Chapter Five
Carrie asked Lachlan to drive her to the supermarket first so she could buy in the supplies she’d already made a list of, and they managed to squeeze everything into the boot alongside another couple of boxes of her clothes and a hanging rail he’d brought up from the city.
Back at the house, Carrie stocked the fridge and the cardboard box that was her only pantry for now and Lachlan assembled the clothes rail for her upstairs in the bedroom.
‘You certainly have a lot of buff men helping you out.’ Lachlan opened up the boxes when Carrie joined him and they began to hang the clothes on the extra hangers she’d bought at the supermarket.
She wiggled another coat-hanger into the arms of a cardigan and hung it on the rail. Carrie had briefly introduced Owen downstairs when they first arrived at the house, and meeting Noah plus Owen in such a short space of time was bound to be the cause of some contention so she tried not to let things escalate. ‘They’re working for me, Lachlan, nothing more, nothing less.’
It didn’t take long before the makeshift wardrobe housed most of the clothes from the boxes. The rest would have to stay put until she got a more permanent solution, and when Owen hollered up the stairs that he’d need to get started on the bathroom, Carrie and Lachlan escaped downstairs.
‘I’ll rip out the cupboards,’ Owen told her, ‘but I’ll leave the sink, bath and toilet intact for now.’
‘Thanks, Owen. It’s all yours.’ With Noah elsewhere, Carrie took the opportunity to show Lachlan more of the garden and explain what was going to happen out there. She pointed to where the pergola would be, the decking that would be laid beneath it and at the back of the house, the fences that would be repaired, and as they stood taking in the space, they could hear clattering about upstairs as Owen carried on with his destruction.
‘How did you say you knew Owen?’
‘Kristy.’
‘Did she date him?’
Carrie shook her head. ‘No, I can’t remember how they met.’ She hated lying, but she knew if he found out Owen was an ex-boyfriend it wouldn’t go down well and these surprise visits would become too frequent to handle. She wanted to see him but she also needed some headspace to think, and not to feel constantly like she was letting her career fall apart, and therefore a failure.
Carrie pointed out where the curved flowerbeds would go. ‘We can sit out here on a balmy summer’s evening with a glass of wine.’ Her eyes sparkled as he leaned down to kiss her.
‘It’s quiet around here.’ He took her hand and led her behind the shed. ‘We could do more than have a drink.’
She pushed him away playfully. ‘Owen’s right inside. And there’s no gate on the garden. Anyone could turn up!’ Giggling as he trailed kisses down her neck and deftly undid the first few buttons of her dress, she felt her desire beneath the heat of the day heighten. ‘Lachlan, seriously…’
‘I am being serious,’ he murmured, pulling the material of her bra to one side and letting his tongue explore.
She felt guilty that she hadn’t been more excited when she’d seen him pull up in his car on Main Street, because she did miss him, and the way she was feeling now was a big reminder of their relationship, their history, and how much he cared for her.
With the banging coming from the inside of the house and not another soul around, Carrie hoped, she didn’t resist for too long and against the wall of the shed they both gave in to temptation.
Afterwards she breathed heavily, her lips against his neck. ‘I swear I’ve got splinters in my butt cheeks.’
He laughed. ‘I might need to go see Greg in orthopaedics. I don’t think my knees are as up to taking my girlfriend against a wall as they used to be.’
She buttoned up her dress and ruffled her hair. ‘Ouch.’ She reached behind her. ‘I think I’ve got something in my back too.’
He turned her round and pulled out a small thorny stem, then inspected her dress more closely as she held her hair out of the way. ‘The material’s fine, it’s not ripped.’ He kissed the back of her neck before she dropped her hair down and sighed with pleasure. ‘I think you’ll live.’
Lachlan was driven, ambitious, and he was also impulsive. She only hoped this latest escapade hadn’t echoed all the way inside for Owen to hear.
