Chapter 9

The warmth of Friday evening settled over Ray’s lounge, the soft hum of music drifting in the background. Susie, nestled against Ruth, let out a contented sigh. Over dinner, Ray shared some good news—his ankle was healing faster than expected. He half-wondered whether last Sunday’s church prayer might have had something to do with it. Feeling more mobile, he suggested a picnic over the weekend. Susie’s face lit up at the idea.

Ruth, however, had a packed Saturday. Between catching up on housework, gardening, grocery shopping, and a dinner date with her brother, there wasn’t a free moment. Still, she reassured them she had no regrets about the time spent with them that week and her duty of shuttling Susie. Sunday after church, however, was ideal. She even proposed a gourmet picnic, courtesy of a former client-turned-caterer, rather than cobbling one together herself. Ray agreed, volunteering to handle the blankets and seating. After a round of playful haggling over the perfect picnic spot, they settled on lake Rua in the north of Christchurch—weather permitting.

That evening, after helping Ray read to Susie and tucking her into bed, Ruth gave Ray a quick kiss on the cheek before making a swift exit.

Saturday unfolded in the usual rhythm of chores and small joys. Susie’s school friend, Lily, came over, and the two spent the afternoon lost in a world of dolls, dress-up, and jump rope, with Bunny an active participant. After dinner, Ray picked out a family-friendly movie, and the evening passed in quiet contentment.

Sunday dawned bright and warm, the perfect picnic day. Ruth arrived early, ready to whisk them off to church. Though there were no grand revelations this time, both Ray and Ruth felt a growing ease within the church community. After the service, they swung by Ray’s place for swimwear, then stopped at Ruth’s to collect the much-anticipated picnic hamper.

Lake Rua, though popular, wasn’t too crowded, and they found a perfect shaded spot. As they spread out the picnic, Ray had to admit—Ruth’s caterer friend knew their craft. The food was exquisite, though they soon realized they’d be taking home plenty of leftovers.

After lunch, they headed to the changing sheds. Ray emerged first and waited for Ruth and Susie. When they finally stepped out, he nearly swallowed his tongue. Ruth’s one-piece swimsuit, though modest, was very stylish and accentuated all the right things. It was a head-turner, and Ray, for all his usual self-control, couldn’t hide his reaction.

“Pick your chin off the ground, Penny,” Ruth teased, her eyes twinkling with amusement. She knew exactly the effect she was having but played it cool, sparing him embarrassment.

Before he could formulate a response, she grabbed Susie’s hand and took off toward the water. “Last one in’s a sissy!” she called over her shoulder.

Ray hesitated, still mindful of his ankle, but when they turned to splash him, he realized he had only one choice. Bracing himself, he half-hobbled to the edge and plunged in, joining the fray. The water was refreshing, the laughter infectious. For a while, they were just three people revelling in the simple joy of the moment. Later, drying off in deck chairs, the mood shifted. Susie busied herself with a puzzle book, leaving Ray and Ruth to a quiet conversation.

“This week went by fast,” Raymond mused, watching Susie scribble away.

“It did,” Isobel agreed. “I almost forgot what it’s like to come home to an empty house.”

Ray glanced at her. “You okay with that?”

She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “I like my independence, but ... I won’t lie. The quiet felt different this time.”

Ray understood. He’d felt it too. The past week had forged something between them—a rhythm, a warmth that neither of them wanted to lose.

“Maybe we shouldn’t let it vanish just yet,” he said. “I’m on the board of the Christchurch Orchestral Collective, and they have a concert on Wednesday. Want to go?”

Isobel’s smile was immediate. “That sounds lovely.”

“And maybe another Friday dinner? Keep the ‘family’ tradition going?”

Her gaze softened. “I’d like that.”

As the afternoon waned, they packed up, reluctant to end the day. That evening, after Susie was tucked in, Ray and Isobel sat for a few quiet moments in the lounge, both weary but content. Logistics for the coming week were discussed—Ray insisted he was ready to return to work and handle his own driving. Isobel had her doubts but let him have his way.

Still, as she left, she couldn’t shake the odd hollowness that crept in at the thought of the past week’s warmth slipping away. Raymond felt it too. And as he drifted off to sleep, the last image in his mind was Isobel standing by the lake, sunlight glinting off the water behind her, a quiet smile on her lips. And that bathing suit! He wasn’t sure what was happening between them. But he knew he didn’t want it to stop.

... .

Raymond was a little cautious as he prepared for work on Monday morning. He wanted to be sure that his ankle was okay for driving, but he didn’t want to push too hard in case he reinjured himself. So he moved gingerly and wore his most comfortable shoes.

“Daddy, are you sure you’re okay to drive?” Susie asked.

“Yes, darling,” he replied. “But don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”

There were some twinges as he negotiated the Christchurch rush-hour traffic, but he arrived successfully. Some of his colleagues were a little surprised that he was back so quickly, but he said that things appeared to have healed more quickly than expected. Later, he wondered again whether that was in part due to the prayers at church.

“Ready for battle again, Raymond?” asked Andrew good-naturedly. “Or do you think Scowan’s new boyfriend will have mellowed her?”