they pulled up in the shade of a giant Poinsettia tree, a flyscreen door flew open and Robyn appeared in her wheelchair, her face alight with excitement. Keri dropped her things and ran to her friend, crouching down to give her a warm hug. 'It's so good to see you again,' she whispered in Robyn's ear. In truth, she was shocked at how thin Robyn had become. Her wrists and ankles were mostly bone and her sparkling eyes looked huge in her pale face.
Keri was careful not to let her distress show. The last thing Robyn ever wanted was pity. She made her smile broader. 'Let's go inside. Ben Says he'll get someone to take care of my luggage.'
At the mention of luggage, Robyn's head bobbed up and down vigorously and she tugged questioningly at Keri's shirt sleeve.
'Yes, Ben talked me into staying here,' she said in answer to Robyn's unspoken question. She decided to let Ben break the rest of their news to his sister. She had never lied to Robyn before and she didn't know how to start now.
Inside, the double drawing-room was cool and welcoming. A pair of kumquat trees in heavy cane baskets flanked a window and potted plants were in abundance. Sofas and chairs slip-covered in floral linen made conversational groups around the huge room and an old drum acted as a drinks table. On a tripod table, Robyn's collection of Georgian and Victorian silver gleamed from its owner's frequent polishing.
Keri made a small pirouette in the centre of the room. 'This room is still as beautiful as ever,' she exclaimed.
Robyn wheeled herself over to a window. Beneath it was a side table on which sat a computer complete with screen and printer. It looked startlingly modern alongside the antique silverware. 'Is this yours?' Keri asked, bending over it.
Close-up, she saw that the keyboard had been modified to accommodate Robyn's exaggerated movements. The woman settled herself in front of it and with a few keystrokes brought the screen to life. 'My new alphabet board,' she typed and the words flashed on to the screen.
'How marvellous! It's so much faster,' Keri enthused.
'That's not all,' came the typed response. 'Look.'
Before Keri's astonished eyes, Robyn worked a separate keypad and made lights flash on and off around the room. At another touch, shutters lowered over the windows then lifted again, and a wooden-bladed fan began to whir overhead.
Keri hugged her friend. 'I'm impressed.'
'Computer in the kitchen works appliances,' Robyn typed on her screen. 'Keypad in my room works bedroom and bathroom.'
Ben had done his sister proud, Keri thought with a choked feeling. No expense had been spared to ensure that she could enjoy as independent a life as possible. But there was another surprise in store for her.
'Robyn achieved most of this by herself.'
Keri straightened to find Ben lounging in the doorway, watching them. He saw the surprise flicker across her face. 'You remember those outback paintings she used to do?'
She nodded. 'They were excellent.
'Quite a few people agree, enough to provide Rob with a good income.'
The insistent tapping of the keyboard drew Keri's attention. 'Most buyers don't know the painter is handicapped,' Robyn typed.
Keri dropped to her knees beside the wheelchair and gripped her friend's arm. 'That's because they think like me. How can you be handicapped when you give the world so much?'
Tears glistened in Robyn's eyes and she enveloped Keri's hands in both of hers. The wordless welcome couldn't have been plainer.
Ben came into the room and placed both hands on his sister's shoulders. 'There's more good news to come. Have you told her yet?'
Robyn's questioning glance flew to Keri and she shook her head. 'I was waiting for you.'
'How thoughtful of you,' he said drily. 'Well, we mustn't keep Rob in suspense. Keri has agreed to become my wife.'
With an indrawn gasp, Robyn swivelled to her keyboard and typed in capital letters, 'Yippee!!' with a string of exclamation points which went off the edge of the screen.
Keri was careful not to let her distress show. The last thing Robyn ever wanted was pity. She made her smile broader. 'Let's go inside. Ben Says he'll get someone to take care of my luggage.'
At the mention of luggage, Robyn's head bobbed up and down vigorously and she tugged questioningly at Keri's shirt sleeve.
'Yes, Ben talked me into staying here,' she said in answer to Robyn's unspoken question. She decided to let Ben break the rest of their news to his sister. She had never lied to Robyn before and she didn't know how to start now.
Inside, the double drawing-room was cool and welcoming. A pair of kumquat trees in heavy cane baskets flanked a window and potted plants were in abundance. Sofas and chairs slip-covered in floral linen made conversational groups around the huge room and an old drum acted as a drinks table. On a tripod table, Robyn's collection of Georgian and Victorian silver gleamed from its owner's frequent polishing.
Keri made a small pirouette in the centre of the room. 'This room is still as beautiful as ever,' she exclaimed.
Robyn wheeled herself over to a window. Beneath it was a side table on which sat a computer complete with screen and printer. It looked startlingly modern alongside the antique silverware. 'Is this yours?' Keri asked, bending over it.
Close-up, she saw that the keyboard had been modified to accommodate Robyn's exaggerated movements. The woman settled herself in front of it and with a few keystrokes brought the screen to life. 'My new alphabet board,' she typed and the words flashed on to the screen.
'How marvellous! It's so much faster,' Keri enthused.
'That's not all,' came the typed response. 'Look.'
Before Keri's astonished eyes, Robyn worked a separate keypad and made lights flash on and off around the room. At another touch, shutters lowered over the windows then lifted again, and a wooden-bladed fan began to whir overhead.
Keri hugged her friend. 'I'm impressed.'
'Computer in the kitchen works appliances,' Robyn typed on her screen. 'Keypad in my room works bedroom and bathroom.'
Ben had done his sister proud, Keri thought with a choked feeling. No expense had been spared to ensure that she could enjoy as independent a life as possible. But there was another surprise in store for her.
'Robyn achieved most of this by herself.'
Keri straightened to find Ben lounging in the doorway, watching them. He saw the surprise flicker across her face. 'You remember those outback paintings she used to do?'
She nodded. 'They were excellent.
'Quite a few people agree, enough to provide Rob with a good income.'
The insistent tapping of the keyboard drew Keri's attention. 'Most buyers don't know the painter is handicapped,' Robyn typed.
Keri dropped to her knees beside the wheelchair and gripped her friend's arm. 'That's because they think like me. How can you be handicapped when you give the world so much?'
Tears glistened in Robyn's eyes and she enveloped Keri's hands in both of hers. The wordless welcome couldn't have been plainer.
Ben came into the room and placed both hands on his sister's shoulders. 'There's more good news to come. Have you told her yet?'
Robyn's questioning glance flew to Keri and she shook her head. 'I was waiting for you.'
'How thoughtful of you,' he said drily. 'Well, we mustn't keep Rob in suspense. Keri has agreed to become my wife.'
With an indrawn gasp, Robyn swivelled to her keyboard and typed in capital letters, 'Yippee!!' with a string of exclamation points which went off the edge of the screen.
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