Page 93 of Thursdays at Orange Blossom House
She almost feels like running to Sandrine to tell her, as if that will earn her a gold star. How pathetic to want approval at this age. How wonderful to care enough that it still matters.
She puts the Salinger down and makes a note to think about setting Tolkien for her Year Elevens.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
‘Well, at least switching to the Saturday class means we can have coffee afterwards!’ Dorothy says, smiling, her hands propped on her belly.
Grace Maud picks up the menu and peruses the options for cakes and biscuits. She isn’t usually given to sweet treats but this morning she’s in the mood.
‘Thank you for changing,’ Dorothy goes on. ‘I’m just so tired by the end of the day that the evening class is becoming impossible. And now I’ve stopped working I can do every Saturday.’
Patricia smiles reassuringly. ‘It’s fine.’
‘For me too,’ Grace Maud says, deciding on a Devonshire tea. ‘It’s not as if my diary is so full that I couldn’t fit this in.’
She looks around for someone to take their order and catches the eye of a loose-limbed youth slouching near the till. He pushes his hair out of his eyes, ambles in their direction and scribbles their order on a torn piece of paper.
‘It’s nice, this place, isn’t it?’ Dorothy glances around.
‘Why aren’t we at your café?’ Grace Maud asks, and watches as Dorothy’s face changes.
‘I spend enough time there,’ she replies, her words running together.
‘You’ve not previously mentioned that that’s a problem.’ Grace Maud sits back. She’s found that when trying to extract information from someone it’s best to appear physically nonchalant. Not that she wishes Dorothy to say anything she doesn’t want them to know. It’s more that she believes Dorothy has been waiting all morning to tell them something, and now she’s issuing the invitation.
Dorothy huffs a little, fiddles with her cutlery and tosses her head so that her plait almost whacks the window behind her. ‘Frederick’s talking about buying another business. In Port Douglas.’ By the tone of her voice, this is the ultimate betrayal.
‘Oh dear,’ says Grace Maud. ‘That sounds awful. Is it awful?’
‘We can barely afford the business we have now! And we don’t live in Port Douglas!’ Dorothy says, the pitch of her voice rising.
‘It’s quite nice in Port Douglas,’ Grace Maud says. ‘I thought about moving there when I left the farm.’
‘Why didn’t you?’ asks Patricia.
‘I’m old,’ Grace Maud says bluntly, ‘and Cairns has a hospital.’
‘I don’t think you’re old.’ Patricia smiles and shrugs.
In return, Grace Maud frowns at her. ‘Then you need your eyes checked. Dorothy, has Frederick told you why he wants to do this in Port Douglas?’
Dorothy huffs again. ‘The business is cheap to buy.’
‘What’s wrong with it?’ Grace Maud says, instantly sceptical.
‘I asked that too. He said the owners are getting a divorce and they want to sell quickly for the settlement.’ Dorothy’s gaze flashes from Grace Maud to Patricia and her eyes fill with tears. ‘Except I thinkwe’llend up getting a divorce if he does this! He’s going to be working all the time! And we’re about to have a baby!’
‘You’reabout to have a baby,’ Grace Maud mutters. ‘Let’s not give him credit for work he’s not going to do.’
Patricia’s eyes widen.
‘What?’ says Grace Maud. ‘He’s not pushing out a small human being. I know he’s a lovely man from the things Dorothy usually tells us, but this is a bit inconsiderate. Dorothy will have to recover from the birth, and by the sound of it Frederick will be in Port Douglas all day. An hour away. Not very helpful, wouldn’t you say?’
‘I’d suggest talking to him about it,’ Patricia offers. ‘But I can’t say I’ve had much success at that so I really shouldn’t be giving you advice. Apart from saying that when people get fixated on an idea they don’t tend to let it go.’
‘You don’t have success talking to people?’ Grace Maud says. ‘I’m surprised to hear that.’
Patricia sighs. ‘I guess I mean my brothers. Dad still hasn’t talked to them about what we need to do to get Mum into a home, so I’ve tried to broach the subject a few times and they just keep saying they’ll worry about it when they need to. But that time is now.’ She slaps the table and Dorothy looks startled.