When she went into the kitchen again it didn’t look as though Owen realised what had been going on. He was in the lounge now, pulling out the shelving in the alcove, most of which was rotten. The frame was still intact so they’d leave that and repaint it. Carrie trotted up the stairs to use the bathroom and make sure she didn’t have any stray twigs or other fragments in her hair and then she washed her face, put on some deodorant from her toiletry bag, and by the time she returned downstairs the men were chatting about floorboards, maximising a property’s potential for resale value and the fireplace, which was already looking better now the cobwebs had been cleared away and the rotten mantelpiece removed.
‘You won’t recognise the place by the time I’ve finished,’ Owen assured Lachlan, who seemed happier now, less threatened.
‘I’ve said to Carrie it’ll make a great weekender,’ said Lachlan. ‘We can come and escape the city when we need to, or we could rent it out.’ He draped an arm around her shoulders and she put hers around his waist.
Owen jotted down details of any floorboards that were damaged and would need repairing before they were sanded to look completely unrecognisable. ‘Holidaymakers do love it here. The town has a lot to offer with the functions at Magnolia House, the chocolaterie and pub, the café, the walking and cycling trails and the lake.’
As Lachlan nodded, Carrie knew in an instant that she was never going to rent it to anyone else. The thought had entered her mind once upon a time, but now she was here, it felt like hers and she didn’t want anyone else intruding to enjoy the claw-foot roll-top bath or freestanding rainfall shower, or her solid oak kitchen with the farmhouse sink in front of the window looking out over the garden that would soon be filled with colour.
‘I’ll be out of your way tomorrow, Owen,’ she assured him as he finished making notes on the flooring and moved to the narrow hallway.
‘Ah, the new job.’ He slipped his pencil above his ear.
‘The new temporary job,’ Lachlan reminded them both. ‘This one deserves a break but she’ll be back.’ He planted a kiss on the top of Carrie’s head. ‘She’s too good not to be. Patients and families adore Carrie.’
‘I’ve no doubt they do.’ Owen smiled at her. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me I’ve got a pregnant girlfriend who’s texted me to ensure I pick up ice-cream on my way home.’ He rolled his eyes but Carrie could see he was loving every moment of it. ‘Oh, before I go – my parents are throwing a bit of a town party on Friday night and we’d love it if you could join us. They do this every year; it’s become their thing after the fires almost took the town from us.’ He shrugged. ‘It’s a lot of effort for Mum but she thrives on it.’
‘That sounds lovely,’ Carrie beamed. ‘I’ll definitely be able to make it. What time?’
‘Any time from seven thirty until late.’
‘Lachlan?’ Owen asked. ‘You’re welcome to come along too.’
‘Oh, yes, please do.’ Carrie knew the best way to not have her boyfriend worry about this change of direction was to involve him in her life, at least part of the time.
He checked his iPhone calendar. ‘I finish at four o’clock that day. I’ll have work on and off for a few hours after that but I should be able to make it up here by eight, nine at the latest.’
‘Great.’ Owen nodded to each of them. ‘See you at the weekend. I’d better get that ice-cream over to Rosie.’ He shook his head, amused.
After he’d left Lachlan pulled her towards him. ‘I’m looking forward to the party. I can see what other men Magnolia Creek has secretly hidden away. There are too many around here for my liking.’
‘Nonsense.’ She hit him on the arm playfully. ‘Now you’d better go or you’ll be late.’
He kissed her goodbye. ‘Good luck with the new job tomorrow.’ And he left it at that, although Carrie suspected he wanted to say more.
Outside, she waved him off as he reversed the Jaguar and it trundled over the uneven ground to meet the hill he’d drive down towards town before turning right for the city. And with the evening drawing to a close she felt the exhaustion of another busy day take over and followed the stairs up to her airbed.
*
Maria, the ten-month-old baby Carrie was employed to look after for three days a week between the hours of eight and three o’clock, turned out to be a delight, at least for the first morning. Carrie entertained the baby in the high chair by pulling faces, singing and passing various toys that Maria either shoved in her mouth or threw across the kitchen. Carrie was allowed to help herself to ingredients to make a sandwich for lunch – handy when your kitchen was non-existent at home – and after she’d made one for Maria and one for herself, giving Maria mashed-up banana to follow, Carrie was happy with how the day was going.
