Chapter 17
Everything was ready for the potluck brunch. Joanna was in her room getting dressed. The scent of freshly baked herb bread, pasta and wine drifted into her bedroom, and her stomach grumbled with hunger. She heard Debbie and Gwen arrive together and hurried out to greet them.
“There’s our favourite chef,” Debbie said as she kissed Joanna’s cheek.
“How’s the ankle?” Joanna asked, embracing Gwen.
Gwen shook her head. “It would be painful if I didn’t have these lovely white pills to take.”
“Hey, don’t go getting addicted to those,” Joanna said. “I’ve heard it can go badly very quickly.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Gwen hobbled in her boot over to the nearest couch and sat down.
Joanna bustled about the kitchen putting the finishing touches on each item. Emily carried dishes to the dining room.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t do much this time for decor,” Gwen said with a sigh. “But I did bring a few Italian flags for us to hang.”
“I’ll do that,” Debbie replied, grabbing the bag full of flags from Gwen’s grasp. “You relax.”
“Never mind,” Emily said. “As long as you’re taking care of yourself. We’ve got the brunch covered today.”
“Emily is right,” Joanna added. “Italian food needs no embellishment.”
“It smells amazing, Jo. You’ve outdone yourself. And drumroll, please…” Debbie smiled, pulling an insulated bag out from beneath the bench. “I made tiramisu for dessert.”
Joanna beamed. “From scratch? You made it yourself?”
“I did. There were a few missteps and some confusion about types of cream, but I got there in the end. I think it’s going to taste pretty good.”
“I can’t wait to eat it,” Emily said. “One of my favourite desserts.”
Debbie got her camera out and took snapshots while the ladies found their way to the dining table. Joanna was proud of how it had turned out. The table looked lovely. It was decorated in red, white and green. In fact, it looked a little like Christmas, but the flags placed in small vases around the table helped focus the theme.
There were traditional margherita and marinara pizzas topped with sauce and fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and oregano and drizzled with olive oil. Bowls of pasta—carbonara, bolognese. Pork ragu nestled in a bed of creamy polenta. A large caprese salad with fresh tomatoes in a variety of sizes and colours, sliced mozzarella and dotted with basil leaves. Freshly baked herb bread lay on a wooden cutting board, with a bowl of whipped garlic butter beside it. Joanna’s stomach growled again. She hadn’t eaten a thing all morning—she’d been so busy getting everything ready. And she was excited to sit and enjoy this feast with her friends. But first, she would get them drinks.
“Negroni? Wine? We have white and red…” she trilled.
Debbie and Gwen asked for negroni, and Emily wanted a white wine. Joanna decided to try a negroni as well, since she hadn’t drunk one in years. She added orange peel and ice cubes and took a sip before sitting down. The intense flavour was mixed with sweet, fruity notes.
Each of the ladies sipped at their drinks.
“This is lovely. Thank you,” Debbie said.
“I think we should have a toast,” Gwen said. “To the Sunshine Potluck Society and friendships that last a lifetime.”
“Cheers!” they all chimed in as they clinked their glasses together.
“Where’s Aaron today?” Gwen asked as they each ate the last bites of tiramisu.
Joanna’s stomach was so full, she wondered if she’d be able to waddle away from the dining table. “He’s at work.”
“How’s the new job?” Debbie asked.
“He seems to be doing well. I was pleased he found something so fast. But then again, there’s always demand for computer science professionals. At least, that’s what he tells me.” Joanna reached for her espresso cup and swallowed the last small gulp.
“Whatever happened to that lovely girl he was dating a few years back?” Gwen said. “The one with the red curls.”
“Oh, yes. You mean Rachel. She was lovely. But I don’t think she liked the distance. He was posted in Darwin and spent some time in Afghanistan and then Canberra. He moved around a lot. She didn’t want to do that, since she was studying for her PhD in Brisbane, I believe. And the separation became too much for them.”
“That’s a shame,” Debbie added. “Although I completely understand. It’s so hard on a couple when they aren’t able to connect.”
