by Fiona Palmer
‘God, I missed this place,’ said Toni. And as they pulled up outside the house, she finally replied to Flick’s question. ‘We tell her the truth, I guess.’
Flick honked the horn, but she needn’t have bothered as Nan was already running onto the verandah, apron on and tea towel hanging from her hands. She threw it onto the nearby chair and headed towards the car. Jimmy came running from the direction of the shed with Gypsy and Fella in tow. Flick bit her lip as she felt the relief of coming home, the exhaustion making her emotional.
She flung open her door and was mobbed as two dogs launched at them. ‘Fella, Gypsy! Missed you guys.’ Gypsy wandered off after saying hi, but Fella stayed glued to her side, racing around her feet and barking. He was so thrilled, his bark was becoming a squeak.
‘He totally was lost without you,’ said Jimmy. He pushed past Fella to grab her into a tight hug. ‘We actually thought we’d lost the bugger. Gave us a fright. The little mutt was curled up beside Contractor. Wouldn’t even come when we called.’ Jimmy stepped back and smiled. ‘Wow, you’re a sight for sore eyes. Tired?’ he asked.
‘Yes, very. Nothing a cuppa wouldn’t fix.’ Flick stepped into Maggie’s waiting embrace. ‘Ciao, Nan,’ she said.
‘Oh, lah-dee-dah,’ teased Jimmy, and Maggie laughed.
‘I’m so glad you’re both home.’ Maggie grasped Flick’s head in her hands and kissed her forehead.
Toni stepped towards Maggie. ‘Hey, Mum.’
‘Hello, my baby,’ Maggie said with a grin as she let Flick go. ‘How are you?’
Toni didn’t reply but stepped into Maggie’s arms and held her tight. Flick smiled stupidly as she watched them finally reunite. She glanced at Jimmy, who was also grinning. He gave her a wink as if to say, ‘Job well done.’
‘I missed you, Mum,’ Toni said at last. She clung to Maggie as if she held all the answers to her problems.
‘I missed you too, love.’
They pulled apart and both wiped the corners of their eyes.
‘We have so much to tell you,’ said Flick. ‘Is the kettle on? Let’s unpack later.’
‘Yes, great idea,’ said Toni with a sigh. ‘It’s been a bloody long day – and night! But I’m having a beer,’ she said. Toni glanced at Jimmy. ‘You want one?’ she asked as she headed to the fridge on the verandah.
Jimmy’s smile slid away. ‘Please, thanks.’
Flick tucked Maggie’s arm in hers and they all headed inside to sit around the table. She made herself and Maggie a coffee, of the instant kind.
‘This coffee is nothing like Italian coffee,’ said Flick. ‘I wish we’d brought some back. It was divine.’ If she closed her eyes and thought really hard she could almost smell the perfectly brewed coffee.
‘Are we going to get this every morning at breakfast from now on?’ Jimmy raised an eyebrow.
‘Maybe,’ she teased.
Maggie’s eyes swam with emotion and unanswered questions. She pursed her lips but never asked. Flick knew she was fighting between wanting to know and not wanting to know. Toni had worn the same expression not that long ago.
The table fell silent. Jimmy sipped his beer and Flick looked to Toni, waiting for her to explain about Rocco.
Toni wriggled in her chair and cleared her throat. ‘I guess we should get this over with. Mum, we found out Rocco is alive.’
Maggie swallowed hard and blinked rapidly.
‘He actually lives here in Australia,’ added Flick. She figured she’d better just blurt it all out, like ripping off a band-aid. Besides, her mum could probably use the help.
‘What?’ Maggie whispered. ‘Here? How can that be? You have just been all the way to Italy.’
‘That’s right, where we found his family, who told us that Rocco lives here in Western Australia,’ Flick explained.
‘He came back to Australia for you, so his sister said,’ Toni continued. ‘Ended up buying land in Quairading, where he still lives to this day with his family.’
‘He came back,’ Maggie said softly. Her shoulders had drooped forward and for the first time in years, she seemed old and frail.
Toni nodded.
‘Nan, he got married late in life and had two kids. I don’t know why he didn’t come and find you,’ said Flick. ‘I’m so sorry.’
‘Maybe he did,’ said Jimmy, startling them all.
The women turned to him like guns trained on a target. ‘What if he did come by and ran into your parents first or something? Would they really want to tell you Rocco was there when by this time you were married with a kid? I know I wouldn’t want to upset my daughter’s new life, especially if she was happy.’
The table fell silent. They all knew he was right.
‘Yeah, a respectable local man or an ex-prisoner of war with nothing? I know what I would have done,’ said Flick, watching Maggie carefully.
‘So he lives here?’ Maggie asked.
‘Yes. In Quairading, of all places!’ Flick thought she had better deliver the next bit of news. Her mum was still struggling with it herself. ‘We stopped by his farm on the way home. It’s called Maggie Downs.’
