Grace walked up to what used to be her front door. Or was it the front gate? In the sea of black ash, charred timbers, blackened bricks and twisted metal it was hard to recognise anything of her once lovely home.
Melanie, wearing thick boots, was picking her way through the ash, bending down to retrieve small fragments and then discarding them. Her long red hair was pinned up in a messy bun and her eyes flashed with emotion as she surveyed the wreckage. She finally came over to Grace, who was watching with her arms hugging her body, shivering, although it wasn’t cold.
‘Let’s go. There’s no point us being here,’ said Melanie firmly, tucking her arm in Grace’s and leading her back to the car.
‘The insurance people have sifted through it all and say there wasn’t much that was retrievable,’ Grace said. ‘Obviously some things were, since Lawrence has his silverware – I should have asked him about it, but my mind was on other things.’ She sighed. ‘They’ve got stuff stashed somewhere. In case they’re needed for evidence, apparently.’
‘Do they know what caused the fire?’ Melanie started the car.
‘Could have been a faulty gas bottle. Or possibly electrical issues. Lawrence is angry. He wants someone to blame. I’m just so, so sad. And scared, really. Scared about our future: mine and Daisy’s.’ She’d barely spoken to Lawrence since storming out of his office on that horrible day, and was slowly trying to come to terms with the thought of life without him. ‘Lawrence looked after all the home stuff, paperwork, bills, insurance and so on, so I don’t really know. But never again,’ said Grace bitterly. ‘I’ve learned that the hard way.’
‘You know, that’s not so unusual. You’re a working mother. You have to divide up who takes care of what in a partnership. You have your child, your job, and running the house. Sounds normal to me that Lawrence would look after something, and in your case it was the finances and your insurance.’ Mel turned onto the freeway heading into the city. ‘What do you spend your money on?’ she asked. ‘I mean, Mac and I used to divvy up who paid for what. When we divorced, we went fifty-fifty. The only conflict was over books and some pictures. ’Course, we didn’t have kids. God, I don’t know why we bothered getting married.’ She shook her head.
‘I spend what I make on Daisy, the house, food, personal stuff. Lawrence looked after the big things. And our investments,’ she added. ‘Huh. What a joke that’s turned out to be.’
Mel glanced at her. ‘So what’s happening about your Paddo flat?’
‘Mum’s solicitor is dealing with it. It’s been taken off the market for the moment. We’re trying to get a copy of that trust document to see what Lawrence, as the trustee, has set up.’
‘Do you know what else he’s put in the trust?’ asked Melanie.
‘God knows. That’s what we want to find out. It’s all too depressing. Looking back, I can see the red flags that I should have noticed. Don’t people always say you should read the fine print? But I went along with things. I trusted him – of course I did, and I should have been able to! He’s my husband. Plus, he’s older and a big successful businessman, or so I thought.’ Grace shook her head.
‘Yes, the successful businessman who managed to undermine and demean you. I hated watching him treat you the way he did. Like one of his assets. A possession. I should have butted in, but you were a bit defensive about him, Gracie.’
Grace looked away. ‘I know. I guess I didn’t want to admit that I might have made a mistake. On the other hand, he could be very generous. The lavish gifts, the way he kept saying that he liked to spoil me . . .’
‘Did he spoil Daisy too?’
Grace thought for a moment. ‘From when she was born I always paid for the practical things. Clothes, cot, stroller, doctors’ appointments and so on.’ She paused. ‘Last birthday when Daisy turned five, he gave her a diamond charm bracelet. Said he’d add a charm to it every year.’
‘Sell the bloody thing.’
‘No. I don’t want to find out it’s a fake.’ Grace burst out laughing.
Melanie gave her a swift look. ‘What’s so funny?’
Grace sighed heavily. ‘Dunno. I just feel so stupid. It’s nice to have the blinkers off. You’ve stuck by me. But I see now why none of my other friends keep in touch very much. It’s because of Lawrence, isn’t it?’
‘Well, he ain’t much fun. The blokes can’t stand him. Pompous, arrogant, boring. Think about it: once he came into your life, you were out of the loop with your old friends. No one liked spending time with Lawrence, which meant they also spent less time with you. Jeez, he must have had something going for him. Was he any good in bed?’
Grace chuckled. ‘Huh! At the beginning, absolutely, he worked hard to make me happy. After we were committed to each other, he sometimes demanded the suspenders and the tarty underwear . . . which he bought. I like contact, hugs, kisses and being curled up together. He became rather . . . clinical.’
‘Okay, okay, I get the picture. I suspect he has a small dick and always felt inadequate. Stop – no need to say anything.’ She held up her hand.
