The Brewers
Part Two.
Bits of Paper
Part Two.
Bits of Paper
‘Has anyone seen those paper bags I picked up from the bakery last week..?’ Gary Brewer’s face was lined with concern as he entered his hut, and began rummaging through the drawers.
‘It’s nice to see you too Gary…’ Amanda Brewer answered dryly, before sharing a knowing look with their daughter Madita.
‘Some of those Coriander seeds are finally starting to dry out… I think.’ Gary muttered as he turned his attention to the storage box sat just inside the door. ‘If I don’t get these bags tied round the seed heads today then we run the risk of losing our harvest to a sudden gust of wind.’
‘Oh dear.’ Amanda replied, hoping it didn’t sound like sarcasm.
‘Oh dear, indeed…’ her husband answered, now stood upright, knuckles pressed into his hips as he looked around the room. ‘I was hoping to trade some of the surplus with Joanna, but that requires a good yield.’ Gary was clearly stressed, but he had the good sense to accept a camomile and ginger infusion, when Amanda offered it. ‘Thank you.’
‘Sit down and finish your tea.’ Amanda insisted, vacating the seat opposite Madita, and pushing the window back open for a little air. ‘You’re never going to find them in a fluster.’
‘Could we make some paper bags dad?’ Madita offered helpfully.
‘It may come to that.’ Gary answered, blowing the steam across the top of his cup. ‘But I know they are here somewhere.’
‘Finish your tea, and then we’ll both help.’ Amanda said, rubbing his shoulders to alleviate some tension. ‘Madita’ she added, turning to her daughter ‘why don’t you go out to the potting shed and see if they are in one of the boxes on the rack.’
Amanda shuffled through the cramped hut and took the seat opposite, sitting in front of her husband and offering a reassuring smile. ‘Gary?’ She said, going for the gentlest approach possible. ‘There’s something we need to discuss…’
‘Okay.’ Gary placed his hands against his face and breathed out long and slow through his nostrils. ‘I understand.’ He got to his feet, gazing at the rafters of the hut, as he paced the room. ‘You can have half of everything: our side of the valley, the livestock, even the money in my bank account.’ He closed his eyes and rested his head against the doorframe. ‘We’ll build a hut for you down near pond. We’ll obviously need to have some raised beds built, as the soil is a little damp down there. Madita can…’ He lifted his head, finally meeting her perplexed gaze. ‘Oh…’
‘Gary… I’m not breaking up with you.’ Amanda took the folded sheet of paper from her pocket, actually quite annoyed that his mind had gone so quickly in that direction. ‘Sit down.’
Slightly embarrassed (and massively apprehensive), Gary did as he was instructed and slid gingerly into his chair. ‘What is this?’ He asked, pointing accusatively as the bit of paper. Gary had learned over time not to trust sheets of paper, and he abhorred them in all their guises. They always wanted something from him, they brought news from the real world, they shattered the peace. The ones, which came in envelopes bearing the address of his bank, could lie unopened for weeks; and those with Schottic stamps were simply condemned to the fire.
‘It’s a…’ Amanda’s throat felt dry, and she struggled to swallow. The tension was building. ‘It’s a piece of paper.’ She was nowhere near ready to tackle the contents.
‘Pertaining to?’ His face was darkening, his knuckles white with pressure as he gripped the table for support.
‘Madita…’ Amanda finally swallowed. ‘She brought it home today. Look, Gary, darling…’ she opened the sheet, prompting her husband to leap to his feet. ‘…she want’s play football.’ In for a penny, she ploughed on. ‘Apparently a lady dropped these off at the school today, and she wants to register. I can take her to the training if it’s too much for you– ’
‘Enough!’ Gary implored, holding the pam of his hand in her direction. ‘Can we take a small break from the discussion so I can draw breath.’
‘Take all the time you need.’ Amanda half got to her feet to comfort him, but one look at his posture told her it was a bad idea. He was contorted, like some sort of gargoyle, almost defying gravity.
‘Does she have any idea what footb– footbaaa– foo– that sport has done to her father? Does she know what happened last time I –’
‘No of course she doesn’t Gary.’ Amanda removed the sheet of paper from the table, which had the immediate effect of calming him somewhat. ‘She’s just a little girl who want’s to play sports with her friends.’ Amanda seized the initiative, as Gary reached for a bottle of summer fruits gin, pouring himself a hefty measure. ‘What are the tiny chances she going to become a professional? Next to zero. She’ll probably get bored of it after six months…’
Gary threw open the window open and picked a couple of mint leaves from the window box, before crushing them and adding them to his drink. ‘You’re right.’
‘I’m not expecting it to… wait… What?!’
‘You’re right.’ Gary repeated himself, drinking deeply from his cup. ‘She should play.’
‘Okay… great!’ Amanda replied in shock, still partly expecting to hear a but. ‘I’m glad you see it that way, cause I think it’s really important for Madita to make her own choices, and even her own mistakes if necessary.’
‘I agree.’ Gary answered, finishing his drink with a shudder. ‘Let her try– ’
‘Here!’ Madita re-entered the room triumphantly, brandishing the paper bags for all to see. ‘Guess where they were..?’ She asked her parents, luckily oblivious to the tensions that had passed between them just seconds ago.
‘In the potting shed?’ her father asked, although it was a long shot, given the fact that she seemed so smug with herself.
‘Noooo…’
‘In a dinosaurs’ mouth..?’ Her mother tried.
‘Don’t be silly mum – noooo…’
‘I give up then.’ Amanda replied, throwing her arms in the air in defeat.
‘Then I’ll tell you.’ Madita said, eyes wide with relish. ‘… Near the goats!!!’
‘In the lean-to?’ Gary asked, surprised both on account of bags being there, but also his daughter finding them.
Madita nodded. ‘Do I get anything for finding them?’ She asked eagerly.
‘You get a cuddle.’ Amanda answered, pulling her daughter into her arms.
‘Don’t seek out material gratification Madita.’ Gary added with a frown. ‘The sense of achievement should be enough.’
‘Sorry dad.’
‘But…’ Amanda turned her daughter round to face her. ‘I do have some good news for you!’ Her face was contorted into a broad smile. ‘I spoke to your dad, and he says that its okay for you to sign up for football training – if that’s still what you want to do..?’
‘Yessss!’ Madita hugged her mother, before running to her father and throwing her arms round his waist. ‘It is, it is, it is.’ She hopped from foot to foot. ‘I’m going to go over and tell Oak! Maybe she want’s to join too!’
‘Go for it!’ Said Amanda, beaming over at her husband. ‘Just don’t get up to mischief. We’ll be over later on.’ She watched as Madita pushed open the door and vanished in an explosion of energy.
‘Will we..?’ Gary asked tentatively, in response to the revelation that they would be “over later.” Leaving his side of the valley for the newcomers’ village wasn’t a prospect he relished. He did his best to keep trips across the stream to a minimum, even if his relationship with Amanda put a strain on his voluntary solitude.
‘Dave and Indigo invited us over for a bit of singing…’ Amanda replied, her mouth grinning, her eyes imploring him for a positive answer. ‘I think Big Malcolm will be there…’ She offered (although it was a guess). Malcolm being Gary’s business partner (of sorts) in their micro-brewing enterprise, Amanda hoped it would sweeten the deal. ‘You don’t need to sing, you can just sit near the back and drink…’
‘We’ll see.’ Gary answered. ‘I have a policy of only agreeing to one thing a day, otherwise life has a habit of getting a little too much.’ The truth was, he’d had quite enough for one day, and an evening alone in the hut, in front of the fire, would have done him the world of good.
