The Turnaround Treasure Shop (19 page)

The shop
.
The shop
.
The shop
.

She'd got all her priorities mixed up and she'd lost something marvellous because of it.

The bright lights of a 24-hour petrol station glared ahead of her. Checking for traffic, she moved lanes, pulled into the forecourt, parked in a bay and switched the engine off. The kids didn't stir, their soft, sound-asleep breathing the only noise around her apart from the odd rustle of bushes and an electrical crackle from the neon lights.

She swiped a hand over her face and leaned her elbows on the steering wheel. If she couldn't get things right in her own life, how would the children learn? She'd driven all the way to Sydney in a vehicle she wasn't sure would make it back and had plucked them from a happy environment, a happy time, a holiday. Not a single complaint from either of them. They'd trusted her when she'd said she needed their help with opening the shop. And that she'd wanted them to share the run-up excitement with her.

She'd spent the last 24 hours panicking because she had to give something away. Nick. She didn't want to lose him. What would her impossible dream be like without Nick in it?
Am I in your future
? he'd asked. No, she'd proclaimed in her head, banning all possibility of his being in her life because of her stubborn attitude that her children
always
needed to come before her. Her belief that dreams and happiness weren't her due. They were, and without them; without Lily going for her dreams, all guns firing, her children wouldn't learn how to take a chance and fight for their own dreams.

‘Mum?' Andy's sleep-laden voice brought her out of her thoughts. She turned to look at him. She was a mother. She was a woman with dreams. She was a shop owner — a businesswoman. And she was loved by a man.

‘Everything's fine,' she told Andy quietly. ‘I just need to make a phone call.'

‘Are you calling Nick? Tell him I'll come over when we get home. He might let me start work for him on Monday, since it's a holiday. And I want to ask him something.'

Why would he automatically think she'd be calling Nick? And — damn it. Would Nick still want Andy around him? ‘Andy — about Nick.' How was she going to explain that things might not be the same as they were last week?

Andy groaned. ‘I tried tinkering with it myself, but I'm not sure how to fix it.'

‘Darling, what are you talking about?'

‘I've got a surprise for you. For the shop. I found it — in Sydney.'

‘Oh, that's sweet. Thank you.'

‘I didn't want to tell you. It's for opening day.'

Andy shuffled in his seat and adjusted the seatbelt around him. ‘Tell him I'll be there. Tomorrow. Oh, and maybe ask him if it's
okay
for me to come over and ask for his help. You know — the “be polite” stuff you're always telling us about.'

‘You like him, don't you?'

‘He's cool.'

Lily grabbed coins from her purse for the telephone, got out of the car and walked a little unsteadily into the brightly-lit interior of the petrol station.

‘Hello, luv, all okay?' the lone guy at the counter asked.

‘Yes, thanks,' Lily told him. ‘I just need to make a phone call.' And hopefully, save herself.

***

Nick wandered down the walkway, hands in his trouser pockets, with nowhere to go. For the first time this season, the nip in the air had sunk beneath his clothing and permeated his skin. Maybe even his bones.

His nights would be the worst. Sleep deprivation was one thing but insomnia was another ball game. The quiet would grate on his nerves. The big bed would be empty without her in it. The dawn would be torture, knowing he'd have to live through the day looking forward to nothing but the anguish of the night.

His mobile buzzed in his pocket. A call — at this time of night? He pulled it out and checked the screen. Private number. ‘Hello.'

‘It's Lily.'

The rush through his veins caught him off-guard. He gripped the walkway, repeating her name. ‘Are you all right?'

‘No. Nick—'

‘What's happened?' He had visions of a busted gearbox, a burst radiator and Lily alone on a darkened street. ‘Where are you calling from?'

‘I made a mistake, Nick.'

‘Driving? What do you mean?'

‘Us.'

Nick couldn't form any words even though a hundred were ready on his tongue, most of them hopeful if not confident.

‘I need to talk to you, Nick.'

‘Any time, darling.'
Shit
. He hadn't meant to call her
darling
. ‘Lily, Dan told me you'd gone for the kids. I was worried.' About why, about the damned car, about whether or not he ought to drive out and find her.

