“Why though? Does anyone ever ask him why he won’t pursue a lead?”
“Not if you want to stay off his radar. Now, I’ve taken up a lot of your time, but I haven’t asked how I can help you? How’s the poor little tree you bought?”
Charlotte smiled. “I think it might be growing. Bit by bit, it is looking healthier. Gets a bit of sun and plenty of encouragement. I thought I’d see what else you have in the way of gifts as I’m short on what I’ve got so far.”
“Come and see. I’ve done a bit of woodwork now it’s so quiet.” He led the way to the sales shed.
“Will you make things to order?”
“Sure. What do you have in mind?”
“Wind chimes. Lovely big ones.”
“Never tried those. Let me have a play and see if my equipment lets me do the tubes.”
Lachie was behind the long table, straightening rows of tinsel.
“Hey mate, where’s Mum?”
“Mrs Forest was on the phone, so I came ahead.” Lachie gazed at Charlotte. “I remember you.”
“I remember you also. Lachie Forest, chief helper.”
A broad smile filled his face.
“Darcy?” Abbie’s voice drifted from near the house.
“Up here, babe.” Darcy called. “Back in a minute.”
Once Darcy was out of sight, Lachie’s smile faded. “Mum’s upset. The man with car isn’t coming now.”
“Oh. The man who was buying it?”
“Uh huh. She didn’t know I was there, but she told him if he didn’t buy it, we might lose our home. And there’d be nothing for Christmas.” He rolled some baubles as he spoke, eyes following them as they tapped each other along the table.
Charlotte’s chest ached for the little boy.
Lachie didn’t know there was a pile of brand-new books coming his way. At least he’d have those to open. And Charlotte was certain Rosie intended to use the donation money to help the Forest family.
“Something good will happen, Lachie. I promise you—”
“I’d rather you don’t, Charlotte.” Darcy strode toward the shed. His face was blank. “Don’t promise what can’t be.” He went to the cash register and opened the drawer. “Abbie mentioned you helped her out at the supermarket, and I thank you for doing such a kind deed.”
He held out a twenty-dollar bill for Charlotte.
“Not necessary. And hope is important, particularly…” she glanced at Lachie, who still played with the baubles.
“Reality is important.” Darcy’s voiced was strained, and his eyes showed a defeat that hurt Charlotte to see. “Please.”
She took the note.
“We have each other and that’s what matters, hey mate?” Darcy put his hand on Lachie’s shoulder as if his son was a lifeline. “We don’t need charity.”
“It wasn’t…but I—”
“Come on, Lachie, let’s go give your mother a hand.”
The message was loud and clear. Charlotte nodded and walked across the carpark to her car. Pride was all Darcy had at this moment. She slid behind the wheel. Abbie was at the edge of the carpark near the house and when Lachie and Darcy reached her, they wrapped their arms around each. Abbie’s shoulders shuddered as she sobbed.
But Darcy had more than pride. He had a family.
Charlotte drove out of the carpark slowly, unable to stem the tide of tears that came from a deep and lonely part of her heart.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Back home, Charlotte had a long shower. Her mission to get ideas for ways to help the Forests had failed. They needed more than she or the town could give them, and besides, would they even accept a helping hand?
As water poured over her head, she closed her eyes, digging deep inside for the pain awakened so unexpectedly by Lachie, then reinforced by seeing the family supporting each other. Her heart hurt for them and every bit as much for herself but it was okay. Now she’d found it, she could deal with it. She’d never experienced the kind of family love the Forests shared.
But it wasn’t your fault. You were a little girl filled with love. And you are worth loving.
She repeated it in her mind a few times, then aloud, letting the emotions wash away with the shower water. When she turned off the tap, a sense of calmness settled on her. This was progress.
Wrapped in a towel, Charlotte went into the spare bedroom and touched the box on the bed. It wasn’t time to open this yet. But she knew she was one step closer to exploring the past her mother had hidden away from her for so long. In the week off work following Christmas, she’d start sorting through the secrets. For whatever reasons, Angelica Dean had hung onto bits of her own past, and that of her daughter’s. Maybe those reasons would become clear once Charlotte let herself look.
For now, though, there was a lot to do in a very small space of time. Closing the door on the bedroom with the box, Charlotte went to her own room and dressed in pants and shirt. If she was to complete her gift shopping, she needed to get on with it. She made a list of people to buy for and what to get.
Rosie (cat gifts/teapot)
Trev (no idea whatsoever)
Esther and Doug (almost no idea. Maybe a bottle of wine? Or movie tickets?)
The Forest Family
Charlotte was stuck on the last one even more than the others. What she really wanted was to give them all the trappings of a Christmas dinner plus presents. But she barely knew them and understood she was partly responding to her own feelings about their situation.
As she drove out of Kingfisher Falls a little later, she argued with herself.
Darcy was adamant he wanted no charity.
But a Christmas gift was not charity.
If she rocked up with a hamper of goodies, the family might be embarrassed because they had nothing to give in return or thought they were viewed as a cause.
On the other hand, hampers were popular gift choices for people who had everything.
She liked that.
The road she followed was new to her, heading across to the town of Gisborne. Once