By early afternoon it was a different story. Maria, content on the play mat for well over half an hour as she’d gazed up at a mirror dangling from her play gym, was beginning to get fractious and most likely had the same cabin fever that Carrie was experiencing.
‘What do you say?’ Carrie scooped Maria up in her arms. ‘Is it time for a walk? Time to get outside?’ As a paediatrician she had a way with children and babies, but that was at work. She wasn’t sure how any adult could stand doing this all day every day with no other adults for company. She’d go stir crazy if she didn’t know she was leaving at three o’clock – there was only so much smiling you could do, pulling faces, cajoling the baby to please not turn over when you were trying to wipe her bum and put on a fresh nappy. Carrie felt as though she needed eight eyes like a spider, eight limbs to multitask and a brain that was happy to operate down a gear. Even getting out the door was a rigmarole. Maria put up a protest at going in the pram and as for putting the harness on, she wasn’t having any of it. Carrie had to use brute strength to hold her in place and see her safely in so she could turn her back and get the change bag and bottle she’d need.
But out in the sunshine, walking the short distance to the main area of Magnolia Creek, past the train station and round the bend, she knew why so many mums paraded around Albert Park Lake with their little ones, or walked the Tan Track near the city. It was for their sanity; one hundred per cent necessary.
When she passed the fire station Owen called over to her. ‘How’s the first day going?’
She smiled. Adult company. But the smile wavered when she saw Noah close behind him, because she had no idea what this man thought of her. ‘It’s going well, but let me give you a warning. And I should’ve known this, given my chosen profession. These things…’ She pointed at Maria. ‘They are not easy.’
Noah crouched down and let Maria take hold of his finger. She curled her fingers around it and gurgled. It seemed she’d already discovered men, and Noah had no qualms with this girl.
‘Aren’t you two supposed to be at my place?’ she looked at Owen and Noah, the man with a natural affinity to babies.
‘Yes, boss,’ Owen joked. ‘We’ve both been there this morning but I dragged Noah up here to the station to introduce him to a few of the other guys. He’s decided to step up and volunteer. About time he had the balls.’
Noah stood up. ‘I should’ve done it sooner, I know. But better late than never.’
‘Do you live around here?’ she asked Noah, if only for something to say.
‘Up the hill, about five minutes on from your place.’
For some reason his proximity made her heart skip a beat. Maybe it was the idea of him peering in her windows unannounced again and seeing her naked. At the thought she blushed and stroked Maria’s head now as a distraction. Maria had quietened down on their walk so Carrie guessed the walking brigades of mummies she often saw around the city were necessary for the child as much as the parent.
They talked more about the training session Noah was in for on Sunday and chatted about progress on the house. Noah had demolished the shed apparently, so no more shenanigans behind that if Lachlan got any ideas, and next up he’d be yanking out more plants and digging the soil to get rid of any debris lurking beneath. Owen had got hold of some wood to replace the lounge room shelves so he’d be building those, and in the next couple of days the kitchen would arrive so he could get going putting in the units and sorting out a plumber to do the bits he couldn’t manage.
Carrie left them to it. Owen had assured her they’d be hot-footing it back to her place but Noah had had more to say to Maria than he had to Carrie.
The rest of Carrie’s week with baby Maria went much the same as the first day, with smooth mornings, a walk after lunch to settle them both, and a happy escape at three o’clock.
By the time Friday came around Carrie felt ready to tackle something new, and as she pulled into the car park of the modern hospital facility to meet Serena, a pang of nostalgia hit her unexpectedly: she saw herself in her smarter clothes, clipboard in hand, making rounds on the wards, talking with families and children about their ongoing medical needs. It was like being on the brink of her old life – one she wasn’t sure how to step back into again.
