from Melbourne and panicked. I’d be more concerned if that man didn’t complain. Can you text back, Good news. Call if you need me ?’
Anya had forgotten how stoic many of the people who lived rurally could be. When a doctor was an hour’s drive away, they did what they could in terms of first aid and survival.
‘That means we’ve got time to stop at the bakery and beat the coach.’ She turned into Wellington Street and parked in a small car park in front of an antiques shop and gallery, adjacent to a bakery.
Outside the car, her mother waved to a woman walking a pram further down the street. ‘The flour mill’s been here for over a hundred and fifty years. It’s been a skin and wool store, even a soap factory in its day.’
Inside, the array of breads on display would have put a Leichhardt bakery to shame. Gone were the days when the only choice was a white loaf or soft white roll.
‘Audrey aims for lunch at one, but we won’t eat until at least three, so we might as well order something.’
After deciding on a cappuccino and a short black, Jocelyn included a request for a dozen cupcakes in a box, and two sausage rolls with sauce. She passed one in a paper bag to Anya.
Coffees in hand, they headed towards the car. The sun was struggling to peek through a cloud mass. Her mother detoured to the park and sat at a wooden table and bench. She tore open her bag and emptied two sachets of tomato sauce on her sausage roll.
It instantly reminded Anya of Saturdays in winter when Damien played soccer. Afterwards, her mother would tend to house calls and her father would cook hot dogs, party pies or sausage rolls. The smell of pastry cooking in the oven as they tried to warm up by the fire was one of her favourite childhood memories.
Jocelyn emptied two sachets of sugar into her cup. ‘How long are you staying in Tassie?’
‘I thought I’d go back on Monday. Evelyn’s in hospital with Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome, in a critical but stable condition. I’ll stay as long as necessary for Dad’s sake.’
‘I had no idea she was ill.’ She took off her sunglasses. ‘I know how close your father and Evelyn have always been.’
‘He was staying with her yesterday when she was admitted to hospital. He sat with her all night.’
‘Do they know what caused it?’
Anya took a sip and wiped the froth from her top lip. ‘It’s E. coli and there have been two deaths in the Hobart region already.’ She ripped opened her paper bag and pulled off a piece of flaky pastry. ‘If you see any cases of severe vomiting and diarrhoea . . .’
Two little girls danced around the rotunda in the park. Jocelyn watched them for a while.
Anya said, ‘A little girl died from E. coli and her mother and sister are missing.’
‘I saw that on the news but they didn’t mention the infection. The poor family must be going through hell.’ Jocelyn’s pale blue eyes seemed grey in the sunlight. ‘First that little girl is found, then the others go missing. I pray they’re both safe . . .’
‘I was thinking about Miriam, how long it’s been.’ There was a moment’s silence.
‘They say time heals everything. It doesn’t.’
‘Damien said he rang you the other day, on the seventeenth.’ She waited for some recognition.
‘Our Mimi would be thirty-six.’ Jocelyn sipped her coffee. ‘I didn’t speak to your brother that day, or anyone except Audrey. I got your message. I was too tired to talk anyway.’
Anya noticed a clavicle pressing against her mother’s skin when the wind blew her shirt open a little. ‘Has your workload decreased since leaving Launceston and joining the practice here?’
‘Let’s not play mind games. I think I’d know if I spoke to my own son, Anya. Did you speak to him directly, catch him in between ski fields?’
Anya shook her head. ‘He rang Dad.’
‘You came all this way to check up on me because of something secondhand your father, or that interfering wife of his, passed
Anya had forgotten how stoic many of the people who lived rurally could be. When a doctor was an hour’s drive away, they did what they could in terms of first aid and survival.
‘That means we’ve got time to stop at the bakery and beat the coach.’ She turned into Wellington Street and parked in a small car park in front of an antiques shop and gallery, adjacent to a bakery.
Outside the car, her mother waved to a woman walking a pram further down the street. ‘The flour mill’s been here for over a hundred and fifty years. It’s been a skin and wool store, even a soap factory in its day.’
Inside, the array of breads on display would have put a Leichhardt bakery to shame. Gone were the days when the only choice was a white loaf or soft white roll.
‘Audrey aims for lunch at one, but we won’t eat until at least three, so we might as well order something.’
After deciding on a cappuccino and a short black, Jocelyn included a request for a dozen cupcakes in a box, and two sausage rolls with sauce. She passed one in a paper bag to Anya.
Coffees in hand, they headed towards the car. The sun was struggling to peek through a cloud mass. Her mother detoured to the park and sat at a wooden table and bench. She tore open her bag and emptied two sachets of tomato sauce on her sausage roll.
It instantly reminded Anya of Saturdays in winter when Damien played soccer. Afterwards, her mother would tend to house calls and her father would cook hot dogs, party pies or sausage rolls. The smell of pastry cooking in the oven as they tried to warm up by the fire was one of her favourite childhood memories.
Jocelyn emptied two sachets of sugar into her cup. ‘How long are you staying in Tassie?’
‘I thought I’d go back on Monday. Evelyn’s in hospital with Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome, in a critical but stable condition. I’ll stay as long as necessary for Dad’s sake.’
‘I had no idea she was ill.’ She took off her sunglasses. ‘I know how close your father and Evelyn have always been.’
‘He was staying with her yesterday when she was admitted to hospital. He sat with her all night.’
‘Do they know what caused it?’
Anya took a sip and wiped the froth from her top lip. ‘It’s E. coli and there have been two deaths in the Hobart region already.’ She ripped opened her paper bag and pulled off a piece of flaky pastry. ‘If you see any cases of severe vomiting and diarrhoea . . .’
Two little girls danced around the rotunda in the park. Jocelyn watched them for a while.
Anya said, ‘A little girl died from E. coli and her mother and sister are missing.’
‘I saw that on the news but they didn’t mention the infection. The poor family must be going through hell.’ Jocelyn’s pale blue eyes seemed grey in the sunlight. ‘First that little girl is found, then the others go missing. I pray they’re both safe . . .’
‘I was thinking about Miriam, how long it’s been.’ There was a moment’s silence.
‘They say time heals everything. It doesn’t.’
‘Damien said he rang you the other day, on the seventeenth.’ She waited for some recognition.
‘Our Mimi would be thirty-six.’ Jocelyn sipped her coffee. ‘I didn’t speak to your brother that day, or anyone except Audrey. I got your message. I was too tired to talk anyway.’
Anya noticed a clavicle pressing against her mother’s skin when the wind blew her shirt open a little. ‘Has your workload decreased since leaving Launceston and joining the practice here?’
‘Let’s not play mind games. I think I’d know if I spoke to my own son, Anya. Did you speak to him directly, catch him in between ski fields?’
Anya shook her head. ‘He rang Dad.’
‘You came all this way to check up on me because of something secondhand your father, or that interfering wife of his, passed
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