‘Oh, Mel.’ Grace laughed. ‘No wonder you’re my best friend! But I have to admit, he could make me feel special when he wanted to. It’s almost like we were different people back then, at the start. I’m seeing it all from a new perspective now. I think if I had been ugly and spotty he would have behaved the same way just to get what he wanted. Not the sex. But the control.’
‘What’s his mother like? His family? You’ve never really talked about them.’
‘Never met them, although I wanted to. They live in England. We get a card at Christmas, that sort of thing. Every time I talked with Lawrence about visiting, he had a reason not to, like he was too busy. Sometimes he’d make vague plans to see them, but it always seemed to fall through. We invited his family to the wedding, of course. Sent photos. It was a frantic time. He said they couldn’t come to our wedding because his mum was having an operation; they’re quite elderly. I just assumed we’d meet them in the UK at some stage. I figured we’d go there on our honeymoon.’
‘You went to Europe, didn’t you?’
‘Yes. Prague. Beautiful city, but Lawrence was in business meetings most of the time. He made it up by taking me to Venice for a week. But he wouldn’t go in a gondola.’ She sighed. ‘I wanted to go somewhere secluded and romantic. A week on the Barrier Reef would have been perfect, just lying around. But Lawrence always has to impress. Even me.’ She paused. ‘I suppose that makes it sound like we were never happy. That I was a spoiled princess . . .’
‘Not at all. You damn well deserved a bit of spoiling,’ said Mel. ‘You supported your mum through some tough times. Always worked hard and paid your way. For goodness’ sake, Grace, stop with the guilt.’
Grace was thoughtful for a moment. ‘I know. You’re right. I feel like this is a rut I’ve got stuck in, a pattern I can’t help but follow since being with Lawrence . . . It’s like he always had to prove something, show how clever he is, and I let him. And he is clever . . . but actually I never learned much about his childhood in England. Never heard any family secrets, his nightmares or good times, or funny stories from school. Nothing like that. He’s always been very closed off about some things. He’d tell me how good he was in business. How smart he’d been. It’s as though he had no past before that.’
Melanie nodded. ‘Tell me about it. Whenever I talked to Lawrence, he never said anything personal. He always had a story about some deal he’d pulled off, how he was negotiating with big-time CEOs, presidents of companies, top government officials. He was never just any old businessman doing his job.’
‘He used to talk about world events, politics, and his take on things,’ Grace said. ‘At some point I started to go, wait a minute, that doesn’t sound right. I wasn’t allowed to have an opinion that didn’t accord with his. And I found I had to fact-check him.’ She laughed. ‘Not that I would dare correct him; it wasn’t worth the argument. But it just kept reality in my head and proved to me that Lawrence’s interpretation of the world wasn’t necessarily the true one.’
‘He snowed you. Everyone, actually. He still does.’
Grace shrugged. ‘Let’s stop talking about him. I feel like more and more of an idiot the more I think about it.’ She slapped her head in mock fury. ‘How could I not have seen through him?’
‘Because he’s devious, clever, manipulative and a con,’ said Melanie bluntly. ‘And, Grace, my dear friend, it’s not going to be easy to separate from him,’ she added quietly.
‘It’s done. I’m going to stay at Mum’s place for now. I know there’s a mess financially. But it’s over.’
Melanie didn’t answer for a moment. ‘I hope so. For your sake. And poor Daisy.’
‘What do you mean, poor Daisy?’ said Grace quickly.
‘He’ll always have a claim on her. Legally,’ said Melanie. ‘He’ll always be in your life because of Daisy.’
‘Yes, I know. She loves him, like a little child should love her dad,’ Grace said, quietly. ‘So for her sake, I guess I’ll have to make sure he’s always part of our family, no matter how difficult that will be for me.’
‘You’re right. He’ll be in your life at least until Daisy is sixteen, I suppose, and probably forever to some degree. Be careful, Gracie. I suspect he won’t make anything easy for you.’
‘What makes you such an expert?’ said Grace, a bit snippily. Melanie’s words unsettled her.
‘Hey, I did a psych course, remember. I wrote a paper on narcissists.’
‘Is that what Lawrence is? Far out. You’d better tell me all about it.’ Grace spoke flippantly but she didn’t like Mel’s serious expression.
‘I’ll just say this. You’re my friend. If you are truly sure you want to leave Lawrence, then get out. He knows everything about you, your family, all your personal stuff. He knows your abilities, strengths and weaknesses. He’s vindictive and he knows how to manipulate people. You know that already, even if you haven’t fully admitted it.’
They drove in silence for a moment. Then Grace tried to lighten the mood. ‘So. No more Mr Nice Guy?’
‘You or him?’
‘Me.’
‘No. That’s your trouble. You’re a woman. You want things to be nice; we all do. To co-parent and still be friends. But I’m afraid you’re going to have to walk out that door without a backward glance. Talk to your lawyer. Avoid contact.’
