Learning to Love

Chapter 10

Kadence woke to the sound of birds singing outside her window and hoped she never got too busy to enjoy waking up to that sound. Relief washed through her with the knowledge she’d finished her lesson plans late last night and she had one less thing to worry her this morning, other than a brief re-reading of them to ensure she didn’t just start filling in the gaps with the word coffee or sleep.

 After taking a long and luxurious warm shower, thankful this cottage had air-conditioning otherwise last night’s sticky heat would have been a nightmare, she padded out into the kitchen in search of her one true love, coffee.

She spent the rest of her morning making up little first day packs for the parents with a little poem about not worrying, she would be there to take care of their kids, a tea bag to help them relax, yet if they were anything like her they’d be needing a strong coffee instead, a tissue to wipe away any tears and a chocolate for some comfort food.

By the time 9am rolled around, Kadence had completed all her preparation and just had to get dressed, pat on a little make up and head over to the school.

Pulling into the school parking lot, she observed how many cars were already there with parents standing around in clusters and wondered if it was going to be anything like the clicky parents she observed back in the city. Bundling up her first container of casseroles to pop in the fridge, she made her way into the school block, feeling the eyes of the parents piercing into her back in judgement or curiosity, she wasn’t quite sure.

“Mmm, that smells delicious!” Dee walked out of the staffroom and towards her, “Planning on buying off the parents with a bit of cooking?” she quirked an eyebrow, “Wish I’d thought of that!”

“No, this is for Trev. I’m hoping to pop out for a visit after and give him the casserole as thanks, but I did bring biscuits for the parents,” she winked, “If their mouths are too full of goodies, they can’t ask me too many hard-hitting questions, now can they?” the women laughed as Dee watched her place the two dishes in the fridge.

“He won’t need to cook for a month with how much you made there.” Dee commented.

“Oh, actually that one is for Matt. My guess is you’ll probably see him before I do, that is if you don’t mind.”

Dee studied her for a moment, “Of course, I can. So, you know where Old Trev lives?”

“Actually, I was kind of hoping a friendly local might help me there,” she grinned at Dee whose lips quirked up in the corner.

“No worries, I can give you a guided tour on my way today.” Dee said, “Anything more to come inside?”

“Thank you, and yes, I have two more boxes to go but there’s no rush for them.”

“All good, let’s get it done now and see how many sticky beaks have turned up in the process,” Kadence didn’t know if she liked the sound of that, but Dee had already started walking back down the hallway, so she got her feet moving and caught up, walking side by side out to the car.

****************************************************************

Two hours later after what felt closer to four, Kadence and Dee were clearing the snack table and washing up the cups from the coffee.

“You know, every year I say I’m just going to invest in cardboard cups, but I never do it.” Dee said as she sunk another cup into the soapy water. “You did really well today, especially with those first day bags for the parents. You make me look like a slacker with how much you have managed since you arrived, what two days ago?”

“Yeah right, Dee. You are the heart and soul of this place and everybody knows it.” Kadence threw back, happy to see the slight glow to Dee’s skin at the compliment as she hefted the rubbish bag out of the bin and over her should, praying no-one poured any coffee into the bag or wet-food. “Point me in the way of the skip?”

“Straight up the end and to the right.” Dee said over her shoulder and went back to the cups in the sink.

Once the clean up was complete, the ladies got into their separate cars and Kadence followed as Dee led her to Old Trev’s house. When they pulled up out the front, Kadence was surprised to see a beautiful little cottage that had been let go over the years. The garden, if you anyone could have called it that, was a tangle of dried up vines and weeds. She could see where there was once a rose bush and why he’d let it go to waste.

Not wanting to waste any time, she waved to Dee to thank her and carried the casserole safety up the porch steps and knocked on the door.

Complete silence filled the air around the house and she looked about a little uncomfortably, noticing the curtain sway a little from the neighbours window as though someone had been there watching her. While one part of her said leave the food and run, the other part wanted to rise to the challenge, she bet her last dollar he was inside that house and just wanting whoever was disturbing him to go away.

She knocked again a little louder this time and placed her ear to the door, certain her heard the grumble of someone making their way towards the front door. She looked again towards the neighbours’ window and saw beady, watchful eyes looking out at her; Edna. Goosebumps ran down her back and she nervously licked her lips before lifting her hand to wave at the woman, who closed the blind without a single how do you do.

“Trev? It’s Kadence Mitchell, you helped me on the side of the road a couple of days ago…” she stopped and looked down at the casserole, the condensation making it slippery in her hands. “I just wanted to give you a casserole to say thank you.”

She waited a few more beats before she lifted her hand to knock when the door suddenly opened, and Trev’s weathered face stood in front of her. He looked down at the casserole, then back up at her for a few moments before stepping aside and nodding for her to come in.

She stood just inside the door and waited for him to close it before she spoke again, “Sorry to bother you, but I just wanted to say thank you so much for helping me the other day.” She held out the dish, but he made no move to take it. She licked her lips and swallowed past the dryness in her throat.

“S’pose you want a cuppa then,” he said directly then started to make his way down the hall. Kadence noticed a slight limp to his left leg that she didn’t notice before but didn’t feel it was her place to comment or pry. She’d only just been allowed into the house, she didn’t want to be thrown out again.

As she walked she noticed the house was immaculately clean, in vast contract to what it was like outside. But even more sadly, she noticed how little she had in the way of personal items like photographs, trinkets from holidays etc. 

