Chapters (50)
- Cover
- About the Book
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Twenty-three
- Twenty-four
- Twenty-five
- Twenty-six
- Twenty-seven
- Twenty-eight
- Twenty-nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-one
- Thirty-two
- Thirty-three
- Thirty-four
- Thirty-five
- Thirty-six
- Thirty-seven
- Thirty-eight
- Thirty-nine
- Acknowledgements
- About the Author
- Also by Sandie Docker
- Book Club Questions
- Welcome to the Kookaburra Creek Café
- Prologue
- One
- Sign up to Read More and discover new favourites
Nicole fingered through the pile of letters to the end, just as she always skipped to the last few pages when reading a new novel. The first few letters were dated close together, the next becoming more sporadic until there were great gaps of time between each one. She didn’t count them, but they were many, from this first in 1941 to the last in 1976.
She took out the next letter, but then put it back. She’d treat this like a book where she would pace herself out, reading only a little every evening. Mark always questioned how she was able to do it – how she could put it down each night. But to her it was easy. The quicker she read something, the quicker the joy would end. And she never wanted it to end. She had lots of practice drawing out a good book. Right up till the very last chapters, at least – and then she raced to the end.
Having brought no books with her, perhaps Ivy’s letters could substitute.
As she re-read the letter, her own loneliness enveloped her and memories of a life now gone swallowed her.
November, Two Years Ago
The sun glinted off the ripples in the harbour as small boats and large ferries cut white lines through the water. Nicky looked out at the sails of the Opera House before them and watched the throng of people meander by, then turned back to the plate of pasta and glass of wine in front of her.
Jane had organised Sunday lunch with Nicky and Mark at one of the sun-kissed restaurants that lined the concourse of the Opera House so they could meet her new boyfriend, Miles. He was tall and lanky with a goatee, and couldn’t keep his hands off her.
As the waiter cleared away the plates, Jane cleared her throat. ‘Miles and I have something to tell you.’ She beamed. ‘We’re getting married.’
Nicky jumped up from the table and threw her arms around her friend. ‘Congratulations!’
‘It won’t be a big affair. No hoopla. Just a few friends at the registry office, maybe.’
‘Do you have a date?’ Nicky asked, sitting back down.
‘Well, unlike you two slow pokes we’re not going to take forever to set a date. We’re planning on an early winter wedding. Maybe up north so it’s warm.’
‘Oh my gosh. That’s so … well, congratulations.’ Nicky raised her glass. ‘This most definitely requires a toast.’