Page 28 of My Mistake To Make

‘Sure, let me show you.’

‘No need, Doug. We’re not friends, after all. Directions will suffice.’

His gaze holds mine for a moment, and I have to fight my emotions to keep them hidden. Then he nods, looks away, and gives me the directions that I need.

I haven’t been in town long enough to know anyone. The only people I’ve really met are the three Campbell siblings. Walking alone for the first time, I feel very exposed. I feel eyes on me. I hear the hushed conversations as I pass. These people probably knew my mum. If they knew I was Charlotte Reynolds’s daughter would they open their arms to me? Perhaps they already do know. Zoe and Doug both know, so I assume that means Bree knows too. I don’t know them well enough to know if they’d keep that to themselves or not.

I reach the bank and smile up at the sweet building. I love the way this town preserves and celebrates its history. I push open the door and head inside.

‘Good morning. How can I help you?’ The elderly lady that greets me smiles pleasantly, then gasps. ‘Cara.’

I freeze on the spot. ‘How, um…’

She walks around the desk and approaches me with her arms open before pulling me into an embrace.

‘Oh, we waited a long time for you, sweetheart.’

‘How do you know who I am?’

She pulls back and reaches a hand up to my cheek. ‘Well, you look like your mama, honey, but also, your grandma was a good friend of mine. I’ve been looking at photographs of you your whole life.’

A lump rises in my throat, and tears wet my eyes.

‘Come on, honey. Let’s get you sorted out.’

She takes my hand and leads me through the old building to an office at the back. She knocks and enters when called.

‘Gloria, everything all right?’ the voice inside the office asks, and she squeezes my hand,

‘Peter, Cara McKenzie is here.’

‘The Reynolds girl?’ He gasps, and the tears I was holding back escape.

‘The Reynolds girl,’ Gloria confirms gleefully, clasping her hands together as though she’s announcing a lottery win, then pushes me into the room.

The man in the chair pushes himself to stand and approaches me. He’s not a tall man and is a little round in the middle. He has a huge smile on his face as he holds out his hand to me.

‘Roberta was worried you wouldn’t come. She was so worried that we’d have to sell the house and you’d never get to experience Forest Falls.’

He’s still shaking my hand when he appears to shake himself from the trance-like state he’s in.

‘Oh, I’m sorry. I’m Peter. I knew your grandparents, and your mother too when she was a girl. I am so very pleased to meet you, Cara. Welcome to Forest Falls.’

Forty-odd minutes and a very strong coffee later, I have heard numerous tales about my mum as a kid. I’ve laughed. I’ve cried. I’ve listened intently, and numerous bank workers came into the room to hug me, shake my hand, and tell me how they knew my family. I can honestly say that I have never felt as welcome anywhere in my whole life.

‘Well, come on. I suppose we should get down to business,’ Peter says eventually, and his colleagues all leave the room with smiles on their faces. ‘Sorry about that. They all hoped you’d come too.’

‘Peter, please don’t apologize. That was the loveliest half hour of my life.’ I smile softly, and he nods, then clears his throat.

‘Well, I imagine once news gets out around town, the next few days will be like that for you. You see, the Reynolds family founded this town. I don’t know if you know that. They built a farm and then started to grow the town around it, and they always took care of the people of Forest Falls. They never just sat up there on that hill looking down over us—they were the center of the community. By the time Roberta was the head of the family, you know that her husband took her name, not the other way round, right? Unheard of.’ I take it all in with wonder widening my eyes. ‘Well, by the time her parents were gone, Roberta took it upon herself to do more for the town than ever before. They decided not to farm the land anymore, so she sold most of it off, along with the livestock, to the two farms closest for far below its value, with a promise drawn into the sale that they would always support the people of the town, and make sure we always had food on our tables as the Reynolds family always had. The money she made from those sales, she put into an account right here for her daughter.’

‘Mum,’ I breathe, and he nods.

‘Roberta and Charlotte were inseparable. Charlotte had the same love for this town her mama did. They organized dances and fairs, and they helped us work on the town so that we could capitalize on the tourism during the summer months. If Charlotte was in town and she saw somebody walking their dog or carrying groceries, she would offer to help.’

I wipe away the tears from my cheeks. That was definitely Mum, always willing to help.

‘Roberta never got over losing her, and she deeply regretted the mistakes that were made.’

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