A Matter of Heart by Megan Mayfair

Author:Megan Mayfair [Mayfair, Megan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Montauk Bay Press
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“You’re quiet,” Frederick said, interrupting not only Jill’s thoughts about Elliott but his own constant stream of chatter about something. A variety of grape, perhaps? She hadn't been paying attention, which was unusual for her. He was the most charming and amiable neighbour. She enjoyed their chats immensely.

The fact he operated a winery and was generous with samples was a delicious bonus.

She took a sip of the sticky, peppery shiraz he’d kindly brought with him. “Am I?”

“Yeah. Is everything alright?” he asked.

She smiled at his concern. He was young enough to be her son, but that hadn’t stopped the rather tight bond they’d forged since he’d moved next door some years earlier. “I’m fine, thank you. I’m simply distracted.”

“Work?” he asked.

“Everything is fine,” she insisted.

“In my experience, women rarely say ‘fine’ when everything is ok,” Frederick said with a knowing grin.

She was surprised he understood that. Or was she? She had come to know him well enough to know that he was reasonably astute. He'd make someone a fine husband one day, once he’d shaken off his bachelor ways. “I can’t get anything by you, can I?” she asked.

“Growing up with two sisters taught me something.”

“I’m sure it taught you many things, Frederick. Can I ask you something?” She hesitated. She was interested in a man’s opinion on this.

“Of course.”

“How do you feel about long-distance relationships?” she asked.

He gave her a puzzled look. “Are you going somewhere? Are we going to be neighbours from a distance?”

“I’m not going anywhere,” she said firmly, looking around her garden. There was no way known she’d give up her life here for anyone. It had been too carefully planned and executed to forfeit. “But how do you think people in the military, as a purely hypothetical example. How do you think their relationships survive?”

Frederick took a sip of wine and appeared to consider the question. “They must spend a lot of time together when they’re in the same place.”

“I guess they would,” she said, shifting in her chair.

“It’d be hard on both, I reckon. Especially the person back home. Don’t they move around a lot? To different bases?” Frederick asked.

“I believe so,” Jill recalled all the places Elliott had said he'd lived — Darwin, Sydney, Cairns, to name but a few, before now being in Rockingham. He said there was a chance he’d have to move to Sydney at some point. How did he stand that? Being ordered where to go and where to live, with little warning? She’d hate it. Nobody told her what to do, let alone the Australian Navy.

“Imagine that? Picking up and moving to another state because your husband or wife was posted to a new base. That’d be tough. And then seeing that person go overseas for however long.”

“Very challenging,” she agreed.

She thought about Frederick's words. He was right — of course when Elliott was back, he'd want to spend significant time with the person he was seeing.

What would that look like? How could that work? He needed someone who’d be there for him — be at home whether that was in Rockingham or Sydney or wherever.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.