, placing one hand over the top as though she’d just completed a magic trick.
‘It’s just like the one at the Emporium,’ Hope said, clapping. ‘But I can’t help noticing it doesn’t have a lid. Would you like somewhere safer to hide your treasure?’
Eyes wide, the girl nodded. Hope knelt on the rug, reaching into her bag to take out the gift she’d brought. She placed the tissue-paper wrapped package on the rug in front of Brodie. ‘This is a thank you present from Mr Young for opening the puzzle box.’
Will appeared, with a steaming mug of tea in one hand and a glass of creamy yellow milk in the other. ‘That’s very kind of him. Go ahead and open it, Brodie.’
At first, the little girl picked carefully at the edge of the tissue, peeling back one thin layer after another. But then impatience got the better of her and she seized the parcel to tear rest of the paper away. When the bright red and gold decoration of the rounded doll peeped through, Brodie slowed down and slid the last of the wrapping away. Then she looked up at Hope, her gaze questioning.
‘She has a secret too,’ Hope said, getting to her feet and taking the mug of tea from Will. ‘If you play with her, she might tell you what it is.’
Immediately, Brodie lifted the doll to her ear and gave it a gentle shake. Her eyes lit up when she heard the rattle and she ran her fingers across the smooth painted wood, searching for the way in.
‘This is enormously kind of you of you too,’ Will said, leaning against the workbench with his hands cupped around his own mug. ‘Thank you.’
‘As I said, it was Mr Young’s idea,’ Hope said as she turned towards him. ‘But I chose the dolls. I thought she’d find them interesting.’
Will tipped his head. ‘You chose very well. She’s going to be engrossed by them all afternoon.’
The praise sent a ripple of satisfaction through Hope and she wasn’t able to prevent herself from smiling. ‘I’m glad.’ She glanced down at Brodie’s bowed head and her smile faded. ‘Iris told me a little about what happened. I’m very sorry for your loss.’
He was silent for a moment, eyes fixed on his hands, but then he looked up. ‘Thank you. It’s been a very difficult time.’ He paused, as though trying to find the right words. ‘Some days are easier than others. But life goes on – the sun comes up and goes down and sometimes I think she forgets for a few minutes. Like right now.’
Hope followed his gaze to the rug, where Brodie was employing the same methodical diligence she’d brought to opening the puzzle box. ‘It takes time. I’m sure you’re doing a great job.’
Will sighed. ‘It helps to see her smile. Gives me optimism that she might start talking again one day.’
‘I’m sure she will,’ Hope offered. ‘Grief affects us all differently – sometimes we think we’re coming through it only to find another layer hiding underneath.’
‘A bit like the dolls,’ Will said, with a glimmer of understanding.
‘Yes,’ Hope said, her own lips twisting in acknowledgement. ‘Maybe one day, we finish opening all the layers and find a new version of ourselves waiting – smaller than we were, sadder, but ready to face life again.’
He gave a thoughtful nod. ‘And then we put ourselves back together, hiding the joins from the rest of the world.’
‘But we always feel them there,’ Hope said quietly. ‘We’re never quite whole again.’
She wasn’t sure if it was what she said or the way she said it that made him study her. For a moment, she thought he might ask how she knew. But instead, he took a long sip of tea and when he spoke again his tone was determined and bright. ‘Anyway, the present is perfect, as you can see. Thanks.’
She couldn’t blame him for backing away from the deeper waters; hadn’t she done the same more times than she could count? Mindful of the unspoken boundary, she took refuge in professionalism. ‘You’re very welcome.’
Silence hung in the air, long enough to cause a stirring of social anxiety in Hope. She opened her mouth to say something – anything – to fill the gap in conversation but Will beat her to it. ‘So, Mr Young said you’re taking the ring to someone at the university.’
‘Yes, there’s a professor who has asked to see it,’ she said. ‘Although it’s the letter I really want him to take a look at.’
‘If this was a movie, the letter would have been written by his great-grandmother, he’d tell you everything about her and the mystery would be solved.’
Hope snorted. ‘If this was a movie, we’d all have been sucked into a parallel dimension the moment Brodie opened the puzzle box.’
‘True,’ Will conceded with a grin. ‘Well, I hope your professor is more help more than I’ve been. I was able to confirm
