O, Fortuna

Chapter 7

The lunchtime conversation concerned mostly the local area, the nearest neighbours being four kilometres down the road, on the way to the township of Monteny, which saw a great deal of Hinterland tourist trade, home to a wildlife sanctuary and several small museums. The main street there was filled with tiny boutique shops and cafes, the district library and the grand old council offices and a farmers market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The latter, Liam declared as he stabbed at a chunk of pork on his plate, was always full of hippy handicrafts and poseurs from the city but Rosa, refilling everyone's tall glasses with iced tea, assured Grace that it was well worth a visit on Wednesdays, as there were fewer tourists and the fresh goods on offer tended to be a little crisper.

Both Liam and Rosa were keen to learn about Fremantle and trying not to be too jaded in the way some people could be about the place they grew up in and did their best to escape as early as they could, Grace found herself recalling the ocean, her favourite part of growing up there, having spent so much time on it with her cousins or at the beach as a child, kite-flying and building sand castles that had ought to have gained planning permission, given their grandiose scale. Then there was the breeze that would cool the house on a sweltering summer afternoon, the Freo Doctor, sweeping east from the Indian Ocean.

Without her having realised it, Grace found she missed her hometown, her friends, even her preposterous family, though the latter had done little to deserve any glowing sentiment of late and came to a sudden pause in her recollections, taking a deep breath then a sip of iced tea, reminiscing quietly to herself. Port Beach, one of the few Christmases Grace recalled her father being at home for, on leave from the Navy, when she was a child, maybe six or seven. It was the early evening, she and her cousin Alistair had built a sandcastle together but he was more interested in crashing his new toy cars into than beautifying with seashells, as Grace was and she was poised to complain to her mother about his lack of artistic vision. But then one of the adults came and sat down cross-legged next to her, having gathered a selection of shells, short sticks and leaves to help. It had been June.

"Rosa" Grace asked after another sip of tea "did June keep photos, albums, or in boxes perhaps? I just had a thought." The housekeeper, who had been observing her pensiveness in polite silence, carefully nodded and responded softly

"In her room." The older woman did not elaborate further and recalling her prior discomfort in the main bedroom, Grace nodded gently in thanks but Liam, the piece of ice he was sucking on dispatched to the side of his mouth, asked

"Photos?" Grace braved a glance over to him, found his blue eyes genuinely fascinated.

"I just remembered the last time I saw June, she took pictures. I was hoping I might be able to find them. Don't remember ever having seen any of that day, at home."

More uncomfortable, bloody awkward silence ensued, even with the dull crunch of Liam chewing his ice. Grace finished the last of her lunch, carefully setting her knife and fork in the middle of the place before sighing and glancing up and between Rosa and Liam, admitting with a sigh, almost dejectedly. "I've got so many questions about her. I'm not sure my gran is going to the answer them and I really don't think she knew her sister any more, in any case" Grace raised her eyebrows hopefully "but you all did. I would be grateful, indebted even, if you could help fill in at least some of the blanks."

Liam seemed willing enough, nodding in agreement but a frown pinched at Rosa's brow that both of her companions noted and Liam was quick to point out to Grace

"I think you're going to find some of us more willing than others."

"Hmm, well..." Grace trailed off, trying not look at him too directly without wishing to appear rude and settled her attention to Rosa "anything you're willing to tell me, I would appreciate that." The older woman nodded acceptingly to this and Grace smiled.