Talisman of Hate

He pulled the leaf from his pocket. "This is a young leaf from the famous ginger Aunt Peggy created. There is a gigantic bush on Sweetwater from where I dug out a goodly sized root this afternoon." He looked at Johnny and Charlotte. "I do apologise for not asking permission first but the moment was too great." He waved the leaf again. "This is part of a leaf that does not come from Sweetwater."

He let that sink in for seconds and only when Henry took a shuddering breath and brought his hands together in front of his face did he nod. "With our worries about Harry nobody went to check or noticed that our root had grown."

He had to stop speaking as Henry buried his face in his hands and sobbed loudly, joined seconds later by Brigitte. Once again the two boys ran over to lend their comfort and Julie became aware of Harry almost crushing her hand under the table.

It took a while before emotions were stable and Peter laughingly went to the door where he picked up the bag he had left there. "In here is a strong root stock from Sweetwater. Between the stairs at the pond is a large pot with mostly weeds growing in it at the moment. May I ask help in the morning to clean it out and put in fresh soil. Once that is done I want Julie and Harry to plant this ginger in there as a token of their friendship that survived a real peril and survived."

***

It was very late before a euphoric group eventually gave up the fight against sleep and decided to go to bed. Because of threatening rain and having to travel standing in the back of the farm truck to prevent chafing of his wounds made Harry decide to spend the night at Rushing Streams. Julie was reluctant to leave but Anthea showed all the signs of going to sleep on her feet and they also left, leaving Brigitte to change Harry's dressings before they too went home.

Julie was up long before sunrise and had coffee going when Johnny came in.

"Sleep well?" he asked with a curled eyebrow.

Julie laughingly shook her head. "No Daddy. Too many things turning in my head. Too many questions I have no way of asking and yet need answers."

Johnny nodded and sat down. "Important questions sometimes have simple answers. If possible, give it time and most things will show their solution by themselves. We tend to complicate our lives by rushing issues that only needed time and lose sight of urgent things that hide behind the obvious."

"Like the ginger," Julie laughed and then became serious. "Are you okay with me and Harry becoming friends again?"

Johnny smiled at her. "Is that a question that needs an answer?"

"Yes Daddy."

"Okay. Long story short. A year ago I may have injured him if I found him near you. Many things happened in a few short months and as I said to you after the two of you started talking. What he did was incredibly brave even though he calls himself a coward. What he did at school was not cowardice but confusion of a boy in a difficult situation that could have been very different had it not been for the animosity between me and Henry. I can never forgive Henry for what he did to Peggy but I can work on a future between us. Some things may be tainted from time to time but we are mature men and should be able to find solutions to it. Brigitte and your mom are having a lot of fun in their newfound friendship."

He sat there looking into Julie's eyes and smiled. "To answer your question. Yes, I am okay with the two of you finding each other again. Should it lead to something deeper in time, I will be okay with that as well. He is an upstanding young man and his choice of close friend speaks volumes for them both."

Julie smiled. "Thanks Daddy. Are you coming to help with the planting?"

Johnny chuckled. "I have to finish milking first. The cows cannot wait and even though the guys know what to do, I need to be here if anything goes wrong. From there I am free and so is Henry. I suggest you girls go down there and have breakfast ready when we arrive."

"Brunch."

"Okay."

"See you there Daddy," Julie greeted and went down the corridor to kick her city-bred friend awake to experience a few things on the farm before they had to travel to Rushing Streams.

It was past the lunch hour before the pot was cleaned out and refilled with fresh soil, ready for the ginger root to go in. Harry had to stand by and look at others working as his wounds and new skin still were not in a condition to allow grains of soil onto it and neither was he supposed to spend a lot of time in the sun.

Anthea, as journalist photographer in training had her camera with her and begged for a sundown ceremony. The two senior men had a bit of a squabble about it because of the need for them to be on hand at the farms but David volunteered to stand in and with a shrug the two gave in to the inevitable.

With extra time on their hands everybody simply hung around, relaxing as much as the two rowdy boys allowed them. Julie went to the kitchen to get a glass of water and while there Christine came in, took a deep breath and closed the door.

"I need to speak to you Julie."

Julie jumped up to sit on the large table. "How can I help?"

Christine sighed heavily. "You've helped so much already and that is why I need to speak to you."

"Okay?"

"We're living here. We use electricity. We use water and we use a whole lot of other things as well, none of it being paid for by us. Your mom and Brigitte took me and the boys to town shortly after you went back to Uni and splurged on us." She held up a finger. "I take it you have noticed that we all are dressed well again."

