The unusual abduction of.., p.38
The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer, page 38
‘She’s just gorgeous,’ said Shirley. She took a gulp of her wine. ‘They’re all gorgeous. We’re so lucky.’
Beth didn’t bother responding. The woman was tipsy. At the retirement village table, the elderly man who didn’t look like Harth had gotten to his feet and was holding his hand out for Winnie. It looked like he was asking her to dance. It also looked like Winnie was refusing. After a minute, he sat down again.
‘I have a theory,’ began Beth.
‘Oh god!’ said Shirley. ‘Not another one!’
Beth sent her a brief frown. ‘No, hear me out. I have a theory that in thirty years we’ll be sitting where your mother is now. Celebrating our ninetieth birthdays. We’ll have been carted over from the retirement village and we’ll be surrounded by wheelchairs and walking sticks and those Zimmer frame things. And also family. Just like now.’ She wiped at the window, clearing away the condensation from her breath. ‘Your Sam will still be running around organising everything, and Alex will have settled himself somewhere with a beer, and Hamish will be tending the bar, and Cleo will probably still be finding her way.’
‘And Daniel?’ asked Shirley in a low voice.
Beth hesitated, but only for a second. ‘Yes, even your rotten Daniel. And also Avery, who’ll probably have children of her own, and Caitlin and Charlie. All grown up. And you know what? There’ll still be drama. People will be arguing, and others will be estranged, and still others will be taking sides when they maybe shouldn’t. Some will be happy and some will be sad. They’ll have mortgages and marriage issues. Some will be unemployed. All of them will have regrets in one way or the other. Maybe wishing they’d made better choices. And it doesn’t matter.’ She shrugged. ‘Because, well, that’s life.’
They both gazed through the window, each imagining that scene thirty years in the future. Condensation began to form once more, lending a hazy air of magic. The fairy lights twinkled. Shirley was the first to break the silence.
‘Sounds perfect,’ she said.
Acknowledgements
As always, there are a host of people to thank for the existence of this book. First and foremost my three offspring, Michael, Jaime and Caitlin, along with their partners Kate, Jack and Rachael. Your encouragement, and willingness to celebrate even the smallest achievements, transforms the writing of a book into a collaborative effort. Thanks also to my grandson Elijah, for doing absolutely nothing except giving me insight into grandparent-hood. As it turned out, it was very valuable. I’d also like to thank my agent Sarah McKenzie of Hindsight Literary Agency for her unfailing support and HarperCollins for taking me on as a mid-career author, and whose welcome almost immediately made me feel part of the team. Most particularly I’d like to pass on my sincere appreciation to Nicola Robinson, Chrysoula Aiello, and the wonderful Laurie Ormond. Your suggestions were (almost always!) exactly right and this book is far better for them.
But the bottom line is that this book owes its existence to women generally. The rich and diverse tapestries of their lives were my inspiration, and my building blocks. While the nucleus of this story is nurture, the framework is intended to be multifaceted, multidimensional, noisy with perspective. A kaleidoscope of female voices. Because there is no template for womanhood. Like Beth and Shirley and Winnie, and Elsa, Bec, Cleo, Hannah, Kristin and Sam, they come in every shape and every size. They nurse and nurture, educate and inform, inspire and lead. They try valiantly to readjust the myths and stereotypes that have been thrust upon them and shout Me too! into the past and into the future. They are the cornerstones of their families and so much more. If we could bottle their collective wisdom, we could electrify the world.
Book Club Questions
Nurture is one of the main themes linking the women featured in the book. How important is nurture? And does this change as children grow into adults?
A range of mother-daughter relationships are depicted throughout the book. Was there one that resonated with you the most?
Shirley reluctantly comes to the conclusion that her son’s care is putting her granddaughter at risk, yet her husband Brendan does not agree. What did you think about Brendan’s attitude?
What did you think of the burgeoning relationship between Daniel and Kristin? Were there some red flags? How do you see their relationship moving forward?
Eighty-nine-year-old Winnie is underestimated by many of the other characters throughout the book, including her own family. What did you think of the way Winnie was treated by others? Do you think her age had something to do with it?
During one of their discussions, Winnie tells Shirley and Beth that motherhood is ‘five parts pleasure, five parts pain, and five parts panic. And that’s not even counting the guilt.’ Beth then argues that this last part – guilt – was what motivated them to abduct Avery in the first place. What were some of the things the mothers in the book felt guilty about – and what did you think they should have been feeling guilty about?
Despite flashes of insight and some personal growth, Cleo remains a conflicted character. Where do you see her five years into the future?
By the end of the book, Shirley and Beth have become close friends, yet this is a relationship that had eluded them during previous years. Was it just the shared experience itself that led to this closeness, or were other factors in play?
ISBN: 9781867214038
TITLE: THE UNUSUAL ABDUCTION OF AVERY CONIFER
First Australian Publication 2021
Copyright © 2021 by Ilsa Evans
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Ilsa Evans, The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer
