An Endless Summer(20)

Ha! Wouldn’t you love that? I thought.

I straightened, squared my shoulders, and quickened my pace. “Best get back to work, Sean, I’m not paying you to eat Chico Rolls. We’ll be open!”

I heard his laughter over the engine … “Yes ma’am!”

Against my better judgment, as he put the car back into drive and roared away, even though I was terrified, I smiled.

The weekend loomed and I had no idea what I was doing.





Chapter Ten



After downing a civilised sandwich from Betty’s Bakehouse …

I scanned the aisles of the local IGA supermarket, filling my trolley with cleaning products and food, and counting my blessings that Jan and Roy, the owners, made home deliveries. I dreaded walking back up Coronary Hill enough already without having to lug a week’s worth of shopping too. I studied the product information and weighed up which bleach would be the most effective when I heard voices from the next aisle over.

“He’s back in town, I see,” a hushed voice said.

“Yes, he’s been here a few weeks now,” a second voice joined in speculatively.

I smiled and shook my head, just envisioning the two local ladies clutching at their pearls as they gossiped in the supermarket aisle. Not much had changed in Onslow.

“Apparently he secured this massive building project. Built a multi-million dollar school.”

I stilled. Pardon?

“Yeah, I heard that he cashed in big time.”

“Well, no doubt; he has just put in an offer on the old Ellermans’ lake house … in cash.”

I leaned closer to the disinfectant products, trying to peek between the bottles to the next aisle.

“I always knew he was destined for something big,” the first one said. “My heart just broke when he injured his knee.”

The second voice sighed. “Football was everything to him, wasn’t it? Such a shame.”

“The Onslow Tigers lost out big time that day.”

Silence followed and I envisioned their grave heads nodding as they reminisced.

“Well, things happen for a reason. I am a big believer in that.”

“Oh yes, absolutely; I mean look at him now. Back, and bigger and better than ever.”

“Bigger and better? Are you not telling me something, Loz?”

A chorus of giggles sounded and I slowly manoeuvred my trolley to get a better look through the shelves. I spied Loz, a blushing thirty-something blonde, holding a basket. She was a lot younger than I’d imagined.

Loz elbowed her friend. “Carly! I’m a married woman.”

“Oh, yeah, and you don’t fantasise about Sean Murphy? I can only hope that one day something needs fixing at my place so I can give him a call.”

I rolled my eyes as more giggles sounded.

“Well, let’s just say …” Loz looked around, “he could leave his drill piece under my pillow any day of the week.”

And in that very moment of me not paying attention to where I was going, my trolley ran straight into a display of stacked baked beans. A hundred cans tumbled to the floor, clinking and clanking and rolling, making an almighty crash. The wayward tins rolled in all directions. My cheeks flamed with embarrassment as I went to ground, trying to stop the avalanche of falling cans from rolling out of control, but with little success. Not only had I interrupted the gossip session, I had caused calamity through the whole supermarket. Roy came sweeping along in his white apron; Jan hurried over from the deli, gasping in horror. Not at the wrecked display, as I thought for a second, but at me.

“Oh, my poor dear, are you all right?” They both helped me to my feet, their sweet faces furrowed in concern. Although I didn’t doubt their sincerity – from living at the Onslow all my childhood I’d seen that expression on Dad before – that look also meant, ‘Please don’t sue us.’

“I’m so sorry; I wasn’t looking where I was going.” I went to pick up the cans, but Roy and Jan ushered me away.

“No, no, we’ll take care of that, young Amy, don’t you worry yourself, it happens all the time,” Roy assured me. Which wasn’t very assuring, actually.

I moved aside, my cheeks burning in mortification as Loz and Carly, the horny housewives, looked me over in a cool, calculating assessment.

I turned from them and said in my loudest voice, “Hey, Roy, Sean Murphy is doing some renovations at the Onslow; you wouldn’t happen to have any drill pieces, would you?”

Roy thought for a moment. “Yes, I’m sure I do. Come with me, we’ll check out the back.”

I followed Roy, making sure to smile sweetly as I passed the now gaping, horrified housewives. I’d never seen cheeks go so red.