"No. I'm sick of everyone giving him what he wants. It was all ‘Cade this’ and ‘Cade that’. Cade must play football because he is good at it. That’s what Cade wants. I'm so damned sick of it. I want a home for my child and a business of my own. Now I have a chance to get it, and I won't let him stand in my way."
"Since when have I had it all my way?" Cade pulled himself to his feet ready to do battle with his sister. "I've worked for everything I have, and don't you forget it. For some reason you all think being a sports star is all glamour. Well let me tell you, it isn't. I have to work my arse off every day to stay in shape and train, to say nothing of the promotional crap that gets thrown at us." Cade held onto the edge of his chair to stop from toppling over. The whiskey played havoc with his balance. "You were always Father’s little girl, Rooney. Why the hell do you think he took it so damned hard when he caught you with your pants down? You disappointed him, that's why." He laughed bitterly. "You were the final chance he had to make one of us the next member of the dynasty and look what happened. Little Katie stepped in where none of us wanted to be and now she’s in charge."
He saw the colour race up Kate's cheeks. "So, instead of falling into line with Father’s idea of a farming dynasty, you go and get knocked up by the local bad boy. For fuck’s sake, it's laughable. You would always think of yourself before anyone else."
"That's enough, all of you." Tory stepped between Cade and Rooney.
"Mind your own business, Tory. I haven't finished." Cade pushed him out of the way. "I will make up my mind about moving home when I'm good and ready, little sister, and there is nothing you can do about it. I'm going to bed."
Cade turned and hobbled out of the room. He leaned on the entry way wall for support as he headed for the veranda for his crutches. His leg ached like never before and despite the amount he’d drunk, Cade knew there was more to it than the doctors where telling him. After being so stupid and leaving his crutches outside, he knew the pain he would feel tomorrow wouldn’t be good.
The rush of voices sounded behind him. Cade ignored them as he headed upstairs to his room and slammed the door. He ripped his shirt over his head and threw it on the floor. The room was hot and stuffy. Cade hopped over to the window, his knee throbbing each time his foot landed on the floor, the pain making him feel sick. Grabbing at the turned timber handles on the sill, he lifted the window and pushed it up, breathing in the cooler air that rushed inside.
He lay down on his bed without pulling down the quilt. Why did he have the jitters about his injury when normally it wouldn't bother him? Deep down he knew but didn't want to admit it, even to himself. This time he knew it was more crippling than before. It could mean the end of his football career, and he wasn't ready for that. He wished he could tell his family the reason he was so belligerent but he couldn't face the sympathy, not yet.
Chapter Twelve
Russ woke the next morning with anticipation running through his veins. He chose his suit and shirt with care, spending extra time on his appearance. First impressions meant a lot to him and he wouldn't do the meet and greet with mismatched socks or a bad tie. He splashed on a small amount of cologne and looked at his reflection in the oval, full-length mirror in the corner of his room.
Satisfied, he took his wallet from his bedside table along with his phone and keys before walking out of his room. The bedroom door opposite was still closed and there wasn't a sound coming from inside the room. He assumed his brother was sleeping off the drinking binge from the day before.
Russ looked forward to returning to the hospital where he’d been born. A fresh start, a new job and a return to the home he loved put a spring in his step as he headed down the stairs.
The sound of laughter came from the direction of the kitchen. He pushed open the door and smiled. Essie stirred a pan on the stove while Kate leaned on the kitchen counter, cradling a large coffee mug between her hands.
"Morning, ladies, how are you this bright, sunny morning?" Russ placed his car keys on the counter with his phone and headed to the oversized coffee machine.
"Much better than yesterday, thanks. Get away with you, I'll do that," Essie said as she nudged him with her hip.
Russ made eye contact with Kate, who grinned. "I see nothing has changed in this kitchen."
"And why would it then? Things were working just fine and they will continue to do so under my watch." Essie turned to him with a baleful glance. "Just because you've grown up some since I saw you last doesn't mean anything has changed in this house, you know. I still run the kitchen my way. Go and sit."