‘Nick — will you let me tell you how I feel, when I get back?'

‘Christ, Lily—' Would he let her? ‘Of course.'

‘I need to apologise for being so stubborn. And rude. And downright stupid.'

‘Wait a second.' Nick leaned a hand on the walkway rail. ‘Does this mean you and I can see each other?'

‘Yes.'

Thank God
. He slapped the rail. ‘My night just turned to day.'

‘You still want me?'

‘Lily. Are you mad? It's been hell without you.'

‘Mum and Ray think I'm mad.'

‘You told them about us?'

‘They're not mad about us, they're thrilled — they're concerned that I drove all the way to Sydney and now I'm driving all the way back.'

So was Nick, but he was careful not to say so. This woman he loved so much was totally mad. And stunningly beautiful. An adventurous wonder.

‘I love you, Nick.'

Christ
. He covered his eyes with his hand. ‘You're crippling me here, Lily.' She was a couple of hundred kilometres away speaking the words he'd longed to hear. ‘I'm supposed to crush you in my arms when I hear you say that.'

‘I hope you will. When I say it to you face to face.'

‘Don't doubt it.'

‘I have to tell the children. I have to ask them how they'd feel about us being together — but I'll be telling them, Nick, not begging them to understand.' Even her voice sounded faded from the kilometres keeping her out of his embrace. But the sense of her, the willow-strength of her kept him from losing it, hanging up the phone, getting into his ute and driving to wherever she was to get her and the children. ‘Where are you, darling?'

‘Goulburn. We're half-way home. The children were asleep so I stopped at a roadhouse to call you. You understand, don't you, Nick? I have to talk to the children first, so they know what's happening.'

‘I know. Do it soon, would you? I don't mind how long I have to wait for you, Lily. I can take it.' He wasn't talking about the three-hour journey still ahead of her. He meant that he'd wait a lifetime if necessary. If she felt the kids couldn't handle their mother getting married. ‘I have so much to explain to you, Lily.'

‘It's all right. I understand why you wanted to help me. I understand why you did it.'

‘Not that.' He turned on the walkway, the night air suddenly warmer, more accepting. ‘Look — I'm loath to talk about the past when I'm talking to my future, but I need to get this off my chest. Now.'

‘Okay. I'm listening.'

Her soft voice had him imagining her huddled in the kiosk, sheltering from the cool night air and the bright lights of the petrol station. He took a breath and envisioned her sitting close to him instead. In the ute, maybe. His arm around her, his eyes finding hers.

‘I did it wrong, Lily. I married before because I was infatuated. I loved a pretty face.'

She didn't speak but he heard her breathing. It calmed him more, and the words came easily.

‘I sort of paid her as an apology for not loving her when I found out there was nothing more to her than that pretty face. I let her have use of my bank account and credit card, thinking I was doing the right thing. I will never do that with you, because I love you more than I love life. So you need to accept
my
apology — to you, the woman I'll always love. I will never let you think I'm doubting your ability again. Never.'

Silence. Then a choked intake of breath. ‘Lily?'

‘You're part of my everything, Nick. You can doubt me any time you like, and I promise to listen when you have anything to say. I'll learn from you.'

‘Not half as much I'll learn from you. Or the children.'

‘My money's running out, Nick. I have to go.' A small pause. ‘I'll talk to Andy and Janie-Louise.'

‘I'm prepared to weather whatever their concerns might be. And I'm prepared to wait for you.'

‘I'll call you when I get home.'

‘Whatever time. I'll be awake.' God. He wanted to go get her. ‘Drive safe, darling.'

‘I will. I've got every reason to. I—'

Nick gasped as the call cut out. What had she been going to say? Now all he had to do was wait until she called him to say she was safely home. Then he'd have to wait until she spoke to the children. Then he'd have to wait to discover what their reaction was. He'd have to wait — until Lily told him it was okay for them to love each other.

***

When Lily reached her car, the children were awake and the internal light was on.

‘Got you a hot chocolate,' Andy said, pointing at the takeaway cup sitting on the glove box between the front seats as Lily eased into the driver's seat and closed the door, keeping the warmth inside the car.

