And they’d achieved some of what they had planned.
“Mrs Lam said to say hi,” Oliver said.
Her eyes widened.“I’m surprised she remembers me.When did you see her?”
“I go to the restaurant once a week now I’m back.Your table is still there, and I sit at it and tell them stories of my travels.We kept in touch.I’d send them postcards from wherever I was, and they pinned them all to a wall in the kitchen.”
Oliver made an impression wherever he went.
“When I told her I was going to Retribution Bay, I asked her to teach me how to make those red bean buns you liked so much.”
Her chest tightened.He’d remembered.It shouldn’t mean so much.“And did she?”
He nodded.“She said it would win you back.”
Mrs Lam had said it was a family secret, though they had treated him like a son.She hesitated before asking, “How is your family?”He’d taken her to dinner there every Wednesday night and they’d welcomed her with open arms.
“Dad’s talking about retiring and buying a caravan to travel around Australia.Mum’s not as keen on the caravan and she still loves her job, but she might reduce her hours so they can do short trips away.”
“What about Jenna?”
He smiled.“She got married last year and is pregnant, due in about three months.”
Dot’s mouth dropped open.She still remembered Oliver’s sister as a teenager, but of course it had been a decade.“What’s her husband like?”
“He’s a nice bloke.Treats her well.Absolutely dotes on her now she’s pregnant and is driving Jenna a little mad.”
She smiled.Jenna was fiercely independent as a teenager, always doing things herself, not wanting to ask for help.“I’m sure she’ll set him straight.”
Oliver laughed.“Yeah.The last time we spoke, she said she was going to talk to him.”
Dot closed her eyes remembering the nights Oliver’s dad would cook them all dinner and then they’d play cards or board games, or sit around and chat.Quality family time where everyone wanted to be in the same room together.It had devastated her to lose them as well as him.She doubted any of them would want to see her again.Not if Oliver had believed he was the wronged party.Oliver’s mum would hate her for breaking his heart.
“I told them I was coming here,” Oliver said.“Said I was going to look you up.”
She glanced at him.
“Mum and Dad both said to give you their love.”
Dot shook her head as tears came unbidden to her eyes.“They can’t possibly mean that.”
He held her hand.“They do.They were upset about our breakup.They thought we were perfect for each other.”
“I didn’t bring anything into your life.”But he’d shown her how to love and be loved, how to let people in, how to have fun again.
“That’s not true.You taught me responsibility, helped me to grow up.”
She cringed.“That sounds boring.”
“No,” Oliver said.“I’d had such an easy life; hell, my parents were paying my rent and food.”He squeezed her hand.“Then I met you.You were putting yourself through the academy, had only Nhiari for support, and felt completely out of place in the city.It made me realise how easy I’d had it, and how much I took for granted.”He smiled.“I wanted to be a better person because of you.That’s why I got the job at the Chinese restaurant and worked so hard at university.I suddenly realised my career wasn’t guaranteed.I didn’t want to rely on your income while I flitted from volunteer expedition role to volunteer expedition role.I wanted to support you.You made me a better man.”
She stared at him.“I had no idea.”Either that she’d influenced him so much, or that he’d been thinking so long term.
“I loved you, Dot.I wanted to give you the world.I didn’t want you to struggle for anything, or be let down by anyone.”He shrugged.“I guess I failed pretty badly.”
“I’m not as needy now as I was then.”The Dot of those days had wanted someone who doted on her.Now she understood how important it was to provide for herself and be independent.
“I can see that.I admire everything you’ve done with your life.”
