Where the Heart Is

Chapter 16

CHAPTER

16

Mila had barely slept a wink last night and had woken grumpy, with grit in her eyes and worry in her heart.

Now this.

Gramps had called half an hour ago, saying he’d be dropping her grandmother at the farm shortly. After Mila had picked her jaw up off the floor, she’d asked what had happened—namely, why Adelaide had popped in to see Jack rather than coming straight to the homestead. But her grandfather had been his usual brusque self and told her to ask her grandmother.

Which Mila fully intended on doing, once she got her head around seeing Adelaide smile at Jack and raise her hand in farewell when he drove away.

Since when were her grandparents on speaking terms?

Gramps never mentioned Gran. Ever. Mila had tried broaching the subject when she’d started catching up with Gran in Sydney for an annual girls’ weekend, but Gramps would always shut her down and she soon gave up.

Gran did the same whenever Mila mentioned Jack, so she never did after the first year or so. Gran didn’t even know Gramps had moved out of the homestead and sold the farm to her. It always pained her to think how far apart they’d drifted, that the mere mention of the other person caused a catatonic reaction.

From her childhood memories, she remembered Adelaide—or Addy as she’d always thought of her grandmother—and Jack having a cohesive marriage. Gramps worked hard on the farm, didn’t say much in the evenings, and went to bed early to read agriculture books, while Addy kept the rest of his life running like clockwork. They weren’t romantic and there were no PDAs but she’d assumed their lack of affection stemmed from their age. Then, the morning after her final exam, before she’d gone out celebrating with her friends, her grandmother had sat her down, held her hand, and said she was leaving. Mila had said, ‘Good for you, Gran, you deserve a holiday’—which was when her grandmother started crying and Mila had the first inkling that her life was about to change.

Addy said she needed a break and didn’t know when she’d be back, that she loved her, and would be a phone call away whenever Mila needed her. Mila assumed her grandparents must’ve had a massive fight and Addy was trying to teach Jack a lesson. Even when Addy hoisted two bulging suitcases and a duffel into the boot of her car and drove off, Mila thought it wouldn’t be for long. Jack would go after her, apologise, and Addy would be back in the kitchen baking up a storm.

But Gramps didn’t go after Addy, and her gran never returned.

Until now.

Mila jogged down the verandah steps and ran towards her grandmother. She’d never been so glad to see someone in her life.

Addy opened her arms and Mila flew into them. When her grandmother hugged her tight and murmured, ‘My precious girl,’Mila lost it and burst into tears, all the pent-up emotion of the last twenty-four hours taking its toll.

Addy’s arms tightened around her and Mila squeezed her back, knowing her grandmother’s presence here would be temporary but intent on making the most of it.

When her sobs petered out, she released Addy and stepped back. ‘I’m sorry you came all this way for a wedding that didn’t happen.’

‘I came all this way for you, dear girl.’ Addy cupped her cheek, blinking away the sheen in her eyes. ‘How are you? Really?’

‘What, the tears weren’t a dead giveaway?’

‘You’ve been through a lot.’ Addy slipped an arm through her elbow. ‘Come inside and tell me all about it.’

‘Not much to tell.’

Addy’s eyebrows rose. ‘When my granddaughter’s about to marry our neighbour, then he ditches you at the altar, there’s a story there.’

Mila smirked. ‘Maybe a little tale.’

They laughed and Mila tugged her grandmother closer through their linked elbows. ‘I’m glad you’re here, Gran.’

‘Me too, sweetheart.’

As they fell into step and headed for the homestead Mila wondered how she could broach the touchy subject of her gran’s ride to the farm without the mention of Jack causing her to clam up.

‘You’re wondering why your grandfather dropped me off.’

‘You’ve always been able to read my mind.’

Except that time Addy left Hills Homestead behind and never returned, leaving Mila bereft. Bad enough her parents abandoned her when she was ten, her beloved Gran followed suit. For a long time, it made her wonder what was so unlovable about her that the most important people in her life walked away.

‘To cut a long story short, my car broke down yesterday on the way to your wedding. I walked to the nearest place, a sandstone cottage on the outskirts of town—’

‘You broke down near Gramps?’ Mila whistled. ‘How’s that for serendipity? Or the best meet-cute ever?’

Addy blushed and that’s when Mila realised her gran had said she broke down yesterday. Meaning she’d spent the night somewhere. Probably at the motel and Gramps had picked her up this morning, but what if …

‘Did Gramps drive you into town?’

‘Uh … my car got towed and Jack was kind enough to offer me a place to stay.’

Shocked to her core, Mila muttered, ‘Way to go, Gramps.’

