The Book Glasses Read online

  “It’s okay, darling. It’s okay. Tell me what’s upsetting you, sweetheart,” said a benevolent, gentle voice from behind her.

  Startled, she quickly looked up. A woman stood behind her. Sam was taken aback, almost shocked, by her appearance. She was a little shorter than Sam with startling deep brown, almost black, eyes. She looked derelict, dressed in a style long gone out of fashion. Her feet were bare. Her dress had bolero style panels at the shoulders with a sweetheart neckline and the bodice was lined to the waist, over a circle skirt.

  Sam recognised the style from watching Happy Days reruns, but the dresses on TV never looked this dull, torn, or raggedy. “Sorry, I thought I was alone,” she said.

  “That’s okay, love, I’m used to people not seeing me,” the old woman said with a short laugh. “Now tell me what’s wrong.”

  “I haven’t seen you here before. Are you new?” asked Sam as she dried her eyes.

  “No, but I’ve seen you, Samantha Page.”

  “How do you know my name?”

  “Everyone here knows you, my darling. Who did your makeup?”

  “Why do you ask?” Sam turned to face the mirror and they both burst into uncontrollable laughter. “They didn’t show me my entire face in the mirror. They only showed me parts of it!” Sam spluttered, between laughs.

  “Who did?” the old woman asked.

  “The department store’s makeup and beauty assistant.”

  “Stop it. You didn’t know you were walking around the city with makeup on only half your face?”

  “I went to a job interview like this!”

  Despite trying hard to keep each other upright, both women slumped to the bathroom floor, laughing uproariously, bringing Sister Sue into the room to see what was going on. Sister Sue managed the day-to-day operations of the refuge for the Catholic church. Her lined face frowned at them until she realised who it was, but her blue eyes sparkled with kindness.

  “Samantha, I didn’t realise you were here.” Her eyes twitched to her companion.

  “I’m sorry, Sister Sue, were we making too much noise?”

  She waved her hand dismissively. “It’s all right. I just wasn’t sure what was going on. I’ll leave you to it.”

  Again, glancing at the woman with her, the sister went back to her work.

  Sam and the woman picked themselves up off the floor and composed themselves, the poor old lady hacking out a nasty cough. As Sam washed off her half-done makeup, she filled her in on her disastrous morning. “I went for an interview at Brown Department Stores. They said to come at eleven, but people had apparently been turning up since six! The job was long gone by the time I got there.”

  The old woman patted her hand where it rested in the edge of the washbasin, recovered from her coughing fit. “Never mind. I’m sure you’ll get the next job.”

  “That’s just it,” said Sam in despair. “I can’t get a job. I’ve tried and tried.”

  “It will happen.”

  She shook her head. “But all jobs require reading and I’m not that good at it. It’s no use. I’ll never get a job.”

  The old woman waved a business card in front of her. Once Sam had dried her hands, the card was placed in her hand. “Here you go, my darling. I would like you to have this.”

  “What is it?”

  “It’s a business card of an old friend. His name is Charles Harman and he’s the director and CEO of the Australian Museum. I want you to go see him about a job and tell him Joyce Thomas sent you.”

  “No, I couldn’t possibly. Not after what just happened!”

  “Don’t be silly. You go, girl, and don’t look back. You want a job, don’t you?”

  “Yes, but what will I say?”

  “Just answer his questions, that’s all. Off you go.”

  Miraculously, Sam started to feel confident that she could go to the museum and ask to see Mr Harman. Maybe she could even answer his questions. “I’ll go now, Joyce. I’ll do it, thank you!” She straightened herself up and turned around for one more look in the mirror.

  “No, wait. Have lunch first and please fix your makeup, silly!” Joyce said with a wink.

  Too excited and nervous to be hungry, Sam consumed half a salad sandwich and washed it down with a cup of weak tea and got the sisters to help fix her makeup. Then she headed for the museum, full of expectations.