She turned on the machine and placed a mug underneath the spout before hot coffee dribbled down, filling the kitchen with a delicious aroma.
"Morning, Kate, sleep well?" Russ dropped onto the stool beside her.
"Yes, surprisingly I did." She gave him a gentle smile, her lips twitching. "After the bombshell Rooney dropped on us yesterday, I kind of figured my mind would be churning over the news and wouldn't sleep a wink." Kate drained her mug and pushed it away before resting her chin on her hand. "What do you think is going to happen when Stevie finds out?"
"There will be hell to play, that's what." Essie placed coffee in front of Russ. "That boy isn't going to take the news lying down, I know that for a fact."
"What makes you so sure he will even care?" Kate raised an eyebrow at the older woman.
"He may have been a bit wild as a teenager but things have changed. He's a reliable member of the community now and you can ask anyone what he’s like. Straight down the middle, Stevie is. I think our girl is in for a shock." Essie poured pancake batter in small pan on the stove. "Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to having Rooney and her little one home, but I don't reckon it's going to be as easy as she thinks."
"Essie is right. I don't have much to do with the law mind you, but by all accounts Stevie Taylor has turned out to be a pretty good guy. It's a shame things weren't resolved before now. It could get nasty since Rooney has left it so long," Kate said.
"Well, that is something she’ll have to sort out for herself. I have things of my own to work out." He took a sip of the coffee, sighing as the hot cup of joy slid over his tongue, buzzing his taste buds awake. "Oh Essie, that would have to be the best coffee I've had."
She stepped in front of him, a hint of pink on her age-lined cheeks, and deposited a plate piled high with pancakes in front of him. She added a small bottle of maple syrup and a pot of butter curls to the side of his plate.
Russ reached out and grabbed either side of her face, pulling her close for a fast kiss of gratitude. Essie grinned and bustled away to clear up her dishes.
"Kate, aren't you eating?" Russ asked before he cut a wedge of syrup-drenched pancakes and jammed them in his mouth. He closed his eyes in bliss and groaned as he chewed.
"I'm all good, thanks. Had mine already." She stood and walked to the sink, dropping her mug into the hot bubbly water. "Back for lunch, Essie. You have a good day, Russ. I expect you will knock them all dead in there. It's about time the hospital had a handsome young doctor instead of the old fogies they’ve been hiring. Place could do with a shake up."
Kate grabbed her hat from the hook on the back door and jammed it on her red, wavy hair. With a wiggle of her fingers she walked out the door, shutting it behind her.
"True, Russ. It will be good to have someone a little bit younger than Dr Rivers. He was so set in his ways, and that was a shame. I hope you enjoy getting into a small community hospital and don't get bored with how quiet it will be compared to a big Sydney hospital."
"Not a chance. It wasn't so bad where I was, just too big and impersonal. I prefer knowing who I work with. Blame it on being brought up as a small town country boy." He ate contentedly until his plate was clean, resisting the temptation to lick the plate. When he looked up, Essie watched him with a knowing expression borne of familiarity on her face.
"I can just imagine what's going through your mind. Put that in the sink and be off with you. I have cle
aning to catch up on and dinner to prepare for tonight." She wiped her hands on her apron and took a cooler box from the big industrial fridge. Essie held it out to him. "You enjoy your day."
Russ was taken back. His wife had never made his lunch, even when he was struggling with late hours and little sleep. He took the offering and wrapped his arms around her shoulders before dropping a kiss on her grey hair. "Thank you, Essie. I can always count on you to look after me."
"I'm glad you came home, Russ. Now we just have to hope the others follow suit and stay."
Russ picked up his keys and phone and waved her goodbye as he walked out the door.
By the time he got to the hospital, the streets were busier than he remembered with early morning traffic. Perhaps it’s market day at the cattle yards. He drove through the car park looking for a space to park his BMW. When he got to reception, it was five minutes past nine. "Dr Russ Williams to see Nurse Elizabeth Stanley."