‘Mel! That’s impossible! You just said that yourself. We have a child . . . and I don’t have a door . . . let alone a house!’ Tears welled in Grace’s eyes.
Mel looked sympathetic, but she said firmly, ‘See! There you go. Toughen up, Gracie. You’re going to war!’
*
Tina gave Melanie a hug as she and Grace walked into the house.
‘How lovely to see you. Thanks for taking Grace out there,’ she said, then turned to Grace. ‘Honey, a courier delivered something for you from your work.’
‘Oh, that’ll be the storyboards for the ad I’m shooting. Where’s Daisy?’
‘Painting. We found a second-hand easel at Vinnies. You know how she loves art. She’s been so miserable lately, I thought this might be something she can lose herself in. Much better than staring at a damned screen. She’s on the verandah.’
‘I’ll go and say hi,’ Melanie said.
‘You okay?’ Tina glanced at her daughter’s tense face. ‘Going back to the house must have been hard for you.’
‘Yes, it was. It’s all gone. Everything. The house. Lawrence.’ She drew a deep breath and said the words. ‘My marriage.’
Tina didn’t react. ‘I’ll put the kettle on.’
They sat around the table at the far end of the verandah, watching Daisy paint.
‘So, Lawrence was living in his office?’ Melanie asked softly, so Daisy wouldn’t hear.
‘Yes. His choice. He actually said he was taking a hotel room to be close to his office. But he was living there. Now he’s trying to do some deal in India, apparently.’
‘Have you spoken with him about separating?’ asked Tina.
‘Not really. I told him I was leaving him after I found out about him trying to sell the flat. And walked out. He didn’t seem surprised,’ said Grace.
‘Is he likely to come here with flowers and try to woo you again?’ asked Tina.
‘No, Mum. I doubt it. Obviously, we’ll have to discuss things. Money seems to be a major problem.’
‘Let’s hope he pulls off some deal. Talks some poor sucker into investing,’ said Melanie. ‘Although if he does, he’ll probably hire the most expensive lawyer in town.’
‘Grace, you’ll need someone to represent you, too . . . I suppose Mr Jamison can cope for the moment,’ said Tina. ‘What’s the next move? I mean, are you sure about this, love?’
‘Yes!’ said Grace and Melanie in unison.
The three women lapsed into silence as the weight of the situation settled over them. Eventually, Melanie drank the last of her tea and glanced at her watch. ‘Well, I’m afraid I have to go. Thanks for the tea, Tina. Chin up, Gracie.’ She patted her friend’s hand and then turned to the little girl at the other end of the verandah. ‘Hey, Daisy, come and give me a hug. And can I see your painting before I go?’ she said.
Grace stood up and she and Tina followed Mel over to Daisy. ‘I’d better go look at those storyboards; we’re shooting in a couple of days. Thank goodness the location’s not far away.’
‘Is this the water safety ad?’ asked Tina.
‘Yes. I’m filming at Palm Beach so it’s close.’
‘Wow, that looks so cool. Excellent, Daisy,’ said Melanie, admiring Daisy’s picture of the beach.
‘Mummy, can you take it off for me? Here, Aunty Mel.’ When Grace had freed it, Daisy handed the almost-dry painting to Mel.
‘Thank you, darling. Can you part with it? It’s a pretty special painting,’ said Melanie. ‘But I’d love to put it on my fridge. Then I’ll tell people I can look at the beach every morning.’ She laughed, kissing the little girl.
Outside at the car, the two friends hugged.
‘You’re sure about this?’ asked Melanie. ‘It won’t be easy. Or pleasant.’
‘I’m sure. Thanks, Mel. I guess it’s been coming for a long while. Somehow the fire seems like a sort of omen. A symbol.’
‘I know the fire was traumatic, and you won’t get over it for a while. And I know you lost a lot of sentimental things. But, to be corny, maybe some things do happen for a reason.’
Grace nodded. ‘I’ve got my child, my mother and my best friend. And my work. I’m okay,’ she managed to say before choking up.
‘You’ve got all your friends,’ said Melanie softly. ‘We’ve missed you.’
*
It was getting dark when Grace came in from a long day of filming a sales presentation video for a seafood restaurant and boat charter business. The water safety ad was in the can and Grace had decided that work was just what she needed, and not only to pay the bills.
‘Hi, Daisy darling. Hello, Mum,’ Grace called out as she walked into the kitchen. ‘I have some dinner for us. Fresh seafood!’ She dropped a paper parcel onto the bench, nudging Sparkle away as he jumped up to investigate.
