Everything We Keep

cereal.
‘That was Nell,’ Katherine said. ‘She’s going to come and pick you up at eleven hundred.’
‘Okay.’
‘I’m sorry Agatha. I thought you could stay here for a lot longer. I would like you to stay longer.’
Agatha shrugged. She wanted to stay. She wanted to cry. But she had learnt a long time ago that it didn’t matter what she wanted; not anymore.
Finishing the last spoonful, she picked up her bowl and walked to the sink. As she passed her Katherine’s gentle hand touched Agatha’s shoulder, a small tender gesture, Agatha would miss. ‘I’ll help you pack, sweetheart.’
‘It’s okay, Katherine, I can do it.’
‘We have plenty of time. Why don’t we go to The Vale and get you a few things to take home? Maybe some winter clothes? I know it’s still hot, but I saw the winter clothes are already out.’
‘I don’t need anything, Katherine. Thanks anyway.’
Agatha rinsed her bowl and left it in the sink. She stood for a moment and watched the swirling water settle into a calm flatness in the bowl. Katherine stepped closer beside her. ‘Agatha, you know you can come here anytime. Anytime.’
Agatha turned and stepped into the warm embrace Katherine always had waiting for her. She pressed her head hard into her chest, so she could hear her heart beating, feel her warmth on her ear. Katherine smoothed out Agatha’s long dark hair. ‘Shhhhh. . . ’ she cooed softly as Agatha let the tears well and fall from her eyes onto Katherine’s apron. Agatha took in everything from moments like this, always thinking this could be her last.
When Agatha had first arrived at Kathrine’s home in late December, she didn’t say a word, not that it bothered Katherine. Years as a navy wife meant she was used to waiting, being patient, being surrounded by silence. She would wait.
Agatha was the first foster child she had had into their home. After years of travelling for the navy and without children of their own, it was her husband, Lawson, who had suggested they try being foster parents, now that they were going to settle into one place.
Despite her nursing background and having looked after nieces and nephews over the years, Katherine had been unsure if she could take on such a responsibility or that they would be too old to be considered. But Lawson had no doubts.
‘You know fifty-two is not considered old anymore, certainly not by us! You will be great, Katherine, a natural,’ he had said to her as they headed to their first information session. ‘And it won’t be long before I fully retire, and we will have plenty of time ahead of us – to do this together.’
Then, just after Christmas, a couple of days after Lawson had left for his last deployment, Agatha arrived.
Katherine had a well-established daily routine. Up at zero six hundred, a brisk morning walk with their small terrier, Chief, and her husband, if he was home. Next -breakfast the usual muesli with yoghurt and fruit, a shower and then on with a day’s activities. Agatha didn’t have any routine. At first Katherine didn’t want to leave her alone, however Nell advised her to ‘just be normal’, so Katherine left notes:
Morning Agatha,
Chief and I are out for a walk. We’ll be back at 0700.
Katherine.
Morning Agatha,
I’ve gone to the garden shop to get strawberry plants. I’ll be back in an hour, at 1100. Maybe we could plant them together. Katherine.
Morning Agatha,
When you get up could you give Chief a biscuit? You will find them in the red tin on the laundry shelf – just one, even though he will beg you for more.
Katherine.
By the fifth day even Katherine had had enough. After her morning walk she delayed her breakfast until eight thirty and then approached the shut door of the guest room. Knocking gently, she waited. With no response she opened the door and took a step in. To her surprise, Agatha was sitting upright on the already made bed. Her suitcase beside her.
‘Good morning. You’re up. That’s good to see.’ Katherine’s voice was cheery and light. She moved over to the window, pulling on the cord to raise the blind, letting in the morning light.
Agatha shrugged. Chief had rushed past Katherine and jumped up onto the bed. At first Agatha pulled back, but Chief was irresistible and soon enticed a pat from her. Katherine caught a glimpse of the small smile that passed over Agatha’s face.
‘Well,’ Katherine continued, ‘I’m about to make breakfast. Why don’t you join me?’
She turned and without hesitating or looking back, walked towards the kitchen, hearing the patter of Chief’s small feet and the soft footsteps of Agatha behind her.
All through January Katherine gave Agatha her normal life. Agatha soon fell into the same morning routine, proudly holding onto Chief’s lead when they walked, waving to their neighbour Rita, who was always out in her garden. Agatha learnt how to clean up after a delicious homemade breakfast putting everything away and wiping down the benches.
It was on these morning walks that Katherine talked about the many places she and Lawson had lived, the challenges of finding herself alone, somewhere new while he was away and the joy of finally having a place they would keep for themselves.
At the beginning Agatha just listened, but as the days passed, she too shared small things with Katherine, she understood what Katherine meant about loneliness about moving to new places, after all she had been in and out of foster homes all over Melbourne.
Now, two months after she had first arrived, as they stood silently in the kitchen, waiting for Nell, Agatha thought about all the things she was about to lose. Katherine spoke, breaking the sad silence.
‘I have something for you.’
Without letting her go, Katherine took a small step back from Agatha, stretched out her arm to a drawer and took out a small floral purse. ‘I know it looks a bit old fashioned, but it was my grandmothers, I’ve kept it all these years because she