Just then, Debbie’s phone rang. She answered it and stepped out of the room. She’d been taking calls all morning. Something to do with an emergency at the office.
“I’d hoped you might be able to manage this without me,” she said as she walked away. Joanna couldn’t hear the rest of her conversation.
“Poor Debbie,” Gwen said. “It seems like owning a business makes work never ending.”
“I’m afraid you’re right,” Emily said. “She’s been on her phone all morning. And this isn’t the first time. She wants to slow down, but I don’t see how she’ll manage that.”
Joanna shook her head. “Does anyone need anything else? I’m not sure I can move to get it for you, but I’ll try.”
Emily laughed. “Let’s go to the den and relax. These chairs are getting hard.”
They all wandered to the den and found comfortable chairs to relax in. Joanna pulled out a knit blanket Emily had made for her the previous Christmas and pulled it up over her legs. She admired the stitching and the colours.
“I love this blanket, Em. You really have an eye for design.”
“You think?”
“Definitely. Maybe you should consider studying fashion design.”
Emily laughed. “I don’t know about that.”
“No, really, I mean it.”
“Thank you, Jo. Gwen, can I get you something to rest your foot on?”
“This cushion is just fine, Emily. Thank you, though.”
Joanna used a remote control to set the stereo to play soft background music.
“I don’t think I’ve ever eaten so much in my life,” Emily said. “Your Italian cuisine is to die for, Jo.”
“There’s something special about Italian food, isn’t there?” Joanna asked.
“Absolutely divine. Duncan would’ve loved it.” Gwen’s mood turned sombre.
“How is Duncan?” Joanna asked. “Was he worried when you didn’t come home?”
Gwen shrugged. “He hardly seemed to notice. He called but wasn’t upset when I told him I was staying over at Debbie’s. If I moved out, I’m not sure he’d realise for weeks. The only thing that would give me away is that his laundry would stay in the hamper and not magically appear clean and hanging in his closet.” She laughed, but the sound was hollow.
“What do you two do when you want to get away and have some time together?” Emily asked.
Gwen’s eyes narrowed. “Hmmm… That’s a good question. I can’t remember the last time we did anything like that. But we used to go bushwalking. That was a long time ago. Now, we mostly live separate lives. He’s at work, or golfing, or spending time with his colleagues and friends. I’m at home, or with the kids and grandkids, or here with all of you.”
Debbie came to join them, her cheeks red. “I’m sorry about that. But apparently they’re incapable of making it work without me, and there’s a client emergency that I really need to deal with. I’m afraid I’m going to have to cut our time short.”
She went to each of them to hug them goodbye. “It was delightful, as always. I can’t wait to see how the Italian pages turn out in the cookbook, but the photos I took are looking pretty good so far. I think it’ll be very special.”
“I’m sure it will be,” Joanna said. “You do such a good job on those images, Deb. You could’ve been a photographer. Really, you could.”
“You’re too kind. Now, will someone drop Gwen home? I drove her here, but unfortunately I have to head directly to the office.”
“Yes, I’ll do that. No problem,” Emily said. “You go and put out your fires. We’ll take care of Gwen.”
“Thank you, honey. You’re the best,” Debbie said, blowing Emily a kiss. “Ciao, all. See you next time.”
After she’d left, they were quiet for a few minutes.
“I don’t know how she has so much energy,” Gwen said. “I can’t keep up with her. I’m exhausted just thinking about it.”
“She’s always been like that,” Joanna agreed. “I’m going to have a nap just as soon as you leave. And she’s off to save the world.”
“Or at least to save her business.”
“Are you going back to her place or home?” Joanna asked.
Gwen’s greying curls were swept up into a messy bun. Her blue eyes were rimmed with eyeliner, and she looked youthful in a pair of denim culottes and a white T-shirt. The heavy boot on her foot stood out against her tanned leg. She thought for a moment. “I suppose I should go home. I’ve got to face Duncan at some point. And there’s nothing to be gained by running away from my life.”
“It’s the mature thing to do,” Joanna agreed.
“And I always make the responsible choice,” Gwen said miserably. “Even when it hurts.”