Janie-Louise yawned, her hand around her takeaway cup. ‘Who'd you call, Mum?'

Lily turned in her seat and hooked an arm over the back. ‘I called Nick.'

‘What for?' Janie-Louise asked.

‘I wanted him to know where we were.'

‘Why?'

‘Guys,' Lily said, courage abounding. ‘Tomorrow, when we're home and you've both had some proper sleep, I want to talk to you about Nick.'

‘Jillian Tillman said he's a dreamboat,' Janie-Louise said. ‘Like in — she fancies him.'

Lily smothered a smile. ‘He is kind of…attractive.'

‘I think he
likes
you,' Andy said, his tone not quite sullen, more reserved.

‘I like him too, Andy.'

‘I love him,' Janie-Louise said. ‘He fixes things. Can't beat that.'

‘Hey, kids.' Lily shuffled on the seat and put her takeaway cup into a tray holder on the dashboard. ‘I know this is kind of an odd time to bring this up.' She swallowed hard, focussed, and went forth into the opportunity before her. ‘But is there anything you need to know or want to ask — about Dad.'

‘Dad who?' Andy said.

‘I mean…'
Here we go
. ‘I was wondering if perhaps you'd like me to get in touch with him. Maybe you'd like to see him. Or maybe you need to see him.'

‘What for?' Andy again.

Lily looked her son in the eye. ‘Whatever you need, I'm here for you and I'll do my best to get it for you.' She paused. ‘If it's right for you.'

Janie-Louise snickered. ‘You're such a grown-up, Mum.'

‘We haven't missed much,' Andy said. ‘Why would we want to see him now?'

‘You don't have to, I'm simply bringing it up so everything's in the open and you see, the thing is…there are a few things I'd like for myself.'

‘Not just the shop?' Janie-Louise asked. ‘I never thought you'd get it, actually. It's cool that you have.'

‘I had some help.' With more than the shop — with understanding.

‘Who from?'

‘From someone I care about, Andy. Not the same way I care about you two, but our lives will change because of what I feel for this man.'

‘Oh crap. A
relationship
!'

Lily bit down on the ‘don't swear' response. Her son had every right to find his feet as an up-and-coming adult. Whether that meant being adolescent ornery or deciding which swear words worked well for him.

‘Yeah,' she said. ‘That crap.'

Andy spluttered, almost choking on the hot chocolate he'd just sipped.

Lily didn't know what else to say at this time. She hadn't meant to make any mention of Nick or of a change in their futures while sitting in a petrol station, tired and weary, beneath bright and intrusive lights.

‘You mean Nick, right?'

Lily nodded at her son. She had 200 kilometres still to go before they reached Swallow's Fall and about eight hours before she could face Nick and tell him again how much she loved him.

‘I don't want to know him,' Andy said, his tone blunt. ‘Dad, I mean. And neither does Janie-Louise.'

‘Nah,' her daughter responded, flipping the lid on her hot chocolate and fishing out the marshmallows with her fingers. ‘I'd rather have Nick. If that's the way things are heading.'

Lily turned in her seat and gripped the steering wheel. Okay. So this was definitely the ways things were heading. She had a lot to learn about not hoping for things, but taking them — if they were her due and if they were offered — and about being just as important and worthy of the good things in life as her children were, but pride in her first accomplishment filled her heart anyway.
Not a bad start, Lily
.
Not bad at all
.

***

Lily had called Nick at 2 a.m. to say they were home, and that the kids were fine. He hadn't understood exactly what she meant by the kids being fine — but something in her tone had sounded elated. Buried beneath exhaustion, but there. He tried to drown hope. Since he couldn't rock up at her place until she called him again, he'd spent the first hours of Sunday morning in the workshop.

He'd been thinking about how the kids would take the news that Nick was dating their mother and had worked through a number of scenarios in his mind until he came to the surprising conclusion that he knew more about those children than he'd first thought. They'd got under his skin. And he felt that pocketful of pride for them. With both his and Lily's support, they'd come round, should either of them have concerns. More likely it would just be a shock having change in their lives.