‘Ugh,’ said Daisy, who was sitting at the small table doing her homework. Her grandmother was sitting beside her with a magazine and a glass of wine, and got up to kiss Grace on the cheek before unwrapping the parcel of food.
‘Oh, this looks so fresh. How was your day?’
‘Good, thanks.’ Grace opened the cupboard and took out a wok. ‘This seafood’s all been cleaned and there’s sauce to go with it. I’ll put on some rice too,’ Grace said. She dropped a kiss on the top of Daisy’s head. ‘What did you get up to today, princess?’
‘Ah, drawing and gardening. And I got to feed lettuce to Charlie, the guinea pig. But guess what, Mummy, tomorrow it’s my turn to be the teacher’s helper and hand out the new reading books in class. And I have to take some more lettuce to school for Charlie.’
‘Wow, that sounds fun, sweetheart. And Charlie is a very lucky little guinea pig.’
Daisy nodded, sharpening her pencil.
‘Here, Gracie, let me get you a drink. You might need it,’ Tina said.
‘Why?’ Grace asked, looking at her mother.
‘Here’s a glass of wine. And a letter.’ Her mother put them in front of Grace as she sat down.
‘Uh-oh. It’s from the insurance company. Let’s hope it’s good news.’ Grace tore open the envelope.
‘Why are they contacting you here? Oh, I suppose the agent who came here has this address,’ said Tina, sitting down next to Daisy.
Grace read the letter quickly, frowning, then slowly refolded it.
‘Basically, it’s saying that there is some question about the cause of the fire, so they need an arson specialist to do further investigations.’
Tina looked startled. ‘Good grief. So much red tape. I suppose they have to be thorough. That house must have been insured for quite a sum.’
Grace stared at the letter. Arson . . . who on earth would want to set fire to their home? That couldn’t be right, surely? And anyway, just how much was the house insured for? Was it even in both their names? She felt foolish that she didn’t know. She decided she’d call the insurance broker in the morning. She took a sip of wine and started making the dinner.
As she was rinsing the rice, her phone pinged and she picked it up to find a text message from Lawrence.
Grace, I plan to take Daisy out for the day tomorrow. Please arrange to bring her to my office at 10 am.
‘It’s a school day! You jerk!’ she hissed at her phone.
‘Grace? What’s going on?’ Her mother and Daisy both looked up at her.
Grace said to Daisy, ‘Can you do me a drawing of Charlie the guinea pig, darling? I’d love to know what he looks like. Mum, do you have a minute?’ she added.
As they stepped onto the verandah, she held up her phone. ‘Lawrence expects me to deliver Daisy to him for the day tomorrow. No mention about when he’ll return her, or what they’re doing. Suddenly he’s interested in her. He hasn’t taken her out on his own since she was a toddler.’ Grace felt a rising panic.
‘Well, that’s just silly. She has school tomorrow. She can’t just miss it on a whim. Tell him to come here and spend time with her at the beach on Saturday.’
‘You don’t “tell” Lawrence anything. He’s gone in hard, just like Mel said he would. It’s going to be a war.’
Grace thought about it then sent back a carefully worded text: It’s a special day at school tomorrow and Daisy is looking forward to it as she has a key role in the day’s activities. Why not come and get her on Saturday and spend time with her up here, close to home, as I’ll be working most of the day.
Lawrence’s reply was swift and to the point. Daisy’s ‘home’ is not her grandmother’s house. It is with her parents. You are being selfish and obstructive.
Grace couldn’t be bothered to argue. Lawrence always reacted to unpleasant situations or advice by ignoring them. She was sure that if she and Daisy were to go back to him, he would act the loving and devoted father and husband in front of people, but in private he’d essentially leave them to fend for themselves. As he’d done a lot over the last few years.
The way forward seemed clearer than ever to Grace as she stood staring at Lawrence’s text message. He always managed to turn things around so she was the one at fault or silly or ‘selfish’. She didn’t reply but went back into the kitchen and finished preparing their meal.
*
The following afternoon Grace left the shoot as soon as the filming was done. She had an appointment with her mother’s solicitor before collecting Daisy from school.
Mr Jamison was sympathetic, photocopying the insurance letter and saying he would make enquiries as to the state of play. ‘Especially seeing as you have no access to savings,’ he added.
‘I’ve had to buy essentials for my daughter and me since the fire,’ Grace said. ‘I don’t have a car at the moment either, so I’m borrowing my mother’s and getting public transport and taxis.’
‘I’ll see if I can hurry things up for you. But, Grace, as far as a divorce is concerned, it’s a long process and you’ll need a family lawyer. It will mean paying much higher fees than mine, too. I’ll do a bit of research and recommend someone suited to your situation, if you like.’