Owen’s text with a photo of the first stage of kitchen installation brought her out of her trance and she replied to say how good it was looking. Each day she returned to the house, he and Noah had made such progress. Noah had pulled most of the old shrubs from their stubborn positions and cleared to the ground beneath, while Owen had pretty much created a blank canvas to work with inside the house.
She took a deep breath, locked her car and walked towards the front entrance of the hospital. Inside she followed the signs to reception and eventually located Serena.
‘Carrie, hi!’ Serena shook her hand vigorously and Carrie hoped she didn’t manhandle all her patients the same way. Her mannerisms were as over the top as those fake eyebrows of hers but she seemed genuine and Carrie felt she was in good hands.
Serena gave Carrie a brief tour, showed her where the NICU was. ‘We’re lucky to have the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,’ Serena explained. ‘Not all hospitals have one and it makes it easier for families if they don’t have to travel all the way to another facility.’
Carrie scanned the NICU, which looked as busy as any other, and Serena introduced her to the neonatal nurse in charge as well as the nurse educator, who would be providing the training for the baby-cuddling program.
‘I understand you’re after a change of scene,’ said Serena.
Carrie wasn’t sure what Lachlan had told Serena – she assumed not much – and she was grateful for the relative anonymity. ‘I’ve done some travelling, just bought a house that I’m renovating and, with a nannying job close by, the baby cuddling will keep me busy.’
Judging by the way Serena’s eyebrows lifted, Lachlan hadn’t told her about Carrie’s newfound employment that was at odds with her paediatric skill set.
‘I thought I’d get on the property ladder while I can.’ Carrie tried to keep the conversation light, make this move more about the house than anything else.
Serena’s eyebrows seemed to come down in gratitude that this paediatrician hadn’t walked away from a stellar career only to do something anyone could do. ‘It’s way too expensive to buy in the city, so you’re doing the right thing. And you’re young,’ she smiled. ‘Do it now and then you’ve got plenty of time to work your way up the ranks in paediatrics.’
‘That’s the plan.’ Carrie smiled as they continued their tour of the hospital and chatted about what Carrie’s role would be.
‘I’ve had approval for the program from the powers that be,’ Serena explained. ‘It’s been a long time in the planning stage, but finally we have negotiated the terms. The baby-cuddling program will need to be publicised in newsletters, media releases, that sort of thing. We’ll need to put in place a system to hold details of volunteers, who will each need to be screened to make sure they’re suitable for our precious babies, and once we have the volunteers we’ll need to arrange the nurse educator to deliver the training. There’ll also be parental consent forms to be completed.’
Carrie’s own eyebrows responded by pulling into a frown. ‘From what Lachlan said, I hadn’t realised the baby-cuddling program was so close to getting off the ground. I thought that’s what I was here to do.’
Serena didn’t seem phased at the confusion and as she went into a bit more detail about what Carrie would need to do, Carrie realised how overqualified she was for this position. She was tempted to delve further and ask whether Lachlan had begged for some kind of job to get her back in the hospital environment, but the fact she was in a hospital and still relatively calm showed that however this had happened, it was good for her. She hadn’t fled from the building in a panic. She hadn’t fallen to her knees and sobbed, declaring she couldn’t be here. Instead, she’d calmly taken in the environment and talked about the program and the different patient cases she might encounter.
Perhaps Lachlan’s way of throwing her in at the deep end and pushing her was exactly what she needed.
*
Following her session at the hospital, Carrie drove back to Magnolia Creek and stopped at the café for sustenance. She’d brought away a heap of reading material from Serena, the bumf she’d thought she would be a part of producing as they negotiated with seniority at the hospital and got the program off the ground.
As she waited for her scone with cream and jam, Carrie wasn’t sure how to feel now. She’d left Lachlan an upbeat message to say her meeting had gone well and to say thank you for setting it up, but did she really think that way?
She drummed her fingers on the pile of papers until Bella brought over the scone, fresh from the oven, and the condiments to go with it.
