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Back The Cottage at Rosella Cove
Chapters (50)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Book
  3. Dedication
  4. One
  5. Two
  6. Three
  7. Four
  8. Five
  9. Six
  10. Seven
  11. Eight
  12. Nine
  13. Ten
  14. Eleven
  15. Twelve
  16. Thirteen
  17. Fourteen
  18. Fifteen
  19. Sixteen
  20. Seventeen
  21. Eighteen
  22. Nineteen
  23. Twenty
  24. Twenty-one
  25. Twenty-two
  26. Twenty-three
  27. Twenty-four
  28. Twenty-five
  29. Twenty-six
  30. Twenty-seven
  31. Twenty-eight
  32. Twenty-nine
  33. Thirty
  34. Thirty-one
  35. Thirty-two
  36. Thirty-three
  37. Thirty-four
  38. Thirty-five
  39. Thirty-six
  40. Thirty-seven
  41. Thirty-eight
  42. Thirty-nine
  43. Acknowledgements
  44. About the Author
  45. Also by Sandie Docker
  46. Book Club Questions
  47. Welcome to the Kookaburra Creek Café
  48. Prologue
  49. One
  50. Sign up to Read More and discover new favourites

The sun was so warm on my back today as I walked home along the peninsula. It was a balm I did not know I needed. I went to the cove, in part, I admit, to avoid seeing Mother. She has decided to stay with me until I ‘recover my senses’. I sat on the sand just out of reach of the waves, tracing my fingers around the pippy shells that washed up with yesterday’s storm.

I inhaled as the ocean exhaled its salty breath. It was as if I was breathing for the first time in six months. What is it about the sea that calms a troubled soul?

It is our anniversary next week, my love. I will mark it as we always did, with a picnic by the boatshed. I shall have to find a distraction for Mother, but I will think of something. I will bring a basket of your favourite food and sit on the bench you so beautifully crafted all those years ago. I will look for you in the waves, my dearest.

I cannot promise not to cry, but I will endeavour to think only of the days we had together and how very much you always made me feel loved. I shall hold steadfast to the hope that you will be returned soon. Until then I shall continue to write.

Forever yours,

Ivy

Seven

The heritage-listed Federation homestead that housed Rosella Cove’s elderly and those who needed full-time care stood proud on a large blanket of green grass. Inside, high ceilings and lavish leadlight windows created a sense of grandeur and joy. It was a week since Mandy had suggested bringing Nicole along to meet her mother in order to find out more about Ivy. And this morning Mandy had turned up on the cottage verandah, insisting it would be okay for Nicole to come with her.

They stood in the foyer, and Nicole spun round to take it all in. ‘This is a stunning building.’

‘It’s the least we can give them,’ Mandy whispered.

She led Nicole through to a spacious garden out the back where the twenty or so residents could enjoy the sun. There they found Carole, Mandy’s mum, sitting on a wrought-iron bench under a dripping jacaranda tree at the rear of the garden.

‘Mum, this is Nicole. She’s new to town.’

Carole nodded, her thinning grey hair catching in wisps on the gentle breeze. She went back to the conversation she was having with herself, soft mumblings which mainly consisted of gossip from around the nursing home. Nicole didn’t know whether to find it hilarious or scandalous.

Apparently someone named Fred Appleton had tried to hit on Carole during bingo, right in front of Mrs Appleton, who he’d clean forgotten he was married to.