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the continent, thanks to Fred’s friendship with a Western Australian
botanist and advocate of Aboriginal land rights, with whom he had
worked for years to adapt some wild flowers to make them bug-resistant
in the milder weather of New South Wales. After patting La under the
chin and kissing Carol in the neck, Fred left the bright, sunny room,
painted pale grey, white and pink, where the smiling baby’s black face
was virtually the only dark spot: “I have to call the Waterboard again;
they were supposed to come first thing this morning to see what’s wrong
with the water supply. No sign of life. They don’t give a damn if we go
out of business. If they haven’t fixed it by midday, I’ll take the matter to
Councillor Bell. She’s a Liberal old bitch, but she loves plants, she won’t
let us down. Not on our account, but she cares for her frangipani!”
Life was so surprising, she thought briefly, ... and my reflexions
are so banal. But, who would believe that I would become a mother and
a housewife at this point? Just because I bought three potted hydrangeas
on a Saturday morning and Fred, who set his eyes on me, delivered them
himself at my flat in Lane Cove, with the pretext I taught his daughter
at school. After all, she did not miss teaching so much. Although she
would for sure, without the baby. Once she had overcome her initial
shyness, she had felt so close to the children. Fred’s daughter from his
first marriage, Sarah, had been one of her best students. Now that she
was at Uni and had her own life, sharing an old semi in Petersham with
others, they did not see much of her. She had not reacted very well to
her father’s marriage with her geography teacher. A bit jealous, probably,
of one or the other, or both? Although she did not live with her mother
any more, it seemed she had belatedly sided with her. Only recently, after
the baby’s arrival, she had begun to visit Fred and Carol more often.
She had literally fallen in love with little La (whose real name was Ella:
Sarah was the one who had shortened it). Maybe she was relieved that
Fred and Carol had not procreated a child of their own, or perhaps, on
the contrary, she was glad to have a sister at long last? Sarah was so
secretive you could not ask her such personal questions. And it’s none
of my business, anyway.
Ella had fallen asleep. Her new teeth had been playing tricks on
her, preventing her from sleeping well at night. She had woken up crying
a couple of times in the early hours. Now she was making up for it. Carol
did not feel tired. She hardly ever felt tired. Just a bit dreamy, feline,
but like a domestic cat, she thought, enjoying the sun, her good health,
her baby’s progress, her security. She had nestled in the green again, but
not alone this time. And for ever. She went to pick up a book from the
small room that she had made her own, transforming it into a studio, a
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