10
The final week of term three at Penwarra Area School was filled with spring hat parades, cross-country and class excursions, and by the time Friday rolled around, Harriet wasn’t the only one ready for the holidays to begin.
‘I’m glad it’s quiet today,’ Clem told Kev. ‘But I’ve got a feeling tomorrow’s going to be dead.’
‘Let’s hope it’s not too quiet, we’ll have a chocolate Bavarian cake and a boiled orange and almond cake going begging otherwise.’ He looked at the cakes cooling on the island bench.
And although Clem was disappointed to lose the dozen or so coffee and cake orders when the patchwork quilting crew cancelled their monthly brunch meeting half an hour later, she tried to turn it into a positive.
An opportunity to put the finishing touches on the coffee van before the Labour Day long weekend. Space to review the catering contracts, or update the website.
It wasn’t a hard decision to choose the fun job over the paperwork, but no sooner had Clem towed the sunflower-covered van out of the shed than she noticed the flat tyre.
She made a quick phone call to Jack, who was glad of the respite from his police paperwork. ‘Glad you discovered it here in the driveway, and not a hundred clicks away at a market or footy match.’
‘Me too,’ said Clem, thanking her brother for popping over. She leaned against the garage wall to stretch out her tight muscles. ‘My feet and quads are throbbing.’
‘Jogging to the finish line with your little girl will do that,’ Jack said, heading to the coffee van. ‘It gets easier, I promise. If Wednesday’s cross-country gave you a taste for running, you could try the Couch to 5k program. Lauren started out like that, and now she’s doing triathlons for fun.’
Clem threw her brother a dirty look. ‘Fat chance of that, a cross-country jog’s the extent of my running for the year. Me and Harri both, actually. She was trying to score a day off school this morning on account of her aching legs.’
Jack laughed, loosening the wheel nuts.
‘Need a hand?’
He shook his head, spinning the wheel.
‘All good, but I wouldn’t say no to one of your fruit smoothies when I’ve got this sorted.’
She headed back inside, feeling the twinge in her quads as she took the back steps two at a time.
The last of the customers were finishing up and Kev had the kitchen looking schmick.
‘Thanks so much for opening up this morning, Kev. You can clock off if you like, I’ll handle the last hour. Doesn’t look like I’ll be run off my feet.’
Kev fetched his things, then peered through the window to the gathering clouds. ‘They’re tipping a good soaking. Might get your sunflower seeds sowed this weekend too.’
While the predicted rain would be perfect for jump-starting the paddocks of sunflowers, it wouldn’t be so good for cafe patronage.
‘Thanks, Kev, if you’re sure you don’t mind getting the tractor out? If you can put the seeds in, Selina and I will handle any customers keen to brave the wet.’
He hovered in the doorway. ‘Oh, I nearly forgot. You just missed a call from Ken Kerbridge at the school. His number’s on the bench.’
Clem’s heart galloped.
She grabbed the phone and dialled the Penwarra Area School principal. He got to the point quickly. ‘Harriet’s been in a playground scrap. Nothing major, but we’d rather you heard about it from us so you can think about how you might tackle it before she gets home from school.’
Clem tugged on her ponytail. ‘Harriet’s never in trouble.’
Ken’s quiet chuckle came down the line. ‘We know it’s out of character. A disagreement about a family tree gone wrong. I’m sure she didn’t mean to slap anyone.’
Clem flushed red.Harriet slapped someone?
‘Given it’s the last day of term, we’ll stick with a warning and hope everyone forgets about it over the break. I expect it’s an isolated incident.’
Alone in the silent cafe, Clem sank into the comfy corner booth and worked her way through a honey baklava donut. Even with her mind in turmoil, she could still appreciate the nuanced flavours of the lighter South Giddi Giddi honey.
She was almost finished, and had completely forgotten about Jack’s smoothie, and the flat tyre, when her brother came through the back door.