"Take a seat, Doctor. I'll page her for you."
Russ walked over to the window and looked out. The trees were just bursting to life with new foliage erupting from tight buds and birds flitted in and out of the branches. He smiled. He would enjoy working where there was space for trees and grass. That’s what he’d missed most about living and working in the city—no nature, just concrete and steel.
"Dr Williams?"
He turned and faced the woman who spoke. Russ guessed she was in her early thirties. Tall and slim, she stood straight-backed and stiff with her hands clasped together. Russ let his gaze rest on her face as he stepped forward. Her dark hair was twisted up into a bun on the back of her head and her dark eyes watched him angrily, white lines around her mouth. "Yes. Nurse Stanley?" He held out his hand.
"You are late, Doctor. Follow me please." She turned on her heel and walked away, her black shoes squeaking on the polished floor of the hallway. He watched her for a second before his brain told his feet to move, more intent on looking at the way her navy skirt moulded around her hips and fell to just above her shapely knees.
Russ followed, the feeling in his gut reminding him of his first day at university when he was chewed out by a lecturer for being late because he couldn't find his way. The last thing he wanted was to get off side with Nurse Stanley. She was the head of the Nursing Unit and they would have to work closely together for the duration of his contract. Nurses were often awarded more respect than doctors, especially when the doctor was new to town, so he would have to bide his time and earn her respect.
She walked through a maze of corridors and stopped to glance over her shoulder at him before walking into an office. Nurse Stanley held the door, waiting for him to follow her in. Indicating a chair in front of the desk, she pushed the door shut before walking around and pulling out her chair.
Russ swallowed and took a seat, his stomach rolling as though he was back in front of his school teacher. The penalty in a small town hospital for being late couldn't be too bad, could it?
***
"Right then." Lizzie sat and looked at the doctor opposite her. Her heart did a small flip that left her breathless. Doctor Russ Williams was stunning, and he was in her hospital. He watched her with deep blue eyes and a small smile lifting the corners of his mouth. A mouth so kissable, the mere sight of his lips jolted right down to the pit of her stomach. Desire long hidden surged up her throat, threatening to steal away her composure. She took a deep breath and looked at some paperwork on her desk to give her time to prepare herself.
He wore a dark blue suit and white shirt that showed off his lightly tanned skin to perfection. A navy and white striped tie finished the outfit, making him look like he'd just stepped out of the pages of a fashion magazine. Doctor Williams would set the tongues wagging, of that Lizzie had no doubt.
"So, Doctor..."
"Please, call me Russ." He smiled, his perfect white teeth vivid against his skin. "We’re going to be working closely together so we may as well cut the formalities."
"I'm not sure that is a good thing. This is a hospital after all, and I have to keep a certain amount of control over the staff." Lizzie licked her lips before continuing, "I do hope you aren't going to be one of those doctors who don't follow protocol, Doctor Williams."
He laughed and lifted a hand, running it through his short blond hair. "No, certainly not. I follow the book but I thought, working in a smaller community hospital, the staff would all know each other and be a little friendlier than in the big city. I do hope I'm not mistaken."
He kept his gaze on her face and Lizzie fidgeted with the edge of her white cotton blouse, rolling the fabric between her thumb and forefinger. "Look, I don't want to come across as a hard taskmaster but in front of my staff, especially my younger staff, I would appreciate it if you and I kept to formalities. Some of the nurses may get too familiar with staff and patients, and that makes my job all the more difficult." She swallowed as he kept his gaze on her face. "This is a work environment and we are here to help people, not make friends."
"If that’s what makes you happy, so be it."
"Thank you. Now, let me fill you in on the roster and how things run here. Although I'm sure it won't be much different to what you’re used to, it would make me happier to know I've gone over everything with you."
For the next hour, Lizzie went over the hospital system, rosters and staff. When she was sure there wasn't anything she’d forgotten, she stood up.
