“Sure.” Mikayla walked to the back door. “He’s in the sandpit.”
“Great, thanks.”
“Don’t go thinking that gets you off the hook, though. I want a schedule.”
Juniper looked at her with a puzzled expression.
“A banging schedule,” Mikayla clarified.
Juniper laughed. “I don’t know. I’ve got Billy to account for and William’s back and forth to Sydney and wherever else he goes off to. I’ll know when the time is right, and you’ll be the first to know. Or maybe the second. I should probably let William know.”
Obviously realizing that was all she was going to get out of Juniper, Mikayla, glancing at her watch, said, “I’d better get going. I gotta be at work in an hour.”
“Okay.”
Mikayla grabbed her bag and as she walked past Leah, stopped and wrapped her arms around her from behind. Juniper smiled. Leah seemed to need it and Mikayla, ever affectionate, was just the one to give it to her.
Juniper took the bowl she’d just thrown and placed it carefully on the shelf behind her. Then washing her hands in the basin, she grabbed her coke and moved to sit at the workbench with Leah.
“I want to talk to you.”
Leah looked up nervously.
“I hope you’ll like what I have to say,” Juniper said reassuringly.
“Alright.”
“I’m not quite sure how to say it so I’ll just be blunt. I want you to work with me.”
“Oh.”
“I mean, what are you doing with all the pots, plates, vases and mugs you’ve painted?”
Leah smiled. “They’re on the floor in my loungeroom because I have nowhere to keep them.”
“Right, so at the moment you’re paying me for the privilege of painting my stuff, plus, you’re looking for work. It just doesn’t make sense.” Juniper paused, trying to get her thoughts in line. Suddenly, this felt very important, and she didn’t want to mess it up. “I’ve been toying with the idea of developing my online shop for a while now, but I keep getting blocked by the idea that I can’t produce the volume I’d want to for it to be worth it. I know it’s a hobby for you and if you think doing it more professionally would spoil the pleasure of it, then don’t do it. But honestly, Leah, I’ve never seen anyone who can paint pottery like you can.” She tilted her head to one side as Leah’s eyes welled with tears. “You don’t like the idea?”
“I love it,” Leah whispered around the lump in her throat.
“Oh, I’m so pleased!” Juniper threw her arms around her, giving her a tight hug. When she pulled back, they smiled at each other. “So, you’re going to have to haul all those pots, plates, vases and mugs back here so we can sell them.”
Leah laughed. “Alright!”
Juniper turned as she heard Billy reaching up to open the door. “Hey, what’s up baby?” She went to him immediately.
“My head hurts,” he said miserably.
She lifted him up, pressing her lips to his forehead. “Hmm, you’ve got a temperature.” She looked over at Leah. “I need to take him inside and put him to bed.”
“Of course. I can watch the shop if you like.” She glanced at her watch. “It’s only just over an hour til closing time anyway.”
“Great, thank you so much.” Juniper stroked Billy’s head as he rested it on her shoulder. She had a feeling she was going to be in for a hard couple of days.
CHAPTER 10
William
William knocked on the door of Juniper’s little cottage. They hadn’t seen each other since their date to the butterfly enclosure, because he’d been caught up with work and Billy had been unwell. He felt a surge of anticipation at seeing her again, at maybe sneaking in an opportunity to kiss her. She hadn’t answered the door, so he knocked again, then frowned as he heard shuffling around inside, a violent sneeze, then an irritable Juniper saying to Billy, “Baby, don’t do that, please.” She opened the door and he realized straight away that there would be no kissing today. She looked like death, warmed up, pale and bedraggled, still in her pajamas.
