Angel's Bend

Chapter One

Taking the step from the safety of the bus, Lacey Green put her backpack down on the footpath and waited as the bus driver located her suitcase and pulled it from the hold, plonking it at her feet. “That it?” he asked, his face a gnarled question.

“Yep.  Thanks.”  Lacey looked down at that suitcase.  What the hell was she meant to do now?  Carry it, she supposed.

“Well, good luck then, girlie,” the bus driver said and, with a cheerful wave, he hoisted the bus door closed and hopped into his seat. The indicator flicked to life and the bus steered back onto the road. 

After watching the bus drive away, Lacey stood for a minute.  She gazed up and down the road, her eyes taking in every detail.  It had been six years since she’d stayed with her Aunt in Angel’s Bend, but the town looked the same.  Flame trees in bloom decorated Main Street, their tangerine spiked flowers reaching to the sky.  May’s Beauty Shop, still pink with lavender trim along the verandah, advertised an eyebrow wax and tint special.  Down the length of empty street, the bridge crossing the Seraphim River stood strong and proud, its current edging slowly towards an unknown destination. It was as if she’d walked into a time warp, the place was just like it had been when she was a kid.  And probably as just boring. At least she wouldn’t get lost on her way to Aunt Beth’s.

Hoisting her duffel bag over her shoulder and stretching out her suitcase handle, Lacey stacked her handbag on the top and headed south, crossing at Jackson’s Hardware.  Passing Heavenly Aroma Café she noticed it had only one patron.  Jock’s Music shop looked dead as a doornail, too.  Even the supermarket was empty.   What had she done?  Had coming here been a big mistake?  The quicker she got to Aunt Beth’s the sooner she could ring Dad and tell him she was on her way back.  Art School was a dumb idea.  She’d be just as happy staying on the farm with him.

Arms aching from pulling her luggage, Lacey stopped across the road from the Angel’s Bend Bookshop.  Standing as it always had, its blue and white painted façade hidden under the eyebrows of the verandah covered in lilac coloured wisteria looked like it seemed a sudden cheerful haven in this world of times gone by. A large sign filling the window indicated that, if nothing else had happened in six years, Aunt Beth had at least moved with the times.  Angel’s Bend Bookshop now sold coffee to those who wished to sit and browse before they bought.  And they had free wifi.  Lacey smiled to herself. Facebook.  Twitter.  Skype. A glimmer of modernity to keep her sane.

Pausing at the kerb, Lacey watched a lone car speed down the road in front of her, pulling to a halt in the empty space near May’s. Damn one horse town, she thought, noting her now muddied feet with disgust and lifting it to shake the water away. From underneath, something colourful appeared stuck to her sole. Intrigued, she let go of her suitcase to peel it off.  It was a tarot card with a picture of a queen or something.  An upside down queen all dressed in gilt and looking real sombre.  Weird.  Rubbing the card dry Lacey, pocketed it, determining to find out what it meant.  Not that she believed in any of that tarot stuff.  Load of crap really.  But she knew someone who did, and she was waiting on the other side of the road in that shop.  Stepping out onto the road, Lacey crossed and headed towards the bookshop that belonged to Aunt Beth. 

Pushing the timber door open, Lacey heard the tinkle of the bell above it announce her arrival.  She stopped and breathed in the scene. For mid summer, it was a chilly day and the corner of the Victorian building housed a fireplace, stacked with logs crackling in the grate.  An amber glow spread over the room, laying its fingers over books in neatly ordered shelves, housing all manner of titles. - fiction, travel, gardening, dressmaking.  She wondered briefly if aunt Beth had any good books on Photography or Art.  In the eight months since the accident she’d denied herself the pleasure of such books, felt better at herself imposed punishment.

Dad had been concerned of course, at her erratic behaviour.  He couldn’t find a way to break through.  She hadn’t wanted him to.  The move to Angel’s Bend had been his last hope that his daughter would return to him.  Lacey knew that. 