Julie nodded and Christine paced to the stove where she stood against it. "Mister Cliffendale went to fetch David at Barclay Vale. If I had the rest of my life to do it I will not be able to thank him enough for that. Your father almost bullied the Co-op into giving David the job of Mister Henderson who is going on pension in a few months. David is to start at the beginning of next month to shadow him and learn the ropes. The nature of the job is such that he will only infrequently have to deal with the public and thus spare him the difficulty of trying to get people to understand what he says. He is a proud man Julie and the past few months have hurt him deeply but he is getting up again."

"That is wonderful Christine."

"Yes it is but we still have no money and accepting the graciousness of your parents and that of the Cliffendales is becoming hard to bear."

"I'm sure a record is kept of what is spent on you?"

"Your mom says so and I believe her. I need to create an income as well Julie. Staying here is like a fairytale but one day we will have to go to our own place again and owing your parents large sums of money will make that difficult."

Julie folded her arms and pouted with a smile. "Maybe you should simply relax Christine. I know for a fact that Mom and aunty Brig are having the time of their lives spoiling you. I needed someone to look after the house and already I feel indebted to you for what you had done here. I'm supposed to pay you as manager but I can't. I see the whole thing as a win-win. I cannot even try to calculate the cost of what you had done here."

Christine held her hands together. "I'm a chef Julie. I used to run the main restaurant for a big Hotel when I met and married David. Once the boys were born I stepped out because of the long hours. The boys were our first priority and David's salary was sufficient to keep us. David's new job will pay well and hopefully soon we will be financially okay again but I miss my career."

"You want to leave?"

Christine looked around the kitchen and smiled. "If I never have to leave this place I will gladly die here of old age. No Julie, I want to do something unique. It will be something off the scale."

"And that is?"

"If I can somehow get the money, will you allow me to have a restaurant here in the house? Something like a country cuisine kitchen where I can cook up dreams."

Julie sat up straight. "You mean here? Here in the hall and...."

Christine glowed. "This kitchen is huge. It needs some equipment and gas laid on. The hall can take quite a number of tables and if you will allow me, I may use the West wing for small intimate dinners. We can even host functions...."

Julie jumped off the table, yanked open the door and yelled; "Mom! Aunty Brig! Come here! Now!"

From outside they heard Brigitte's alarmed call and within seconds not only the two women but everybody came rushing into the kitchen, eyes searching for the cause of alarm.

"Julie?" Charlotte asked breathlessly.

"Christine has something to say. I think it is a brilliant idea."

With everybody standing around Christine she haltingly started laying out her plan but as she got along her excitement grew. It was infectious and by the time they had gone through the hall and into the west wing almost everybody was talking at the same time. In the excited commotion Julie found her hand gripped and looked up into Harry's happy eyes. It felt right.

With everybody coming up with ideas and suggestions, time flew by and soon Anthea called them to order.

"The sun is almost setting everybody. Shall we go to the pond?"

The two boys ran out yelling excitedly, carrying the plastic bag containing the precious root and with glee they pulled it out and placed it onto the fresh soil, solemnly waiting for the crowd to catch up with them.

With Harry wearing gloves to protect the new and still soft skin on his hands, he scraped out a hollow and while Julie held the root in position, he filled up and tamped down the soil around it. As he finished he looked up and saw Julie looking at him with a soft expression in her eyes. She smiled and Harry felt his soul fill up. Without even thinking he mouthed; "I love you."

For a mere second she hesitated before she nodded and mouthed; "Always," before reaching over to take his hands and pull him to her. They could not embrace yet but with their hands held at their hips Julie tilted her face up and Harry softly kissed her. To them it felt like a mere moment but clapping from the onlookers made them separate with both of them blushing while giggling stupidly

Anthea jumped up and down while fiddling with her camera. "I think I just took the photo to put me into the hall of fame! That was simply the wowest moment ever! The light from the sunset made everything glow."

As the group slowly walked back to the house Henry pulled at Johnny's arm to make him stop. As the group moved out of earshot Henry held out his hand. As they shook he softly said; "I have many things to be thankful for Johnny. I cannot put them into order of importance but I want to thank you for accepting my pardon and making an effort for the two of us to spend time together. From what I just saw I get the idea we will be family one day. Grandkids will not understand animosity between grandfathers. Do you think it will be possible for the two of us to try and build a friendship?"

