AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘Kill two birds with one stone.’ Sue gestured at the house, and towards the door where Sam stood.
‘Mum!’ Miranda held her finger to her lips.
‘Make sure you get his card on the way out, you don’t want to let this one get away.’
Miranda shushed her mother again. ‘Can we just focus on the house, please?’
After pretending to intelligently inspect the ventilation system, checking out the state of the kitchen appliances, as well as Sam’s backside, Miranda approached him. ‘I think this place will suit me just fine.’
‘Great! I’ll check up on the other interested parties, and give you a call as soon as a decision is made.’ He got out his notepad and pen. ‘Now, I’m sure Rebecca took your details, but I’ll take them as well.’
Miranda gave him her contact information as she twirled a few strands of hair around her finger, feeling like a schoolgirl being asked for her number by the captain of the football team. He handed her his business card in exchange.Yes! It had his photo on it!She tried her best to look unimpressed and slipped it into her bag.
‘This is goingto be great, Miranda! You in your own place, all by yourself ... well, not for long hopefully, but ... oooh, it’s so exciting!’ Sue clapped her hands together as they waited for their meals to arrive at Cafe Corner.
‘I know, but Ihavebeen living on my own since Trisha moved out last month.’
‘Yes, but you’re in Trisha’s place. This will beyourplace.’
‘True. It’s time for me to stand on my own two feet, I guess. I’ve always relied a lot on Trisha. She’s kind of like the sister I never had.’ Miranda bit her lip, realising she’d hit a nerve. An awkward silence followed, thankfully broken by the arrival of Quiche Lorraine with salad.
‘Remember when I was a kid and we moved into that little house near Nanna and Grandad,’ Miranda changed the subject. ‘And I hung paper streamers on the tree outside to make it feel special?’
‘I do, and you were so upset a few days later when it rained. I didn’t have the heart to warn you that would happen. When you showed me the streamers, it was the first time I’d seen you smile since ... since your father died.’
Another awkward silence. They hadn’t talked about his death in a long time. Too many painful memories.
‘Oh, I almost forgot,’ Sue perked up. ‘Grandma and Grandpa will be visiting next year, in February. They’ll be in Australia for three weeks, then off to New Zealand.’
‘Oh, I can’t wait!’ Miranda bounced in her chair. ‘What about Aunt Charlotte? Or Mary and Gary? Cousin Helen? Can they come too?’ Miranda missed her dad’s family back in America. They kept in touch and had travelled there a few times, but it wasn’t the same. She was grateful though tohave grown up with two loving grandparents here in Australia. Miranda had moved to her mother’s home country after her dad died, her mum needing to be near her own parents.
‘Not at this stage,’ Sue replied. ‘But a lot can happen in a year, so, you never know.’
A lot can happen in a year.Miranda hoped by February next year she’d have someone special to introduce to her grandparents.
Miranda pulledthe last of the magnets and photos off the fridge, and her fingers lingered over the postcard Trisha sent from her honeymoon on Hamilton Island. Two lovers, cuddled together in a hammock by the ocean. ‘Having the time of our lives, see you when we get back, Mr & Mrs Hasbrook xoxo’
Envious, she put the postcard in the box along with everything else, grabbed a chocolate bar from her handbag, and wondered what surname she’d be endowed with if she ever found Mr Right. She secretly hoped her future partner would be blessed with a nice-sounding surname, and not something hideous like Winterbottom, Bugledock, or heaven forbid; Kinkerfoot, which sounded more like a putrid disease. Shuddering at the image her mind conjured, she ripped open the chocolate bar wrapper and bit into the smooth, comforting treat just as her phone rang.
The caller didn’t wait for her to say ‘hello’. ‘Miranda. It’s Sam Maxwell.’
Miranda tried extremely hard to chew and swallow, simultaneously trying even harder to get an understandablegreeting out of her mouth that didn’t sound like she was some kind of farm animal.
‘Miranda?’
She gulped down the thick chocolate. ‘Yes, hi. Hi Sam. Sorry, I was just...’stuffing my face with comfort food‘...eating an apple.’
‘Oh. Well, I’m happy to say your rental application has been accepted, so if you’ll drop by our office as soon as possible, we’ll get things organised and arrange a moving date for you.’
‘That’s fantastic! And so quick, I didn’t expect to hear from you this soon.’
‘I don’t waste any time, I do what needs to be done to make things happen.’ Sam’s confidence was appealing, even through the phone.
‘Great, I’ll drop by tomorrow morning,’ Miranda said.
‘One more thing, Miranda,’ he said. ‘Would you like to have dinner with me on Friday?’
Oh my God.Miranda nearly dropped the phone. Passion Number One could be on its way to manifestation! ‘Oh. Um, okay. I mean, yes, that would be ... nice!’ Luckily, he couldn’t see her little happy dance.
