Page 3 of The Knitting Club at Wagtail Ridge

‘Not yet.’

‘You’re still doing it today?’

‘Yes. Am I being a fool, Nan? That’s what they’ll say.’

‘No. You have to do what’s right for you. You’ve been thinking about this for a long time.’

‘Thinking. But I haven’t done anything yet.’

‘Well, then, do something now.’

Bree smiled. ‘I will.’

‘Good. Come and see me later and tell me everything.’

‘Depending on how they react, I might get there early.’

‘I’ll be here. But if they give you a hard time, tell them from me that I’ll have something to say on the matter.’

Bree smiled at the thought of her diminutive grandmother, with her pink hair and her flowing robes, storming into the formal and ordered offices of Fuller and Johnston to defend her. That would be something to see. ‘I’m sure it’ll be fine, Nan. I’ll see you later.’

Expensive shoes back on her aching feet, Bree took the lift to the expensive restaurant on the top floor of the office tower.

The name partners at Fuller and Johnston were waiting at a private corner table with a spectacular view. They looked exactly like senior partners in a law firm should. Bree struggled to see past that veneer to find the parents she had always loved, even when she felt the love was not returned.

‘Brianna, your hair is untidy. That’s not the impression we want to give our clients.’

Margaret Fuller’s hair was never out of place. Her expensive business suits were never creased. And God forbid her subtle but flattering makeup should ever be less than perfect.

‘Sorry, Mother.’ The words, like the gesture of pushing her hair back, were an automatic reaction over which Bree had no control. No sooner had she done it than she hated herself for it. Today was not about trying to impress her parents or gain their approval. She was done with that.

‘It’s all right, Margaret.’ Gary Johnston waved Bree towards a chair.

For a fleeting moment, Bree caught a faint echo of the father she had always loved so fiercely and who had loved her back in equal measure. The father who had begun to drift away all those years ago and never come back. She’d never stopped trying to please him. Never stopped failing. She was about to fail again.

‘This is something of a celebration,’ Margaret said, ‘as you missed the dinner with the clients last night.’ She paused, waiting for Bree to give an excuse for her lapse. None was forthcoming.

‘But there’s something else we can celebrate too.’ Gary looked at his wife then smiled at his daughter. ‘We’ve decided it’s time for the firm to move more into wills and estate planning. It’s a lucrative area and we can be sure many of our existing family law and corporate clients will bring their personal estate planning to us.’

He waited for Bree’s reaction. Again, she had none, because this was nothing to do with her.

‘And we thought,’ Gary continued, ‘your mother and I, that you would be the right person to head up the division. The job comes with a partnership. Junior partner, of course.’ He sat back.

Bree felt nothing, except perhaps regret, because this news would make what she was about to do more hurtful to her parents, and that was not what she wanted. She gave herself a minute to ensure her voice was a lot calmer than she felt.

‘I’m flattered. Thank you. But no.’

‘What do you mean no?’ Margaret never raised her voice, but Bree had a feeling she was close to it. ‘This is a partnership. Earned by your excellent work, not because of who you are. And it’s the next step to getting your name on the door.’

‘I don’t want my name on the door.’

Her mother continued as if she hadn’t heard. ‘As we build the division, we’ll need to expand our offices, but for now, the smaller interview room can be converted into a suitable office for you.’

‘I don’t want the office either.’ Bree spoke more loudly.

And this time, both her parents heard.

Her mother frowned. ‘What do you mean? Of course you do.’

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