‘I understand. Thank you, Mr Jamison.’ She knew that lawyers would likely cost a fortune, and worried about how she would pay for it. Tina had offered to lend her some money, but Grace didn’t want her mother digging into her savings or her superannuation, such as it was.
As she was heading to the school to collect Daisy, her mobile rang. She pulled over and saw that the caller was Allison from the agency.
‘Hi, Grace, I know you’re up at your mum’s and not coming into the office much at the moment, so I thought I’d give you a call. The boat-charter people were very happy with the way the shoot went and they’re keen to see the finished product.’
‘Thanks so much for letting me know, Alli. The digital guys are onto it. I’ve started planning that other job we talked about last week. But I need something big. Has anything else come in while I’ve been away?’
‘Well, in a way, that’s why I’m ringing, actually. We’ve been contacted about another job. One of your fashion clients from last year – who you did the shoot for in Cairns – emailed to let me know they’d recommended us and your work in particular. Anyway, they must have given you a great wrap because the guy, a Mr Hans Speyer, from a company called MGI, called and he’d like you to put in a pitch. It’s a biggie.’
Grace felt her mood lift for the first time in a long while. ‘Fantastic. That’s great timing!’
‘It’s in Bali.’
‘What? Wow! What’s it for?’
‘It’s a big new hotel. Very up-market. They want a whole campaign. Cross video promotion, the works,’ Alli said.
‘Really, that sounds amazing!’
‘I thought you’d be interested. First they want to brief you to do the campaign scenario. I’m not sure yet if that’ll be done here or if it means you flying to Bali. Then, you’ll have to present them with a pitch. If you get the go-ahead, you’ll need to go there for a few weeks or even months, to oversee the shoot. Hans has sent me a lot of briefing material already, but you’ll need to go to the hotel and look around before putting the campaign pitch together. They’ll look after you, of course. It’s definitely big-budget.’
‘Alli, it would be great, but I’m a bit tied up here. We’re still sorting things out after the fire.’ Grace was thinking quickly. Allison was in her early twenties, unmarried and unfettered. It probably wouldn’t occur to her that zipping over to Bali and back might be a trifle disruptive to family life. But the money from this job would be very, very useful.
‘Oh, I understand. I can send you the materials and we can talk about the timeframe. Then we can take the next step, see whether the client needs you to go up there for the briefing.’
‘Okay. Thanks, Allison. I’m in the car now on my way to pick up my daughter from school. Can I call you back later?’
‘Sure. Call me tomorrow. I’ll email you that material now. But I can tell Hans you’re interested in pitching for it, right?’
‘Yes. I am.’ Grace knew this job would get a hefty fee for the agency and probably a bonus for her personally. If she could make it work, it would be win–win. ‘Thanks. Talk tomorrow.’ Grace moved back onto the road.
When she arrived at Daisy’s school, Grace signed in at the office and, as she was early, asked for a permission slip to wait outside Daisy’s classroom. She walked down the corridor, smiling at a teacher she recognised, and stopped outside Daisy’s classroom, where she peered through a hallway window. The kids were standing around the little tables, packing up their things. Their colourful art was posted all over the walls, and the place felt friendly and stimulating in a calm way.
She couldn’t see Daisy so she poked her head in the door and caught the teacher’s eye, and the young woman came over with a smile.
‘Nice to see you, Mrs Hagen.’
‘Please, call me Grace. What’s Daisy up to? I know I’m a bit early.’
Instantly the teacher’s expression changed. ‘Oh dear. Daisy was picked up by her father this morning.’
Grace froze. ‘What? This morning? I had no idea,’ she stuttered. ‘What did he say? I should have been notified. Where was he taking her?’
‘Oh, um . . . Mr Hagen said you were working. Didn’t Daisy have some appointment? Medical, wasn’t it?’
‘No!’
The young woman bit her lip. ‘I did wonder. Daisy didn’t seem too happy about going.’
‘Did he say where they were going?’ Grace pulled out her phone, her finger hovering over Lawrence’s number.
‘Not specifically. I’m so sorry, I thought everything was in order,’ said the teacher in a low voice. ‘I’m sure Daisy is fine.’
‘No, it’s my fault. I should have let the school know what’s going on,’ said Grace heavily. She turned away and pressed the call button. The phone rang and rang, then Lawrence’s voicemail came on.
‘Lawrence, call me. Immediately.’ She hung up, turning back to the teacher. ‘What time did he turn up?’
‘A bit after 10 am, I think. He said they had an 11 o’clock appointment. Is there anything I can do?’ She looked very worried.
‘No. I’m sorry, you weren’t to know. My husband and I have separated and things are a bit . . . difficult. I’ll speak to the principal about this for the future.’
‘I’m so sorry to hear that. These things happen. If you let Mrs Fredericks know about it, she might want you to fill out some legal documentation. We’ve had issues before,’ the young teacher added.
