This month, Home Stories is celebrating some of our wordsmithing residents! We hope you enjoy Anna and L.J.’s special way with words. If you would like to contribute to an upcoming Home Stories , please contact communications@hcau.org.au
‘Sunshine’ by L. J. LaBarthe
The day was unseasonably warm—a cloudless, blue sky, sun shining benevolently of being extraordinarily cold, with the biting wind or icy rain that had been the hallmark of this winter. The sound of birds chirping to each other and bees buzzing happily filled the air. The scent of roses and lavender, the peach and lemon trees were heavy in an otherwise dreary season. Indeed, the residents of this small block of flats had come together in a community of women of various ages, cultures, and backgrounds. They sat on plastic chairs, a wooden bench, and coloured walkers beneath the dappled shade of the widely spreading limbs of the welcoming peach tree. There was a small table that one of the women— Veronica—had set up and was holding coffee mugs and soda cans. A half- eaten packet of Tim Tams was also on the table, and conversation ebbed and flowed like water in a bubbling brook. Regina and Veronica worked on crochet together, one worked on a lap blanket while the other made a teddy
bear. Lailah worked on a loom knit scarf in variegated shades of pink and purple while Rose threw a ball for her dog, a small, fluffy white terrier. Josie and Jade sat on their respective walkers, their hands holding their cups of coffee. They all talked about little things and big things, everything, and nothing. Lailah noticed her mother, Jade, was having some trouble putting down her coffee mug, her hands trembling slightly, so she leaned over and took it from Jade and set it down on the table. “You okay, mum?” Lailah asked. Everyone looked at Jade with concern—they all knew without discussing it that her health had been deteriorating. “Yes, yes, I’m fine.” Jade smiled. “Why don’t you put some music on?” Lailah gave her a long look and then she shrugged. “Sure, okay. Back in a moment.” She got up and went into their flat and pulled up her various playlists, looking at them thoughtfully. “Hm, probably not punk rock or metal,” Lailah mused to herself, chortling with
the thought of how that choice of music might go down with the older ladies outside. She settled instead on classic rock, and hit play, and made her way outside again as the first strains of Immigrant Song by Led Zepplin began. “Good choice,” Rose said, nodding. “I thought the classics might be a better option than some of the other playlists I have,” Lailah said. Jade chuckled. “I bet.” Veronica shot Jade a warm smile. “I have no doubt that you both have a large collection of music to choose from.” “And the birds are singing along, too,” Regina said. Laughter filled the air at that. It did seem very much as though all the sounds in the courtyard complemented each other to make its own music. Tomorrow would be cold and wet again, but for today, it was warm, and sunny and the promise of spring was gentle yet unbroken.
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