"Right then, we should go on a tour so you can familiarise yourself with everything and meet the staff before you get dragged into the fray."
"I'd like that, thank you." Russ stood and opened the door for her, following as she left the office.
Lizzie wasn't at all surprised at the adoring looks Doctor Williams got from the female staff, both young and old. She had time for a small pang of jealousy before reminding herself she was off the dating roster for her own good. Jealousy that now make her regret the decision to stop dating but with the horrors from her past, Lizzie wasn't prepared to put her heart on the line again.
Chapter Thirteen
Rooney drove her trusty station wagon up the driveway to her childhood home, past the large dam she had swum in as a child, past the weeping willows where she and the boys had built countless tree houses and forts.
"You'll like it here, Tam." She smiled reassuringly at her daughter who gazed out the window with a frown on her young face.
"I wish we could have stayed with Pete and Julie." Rooney heard the sigh in her voice. "I don't know anyone here."
She reached out and grabbed her daughter’s hand, squeezing her fingers. "You know it will take you all of five minutes to find people to talk to. Once you’re enrolled in school, you’ll find your feet. I know you will."
Tam turned and looked out the window again, saying nothing more.
Rooney drove up the back, past the old Morton Bay figs and around by the old stables. Chickens scattered as she past the kitchen garden and pulled up at the back of the house. She unclipped her seatbelt, turned off the engine and got out of the car. "Let's go."
Walking around to open the passenger door, she helped Tamara slip out of her seatbelt and took her hand as she got out. As the door screen slammed and Essie cried out, Tamara tucked into Rooney's side.
Essie ran toward them, her arms outstretched. The tears streamed down her cheeks as she hugged Rooney. "Hey Essie, you knew I was coming back. Shush, it's alright."
"I was so worried you would change your mind when you got back to the city." She looked down at Tamara hugging her mother's side. "Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you with my carrying on." She crouched down and held her hand out. "I'm Essie. I looked after your mother when she was a little thing just like you."
"I'm not little. And I don't need looking after."
"Well, that's good to hear then because I know there is heaps I need to do around here. Not sure I have time to go running around after a little girl when I should be baking chocolate chip biscuits and roasting chi
cken for tonight's dinner."
Tamara looked at the housekeeper before glancing up at her mother, a question in her eyes. "You can ask, but mind your manners." Rooney twisted her lips to keep the smile tucked away as Tam eyed off Essie. When the grip on her leg eased, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Can I have a biscuit, please?"
"How about I give you one after you help your mother with your bags, Tamara?" Essie straightened and pressed her hands down her apron, smoothing out the creases as she waited for an answer.
"Tam, I get called Tam."
"Fine, Tam it is. Let me go ahead and get you a drink and a biscuit then while you grab a bag. Your mother can show you to your room and when you’re ready, come on down to the kitchen."
"Thanks, Essie."
"I've put you in your mother’s room, Rooney. Tam can have yours."
Rooney swallowed the lump filling her throat. Blinking rapidly, she brushed away the tears that threatened to run down her cheeks. "Fine." She walked to the back of her car and lifted the boot lid. She handed a small suitcase to Tam and grabbed her own, deciding to leave the boxes until later. With more gusto than warranted, she slammed the boot before guiding her daughter inside.
They walked through the kitchen, ignoring the heavenly smells of roasting chicken and fresh baked cookies. Rooney pulled her suitcase up the stairs, pausing every now and then to wait for Tam who followed behind her. When they reached her old bedroom she stopped, resting her suitcase against the wall. She stepped into the room and looked around. Her bed was against the wall under the window, just as it had been when she’d walked away with nothing more than the clothes she was wearing and a back pack stuffed full of things she couldn't bear to leave behind.
The dressing table mirror still had the love hearts cut out of red cardboard stuck to the glass with blue tack They were faded now. Rooney walked over and traced her fingers over the one with cut out pictures of her and Stevie. She pulled it off and jammed it in her pocket.
Coming Home (Williams Siblings) Page 8