Page 49 of Blackout

‘The family trust was never meant to be a secret,’ my mother replied defensively.

And before my mother could say another word, abrupt words came out of my mouth. ‘Then please tell us about it.’

But my mother wasn’t the one who replied. The voice that spoke was deep. Male. Brad’s response to my question was, ‘When the ownership of the James Family Bakery was in your father’s name, he came to me with his intentions to hold the family business in the trust and reinvest the money from the trust to acquire a residence for each member of the family. If there was any money left over after paying the bills then each beneficiary would get a share.’ Brad paused to let what he had said sink in. ‘As of today, the trust holds four houses and the James Family Bakery, which includes the factory and the shops.’

‘Beneficiaries?’ Who was a beneficiary of the James Family Trust? Just my mother or did my father include Addison and me?

‘The beneficiaries of the James Family Trust include Mia, Addison, and you, Harley.’ Brad advised, as I tried to recall if I had ever received anything other than the wages I’d paid myself. Nope. Nothing came to mind. But that wasn’t true: I had been living in this house and hadn’t needed to worry about the bills. No one had ever explained why to me.

‘And the houses?’ There were four houses in the James Family Trust, and I wondered which four houses they were.

‘Yes.’ Brad answered again.

Did my mother not remember the details of the family trust my father had set up? Or did she only know my father’s intentions for the trust?

‘This house, your mother’s house and there are two houses in Mulwala that make up the four residences in the trust.’

‘Mulwala? What houses?’

When I heard Brad read the two addresses out loud, they sounded familiar, but I wanted to check their location. I reached out for my phone, then stopped myself. I recognised the street name and that the houses were next door to each other. I had been driven down that street. Attended a party there. Spent a few quiet days there. With Zach. He lived in the beautiful house that neighboured the rundown bungalow I had seen on my walk.

My head was spinning. So much had happened since I had returned to Melbourne. I closed my eyes to find my centre. Breathed in to a count of five then out to the same count. I repeated the same breathing technique the psychologist had taught me a few more times.

Two hands then cupped my shoulders.

‘Harley, honey.’ I opened my eyes to see my mother in front of me. ‘We were going to retire, your father and I, in the house we were building in Mulwala. Your dad was going to purchase the bakery in the main street and we were going to live there. And Grandma and Grandpa James were going to come up from Melbourne and stay in the bungalow next door.’

Mum took a deep breath then continued. ‘We were going to move back to Melbourne when you girls finished high school and your dad was going to teach you both the skills that his father had taught him. Once you were both trained, you were going to be given the opportunity to stay in Melbourne and manage the family business.’ My mother’s eyes watered with the tears she tried to hold in. I knew it must be hard for her to talk about her and Dad’s broken dreams.

‘I’m proud of you, Harley, and your dad would be proud too, even if it didn’t unfold the way he planned it.’ My mother let go of my shoulders and returned to the lounge and sat down.

‘On top of what I have already mentioned being a part of the James Family Trust, there is also one other business you need to be made aware of.’ Brad looked around my living room, and he held everyone’s attention.

‘What business?’ I asked.

‘Sweets.’ The name of the bakery sounded familiar. Then I remembered Mum had worked there while we lived in Mulwala.

‘Sweets had come up for sale around the time of the change in ownership of the James Family Bakery. Ethan had told me about it, and I made sure all the paperwork that was needed was signed.’ What Brad had just explained seemed to be news to everyone.

‘We never went back after the accident,’ I stated changing the topic of conversation. ‘To our house. To get our things. Whatever happened to them?’

Grandma spoke up for the first time today. ‘Your grandfather and I paid for all your belongings to be packed up and stored in the bungalow until the three of you were ready to cope with the memories of losing a husband and a father.’ She held in tears as she looked at first my mother then Addison and me as she talked about her only son.

‘And the house next door to the bungalow?’ I said out loud as I thought about how Zach had come to live in the house owned by the trust my dad had started.

‘The house was to be rented out until it was decided what I wanted to happen with it. But without your father, I was never going to retire and live in it,’ Mum admitted.

‘Zach lives in that house,’ I told the members of my family, and waited to see their reactions. Their eyes widened slightly. They didn’t know Zach had been renting out our house. Did Zach know the house belonged to my family?

‘What happens now?’ Addison asked.

‘You will start training to be a baker, and I will continue what I started four weeks ago managing the bakery,’ my mother replied.

Addison spared a glance at me, then asked her question. ‘What about Harley?’

‘What about me?’ I asked as evenly as I could.

‘What will you do? With your indefinite break? Where will you go?’ My sister seemed genuinely interested.