  Sister Sue watched as Sam left, hope in her heart. Joyce seemed confident that Charles would accept her recommendation and give Sam a job. Oh, if only it could be so easy! It would be the first luck Sam had ever experienced since arriving in Sydney on her eighteenth birthday.

  The sound of coughing distracted her—deep wracking coughs. She sought out a dark corner of the refuge and wasn’t surprised who she found. “Joyce?”

  “I’m not feeling well, love,” she said. She coughed into her blood-soaked handkerchief.

  Sister Sue shook her head. “You should be in hospital.”

  “No. I want to be here when Sam gets back.” But she sank to the floor, unable to stand anymore, and Sue raced to call an ambulance.

  With much sadness, Sue contemplated the worst. She and Joyce had been friends since their teens. They had studied together in Rome, lived with each other for years and had also been bridesmaids at each other’s weddings. Marrying two brothers had made them real family.

  Raising their children together while travelling with their husbands all over Europe had been an exciting time for them both. It had been the happiest period of their lives, until the accident that had taken both their children and husbands away from them.

  The memory of the car crash, almost twenty years ago, was still clear in Sue’s mind.

  Watching Joyce being carried out to the ambulance brought back everything about that tragic day. Her faith in God had kept her going all these years, and she knew he would continue to help her one day at a time.

  She had also looked to God for understanding as to why Joyce didn’t want Sam to find out about who they really were and how much they loved her. But she would never betray Joyce and therefore, couldn’t tell Sam anything about their shared history. It had saddened her to have kept quiet all these years, but her reward was spending the last five years with Sam and that was worth it.

  She picked up the phone and dialled her second in charge, forgetting Jenny was in Melbourne on training. She stopped the first sister who walked past her office. “Sister Jan, come in, please. Tonight, you are my 2IC as I’m off to the hospital to see Joyce. If there are any problems, call me on my mobile. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  St Vincent’s Hospital’s emergency desk was jam-packed with patients and their family members and Sue knew she didn’t have time to waste, so she slipped through the crowd and into the emergency room without anyone noticing.

  The row of ambulance gurneys with patients on them waiting for attention was distressing for her but she kept on searching for her friend. Overwhelmed at the sight and sounds of so many suffering people, she burst into tears.

  As she stood in the middle of the emergency room weeping, a kind voice spoke from behind her. “Excuse me, Sister, can I help you? Are you looking for someone?”

  She swiftly wiped her eyes with her hands and turned around to see a tall dark-haired young doctor holding a folder and looking concerned. “Yes, please. I’m looking for Joyce Thomas. The ambulance brought her here.”

  “Hello, I’m Dr Yasi. I was here when Joyce came in and I’m sorry to say her condition is critical, and she was transferred to intensive care. You may go in and see her, but I must prepare you for what you will find.

  “Her lungs are shutting down and her body is not getting the oxygen it needs. There is nothing we can do but try to make her comfortable. I’m sorry, but it’s only a matter of time now.” He directed her to where she could find Joyce.

  Sister Sue put on her best face and walked into the intensive care unit with a smile. She was devastated to see Joyce strapped up to the oxygen apparatus next
to her bed. Her friend’s face was pale, her cheeks sallow and dark rings had formed under her eyes. Her blue lips were clearly visible through the face mask.

  Hearing her enter, Joyce opened her eyes, ripped off the mask and tears streamed down her face. “You took your time.” She struggled with each word.

  “Did you wait for me?” Sue said with a smile, holding back her heartbreak.

  Joyce struggled through the words. “I don’t want Sam to see me like this,” she said, breathing heavily with short, shallow gusts of air.

  This tore Sue’s heart out and she reached out to take her hand and mustered all the strength she could to hold back her tears. “She won’t, my darling.”

  “I’m ready to see my little Nicole now,” Joyce whispered.

  “I know, honey, I know.” She blinked back the tears.

  “I love you, Sue,” Joyce mumbled. Then all the bells and alarms sounded at the same time.

  A nurse came in and led Sue to a chair as she cried out Joyce’s name. Another nurse appeared and checked Joyce’s vitals, then systematically turned off each of the alarms and monitors.

