interested in resuming the business, on a casual basis at least.”
I never said any such thing, she though, wondering how he’d managed to interpret it as setting up shop again. “All I said was that I’d stared beading again, not that I was actually going to – “
“He told me you have the most beautiful pieces,” Vera broke in. “I simply have to see them. I’ve gone to a few lessons with another store, but I really couldn’t get the hang of it. I’m sure if we sat down together for a few hours I could give it another try. I’d be more than happy to pay you whatever the going rate is.”
The woman certainly sounded keen, Sophie had to concur, but why hadn’t she been able to catch on with one of the other teachers? If you were that eager, you practiced until you did know what to do and never wanted to stop again, unless of course your new obsession eclipsed the old one, she thought ruefully.
“Well I could show you my work, but it isn’t beginner stuff. I usually start with a floating necklace and then some wire work for the second project,” Sophie explained.
“Yes, it’s those loops I could never quite grasp.”
“I’ve never had a student not manage them, Mrs Rose.”
“Call me Vera please. Would this weekend be too soon? I have a friend who’s also interested.”
“Well, my unit is pretty small – “
“Would St Ives be too far for you?”
Sophie should have known they’d live in one of the poshest suburbs in Sydney. “No, not too far, and everything is still in boxes, so it should be no trouble bringing it over, but I’ll need to reorganise a few things. Can we make it the following weekend?”
“Sure, no problem,” Sophie thought she sounded disappointed. “How about two o’clock on Sunday, and I’ll have a lovely afternoon tea ready.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary,” Sophie protested.
“This is going to be so much fun. Of course we’ll have tea. Do you want me to give you my address? Oh silly me! I’m sure my son can give it to you since you work together. He used to be a teacher too, you know.”
“Yes, I know.”
“Well, I’m sure you have other work to be getting on with now. I won’t take up any more of your time, Sophie. That’s a lovely name, by the way. I’m sure we’re going to have a lovely time next Sunday.”
“Thank you Vera. I’ll see you then. Bye.”
Sophie returned the handset to its cradle. Could mother and son be any more different? she wondered. On hearing that their conversation was over, Vic turned around and rolled his chair over to her desk.
“She can talk all four legs off a donkey and persuade it to walk afterwards, can’t she?” he said with a grin.
“But you love her anyway,” Sophie replied, for all she’d heard in her voice was a mother’s pride, and a wonderful zest for life.
“You’ll love her too once you get to know her.”
“As long as she can get the hang of plain loops, I’m sure we’ll get on fine.”
“Mum’s a smart cookie. She might pretend she’s a bit of a blonde bombshell, but after having been a director’s wife she knows where it’s at.”
“Now why is it that the phrase ‘dumb blonde’ is only ever used in conjunction with woman, and never men?” she teased.
“Are you trying to tell me something, Sophie?” he teased back.
“That you’re a blonde bombshell?” She couldn’t believe it; they were actually sharing a joke, and it seemed that they weren’t the only people amused by it. Geoff was grinning at them from his desk.
“I’ll admit to having done a few dumb blonde things in my time. Hopefully getting you to teach her the finer points of jewellery making won’t be one of them.”
“I never knew you had a secret talent, Soph,” Geoff remarked, on noticing the sparkling cha-cha bracelet she wore around her wrist.
“Not that secret. I used to run a teaching shop,” she told him proudly, suddenly glad to be able to tell people about it.
“My girlfriend would love
I never said any such thing, she though, wondering how he’d managed to interpret it as setting up shop again. “All I said was that I’d stared beading again, not that I was actually going to – “
“He told me you have the most beautiful pieces,” Vera broke in. “I simply have to see them. I’ve gone to a few lessons with another store, but I really couldn’t get the hang of it. I’m sure if we sat down together for a few hours I could give it another try. I’d be more than happy to pay you whatever the going rate is.”
The woman certainly sounded keen, Sophie had to concur, but why hadn’t she been able to catch on with one of the other teachers? If you were that eager, you practiced until you did know what to do and never wanted to stop again, unless of course your new obsession eclipsed the old one, she thought ruefully.
“Well I could show you my work, but it isn’t beginner stuff. I usually start with a floating necklace and then some wire work for the second project,” Sophie explained.
“Yes, it’s those loops I could never quite grasp.”
“I’ve never had a student not manage them, Mrs Rose.”
“Call me Vera please. Would this weekend be too soon? I have a friend who’s also interested.”
“Well, my unit is pretty small – “
“Would St Ives be too far for you?”
Sophie should have known they’d live in one of the poshest suburbs in Sydney. “No, not too far, and everything is still in boxes, so it should be no trouble bringing it over, but I’ll need to reorganise a few things. Can we make it the following weekend?”
“Sure, no problem,” Sophie thought she sounded disappointed. “How about two o’clock on Sunday, and I’ll have a lovely afternoon tea ready.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary,” Sophie protested.
“This is going to be so much fun. Of course we’ll have tea. Do you want me to give you my address? Oh silly me! I’m sure my son can give it to you since you work together. He used to be a teacher too, you know.”
“Yes, I know.”
“Well, I’m sure you have other work to be getting on with now. I won’t take up any more of your time, Sophie. That’s a lovely name, by the way. I’m sure we’re going to have a lovely time next Sunday.”
“Thank you Vera. I’ll see you then. Bye.”
Sophie returned the handset to its cradle. Could mother and son be any more different? she wondered. On hearing that their conversation was over, Vic turned around and rolled his chair over to her desk.
“She can talk all four legs off a donkey and persuade it to walk afterwards, can’t she?” he said with a grin.
“But you love her anyway,” Sophie replied, for all she’d heard in her voice was a mother’s pride, and a wonderful zest for life.
“You’ll love her too once you get to know her.”
“As long as she can get the hang of plain loops, I’m sure we’ll get on fine.”
“Mum’s a smart cookie. She might pretend she’s a bit of a blonde bombshell, but after having been a director’s wife she knows where it’s at.”
“Now why is it that the phrase ‘dumb blonde’ is only ever used in conjunction with woman, and never men?” she teased.
“Are you trying to tell me something, Sophie?” he teased back.
“That you’re a blonde bombshell?” She couldn’t believe it; they were actually sharing a joke, and it seemed that they weren’t the only people amused by it. Geoff was grinning at them from his desk.
“I’ll admit to having done a few dumb blonde things in my time. Hopefully getting you to teach her the finer points of jewellery making won’t be one of them.”
“I never knew you had a secret talent, Soph,” Geoff remarked, on noticing the sparkling cha-cha bracelet she wore around her wrist.
“Not that secret. I used to run a teaching shop,” she told him proudly, suddenly glad to be able to tell people about it.
“My girlfriend would love
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