‘That smells heavenly.’ Carrie closed her eyes to inhale the comforting smell. ‘I mustn’t keep having these – they’ll wreak havoc with my waistline.’
‘Nonsense,’ Bella assured her with a smile. She glanced at the paperwork in front of Carrie and whistled through her teeth. ‘Now that’s a lot to get through.’
‘It sure is.’ There was information about the history of baby cuddling, the way it would work at the hospital itself, details on how volunteers would be screened, guidance they’d be providing for parents.
Bella nodded in greeting to another customer. ‘I’ll leave you to it, Carrie.’
‘Thanks, Bella. Are you going to the party tonight?’ If she was honest, she’d be happy to stay at home and wade through this file of information, but she wanted to make the effort with this town, not lose herself in work the same way as she once had.
‘I sure am. I’ll see you there.’ Tea towel in hand, she went behind the counter to take another order.
Carrie flipped through as much of the information as she could while she devoured the scone and when her phone rang and the caller display told her it was Lachlan, she took the call and reiterated what she’d told him in her message.
‘I’m glad,’ he said. ‘You sound happy.’
‘I am, but I thought I’d be taking the program from a much earlier stage.’ She wondered if he’d admit to anything. ‘It all seems to be set up and ready for the final push before it goes live.’
‘That’s a good thing, surely?’
‘I appreciate you putting in a word for me.’ Was there really any point in grilling him over the specifics? ‘I’m going to be crazy busy for a while.’
‘You thrive on being busy.’
‘You know me so well.’
‘I’m going to be a little late tonight, I’m afraid.’
It came with the territory. Surgeons didn’t earn their stripes or their generous pay packets without putting in the hard yards. ‘How late is “late”?’
‘An hour, tops. But you go ahead – go to the party and I’ll be there as soon as I can. Oh, and I booked us into a little cottage by the lake, so pack an overnight bag and take it with you. I’m not sure I’m up to squeezing onto a single airbed with you, much as I love you.’
Carrie grinned. The cottages by the lake were exquisite. This way she’d get to see inside one, and secretly she liked managing her renovations all on her own. ‘I’m looking forward to it already. I love you.’
He returned the sentiment and when he hung up Carrie gathered up her papers, climbed into her car and headed back to her house to see what progress had been made.
*
Rosie and Owen were hosting the gathering that night alongside Jane and Michael Harrison as though they were all in the party-planning business. Drinks were continuously topped up, guests were chatted to and introduced seamlessly, and canapés cruised around the room with a practised ease. It was vastly different to the highbrow gatherings Carrie usually found herself a part of, with some of the guests here nipping out for a swim in the backyard pool at the host’s insistence, and with George the cat loving company so much he moved from one lap to another and probably intended to do the same for the rest of the night.
‘You’ll love staying in them,’ said Gemma when Carrie told her Lachlan had booked them a cottage for tonight. ‘Which number did you get?’ Gemma kissed Andrew on the cheek as he went through to find the men at the party and take the enormous basket of chocolates he’d brought with him to the hosts.
‘I don’t know. Lachlan booked us in so I guess it’ll be a surprise.’
‘Well, enjoy the chocolates.’
‘On the pillows?’ Carrie guessed.
‘Not quite. But there’ll be a small bowl filled with them, I can guarantee it. It’s a nice welcoming gesture and plenty of guests see the wrapping and come into the chocolaterie for more, especially to take home as souvenirs.’
‘Sneaky.’ When Gemma laughed Carrie relaxed in the woman’s company and they talked some more about Gemma’s previous life in the city before they’d made the move out here.
‘Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love Melbourne,’ said Gemma, ‘and I make sure I meet my girlfriends there for a big lunch and get-together every few months, but when you drive away and arrive back out here in the fresh air with so much space around, it just feels so welcoming.’
‘I’m beginning to know exactly what you mean.’ Carrie talked more about the city itself, favourite restaurants, walking along the Yarra or around Albert Park Lake.
