Everything We Keep, Di Walker [best pdf reader for ebooks txt] 📗

They headed along the beach to another set of steps, brushed off the sand from their feet and put on their shoes. Chief stood still, right next to Katherine, waiting for his lead.

Not much further along the track amongst the growing number of walkers and their dogs, and little children on trikes and in prams, Agatha spotted someone coming towards her that she knew. It was the pink helmet that she saw first, then the bike before, and as the gap between them lessened, the sound of laughter, that Agatha had heard before.

She put her head down, grateful that the cap was useful for more than keeping the sun from her eyes and the hair from her face. Moving off to the side of the path, Agatha bent down, quickly loosened her shoelace and then proceeded to redo it, taking time to readjust the lace and flick away invisible sand. Katherine moved to the side as well and waited, watching a girl on a bike ride past.

Agatha looked out from under her cap as the pink helmet disappeared into the busy track. She let out a sigh of relief.

‘I think I can pick up the pace a bit now Katherine,’ she said.

‘Okay. Sounds good to me. That will be our exercise for the day all done.’

As they stepped back onto the path, Agatha looked behind her one more time. She hadn’t forgotten about Tully, but she hadn’t thought about what she would do, or what she would say, if their paths crossed again. She needed to have an answer ready to explain why she had disappeared in the middle of the night.

For now, until she had worked out that, Agatha was happy to avoid an encounter with Tully.

18

Once they had made a bowl of cereal and squeezed all of the juice from the cold oranges that Katherine kept in the bottom of the refrigerator, they sat outside, under the shade of the veranda. Chief moved to the cooler grass at the edge of the garden bed and stretched out.

‘There’s something I want to talk to you about,’ Katherine said, pausing before scooping up another mouthful of cereal.

Agatha didn’t respond. It didn’t always work out for her when an adult said there was something to talk about. She kept eating, slowly.

Katherine continued, ‘I know that we won’t hear from Nell until Monday . . . maybe we should do some thinking, this weekend, about schools, you know, have a look at what’s available. Finding a school was the one thing Lawson and I didn’t research about Sandy Vale. What do you think?’

‘It’s Saturday,’ replied Agatha, hoping that would persuade Katherine to put the whole school thing to the side.

Katherine let out a laugh, as if she had already anticipated Agatha’s reluctance. ‘I know. But I did think that we could get a few things done this morning; check on Rita and go to the supermarket and then have a look online this afternoon. The internet doesn’t care that it’s Saturday.’

‘What if I check on Rita while you go to the supermarket?’ Agatha suggested. Katherine looked at her, her eyes narrowing slightly.

‘You don’t want to come and maybe choose your own cereal, or some treats?’

‘No. I’m okay with whatever. I’ll look after Rita.’

An hour later, Katherine waved goodbye to Agatha and Chief and headed down the street in her car to The Vale. Agatha used Rita’s spare front door key to let herself and Chief in. ‘It’s only me and Chief,’ she called out, just as Katherine had instructed her to do. Rita wasn’t in her chair, or in the kitchen. Agatha called out again.

‘Rita? It’s me, Agatha!’ Agatha stood still and waited.

‘I’m still in bed. Come into my room.’ Agatha felt herself breathe. She didn’t realise she had been holding her breath. She walked down the hallway, towards Rita’s bedroom, slowly gliding her hand over the wallpaper that was sparsely covered in tiny roses. Rita had propped herself on several pillows, a book in her hand and her bedside table crammed with a bottle of water and glass, an empty teacup and a box of tissues.

‘Katherine’s gone to the supermarket, so I’ve come to check on you.’

‘Fabulous. Would it be a bother if I asked you to make me a cup of tea? I just don’t want to get out of bed yet.’

‘Yep, sure.’

‘Pardon?’

‘I mean yes. I can do that for you.’

‘Manners can take you anywhere, Agatha.’

Agatha liked Rita. She was funny and particular. Rita liked things done a certain way, kept in order in a certain way. Agatha had spent time with Rita during the two months she had lived with Katherine. She had heard all about Rita’s three sons, the oldest son’s wife and children and the girlfriends that Rita generally approved of. However, it was her three grandchildren Rita talked most about.

They all came over on Tuesday nights for dinner. Katherine and Agatha had been invited twice and it was then that Agatha discovered how much she liked the peace and quiet of Katherine’s home, a welcomed refuge from the chaos of Rita’s on those family dinner evenings.

From her bedroom Rita called out instructions to Agatha. ‘Get the blue cup with the gold handle from the second cupboard on the left . . . make sure the kettle is filled to three quarters . . . put two tea bags in the pot, don’t let the tags fall in. . . use the tray that’s in the narrow cupboard beside the oven. . . it has pictures of wild flowers on it. . . lock the legs into place. . . there’s a little jug for the milk. . . only fill it half way. . .’

Agatha did as she was told, softly laughing to herself at each instruction. It’s as if Rita didn’t know that she had been looking after herself for the last four years.

Carrying the tray with the teapot, the blue cup with the gold handle and the