including such
activities as: 'Wheelchair Rambles', 'Constructive Criticism
of Others', 'Cane Jousting' and everyone's favourite 'When-I-was-Your-Age
Bingo'.
'Whatcha readin'?' Tony came in and headed straight for
the Saeco espresso machine.
'Nothing, just some junk mail.' Sera shoved the brochure
back into its envelope and slipped it to the bottom of
the pile. She'd throw it out. What was she thinking? Joan
was hard work, but this was her house, after all.
While her husband fixed himself some toast to eat in the
car, she picked up the last envelope in the pile. It contained
fabric swatches for the children's room. The current state of
the kids' room made her eyes hurt. It was always so ugly.
Mismatched furniture, different paint schemes, toys spilling
out all over the place. She was thrilled to have discovered
a gorgeous Designer's Guild fabric that worked for both
genders. By making the whole space uniform she knew
it would look beautiful, and the kids would be so happy.
How could they not be happy in a beautifully decorated
space? It always worked for her. When she surrounded
herself with beauty she felt relaxed and at ease.
The swatches spilled out into her hand and she gave
a squeal of excitement. The quality was better than she'd
expected. The colour combination of acid green with pale
orange contrasted perfectly with a darker pumpkin hue.
One fabric was in wild 70s floral shapes, which would
look wonderful on Maddy's bed and covering a matching
tub chair, while the bold geometric-striped version in the
same three colours would look just sensational on Harry's
bed. Their Roman blind could be in the pumpkin with the
green pelmet and the walls could be in the lemon. It would
look incredible. Of course it would cost a small fortune, but
it would be worth it for ten years of beautiful wake-ups.
She knew the kids would like it . . . they just had to; she'd
already paid the non-refundable deposit.
Tony dropped a kiss on her cheek and rushed off.
'Hi Mum, bye Mum,' he garbled through Vegemite
toast as he rushed past his mother in the corridor.
'Your wife should feed you a proper breakfast, Tony,'
Joan called after him. 'It's not good for the digestion, eating
on the run, you know.'
'Why should Sera make me breakfast, Mum? I'm perfectly
capable, and I'm late. See ya.' The door slammed shut.
'Morning, kids,' said Joan.
'Nanna!'
Sera put the kettle on again. Tea would be needed
ASAP. She smiled at the kids' greeting of their grandmother.
The children adored Nanna, and no wonder – she
spoilt them rotten. Sneaky lollies before bedtime, horrible
cheap variety store clothes they loved, and Joan ignored
Sera's rules and let them watch her mind-numbing soaps
about ugly people in ugly houses.
'Morning, Joan,' she said as she delivered her mother-in-law's
morning cuppa.
'Morning, Sera. Good God, did you just walk past the
cup with the teabag? It doesn't look very strong.'
'Three dunks, Joan, just the way you like it. I can make
it again if you like.'
'No, it's okay, I'll suffer in silence.' Joan gave the hot
beverage another cursory glance and put it on the side
table. Sera quietly moved a coaster under the cup to protect
the teak.
'Look what I've got, kids: presents!' Joan leaned over to
the side of the Jason recliner and pulled out two Best and
Less bags. Oh great, Sera thought.
The children swung around from their cross-legged
position in front of the television, rushing to investigate
their gifts.
'I know you're sick of your baby blue and pink doonas
in your room,' Joan began.
What? No! Sera thought.
'So I went out and bought you brand new bed linen.'
OH FUCKING HELL, NO! Sera's brain shrieked as a
smile froze solid on her face and her eyes started to water.
'YAY! Look, Mum, look! It's Dora the Explorer!'
shrieked Maddy. 'I love Dora!'
Sera looked over, expecting to see Joan smirking. But
she was just smiling at the children, enjoying their pleasure.
Harry was struggling to get his bag open, but finally
activities as: 'Wheelchair Rambles', 'Constructive Criticism
of Others', 'Cane Jousting' and everyone's favourite 'When-I-was-Your-Age
Bingo'.
'Whatcha readin'?' Tony came in and headed straight for
the Saeco espresso machine.
'Nothing, just some junk mail.' Sera shoved the brochure
back into its envelope and slipped it to the bottom of
the pile. She'd throw it out. What was she thinking? Joan
was hard work, but this was her house, after all.
While her husband fixed himself some toast to eat in the
car, she picked up the last envelope in the pile. It contained
fabric swatches for the children's room. The current state of
the kids' room made her eyes hurt. It was always so ugly.
Mismatched furniture, different paint schemes, toys spilling
out all over the place. She was thrilled to have discovered
a gorgeous Designer's Guild fabric that worked for both
genders. By making the whole space uniform she knew
it would look beautiful, and the kids would be so happy.
How could they not be happy in a beautifully decorated
space? It always worked for her. When she surrounded
herself with beauty she felt relaxed and at ease.
The swatches spilled out into her hand and she gave
a squeal of excitement. The quality was better than she'd
expected. The colour combination of acid green with pale
orange contrasted perfectly with a darker pumpkin hue.
One fabric was in wild 70s floral shapes, which would
look wonderful on Maddy's bed and covering a matching
tub chair, while the bold geometric-striped version in the
same three colours would look just sensational on Harry's
bed. Their Roman blind could be in the pumpkin with the
green pelmet and the walls could be in the lemon. It would
look incredible. Of course it would cost a small fortune, but
it would be worth it for ten years of beautiful wake-ups.
She knew the kids would like it . . . they just had to; she'd
already paid the non-refundable deposit.
Tony dropped a kiss on her cheek and rushed off.
'Hi Mum, bye Mum,' he garbled through Vegemite
toast as he rushed past his mother in the corridor.
'Your wife should feed you a proper breakfast, Tony,'
Joan called after him. 'It's not good for the digestion, eating
on the run, you know.'
'Why should Sera make me breakfast, Mum? I'm perfectly
capable, and I'm late. See ya.' The door slammed shut.
'Morning, kids,' said Joan.
'Nanna!'
Sera put the kettle on again. Tea would be needed
ASAP. She smiled at the kids' greeting of their grandmother.
The children adored Nanna, and no wonder – she
spoilt them rotten. Sneaky lollies before bedtime, horrible
cheap variety store clothes they loved, and Joan ignored
Sera's rules and let them watch her mind-numbing soaps
about ugly people in ugly houses.
'Morning, Joan,' she said as she delivered her mother-in-law's
morning cuppa.
'Morning, Sera. Good God, did you just walk past the
cup with the teabag? It doesn't look very strong.'
'Three dunks, Joan, just the way you like it. I can make
it again if you like.'
'No, it's okay, I'll suffer in silence.' Joan gave the hot
beverage another cursory glance and put it on the side
table. Sera quietly moved a coaster under the cup to protect
the teak.
'Look what I've got, kids: presents!' Joan leaned over to
the side of the Jason recliner and pulled out two Best and
Less bags. Oh great, Sera thought.
The children swung around from their cross-legged
position in front of the television, rushing to investigate
their gifts.
'I know you're sick of your baby blue and pink doonas
in your room,' Joan began.
What? No! Sera thought.
'So I went out and bought you brand new bed linen.'
OH FUCKING HELL, NO! Sera's brain shrieked as a
smile froze solid on her face and her eyes started to water.
'YAY! Look, Mum, look! It's Dora the Explorer!'
shrieked Maddy. 'I love Dora!'
Sera looked over, expecting to see Joan smirking. But
she was just smiling at the children, enjoying their pleasure.
Harry was struggling to get his bag open, but finally
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