‘Thank you.’ Grace glanced at her phone. I bet he’s not going to call me back, she thought. She reassured the teacher again and hurried back to the car, where she rang Melanie.
‘What a low act. Typical. Not much you can do until you have something legal in place. He’s Daisy’s father, and there’s nothing stopping him.’
‘I’m going to make a call now. Mr Jamison said he would recommend a family lawyer; well, I might need that recommendation quicker than I thought,’ Grace said. ‘I’m upset for Daisy. The teacher said she didn’t want to go.’
‘Just think carefully about how to handle Lawrence. Don’t antagonise him. If he knows you’re upset about this, he’ll mark it up as a win.’
‘What about Daisy?’
‘Don’t make it a big deal. Remember, this is the way it will be now for her and for you, for the time being, anyway.’
‘You mean being ripped out of school with no notice – kidnapped, essentially!’
‘Until you get orders in place, he can do what he did today. It’s not kidnapping, Grace.’
‘No, it’s a nightmare. I feel like taking Daisy and running away. To Bali!’
When Melanie didn’t reply, Grace quickly said, ‘Don’t worry, I don’t mean it. Seriously. I was invited to pitch for another job today. A huge one. In Bali.’
‘What? Take it! I’ll come and be an assistant!’
‘It’s not that easy, Mel. It’s a huge project and it could be really exciting, but if I got it, I’d be away for weeks, months maybe. I can’t leave Daisy for that long. Especially now.’
‘Take her with you.’
‘I couldn’t . . . could I? Lawrence would go ballistic.’
‘Find that lawyer. Talk to them and get the correct advice. You said Lawrence is always taking off on business trips.’
‘True. He’s always so vague about where he’s going, and for how long. I wouldn’t like him to take Daisy away with him, though. Besides, you can’t work with a child in tow.’
‘Lawrence would leave her in a hotel room with a babysitter. I reckon in Bali you could have a Balinese nanny look after her in a beautiful setting.’
‘Mel, I can’t think about this right now. I’m feeling really panicky not knowing where Daisy is. I’d better get off the phone.’
‘Sure. Look, Gracie, she’ll be fine. Bored maybe, but she’s with her dad. He would never hurt her. Don’t worry. Let me know how you go. Talk later.’
Grace pulled into her mother’s driveway, her heart sinking at not seeing Lawrence’s car. She rang his phone again. He didn’t answer, so she sent him a text.
If Daisy isn’t returned to Mum’s house by 5 pm, I’m calling the police.
Tina was aghast when Grace told her what had happened.
‘It would have been so confusing for Daisy,’ Grace said, ‘knowing nothing about it. And missing school. Well, it won’t happen again. I’m seeing a lawyer.’
She grabbed her phone as the message alert pinged.
I will return Daisy after dinner. 6 pm.
‘Bastard!’ she snapped.
‘He always has to score a point,’ said Tina quietly. ‘He is keeping her out past five o’clock to show he’s not taking orders from you. Lord knows what he’ll give her to eat.’
‘That’s nearly two hours to wait.’ Grace was really fretting now.
*
As soon as they heard his car pull up, Grace dashed to the door. Tina hung back as Grace ran to the car, wrenching open the door to unbuckle Daisy.
‘Oh, Daisy darling, are you okay?’ She took her daughter in her arms as Lawrence came around the car.
‘Don’t be melodramatic, Grace.’
Tina appeared beside her daughter. ‘Let me take Daisy in and start her bath.’
‘Good evening, Tina,’ said Lawrence pointedly, if coolly.
‘Hello, Lawrence,’ she said, not looking back as she took Daisy by the hand.
Lawrence leaned swiftly down, taking Daisy’s other hand. ‘Give Daddy a kiss goodbye, honey. We had a magic day, didn’t we?’
Daisy looked uncomfortable but she nodded. Lawrence pulled her into a hug, glaring at Grace over his daughter’s head.
Daisy was the first to pull away.
‘Honey, say thank you to Daddy, and go inside with Nana, please,’ said Grace in an even voice. ‘I’ll be there in a minute.’
‘Thank you, Daddy.’ Daisy clasped Tina’s hand and almost dragged her to the house.
Grace turned on Lawrence. ‘Don’t you dare do this again!’
‘She is my daughter. I have every right to see her when I want, considering you have taken her from the matrimonial home without permission or authority.’
Grace knew when Lawrence became pompous like this that he was in fighting mode. He had no doubt prepared everything he wanted to say to her. But for once she didn’t let that rattle her.
‘We’ll see about that. And what matrimonial home, Lawrence? Everything we had together has gone. Our marriage. Our home.’ When Lawrence didn’t reply, Grace continued, ‘I’ve hired a lawyer. I need to get this sorted out. I hope you will behave in a reasonable and fair manner. We have to consider Daisy.’
