Page 126 of Weekends with the Sunshine Gardening Society
‘I know that can be hard,’ Cynthia continues. ‘Because it would be nice, wouldn’t it, if someone else could decide for you? Just once?’
Elizabeth nods. ‘Yes,’ she admits. ‘I’m really tired of making all the decisions.’
They sit in silence for a few seconds, staring at each other, until Cynthia clears her throat.
‘Then I’m going to be the bold one,’ she says, ‘and make the decisions for you when it comes to these books. I’ll leave what I think you’ll like and take the rest away. How’s that?’
Elizabeth lets out a long breath. ‘That is … perfect.’
‘Your fridge isn’t on?’ Lorraine yells from the kitchen.
‘Not yet,’ Elizabeth yells back, then Lorraine re-enters the room, as does Kathy.
‘Well, let’s get on to that. Kath, check the powerpoints. I’ll start looking for cords. Cyn, you right? You got a job?’
Cynthia’s and Elizabeth’s eyes meet, then Cynthia smiles at Lorraine. ‘I do,’ she says.
‘Great. Okay, well, we can knock this over quickly.’ Lorraine turns to go. ‘Charrrliiieee! Can you give me a hand?’
Elizabeth hears chattering as Lorraine reaches Charlie’s room and feels her body relax with the relief of other people making decisions.
She and Cynthia work mainly in silence until they have a filled room and empty boxes, and Elizabeth considers that Cynthia’s thoughtfulness – Lorraine’s and Kathy’s too – is something else she is grateful for, and if she’s not careful she’ll find herself unravelling with all this kindness that she doesn’t really feel she deserves.
Except perhaps she does. Perhaps now it is time, finally, for her to acknowledge that she hasn’t done so badly, really. She’s still here, so is Charlie, they have friends and a home, she has work and gardening andmeaningin her life, and all of that is more than she imagined a year ago. It may be nothing to do with what she deserves so much as what she makes of what life presents to her – and if that is the case, she is deserving indeed.
CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
‘SoI pull this one out? Really?’ Odette bends over the bright green leaves covering the ground.
It’s Odette’s first tour of duty with the Sunshine Gardening Society. When she expressed an interest in joining Cynthia thought Wilfred might have put her up to it; and in a way he did, by talking to Odette about her grandmother and the fact that there is now a family line of Sunshine Gardeners. These conversations happened while Cynthia was scrabbling around in some patch of park or garden, so she didn’t know about them until Odette asked her a couple of weeks ago if she could join the society.
Cynthia ran it past Shirl and Barb at the next meeting.
‘So there’ll be seven of us,’ Barb said, and glanced at Shirl. ‘I think that’s the most since …’
‘Since Fraser got into government,’ Shirl said with a tight-lipped smile. ‘For some reason, the end of Gough was the death knell of volunteering round here.’
‘That’s a little dramatic, Shirley,’ Barb said, although Cynthia noted she didn’t disagree.
‘Is it too many people?’ she asked.
‘No!’ Barb and Shirl said together.
‘We’re happy to have more, dear,’ Barb said. ‘Especially the younger ones.’ She’d nodded towards Elizabeth. ‘It reassures me that the work may continue after we decide to retire.’
So, after the approval from on high, Cynthia told Odette the news and was pleased to see her daughter’s eyes light up.
‘Great!’ she said. ‘I’ve already asked Dad if he’ll watch Jordy.’
Cynthia was taken aback because Pat hadn’t mentioned anything when they’d seen each other earlier that day. They’ve taken to having breakfast together every now and again, mainly to talk about their daughter and grandson, sometimes in tones that suggest they can hardly believe they’re lucky enough to have them both.
She was glad, however, that Odette was so keen about gardening that she’d made arrangements. And now her daughter is pointing out a weed to Shirl, who is frowning at it.
‘That’s trad – yes, out! Little bugger!’ Shirl huffs. ‘It’ll grow anywhere there’s a spare patch of dirt, and sometimes where there’s not.’
‘But it looks okay.’ Odette fingers some of the leaves. ‘Is it really a weed?’
Shirl inhales sharply and Cynthia decides to intervene.