Maggie went pasty and started shaking her head. ‘No. Really? You’ve been there? Already? What did he say?’
Flick nervously watched her mum and nan, hoping neither of them would break and shatter. It had been one of those days and she wasn’t sure how much more her mum could take.
‘Well, we told him the truth and he kind of went into shock. Then his daughter came in and she was confused and angry with us so we thought it best to leave. He’ll need time. He was really upset, Nan.’ The image of Rocco, a strong able man, falling to pieces, flashed in her mind, and she felt the prickle of tears. Flick nodded, trying to convince them all she was right. ‘It was a little emotional for all of us.’ She glanced at her mum who sat quietly, beer untouched in her hand.
Maggie reached over to Toni. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t want to put you through any of this.’
‘It’s okay, Mum. I understand.’ Toni leant forward. ‘We did meet Francesca, though, and she was lovely.’
‘Rocco’s little sister? Really?’
‘Yes, with the help of a very handsome young local man named Stefano, but that is another story entirely . . .’
Maggie cleared her throat, straightened her shoulders, and plastered on a smile. ‘Right, I want to hear all about it.’
But as Flick started recounting their trip from the beginning, she could see Toni’s mind was far away – no doubt thinking of Rocco and how he was coping. At least she had an idea of what he would be going through. Flick just hoped that in time Rocco would be interested in meeting them all. Sure, she was an optimist but she really did hope a family reunion was possible.
Jimmy stood up, only five minutes into her story – they hadn’t even arrived at Montone yet – and excused himself.
‘Sorry, I’ve got to go feed the sheep before I forget. I’ll leave you to catch up.’ He gave Flick a wink. ‘You can fill me in later.’
‘You don’t have to go, Jimmy,’ said Toni. ‘The sheep will be all right, won’t they?’
It was late in the afternoon, after all. Flick watched Jimmy shrug, and tried to figure out the expression on his face.
‘I’ve got them in the white dam paddock and I haven’t got around to checking if the back fence is still up after that last rain. Don’t want them getting out. Will just be a quick trip.’ His smile was short and sharp before he turned and left.
They all watched him leave, the door shutting behind him. Toni tilted her head. ‘How was he while we were away?’
Maggie shook her head. ‘He was rather miserable without you both.’
‘Really?’
‘Antonia, I think you know,’ was all Maggie said.
Flick shivered from the intensity of their gaze, Nan with her all-knowing eyes and Toni who seemed to understand them fully.
Toni reached for Maggie’s weathered, slightly spotted hand with its paper-thin skin. It w
as still a source of strength. ‘Yes, Mum. I do know.’ Toni stood up, surprising them both. A smile crept across her face. ‘Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have something I must do.’
Then she turned and headed for the door.
33
TONI ran out the house after Jimmy, who was striding towards the shed.
‘Jimmy,’ she called, but he didn’t slow. When she was close enough she reached out and pulled on his arm. ‘Wait up, I want to talk to you,’ she said rather gruffly.
‘It’s okay, I don’t need any help,’ he said, facing her.
God, he was handsome. His blond hair was clipped, his stubble at that perfect length that she found sexy. ‘Good, ’cos I wasn’t going to offer you any.’
He blinked. Confused.
Toni reached out and caressed his face. It was now or never. She was throwing all her chips on the table. ‘I just wanted to tell you something that I probably should have told you a long time ago – I care for you, Jimmy. Actually, I’m in love with you.’ Tears threatened but she blinked them away.
Jimmy’s eyes shimmered in the dying light, realisation turning them a darker shade of jade. ‘What was that? I think I missed it.’
Toni smiled. It was rare that she ever caught Jimmy off guard. ‘I think you heard me. So what do you think? Have I missed the boat?’ Her heart stopped. Everything was hanging on his reply.
Jimmy closed his eyes, then he reached for her, pulling her into his arms with a strong wildness. ‘No, you haven’t missed the boat.’
Jimmy smelt like home: the sunshine, dirt and eucalyptus all rolled into one. God, it was so good to be back in his arms. Toni sucked in deep breaths of him. She’d needed this hug. She’d needed it at Rocco’s just as much as she’d needed it back when Maggie had told her the news about Rocco. The difference was that only now did she realise it, and only now did she let herself surrender to it.
‘I missed you like crazy,’ he murmured next to her ear.
She wanted to stay in his embrace forever, savouring the feel of his stubble against her cheek, the beat of his heart against her chest. It was heaven.
He pulled back so he could see her face. ‘So, you didn’t find any nice Italians over there, then?’ The cheeky grin she’d missed so much finally reappeared.
‘Yes, I did actually. A gorgeous bloke called Stefano. Such a gentleman.’ Toni almost laughed when Jimmy’s face darkened. She’d never seen him jealous before. She rather liked it on him. ‘And he and Flick got on like a house on fire.’ She felt giddy and excited, high on life – or was it love? Whatever it was she felt free, like she didn’t have to keep part of herself locked away any more.