‘Yes. We do. Don’t think you can just walk off with my child.’
‘I have no intention of doing so. Nor will I try to kidnap her.’
As Grace turned on her heel, he threw at her, ‘You can’t win this. I will go for full custody if I have to.’
She slammed the front door behind her and burst into tears.
‘Oh, Gracie darling.’ Tina wrapped her arms around her only child. ‘Don’t let him get to you. Daisy is here. She’s fine. That’s all that matters.’
Grace stood back and quickly wiped her eyes. ‘Thanks, Mum. Did Daisy say if she had dinner?’
‘Yep. They went to the zoo and had fast food crap. All day. Of course Daisy didn’t think it was crap, being such a novelty.’
‘I knew it!’ Grace slammed a fist into the palm of her hand. ‘He doesn’t cook. Pretends to like haute cuisine, eats at the best restaurants, but at heart he’s nothing but a drive-through junk-food moron. Who can’t cook an egg.’
Tina smothered a smile. ‘Well, Daisy won’t be like that. She says she wants us to make spag bol for tomorrow’s dinner, and she gets to roll up the meatballs.’
‘Good. I’ll make a chef out of her yet – despite her pig of a father.’ Grace stomped towards the bathroom.
*
They were sitting in a small wine bar across from the darkened beach. It was still too early for the usual crowd.
‘You know, it’s been a long time since I could just walk out the door and go to a bar,’ said Grace, lifting her cocktail. ‘Cheers, dear friend.’
They clinked glasses and Melanie took a sip. ‘Wow, that’s strong. I can only have one of these. Pass the food, will you?’
‘Thanks for this, Mel. I know you have to drive back to town. You’re welcome to stay the night. Why don’t you? Daisy could make you her famous pancakes for breakfast.’
‘Thanks, Gracie. Sounds fun but I have too much on. Plus, I met a guy the other night. He’s invited me to Sunday lunch. Can you believe it? Who takes a date to Sunday lunch?’
‘It’s a date? That’s great. How’d you meet him?’
‘Just through work. It’s no big deal,’ she added hastily. ‘Now, forget about my love life. Have you seen a family lawyer yet?’
‘No. I will as soon as Mum’s solicitor gives me his recommendation for the best person to see.’
‘That’s good. You’ll need someone experienced – Lawrence and whichever lawyer he gets will be going for the jugular. Be prepared to be portrayed as a bad mother, a bimbo who he supported and who dabbled but didn’t really work, and who is anything from flaky to a drug addict, so not fit to care for his child.’
Grace laughed, then stopped when she saw Melanie’s expression. ‘Who’d believe that?’
‘No one who knows you. But in a court, Lawrence and his lawyer can spin lies and paint you as anything they want. It’s up to you and your lawyer to discredit him. With facts. Evidence.’
‘But none of those things are true. He’s the bastard!’ Grace felt stunned. ‘Shit. He’s so conniving . . . I thought the truth would just be there . . .’
Melanie shrugged. ‘Necessity is the mother of invention. He’ll say whatever he wants to get what he wants. It’s up to you to anticipate it and disprove whatever he lies about.’
Grace groaned, sinking her head in her hands, then took a long swig of her cocktail. ‘This is all too hard.’
‘You’ll be okay if you and your lawyer are prepared. Now. The next step. Money. Do you have any?’
‘Not a lot, just what I bring in from work. I haven’t been able to save a lot myself.’
Melanie merely lifted her drink, raised her eyebrows and said calmly, ‘So . . . show me the money. How are you going to pay the legal fees? And any bills that are in your name?’
‘I’ll go for fifty–fifty,’ said Grace. ‘It’s only fair. I’ll get my share.’
‘Will you? Have you seen the documents? How do you know what he might have put in your name? Or only in his name? Do you know exactly what you’re responsible for in the long term? I think you have to be very careful here,’ said Melanie.
‘He’s been paying the bills. Mortgage, insurance, whatever.’
‘Till now. But whose name is on all the documentation? Who’s responsible if he doesn’t pay? You said you signed a legal document but you had no idea what it was for. What else might you have signed, or agreed to? You trusted him.’ Melanie leaned forward. ‘I’m not trying to have a go at you, I’m just saying. But see what I mean?’
Grace went cold. She reached for a piece of sushi. ‘I don’t believe either of us expected to be dealing with . . . with what we’re facing now.’
‘The house fire or a separation?’
‘It all feels like the same thing.’ Grace ate her sushi, then asked, ‘Do you think we’d have broken up if we hadn’t had the fire?’