‘It’s not like that,’ Addy said, her blush intensifying. ‘He has a small bungalow out the back of his cottage and I was there for the night.’

Mila held up her hands. ‘Hey, you two are still married so it’s got nothing to do with me if you waltz back into town after fourteen years for a booty call.’

‘You are incorrigible,’ Addy said, slipping her arm out from Mila’s elbow and rushing up the stairs and into the house. ‘Just for that, I’m not going to bake your favourite brownies.’

‘Harsh,’ Mila said, her smile teasing. ‘Seriously, Gran, I can’t mention Gramps to you usually and vice versa, which is why I never told you I bought the farm, so excuse me for being shocked when I see him drop you off. I mean, the fact you were in the same car for more than a few minutes is a big deal, right?’

‘I can’t believe you never told me you bought the farm.’ The oddest expression flickered across her grandmother’s face—regret tinged with hope—as she nodded. ‘But yes, Jack has been surprisingly magnanimous since I fronted up at his door yesterday. His generosity has been more than I deserve.’

Addy blinked rapidly again, staving off tears, and Mila slipped an arm around her waist and guided her into the house. ‘I think it’s great you’re on speaking terms. I had wondered how I’d keep you apart at the wedding.’

‘Speaking of the wedding, tell me everything while I make tea. Peppermint?’

‘Sure.’ Mila allowed her gran’s diversion for now, choking up as she remembered that was the tea they’d always shared in the evenings while sitting around the fire.

Addy entered the kitchen and Mila followed, watching her gran move around with ease. Mila hadn’t changed much when she’d bought the farm, deriving comfort from the familiarity when everything—or everyone—in her life seemed to be in flux.

She’d never expected her grandfather to move away from Hills Homestead. Even after he sold it to her, she thought he’d live in the main house. Or at worst, move into the small self-contained barn where temporary workers occasionally stayed.

But he’d been determined to leave, and she couldn’t begrudge him his freedom, not after he’d been tied to this place for so long. Taking on a family legacy was a big deal—she felt the burden every day. How much harder must it have been for him when his parents died and he was forced to take over at twenty?

She’d chosen this life, knowing it would be hard, but also aware she wouldn’t have it any other way. Not that Gramps had abandoned her completely. He imparted wisdom on lentil farming in this region whenever she asked for his advice. It had been extremely tough to hide her financial predicament from him, but she didn’t need to hear ‘I told you so’ —which is why she hadn’t approached him for help. She had to do this on her own.

As the water boiled, Gran opened the cupboard where tea and coffee were stored, grabbed a tin, and spooned peppermint leaves into a teapot. Mila savoured the moment, watching her grandmother move around this kitchen as she once had.

‘You’re staring,’ Addy said, folding her arms and resting against the benchtop.

‘I’m just glad to have you here,’ Mila said, clearing her throat when it tightened with emotion.

She hoped Addy would say, ‘It’s good to be back,’ but her grandmother forced a tight smile and spun around when the kettle whistled.

For someone who didn’t have a romantic bone in her body, and who’d viewed marriage as a financial means to an end, a small part of her hoped her grandmother’s presence here meant she might be ready to return home. But Mila had given up believing in fairytales around the time her folks had dumped her here and taken off without looking back, so she knew it was wishful thinking.

Addy poured boiling water into the teapot and brought it across to the table along with two mugs. She sat opposite Mila and fixed her with a stare that Mila knew well: she’d have to ’fess up or else.

‘Tell me about the wedding and why it didn’t happen.’

‘Not much to tell. Phil arrived here yesterday morning, told me he’d met someone online, and didn’t want to marry me. End of story.’

Incredulous, Addy snorted. ‘You’ve just told me your future husband abandoned you with as much emotion as if you were reciting new silo prices. What’s going on?’

Mila didn’t want Gramps knowing the truth of why she’d been about to marry her neighbour, because the last thing she needed was him reiterating the burdens of taking on a big loan or swooping in to try and fix everything. Not that he could. If Gramps could offer financial aid she would’ve already approached him. But he’d invested the proceeds of the farm’s sale in a long-term deposit that paid him annual interest, enough to live on but not enough to bail her out.

But confiding in Gran would be okay, assuming Addy wouldn’t run to Gramps and tell him everything. Unlikely, considering they hadn’t spoken in years.

‘You can’t tell Gramps this.’

Addy rolled her eyes and made a zipping motion over her lips. ‘Jack may have been chivalrous last night in letting me stay and dropping me here this morning, but that doesn’t make us besties. We haven’t spoken in fourteen years so I’m not about to go telling him anything you divulge in confidence.’