As they were chatting she looked around to see if Owen was here yet. He’d already left the house by the time she’d arrived home but she thought she’d better mention to him not to discuss their history with Lachlan. Not that he would. He hadn’t said anything so far and she’d never met his parents until tonight anyway, so they were unlikely to spill the beans, but she wanted to be doubly sure he wouldn’t let anything slip. She didn’t want to upset Lachlan – not when he was doing so much for her and going out of his way to help her after she’d fallen apart so spectacularly.
When Rosie joined them she said that Owen had been at the fire station late after getting a call but he’d shower and change at the cottage and be there as soon as he could. ‘Where’s your handsome boyfriend tonight?’ she asked Carrie.
‘He’ll be here soon.’
‘I always imagine the hospital life to be exactly like Grey’s Anatomy. Owen bought me the box set to watch when my ankles get so fat with this pregnancy that I can no longer do much apart from sit around and wait for my baby to make an appearance.’
Gemma grinned. ‘Make the most of it, girl. I didn’t have Abby at the baby stage but toddlerdom isn’t much easier, let me tell you.’
‘I think having kids is hard work full stop,’ added Carrie. ‘Take Maria, the baby I’m looking after. She’s happy one minute and sitting in her high chair gurgling away, the next she’s thrown her toy either at me or to the ground, then I think she’s hungry so food will work for a couple of minutes until she decides it’s much better for smearing across the tray or in her hair. Then I take her for a walk and she’ll be loving the sunshine and fresh air, then suddenly she’s grizzling again and yawning, and I’m thinking why don’t you just go to sleep if you’re that damn tired?’
She hadn’t realised she was ranting but Carrie and Rosie were falling about laughing. ‘What?’
‘Love your job then?’ Gemma asked.
Carrie saw the funny side. ‘Maria is one feisty boss.’ She accepted the top-up of champagne from Jane, whom she’d been introduced to along with Michael when she first arrived.
Carrie clinked her glass against Gemma’s and then Rosie’s, containing water.
‘Do you think you and Lachlan will start a family?’ Rosie helped herself to a canapé with cheese and a caramelised onion relish.
Carrie was used to being asked. Even her own family made enough remarks, and as she did with them, she shrugged the question away with a ‘who knows?’
‘Is he the one, more importantly?’ Bella wanted to know, joining the conversation by sitting on the arm of the sofa.
Carrie found it odd, yet not in a bad way, having this much female attention around her. She was used to it from men but not from other women.
‘No need to say anything,’ said Bella, ‘if that’s him there.’ She pointed and stood up. ‘I’ll quiz him myself.’
Lachlan had walked into the room and Carrie watched on in amusement as Bella commandeered his attention and probably barraged him with endless questions. Carrie stayed where she was and helped herself to a couple of canapés as they talked about Rosie’s pregnancy, and when Rosie had a FaceTime call on her iPad, which was sitting on the table, she jumped at Rosie’s apparent excitement.
‘It’s Molly!’ Carrie noticed a few others in the room seemed to be just as elated.
‘Who’s Molly?’ She asked the question of Gemma.
Gemma smiled. ‘It’s a long story, but she’s Andrew’s biological daughter and Owen’s brother Ben’s girlfriend. They’re working in London and flit between here and there, but who knows where they’ll settle eventually.’ Gemma quietened as Rosie chatted on the iPad and Andrew made sure he didn’t miss out on saying hello.
Magnolia Creek seemed to have so much more going on than Carrie had realised and with so many people vying to say hello on the iPad it showed how friendly people were. It had scared Carrie at first, the thought of everyone knowing your business, but from the second she’d met up with Owen, and Rosie had introduced her to so many people, she’d felt surprisingly at ease.
Carrie looked around for Lachlan and hoped he was as relaxed as she was, but when she saw him she realised he definitely wasn’t. He was still talking to Bella, but even from her position on the sofa Carrie could see his jaw stiffen – the twitch he got when he was annoyed that something wasn’t going his way.
And a feeling of dread pooled in her stomach.