“It’s a fresh start, Lace,” he’d said as they sat at the dinner table just before Christmas.  “No one but Aunt Beth knows what’s happened.  No one needs to know, if you don’t want to tell them.  All they need to know is that you’re coming to Angel’s Bend High to finish your schooling.  Despite the fact that it’s a small town, its Art program has one of the best reputations in the South West. It’s the perfect stepping stone if you want to get into Art school.”  His face was serious. He looked as if he didn’t know his daughter any more.  “You do still want to go to art school in the city?”

“Of course, I do Dad,” Lacey said.  “I’m just not sure that I’m ready to face a whole new community of nosy people.”

“You don’t have to be friends with them, Lace.  Just work hard, get good grades and make a new start.  That’s all.  Aunt Beth is so excited that you’re coming.  She’s repainting the spare room for you as we speak.”

Oh God.  Lacey could imagine the pink and purple colour scheme she’d probably arrive to.  The last time she’d seen Aunt Beth she’d been wearing some sort of rainbow swirled tie dyed creation and her birthdays gifts often bordered on bizarre. But Lacey wasn’t a child anymore.  She didn’t need to be bribed to do the right thing with a fairy doona cover.  “I don’t need a new room, Dad.  I’m going to go.  I was merely making a point that I don’t want to.”

“Aunt Beth will take good care of you.  And I’m only a phone call away.”

And maybe that was best - Dad being a phone call away.  Every time he looked at her Lacey saw the hurt.  She knew he blamed her.

“Lacey, baby, you’re here.  Coming in from the back room, Aunt Beth put a stack of books down on the counter.  Her hazel eyes fell to Lacey’s bags.  “You silly child. Why didn’t you call out?  I told you to ring when you got off the bus. Those bags must’ve been awfully heavy to lug down the street.”

Lacey gave a samll smile that disappeared into her Aunt’s strong embrace. Pulling back she said, “Its okay, Aunt Beth.  I only had to walk a few hundred metres.  I lost my Mum, not my legs.”

Aunt Beth ignored the comment. “Right. Well lets get those bags into the back and you can sit here and tell me all about what’s been happening at home.  How’s your Dad coping?  Is that wretched Lucille still trying to win his heart with baked dinners?”

Rolling Lacey’s suitcase behind her, she led her out to the small office.  Lacey followed, plonking her backpack in the corner next to the suitcase.  She sat down at an old timber table, its surface covered in stories of years past.  “He’s fine, I s’pose.  He’s got more stock out in the back paddocks and he’s trying his hand at growing raspberries and blueberries.

“Your Dad?  A fruit farmer?  Never thought I’d see the day.”

“He wants to diversify and after the accident, I think he wanted a new start, a new interest.  Berries are completely foreign to him but he’s loving it.  It takes his mind off things.” 

Like her.  After Mum had died in the car accident on her way home from collecting the mail one afternoon, Lacey had gone into a downward spiral.   And being seventeen, her Dad had no idea how to cope.  He was deep enough in his own grief. A wayward daughter had almost tipped him over the edge.

“So Lucille’s gone?  That woman was bad news with her big hair and heaving bosom.”

“Yep. I think she finally got the hint when she popped over to find Mrs Butterworth sitting down with us, eating one of Dad’s stews.  He never needed Lucille’s help, he was just too nice to tell her to nick off.”

Aunt Beth pushed a mug of green tea in front of Lacey.  “You do still drink it don’t you?” she asked indicating the steaming cup.

Lacey sipped.  “Yep.  Though I’m more into peppermint and the other herbal teas these days.”

“Well, after we settle you in we’ll make a list and pop down to the supermarket.  You need to have the things you love.”

“I don’t want to put you out Aunt Beth.”

“Oh honey, you’re not putting me out believe me.  This is your home for the next year and as such, I’ll be expecting you to pull your weight so a few packets of tea and some toiletries won’t really be putting me out.”

Well, thought Lacey.  Guess that’s that.  Lets just hope the bedroom wasn’t pink and purple.