  “She’s gone,” the nurse said. “Would you like to stay for a while and say goodbye?”

  Sue had expected this but still wasn’t ready for it and sank back into the chair and wept.

  Australian Museum

  The shortcut through Hyde Park got Sam to the museum in no time at all and, with a deep breath, she walked through the grand entrance.

  “Welcome to the Australian Museum. The line for tickets is to your left. Have a nice day,” said an elderly man in a sharp black suit with a red bowtie, before turning to usher in a group of school children.

  “Excuse me, sir, can you direct me to Mr Charles Harman, please?” Sam asked, showing him the business card.

  “Who, may I ask, is here to see him?” he asked politely.

  “My name is Samantha Page.”

  “Yes ma’am, certainly. I am James Barlow. Please follow me, I will escort you to his office.” With a wave of one hand, he directed his younger assistant to take his place at the door.

  Sam couldn’t believe her ears. No one had ever spoken to her like that before and it felt good.

  The walk was long, and her anticipation grew at every twist and turn James took. The hallway they travelled along was behind the exhibitions and displays, and the many ‘staff only’ signs along the way showed it was not for public use.

  There were various workrooms, and she was dying to take a quick peek at all the behind-the-scenes activities, with historic artefacts and half-finished displays being worked on by an array of people in crisp white lab coats.

  The office door, at the end of the last corridor, was open, but James stopped at the doorway and waited until the person in the office had finished his call.

  “Excuse me, sir, I have a Samantha Page here to see you,” James announced, standing almost at attention, his back ramrod straight and arms at his sides.

  “Thank you, James. Please send her in,” a male voice said.

  “It was a pleasure to meet you, Samantha. You may go in. Mr Harman will see you now.” Stepping to one side, James waited until Sam walked into the office before closing the door behind her.

  Sam entered slowly and felt as if she had stepped onto the bridge of a ship. The spectacular panoramic views overlooking Hyde Park took her breath away, but the artefact and photographic collection that filled the office was even more remarkable. She couldn’t believe it was an office and didn’t know where to look first.

  “Please come in. Take a seat. I’m Charles Harman, Director and CEO of the Australian Museum. Tell me, do we have an appointment?” he asked while looking at his open desk diary.

  “No, sir. Joyce Thomas sent me to see you about a job. She said you were looking for people and for me to get in early before all the jobs are filled,” Sam explained, trying hard not to look away from him.

  “Yes, I planned to start a new round of recruitment as of tomorrow, but who sent you again?” he asked, looking puzzled.

  “Joyce Thomas. She gave me this card, sir.” Sam handed it to him.

  “That’s my business card all right,” he said with a smile and returned it. “Please describe her to me.”

  “She’s a lovely old grey-haired lady who I only met today. She’s a little shorter than me and doesn’t look well; a little frail even. But she was very pushy about me coming to see you right away.”

  “Did she perhaps have very dark brown eyes?”

  “Yes. I could never forget those eyes.”

  “Oh, that’s Joyce Page, she was on the board of the museum. She was our chairperson for a time.”

  Time stopped for Sam. Her heart started beating fast. “What did you say her name was?”

  “Joyce Page. Is she any relation?”

  “That’s what I’m wondering. I only met her today.”

  “You know, Joyce had the final say in hiring me for this position. I’ve been here five years now and I’ve been so very grateful to her giving me this opportunity. Unfortunately, soon after I took up the position, she stepped down from the board, and we haven’t stayed in touch. Whatever the situation, a relative or not, if she sent you here then that’s good enough for me,” he said as he retrieved a folder with ‘recruitment’ written on the front.

  “Now, we have five positions available. Two lab assistant roles, two ticketing staff roles and one ticketing manager role. The lab roles are mainly cleaning duties so let’s put you in a ticketing staff position. What do you say about that?”

  “I would prefer one of the lab assistant roles if you don’t mind, sir,” she said, holding her breath in hope. Words and numbers terrified her, so cleaning was her best option.

  “If you prefer to work in the lab, then congratulations and welcome aboard. Let’s start you next Monday, a week from now. Your staff induction will commence then, so be here by 8:30 a.m. You will report to your laboratory manager, Tom Anderson, who will go through all your necessary paperwork before you start the staff induction. Please direct any questions to him. How’s that?”

  Sam nodded in agreement.

  “And I would be very grateful if you would inform Joyce of this and pass on my regards next time you see her.”

  Mr Harman personally escorted Samantha back to the front entrance and entertained her with fascinating stories of some of the exhibitions they came across along the way. Sam appreciated the effort and the job, but her mind was occupied trying to understand who Joyce Page was and why she had introduced herself as Joyce Thomas.

  As soon as they reached the front entrance, she thanked Mr Harman for his time. After giving him a firm handshake, she raced back to the refuge, hoping Joyce was still there.

  “Sister Sue, Sister Sue, earlier today just before lunch, you came into the toilets and found me and an old lady in there, do you remember?” Sam asked as she burst into the sister’s office.

  “Yes, of course I remember,” Sister Sue replied.

  “I’m looking for the old lady. Do you know where she is?”

  The woman’s face fell, her eyes filling with tears as she reached out her hands to take Sam’s. “Yes, I’m sorry to say she collapsed, and we called an ambulance. But they couldn’t help her, the poor old thing. She died. God bless her.”

  Sam couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Where did they take her?”

  “St Vincent Hospital but—”

  Sam ran from the room and raced to the hospital, only a few blocks away. But they only confirmed Sister Sue’s story. Joyce had died of suspected heart failure.

  Sam didn’t know why she felt the way she did. After all, she hardly knew the woman. But where had she come from and why had she made the effort to talk to her?

  She thought back to her interview at the museum. At least she finally had a job! Earning a regular wage and enjoying some sort of reasonable existence was now a real possibility.

  Tears of happiness filled her eyes. But it was bittersweet b
ecause her thoughts immediately returned to Joyce. Who was she? Why did she have the same surname? And why had she come into her life now, only to leave with so many unanswered questions?

  The refuge would be her best chance of finding someone who knew Joyce. She was determined to leave no stone unturned to discover all she could about the mysterious Joyce Thomas Page.

  The Job

  The week flew by and by the end of it, Sam was exhausted. Anyone she came across at the shelter was subject to a barrage of questions about Joyce. Yet still, she had no answers. No one knew her or had even heard of her.

  Maybe she wasn’t real. But she still had the business card in her pocket, so she quickly dismissed that notion.

  Sunday night arrived, and as she prepared her clothes to wear to her first day of work, a peace settled over her when she realised she could ask Mr Harman about Joyce.

  Sam got up extra early, put on an old dress and covered her hair with a blue and yellow scarf, then took off to help with breakfast at the refuge. It was more crowded than usual so preparing and serving the food was hard work. But it helped to settle her nerves.

  At seven-fifteen, a few sisters got together to remind her to start getting ready for her new job at the museum. They all held hands and ran around in a circle with her in the middle shouting, “New job! New job!”

  They sent her off home where she had a quick shower, got dressed and carefully applied the red lipstick she had squirrelled away for this day. She walked briskly across Hyde Park and slowed down further as she approached the museum.

  Arriving with five minutes to spare, Sam was led into the staff room and told to wait there. She didn’t need to wait long.

  “Hi, Samantha. I’m Tom Anderson, the laboratory manager.” He offered his hand and gave her a firm handshake.

  “Hi, Tom,” she said, returning his friendly smile.

  “About our dress code—you can arrive and leave dressed however you want but you will be issued daily with a special set of work overalls that don’t leave the museum. It’s our responsibility to clean and maintain them, you understand.” Without waiting for her acknowledgment, he continued, “Please come with me to the laboratory where we can sort out your paperwork and start on your induction. You’ll be an old hand in no time.” Tom chuckled as he kept one eye on Sam while escorting her down deep into the pits of the museum.