‘Hopefully you would have realised what he is like eventually, and sooner is better than later. But it’s not pretty. I’m just glad you’re not planning to hang in there for Daisy’s sake. Stable home and united parents, that sort of thing.’
‘I know that at least a quarter or more of Daisy’s classmates from her old school are from divorced families,’ said Grace.
‘And I bet not one of their parents has stories of their easy divorces. But I’m worried. Lawrence is such a cunning shit; will he take you, and your mum, to the cleaners?’
‘Mel, stop it! You’re overdramatising. You’re scaring me!’
‘Good. I want you to be alert. Don’t trust a thing he says or pretends to do or says he’s done.’ She lifted her drink. ‘You should go to Bali. Put in a pitch, at least.’
‘What’s the point if I can’t take the job? He’ll never let me take Daisy out of the country. Let alone for weeks or months, or however long it would be.’
‘Leave her with your mother while you go there for a few days, to see what it’s all about. Maybe get the lawyer to draw up some arrangement that Lawrence can visit, but not take Daisy away from the school or your mum’s place for the time you’re away.’
‘He’ll never agree to that.’
‘How often has Lawrence been to your mum’s house to see her since the fire?’
‘Only a few times, mostly at the weekend, and when he brought Daisy back after he stole her from school.’
‘He’s busy pulling his life back together. If you make the trip midweek he’ll probably never even know you’re gone. C’mon, a few days. It’ll do you good to get away, get a fresh perspective. Have a swim and a drink and talk to interesting people.’
‘That’s for sure.’
‘I just think this could be perfect timing. It would be a sizeable chunk of money if you got the contract. Fancy hotels have big budgets, so they can pay well. And you need the money.’
‘That’s all true,’ Grace said. ‘Okay. I’ll look into it.’
‘Just do it.’ Melanie lifted her glass and clinked Grace’s cocktail. ‘Cheers. Or whatever they say in Balinese!’
*
The following day, as Grace and Tina sat on the verandah with a pot of tea, Grace talked over the idea of checking out the job in Bali with her mother. Sparkle was sleeping comfortably on Tina’s lap.
‘I think Mel’s right, it’s a good idea. Just go for a few days initially, get the lie of the land. See if it’s at all feasible. And if they’re paying, what have you got to lose?’ said Tina. ‘You know Daisy will be fine here with me.’
‘Thanks, Mum. I know having us here is a big ask, especially as you’re looking after Daisy so much. You haven’t played tennis for weeks.’
‘Oh, the girls from the club came over for tea. They adored Daisy. And it’s not as though I’m not getting any exercise!’
‘She does keep you on the run,’ agreed Grace.
‘I do things while she’s at school. And this won’t be forever. I feel blessed to have this special time with my granddaughter.’ Tina put down her teacup. ‘I think you should just go to Bali. You don’t have to answer to Lawrence. Can you give me a letter of power of attorney as Daisy’s carer? Frankly, I wouldn’t let Lawrence know what you’re doing. He’ll just try and stop you. Keep it simple; you’ll be knee-deep in lawyers and legal stuff soon enough.’
Grace took a deep breath. ‘Okay. I’ll tell Allison at work I want to go and suss it all out.’
‘They must think highly of you, Gracie. It sounds like a big deal.’
‘Mmm, yes, it does,’ she admitted. ‘Maybe that’s exactly what I need.’
‘And what better place to do it? I think you’ll find Bali will blow you away.’ Tina paused and sighed. ‘Obviously it’s so different now from when I was there in the seventies.’
‘The big OS trip, what, when you were nineteen, right?’
‘Yes, they called us the overlanders. Waves of Australian kids travelled through Asia, Nepal, Europe and then on to London. We thought we were pretty adventurous. No one had much money, and we all tried smoking pot and heaven knows what, but in reality, it was a time of innocence, of freedom. It was the era of the first Aussie surfers heading out into the unknown, the Morning of the Earth film and all that.’ Tina stopped and smiled.
‘A special time, huh?’ said Grace softly.
Tina looked into the distance. ‘For some of us, Bali changed our lives.’
‘That sounds pretty great. Would you go back, Mum?’
‘I’m not sure. From what I see in the travel supplements it looks too overcooked now, if you know what I mean.’
‘Overdone and overcrowded. Yes, but maybe that’s what tourists want these days.’
‘There’re very few unspoiled paradises around anymore.’
‘Hmm . . . maybe.’
‘Let’s head back inside,’ said Tina, gently putting Sparkle on the floor. ‘It’s getting too cool now. Feel like some homemade soup for dinner?’
‘Thanks, Mum. Sounds good.’ Grace finished her tea. Thoughts were buzzing through her mind, about tourism, attracting visitors, places on a bucket list, scenarios that might suit a hotel campaign. For the first time in months, she felt excited about the future.