Moon - The Chocolate Promise

ECUADOR

It has been raining for weeks. Heavy, drumming, soaking rain that no one and nothing can escape. Rivers burst their banks, rush towards villages and engulf crops. The surface of the land is fluid. Nothing is dry. Nothing.

Everything and everyone has had to retreat and wait, patiently, for as long as it takes, for the waters to subside.

And when they do, they will find that the earth has changed shape and long-buried secrets will emerge into the light.

EVANDALE

Christmas had her textbooks open on the workbench, bunches of dried herbs and little blue bottles of pure essential oils nearby and a tank of chocolate beside her. She was working on a new range of chocolates, infused with medicinal levels of oils and herbs that had reputed pain-relieving properties. Shed recently found a course in France that taught aromatic medicineingesting essential oils for medicinal benefitand the brochure was plastered to the stainless-steel fridge door, right next to Jackson Kents thank-you card for his DVD of The Sound of Music, which had arrived safely in Johannesburg.

Studying in France for a year was a mouth-watering prospect, not least because shed reconnected with Mim and would love to spend more time with her, Hank and Margot. And Mim had sent her an email from America, saying that Margot had recently confided in her and told her about her first true love and true heartbreakand that was what had been keeping Margot distracted and tight-lipped. Away from Paris, the boy in question and her circle of peers, Margot had let down her defences and Mim said she hadnt felt this close to her daughter in a long time. Christmas wanted to hug them both, and she could do that, if she was back in France. She wasnt yet sure how she could make a one-year course in France happen, but she was letting the idea sit for a while, to see if it might take root and grow into a real possibility.

Now that Cheyenne and Wilbur were settling in well together, Cheyenne might just be able to manage The Apothecary in Christmass absence. Christmas would have to work a bit harder at her French lessons, though, if she was going to be able to get by in France. Shed have to catch up with Lien, at least. Lien loved the fact that she was the star of their language cohort. And it made Christmas happy to see her succeeding and gaining confidence.

She leaned back on the stool and stretched her arms up high above her head, then let her left hand fall to the vintage brooch pinned to her shirt. It had been a gift from Elsa, from her very own collection.

Its the bluebird of happiness, Elsa had said, placing it in Christmass palm and closing her fingers around it. Its brought me much luck over my life and now I want you to have it.

Its a great honour that you would give it to me, Christmas had said, looking to Lincoln quickly for approval. Are you sure?

Elsa sat back in her wheelchair, defiant. No arguments. And then she reflected some more. Besides, its as much for me as it is for you. Seeing you two happy together makes me happy too.

Well, its beautiful, thank you. Ill take great care of it. Christmas reached out her free hand to hold Lincolns, while his other hand rubbed methodically at Caesars ears on the bungalow floor beside him. Caesar was dressed in his Super-dog cape.

I always knew you two were supposed to be together, Elsa went on, while Christmas poured her some more tea.

Did you? she asked, genuinely surprised.

Oh yes. Rita tried to tell me it wouldnt happen because we couldnt see the light.

Lincoln tilted his head to the side. Light? And then he shot Christmas a furtive, panicked glance because Elsa was talking about seeing the light.

But I know now what happened, Elsa said. She looked at Christmas. You were hiding your light, werent you? You didnt want it to be seen. She smiled gleefully at this as though shed cracked an agonising mystery.

Christmas replaced the teapot on the table and considered Elsa, impressed. Yes, she replied. I was afraid.

Elsa clapped her hands and whooped. Gosh, I wish Lulu could hear you say that. But Ritawe must tell Rita. Next time you come, can you tell her what you just told me?

Sure, Christmas said uncertainly.

Excellent! Elsa reached for another of Christmass chocolate pralines. I cant wait to see her face.

Now, sitting in the kitchen, Christmas smiled at the memory. Elsa was such a crafty old dear. And so sharp. She should take Rosemary and Gordon with her to visit Green Hills. Maybe they could put on a penny farthing display for the residents. And she was sure theyd get on with Elsa like a house on fire. Rosemary and Elsa were both so charismatic, and Gordon, she was discovering, had a cheeky sense of humour she knew Elsa would appreciate.

The grandfather clocka recent addition to the storechimed two oclock, reminding Christmas to turn on the television. Emily, having originally gone to Melbourne as a researcher for the childrens show, had quickly been identified as genuine, raw, unaffected talent and dragged in front of the camera. Now she was presenting three days a week and loving it. She was a total natural too, Christmas thought. All those hours playing dress-up and making crafts with her nieces had paid off. It was lovely to see her star rising. And from what shed hinted during their last phone call, the producer hadnt just taken notice of her for her presenting talent. He liked her for a whole lot more than that.

Lincoln burst through the back door, startling her. A tower of biology assignments weighed him down. They were from his students; he was a lecturer now for an online university program, which meant he got to stay in Evandale and work from home. He hoisted the papers onto a bench, then pulled a beef bone out of a shopping bag and handed it to Caesar, telling him to stay outside in the garden. Then he turned back to face Christmas, a whirl of excitement, grabbed her by the arms and kissed her hard on the lips.

Wow! she said, coming up for air. What was that for?

I just got an email from the research station in Ecuador.

And?

He picked her up and spun her around before hoisting her up onto the bench and standing between her legs and kissing her again. Its the best news!

What do you mean?

They found a new species! He thumped the bench in triumph. Its incredible. And I think its going to help you too. This might just be the magic cacao tree youve been looking for!

She held his face in her hands, laughing. Slow down. What are you talking about?

Pulling away in his excitement, he began to pace the room. Theres been widespread flooding in the Amazon, and now that the waters are receding theyve found all sorts of thingsburied treasure, ancient sites, crypts. And a very old tomb that, evidently, a small fraction of sunlight had already penetrated, because there was a clay pot in there, with seeds in it, which were often placed in tombs, but one of those seeds germinated and has grown into a sapling, and now that the tomb has been exposed theyve found it! Theyve found it! A whole new variety of Theobroma cacao! Do you know what this means?

Hope exploded in her chest, though she was hesitant to embrace it. Its a new lead? she said.

Exactly! He snapped his fingers, then ran them through his hair and laughed out loud. It could be the Holy Grail of chocolate. He took a breath and calmed himself. Or, it could be nothing. But thats the thrill. Thats the chase. Its what scientists love, and they want me to fly over as soon as possible and see what I think.

Christmas slid off the bench. But for how long?

Just two weeks.

Oh! I thought for a minute you were going... like, leaving me.