The Locked Door

Part 4

Finally Jaya shut the front door on the men and with a determined stride she walked into the second bedroom. Standing in front of the door, she inspected it. It looked like an ordinary door but did it lead to a cupboard or a room? Jaya walked back into the hall and then into the main bedroom that shared one wall. She studied the three spaces and came to the conclusion that it could be a room. There appeared to be an area that was unaccounted for. Jaya walked back into the second bedroom and once again looked at the door. Why on earth would her grandparents have blocked off a whole room? It didn’t make sense. 

Jaya stepped towards the door. It was time to find out what this was all about. She put out her hand and grabbed the handle. Taking a deep breath she gripped it and turned and….nothing. The door was locked. “Damn” Jaya said out loud. She tried again, she shook it and tried to force it but it stayed locked.

The Locked Door

Part 3

The next morning, as planned Jaya called the charity she intended to donate to and they agreed to come and collect the items by mid afternoon. So she set to work on the last remaining room, the third bedroom. She was done before the truck arrived and sat done to drink a cup of coffee. It was the first time since she arrived that she had taken time out. She was pleased with what she had accomplished but she was exhausted and looking forward to going home. 

Just as she had finished her drink the charity truck arrived and for the next few hours she was busy helping load everything into the truck. It all went to plan until they started work on the second bedroom. In this room the old wooden beds, the wardrobe and a chest of drawers were to be removed. The chest of drawers was taken out first and then the huge old wardrobe. However when the latter was moved away it revealed something surprising and a little puzzling.

The Locked Door

Part 2

For the next couple of hours Jaya filled garbage bags with clothes and linen, some to go to charity, others to go in the bin. Next she tackled the kitchen, boxing up anything that was still useful and throwing out the rest. By one o’clock, satisfied with her efforts Jaya set out to walk to the local shops to get some lunch.

After buying a pasty and a cold drink Jaya found a seat in the small patch of green in the middle of town and ate her lunch in the sun. Half an hour later, she made her way back to her grandmother’s house and continued her task.  By six that evening she had cleared out her grandmother’s bedroom, the kitchen and started on the living room. The two piles of garbage bags and boxes had grown steadily and although her back ached, Jaya was pleased with her progress. While in town at the shops earlier she had bought some supplies for a simple dinner and after cooking it she ate it outside with a glass of wine enjoying the last of the daylight. 

As the light faded, the temperature dropped and Jaya moved back inside. She washed the dishes, closed most of the windows, made up a bed and after a warm shower got into it with a sigh. But although Jaya was tired she found she couldn’t sleep. The house was too quiet. She was used to living in the city with traffic and industry and here there was just not enough noise. So getting up, she retrieved her ipod and turning it on with the volume low she got back into bed and was asleep in minutes. 

The Locked Door

Part 1

Jaya Hughes unlocked the front door of her grandmother’s old house and was hit with a musty smell and a million memories. As kids, she and her sisters had visited their grandmother on their school holidays. She could still picture the diminutive old lady walking slowly ahead of her after she had let her in, leading the way to the kitchen which was where she spent most of her time. A twinge of pain squeezed Jaya’s heart as she walked down the dark empty hall way. It had been five months since her grandmother had passed away but still it hurt. Jaya’s mother felt it even more. She could not even tackle going through her mother’s belongings which was why Jaya was there. Someone had to do it so the house could be sold and with no partner or children, unlike her older sister’s, and time off work owed to her, Jaya was the obvious choice. She was happy to do it.  

Jaya blinked to stop tears forming in her dark blue eyes and she shivered. The house was cold and dark and it held a sad, depressing air. It was almost a creepy sensation. But at the age of thirty three, too old to spook easily and nothing if not practical, Jaya shrugged it off. She knew that once she got the curtains and windows opened letting the sunlight in and airing out the house it would feel very different. So after putting her bag down in the bedroom she always used when she stayed there, this is what she did. 

Within minutes Jaya had changed the feeling in the house completely. After opening as many windows as she could, flooding the rooms with light and fresh air, Jaya plugged in her ipod and speakers and music filled the house. Then tying up her long brown hair she wrapped her grandmother’s old apron around her curvaceous form. Now she could get to work.

Going Home

Part 138

Pulling up in front of the old house Josh looked around the farm. As he did he was pleased to find that there was no more sadness or intense emotion attached to being there that was waiting to overwhelm him. Now as he looked around there was only the quiet pleasure of being home. Turning around he watched as his mother and father came down the stairs towards him and wanting to pass on some of his good feeling in being back there without the pain, he bent to give his mother a quick hug and kiss her cheek. Feeling awkward and self-conscious he said “hi.”

Delighted at his greeting Margaret gave him a broad smile “hello Josh.” Then turning to Grace she hugged her, “hello Grace.”

“Hi Margaret” and giving Robert a kiss Grace added “hey Rob.”

“Hello there Gracie, glad to have you back” Josh’s father said.

Smiling at the similarities she could see between father and son all of a sudden Grace said “thanks Rob, I’ve been looking forward to being back. I loved my first visit.”

“Well I hope there will be many more” and studying her for a second he added “I think it suits you, you know.” Then turning to Josh Robert asked as he shook his hand “What do you think Josh?”

“Yeah, I’d say so.” Josh said. Then giving her a wicked grin he added “in fact the mental image I have of her here is very good indeed.”

Blushing because she knew exactly what Josh was thinking, Grace turned away and hurried to change the subject. “Glad to see the ute again Rob?”

Looking over at the vehicle he had lovingly restored, Robert nodded “yeah, she looks good.”

Going Home

Part 137

A couple of months later it was the morning of Christmas Eve and Grace and Josh were driving to the farm. Watching Josh as he drove Grace said “how do you feel about going back to the farm this time?”

Josh shrugged “better than last time.”

Grace smiled. She was glad that things had worked out so well for Josh and his parents. Josh certainly seemed happier and while the years of no family contact and past events had left their mark on him he seemed more peaceful, less intense since the renewed contact. Running her hand over the dash Grace said “I’ll bet Robert will be glad to see the ute again. He must really miss this car after looking after it for so many years.”

“Yeah, I guess so.” Josh said sounding thought.

Studying his serious expression Grace reached out and laid her hand on his thigh “he’ll be more pleased to see you back you know.”

Smiling Josh looked over at her, “is that right, well if you don’t move that hand he’ll have to wait longer than expected to see me back.”

Giving him a slow smile Grace moved her hand up his thigh and teased “move it like this do you mean?”

Frowning Josh growled a warning, “Grace!”

“Okay okay.” Grace conceded but before removing her hand she moved a little higher.

Groaning Josh glared at her and said “just for that we are going down to the shed tonight for an early Christmas present.”

Laughing at his frustration Grace shook her head “I don’t think so, we might interrupt Santa on his rounds.”

“Oh we’ll be going, Santa or no Santa” Josh said in a determined tone then grinning he continued “I’ve been good enough this year, it’s high time I was naughty.”

Giving up Grace just shook her head at him and smiled.

Driver

Part 25

“It is” Taki said “this, you, being here, not moving around anymore is what is right for me. You said I need to forgive myself and this is the next step in that process. I’m ready to start living a normal life again. I love you too, with everything in me but if things don’t work out with us, I’ll still be ready for that. You helped me get to that point but it’s not the only reason I’m there. Some of it is time. But also I’ve changed, and yes in the main because of your help but without you those changes will still be there even if you aren’t, okay?”

Idyn searched her eyes for a moment. “Okay” he said.

“So will I tell them I’ll take the job?”