Johnny chuckled. "A year ago I may have laughed at the mere thought of such a thing. We can't be enemies any longer Henry. Honestly, from time to time something may happen that will still urge me to throttle you but since this whole episode started both of us have come a long way. Let's honour Peggy's love and life instead of what came after."

***

It took an almost super human effort of planning, building and fitting but 'Christine's at Rushing Streams', opened its doors on Julie's birthday. Attending the swanky ceremony were Peter's parents who, upon Peter's insistence, had invested heavily into the venture of super luxurious accommodation and fine dining. Dawn flew in all the way from Vietnam and after a twin to twin talk, Peter made a few telling decisions. One of which led to Blanche sporting a glittering solitaire ring she constantly glanced at, just to make sure it was still there.

Coinciding with the opening was the launch of a brand new range of beauty products Gloria Bristow developed simply called 'Christine'. On the label was a picture of a radiantly happy Christine looking over her shoulder with her hair billowing behind her from a photo Anthea had snapped of her on her first visit to Rushing Streams. Ghosting her were pictures of David and the two boys with dirty faces. The theme being a product specially aimed at a mother with a busy life. The value of the possible royalties had Christine in a state of threatening nervous collapse for days.

Standing on the central balcony, Julie stood watching the people milling about on the lawn below her in the late afternoon glow, enjoying sundowners and having their photos taken by the various reporters from just about every glossy magazine of mentionable repute. Behind her, against the wall of her private bedroom at Rushing Streams, hung an enlarged print of their kiss on the day they planted the ginger. Anthea did win a competition with it but it didn't land her in the hall of fame.

"I've been looking for you," she heard Harry say just before she felt his arms encircling her from behind and giggled as the kiss in her neck made gooseflesh run down her back.

"Just look around you Cliffendale. When we were small everybody knew that if you found one of us, the other would be close by. It hasn't changed."

"Are you happy?"

She nodded and leaned back against him. "Yes. For so many reasons."

Harry squeezed her to him. "Dinner will start soon and the people down there have paid small fortunes to be here. We'd better get down there so you could spin your yarn about the soon to be private game reserve."

Julie shuddered playfully. "It defies my imagination that people are prepared to pay so much for the honour of a first sitting."

"Or the opportunity to sleep here," Harry chuckled into her neck. "I hope I have that kind of money one day."

Julie turned in his arms and smiled at him. "We were kids when you asked me to marry you."

"Yes, and you said you would."

"This will be our bedroom."

Harry softly kissed her on her forehead. "Yes, it will be."

Julie felt him react to her and gently pushed him away. "Go down and mingle. I need to finish my war paint before I can be seen in public."

With a sigh Harry dropped another kiss on her forehead and smilingly walked from the room. Julie stared after him, looking at the scars on his hairless head and neck. She found it difficult to imagine what he used to look like before the burn but knew one thing. She loved him. Deeply.

"Harry!" she called and he stopped in mid-stride.

"Yes?"

Julie felt a warmth cloak her. "Go to the lawn."

"And?"

"Just go."

She walked back to the balcony and looked out over the milling people again. Some looked up at her. Some even waved. The setting sun cast a golden glow over the gathering and as she saw Harry walk onto the lawn she took a deep breath and started to sing. Plaisir d'amour floated down to the garden and softly echoed from the cliff just behind the house. Months before, while still fighting for his life and her love, Harry had asked her to sing it at the waterfall but this, now that Rushing Streams was alive again, was the real moment to sing it.

Vaguely she noticed people stop moving and look up but all her attention was locked on Harry who stumbled in his haste to turn around. She loved singing. This time she sang because she loved. It filled her lungs with warm air and enriched her voice. She sang for Harry, feeling the very last remnants of her anger float away from her into the warm sky. As always she reached forward at her imaginary loved one but this time he was standing there, looking up at her and she saw him reach up to her as she sang the last part of the song.

For seconds there was silence and then someone clapped. It turned into a tumultuous noise of clapping, whistling and calls she could not make out but as it died down she heard Harry plainly.

"Julie! When we grow up, will you marry me?"

Silence descended and she laughingly shook her head but then Anthea called loudly.

"If you say no, I will never speak to you again!"

Once again the crowd roared and amidst a chanted 'yes, yes' Julie laughingly nodded at Harry and he broke into a run into the building. She heard him run up the steps and then as he joined her on the balcony and pulled her into a crushing embrace, she smiled at the memory of a faded picture downstairs in the library. Silently she thanked Kristina for starting this fairy tale more than a century ago.