“You have a lovely home,” she commented as Trev limped over and flicked on the kettle. A grunt came by answer and she assumed that was code for thanks. Kadence put the casserole down in the middle of the table.

“I hope you like lamb casserole, my grandmother taught me this special recipe years ago and it’s aways been one of my favourites.”

“Lambs good.” Trev said a little uncomfortably, but at least he said something and it lit a little glimmer of hope for Kadence.

When Trev walked over to grab the long life milk from his fridge, Kadence couldn’t help noticing how sparse the shelves looked, but played it down to the fact that may he was just due to go in to do his grocery shop. But as she looked around, she noticed no fruit on the benches and no vegetables in the crisper of the fridge.

“White with one?” he asked sounding more like a statement than a question, as the kettle whistled signaling it had finished boiling.

“Spot on, thank you.” Kadence smiled up at him, “How did you guess?”

“You’re not the first young city girl I’ve met, you know.” Trev replied, and Kadence remained silent, feeling he had more to say on the subject. “I dare even say, it’s not two because you’re sweet enough?”

Kadence could hear the humour in his voice at this remark and wondered if he had a daughter in the city and she said the same thing. “Well naturally,” her grin grew wider at his half laugh and slight shake of his head.

When Trev turned around with the two cups of tea and almost dropped the cups of tea startled at the uncanny resemblance he saw in her of that last city girl he used to know. While similar, her personality and eyes were vastly different; it was just a simple trick of the mind. He recovered quick enough for her to think he was simply just a fumble fingers and he placed the cups gently on the table, barely hearing her ‘thank you,’ before turning back towards the pantry for some biscuits and a calming breath.

While Trev opened the cupboard, Kadence took the opportunity to have a quick look and noted the bare shelves, bar the tins of baked beans and spaghetti. After seeing the fridge and cupboard Kadence was also now willing to bet the freezer probably even had packets of frozen meals. Well no more, Kadence thought to herself. It wouldn’t be every day, but she would try and do up some additional freezer meals of a weekend, that she would be creating for herself.

Trev slid a tin of biscuits into the middle of the table and took a seat opposite her, both a little awkward and unsure what to say. A few beats passed before they both tried to fill the silence at once.

“How the car?” Trev asked.

“Thank you for helping…” Kadence started and smiled at their fumbled attempt at making conversation.

“Sorry, you go,” Trev got in first and took a biscuit from the tin.

“Oh, I just wanted to say thank you for helping me on the side of the road and waiting for my car to be towed back to the garage on my behalf,” she said sincerely.

“Was nothing,” Trev replied simply with a shrug of his shoulder. Kadence couldn’t help but notice the slight tinge of pink running up from his collar.

“Well, it’s a lot more than anyone in the city would do, that’s for sure and I won’t forget it in a hurry,” she looked at him seriously to give him some sort of prewarning to expect her to be back sometime soon.

Trev stared at her silently for a moment then asked curiously, “What is a young girl like you doing out way out here? Wouldn’t there be more opportunities for you back in the city?”

Biting her lower lip, she blew a breath out her nose and decided to be completely honest, “When I was little, my mother took me to horse riding lessons and I became obsessed. My all time favourite movie was Flicka and all I ever dreamed about was getting out away from the city, where I could let my hair down and become like Cate, form a special bond with the farm life and a wild horse.” She paused her fingers having noted she’d started picking at her nails again and chided herself for her silly childish habit, “anyway, I haven’t ever been able to let the feeling go of wanting to experience life outside of the box life in the city. So, here I am.”

Trev nodded a few times before responding, “Fair enough. But I can’t say you’ll run into many brumbies out this way.”

“That’s ok, the cottage I’m staying at is every bit as perfect as I ever imagined it to be,” she said dreamily.

“I haven’t seen that cottage in a few years, but I heard Matt did it up. Has a good eye that one.”

“Matt?” she said puzzled, “As in the Matt who...”

“Helped you with your car.” He nodded as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, “That cottage used to be his mothers sewing hideaway, or so she called it.”

The thought made Kadence smile but then she wondered, why should would come all the way out here when the house was so big.

“If Matt’s farmhouse is anything to go by, I imagine the cottage is probably almost unrecognisable. He’s done a stellar job getting the farm out of debt after his father passed away.” Trev stated but kept his eyes firm on Kadence. “Not here looking for a man, are you?”

Kadence spluttered, and hot tea dripped down her chin, “Oh my gosh, sorry. How embarrassing.” She said mopping up her chin with her shirt. Looking up, she noticed Trev’s quirked eyebrow and watchful eyes. Clearing her throat, she spoke making it perfectly clear she wasn’t here to try and get her hands on anyone’s money, “Not looking, I’m already spoken for.” But even as she said those words, she knew her heart wasn’t totally in it.

“Good-o,” Trev spoke as though he didn’t full believe her but wasn’t about to challenge it, “Bianca will be pleased to hear that, she’s had her heart set on Matt since she could walk.”

“I noticed from the death look I was on the wrong end of,” Kadence pulled a face making Trev laugh.

A change of topic soon followed, and the conversation flowed with ease over nothing and everything until it was time for Kadence to head back home. Standing up together, Trev escorted Kadence to the front door and thanked her for the casserole, promising to return the bowl the following weekend. As she got into the car and started it up, she found her eyes drifting back towards the eagle eyes window, unsurprised to see those same eyes piercing straight back out towards her. With a quick wave from the car, she made her way back home, taking note of the street name and plot points to find her way back next time.