Mila smiled. ‘In that case, do you remember those romance books you used to read which occasionally had a marriage of convenience?’

Addy’s eyes widened. ‘You’re telling me you were going to marry Phil but didn’t love him?’

‘Yes.’ Mila sighed. ‘Phil and I are mates, and he’s good company. It gets lonely out at the farm, and we’ve spent a fair bit of time together, so it made sense that our marriage would be based on friendship while being a business arrangement. He’d get some of my land and I’d get some of his cash to fund my farm-stay project, which I’ll show you later.’

Her grandmother’s eyebrows rose. ‘So your marriage would’ve been a mutually beneficial financial agreement and that’s it?’

Mila nodded. ‘We had a frank conversation. There were no romantic expectations.’ She shrugged. ‘As you know all too well, farming life can be isolating and it’s nice to have someone who understands. Someone to offload to at the end of a hard day. Phil and I were already doing that some nights, so making a more permanent arrangement would’ve given us both comfort.’

Addy touched her arm. ‘Sweetheart, it sounds like you were settling.’

‘Not settling as much as making the most of our situation. Anyway, it’s irrelevant now.’

Addy frowned. ‘Well, I for one am glad you didn’t marry Phil.He’s not the right man for you.’

‘Then why didn’t you say anything when I let you know I was marrying him?’

Guilt shadowed Addy’s face and she glanced away. ‘Because I hadn’t been here in years and I had no right to judge. For all I knew, you’d discovered Phil was the love of your life.’ She shook her head.

‘I had no right to interfere in your happiness, so I kept my opinions to myself.’

‘Fair enough,’ Mila said, knowing she wouldn’t have taken her gran’s advice even if Addy had offered it. Saving the farm was too important to her.

‘For what it’s worth, Jack mentioned he thought you might be marrying Phil for his money.’ Addy tapped her temple. ‘Your grandfather may be the strong, silent type, but he’s astute.’

So much for keeping Gramps out of the loop. ‘Don’t confirm his suspicions, okay?’

‘So you are in financial trouble?’ Addy sighed and reached across the table to grab her hand. ‘This is serious, sweetheart, and I’m sure Jack can help if you need—’

‘I need to do this on my own,’ Mila said, her tone resolute. ‘Surely you of all people can understand?’

Confusion creased Addy’s brow and Mila continued. ‘You’re strong and independent and left your family behind to make it on your own. You’re self-sufficient, and that’s what I want. To make my mark.’

Sombre, Addy nodded. ‘I understand, but there’s a big difference between painting and working in a juice bar to earn a living and farming in the Wimmera. You’ve got droughts to contend with, and fluctuating legume prices, not to mention the hardship of being out here on your own and trying to make this place viable.’

‘Is that why you left? It got too hard for you?’

Mila hadn’t meant to sound accusatory, but Addy paled and released Mila’s hand, leaving her wishing she could take back the question. Though she’d always wondered what had driven her grandmother away to the point she never came back.

‘Everything got too hard for me,’ Addy murmured, pain clouding her eyes as she blinked and reached for the teapot.

An awkward silence descended as Addy poured the tea, but her grandmother being here was an opportunity too good to pass up to grill her some more. Their annual catch-ups in Sydney were a time when they drank champagne out the front of the Opera House, indulged in a high tea at a five-star hotel, strolled between Bondi and Coogee, and chatted about their lives, but on a superficial level. They avoided the tough stuff because they loved each other and didn’t want to mar their brief catch-up.

But having Addy home after fourteen years, Mila wanted to know why her grandmother had left her.

‘I know it’s not my place to grill you about your marriage, Gran, but to stay away so long …’ Mila sighed and took a sip of tea to ease the tightness in her throat. ‘You might’ve been punishing Gramps, but I got hurt too.’

‘Oh, my dear sweet girl.’ Addy stood and moved around the table to kneel and wrap her arms around Mila. ‘It was never about you. I know that sounds selfish, but after so many years of unhappiness I’d had enough, and I had to get out or lose myself completely.’

Mila sat rigid, not wanting to give in to the tears burning her eyes because she knew if she started crying again she’d never stop. Not just because of this conversation with her gran, but from the building pressure of her financial predicament.

‘But to stay away so long, to never come back …’ Mila shook her head and Addy tightened her hug until she could barely breathe.

‘I’ve missed you so much.’

‘I’ve missed you too.’ Addy clung to her and rested her head against her arm.

Mila had no idea how long they sat like that. While Addy hadn’t divulged much, for now her grandmother’s hug would have to do.