Episode 10 - Memories
Sara had given up on sleeping and decided to finish unpacking and return Nan's key. Completely exhausted, she left her apartment to go upstairs when she saw Nan rummaging around in the bushes. Sara went over to her:
'Hi, I was just about to go looking for you.' she said, handing over the key. Nan pocketed it inside her apron pouch.
'Thankyou dear. How was your first night?' the old lady asked.
Sara rolled her eyes,
'Eventful to say the least. There seemed to be a fair bit of traffic up and down those stairs.' she commented. Nan smiled warmly,
'Oh there was a bit of an event last night apparently. Midge had a tiff and came out the worse for wear. News spreads like wildfire around here so most of the tenants decided to go and have a sticky beak.' Nan looked sympathetically at the young grrl, 'You'll get used to it, Sara. I came from the country originally with my husband, Robert. Was hard at first, all those strange noises and everyone running around busy. You'll work it all out.' She patted Sara kindly on her arm with a floral gloved hand. Sara smiled back.
'How long have you been here, Nan?' she asked.
Nan did some mental arithmetic,
'Well Ive been in the city for 48 years. Robert passed away the year we built this block, in '57. I've lived here since.' Nan seemed to go off in her own thoughts and memories, 'He was a builder, a hard working man, who didn't want to work for someone else all his life. We scrimped and saved to buy this land, even put off having a family until we could provide. In those days a woman was expected to start bearing babies as soon as she said her vows. Our parents thought we were mad and wanted us to stay back home, to take over the farms. Robert was a dreamer and wanted more.'
Sara listened intently. She had always had an affinity with older people and loved the stories they had to tell. Nan rested against the brick fence and took off her gloves.
'So we both worked, barely seeing each other for the first few years, then in 1956, I fell pregnant. I was almost too scared to tell Robert. He wanted so badly to make something of himself to show his father that there was life beyond the sheep and cows. When I told him, he cried...for joy.' Nan smiled at this thought and Sara joined her, 'He just doubled his efforts, picking up extra work and started building the day Gordon was born. And the day we put in the last brick and slapped on the last coat of paint, Robert died.'
Sara's smile faded. Her lip began to quiver and tears clouded her eyes.
'Oh...that's terrible,' she whimpered, 'How did it happen?'
'His obsession killed him. He worked himself to death. I would have gladly lived in a cardboard box to be with them both. The doctor said it was a massive heart attack. He was dead before he hit the ground. His heart was bad and the doctor said that it was a miracle he lived as long as he did. It was almost like he knew he didn't have much time and worked like a demon to provide for us and when he had finished, that big heart of his just gave out.'
Sara was bawling openly now. Nan oohed and gave her a cuddle,
'It's alright, Sara. Was a long time ago and I got a beautiful son to remember him by.'
Sara tried to compose herself but the tears still flowed. The exhaustion from the past 24 hours had left her vulnerable and an emotional wreck. Nan handed her a hanky that smelt of lavender. She dabbed at her eyes,
'I'm sorry, it's just so...tragic.' she apologised. Nan shook her head,
'It's just a matter of which way you look at it, dear. If we concentrate on all the bad things we miss out on all the good. Now, I had better get this garden finished and I'm sure you have plenty to do yourself.'
Sara nodded. She still had a hell of a lot of unpacking to do and had planned to visit her new office in the city. She started to leave, hesitated and turned back to Nan.
'What do you know about Chloe, Nan?' she asked shyly. Nan grinned knowingly,
'She's a handful that one. Seems most of the grrls don't like her for some reason. They all started off being very good friends at one stage or the other with her and then they would have a falling out. Chloe likes to think she is a bit better than everyone else and I suppose that rubs some people up the wrong way. But underneath I think she is just like the rest of us; a scared little grrl.'
Sara considered this for a while. She couldn't see it but she trusted Nan's judgement. She said goodbye and headed back to her apartment and Nan continued her pottering.
Neither of them noticed the black car slowly slink away.
to be continued... |