‘Really? You sure she was all right with him? Is he worthy?’
And that right there was the main reason she loved Jimmy with all her heart. He loved her daughter as if she were his own, and that was just fine by her.
‘Yes. Let’s get going and feed the sheep, shall we? And I’ll tell you all about our trip.’
‘No.’
‘No?’ Toni was puzzled.
Jimmy smiled. ‘I’ve waited all this time; I’m not going anywhere yet with unfinished business.’ He caressed her face, then, holding her chin, he tilted it up and found her lips.
Toni let out a whimper and melted against him. He held her with those strong arms. Heat was burning through her.
Jimmy groaned and pulled back. ‘We’d better go or I’m not going to stop.’ There was no cheeky smile or teasing spark in his eyes. He was deadly serious.
The sun was starting to set in the west. Toni realised just how long her day had been, yet being in Jimmy’s arms filled her with energy she didn’t realise she had.
‘Who said I want you to stop?’ She loved the way his body reacted to her words.
Jimmy was watching her carefully. ‘Are you sure about this? About us?’
‘Even with everything that’s happened, I’ve never been more sure. I don’t want to waste any more time. I want to live in the moment.’ Toni cocked an eyebrow. ‘Are you sure about us?’
‘I’ve always been sure,’ he said seriously. ‘I think I loved you from the moment I set eyes on you.’ An evil glint flicked across his eyes. ‘Or maybe it was when I caught you skinny-dipping in the dam a few years ago.’
Toni threw her head back and laughed.
‘God, I’ve missed that sound,’ he said.
Passion swept into his gaze and Toni’s body tingled enough to curl her toes as Jimmy found her lips once again.
34
FLICK sat on Contractor as the sun rose on another beautiful day. Bright orange blazed across the tops of the crop, lighting them on fire.
‘I really did miss being with you guys,’ she said. It had nearly been two weeks since they’d arrived back from Italy. Leaning forward, she wrapped her arms around Contractor’s neck. ‘Did you miss me while I was away? I see you have a soft spot for Jimmy now too.’
Fella barked at the mention of Jimmy’s name and stood up, glancing around. Flick laughed. ‘He’s not here, Fella.’ She breathed in deeply. There really was nothing like home. Flick slid down from Contractor and walked towards the crop. Tall stalks held heads of wheat; Flick snapped one off and ground it between her hands, releasing the grain. So different from the big leafy tobacco plants in Italy.
The crops looked good this year: no frost, just plump grains. She flicked off the chaff and tipped the wheat into her mouth, chewing and crunching on the seeds. Grandad always chewed the grain as if it was gum. They would go crop inspecting together and Flick would retrieve some heads for him to study. He always called her his long legs. Sometimes he’d ask her to run through the crop, do cartwheels and jump around. The smile on his face was always worth it.
Flick pulled herself up onto Contractor. ‘Come on, time to head home.’ They were getting the header and field bins set up today. Jimmy wanted to take off a sample of barley for testing. And Flick wanted to check her email again. She and Stefano had been sending emails every day since she’d got home. She still had his first one pinned up in her room.
Buongiorno bella Felicity,
I hope you arrived home well. I miss you so much. I came home with my family in Montone. Coming home was hard without you. I see you everywhere. Everything is back to the way it was but it feels empty without you.
A più tardi,
Stefano.
They talked about everything. She’d told him about their flight home, meeting Rocco, and Nan’s reaction to the news. She’d told him how happy Fella and Contractor were now that she was back, and spoke of how much she missed him. And really, she did. While part of her had always hoped that it was little more than a holiday fling, Flick couldn’t deny that Stefano was on her mind all the time. She missed him with an ache that cut deep to her core – a pain that hurt far more than her break-up with Chad.
It made her realise how hard it must have been for Nan to say goodbye to the man she loved. Flick wasn’t sure if she was in love with Stefano but it felt darn close.
Once she’d put Contractor back in the stables and fed him, she made her way over to the old house. Jimmy had moved in, and his stuff filled up the house – stray clothes, boots and CDs, making it feel warm and lived-in. Flick was also adding her own personal flair to the mix – her shoes, hats and collection of snow domes. While she’d been overseas Jimmy had finished setting up the spare rooms, no doubt ready for his family to visit, and in doing so had made the house feel complete.
The floorboards creaked under her steps. The wide passageway felt bright with the cream-coloured walls against the wooden floor. Jimmy had even hung up some of the black and white photos Flick had found of the house after it was built. He’d framed them with jarrah panels from the old shearing shed. They were rustic, even with nail holes, but Jimmy had brought them to life and it just suited the warmth of their house.
Flick headed straight into the lounge room by the kitchen, where she had set up the new computer. It had arrived while she was away,
and Jimmy and the local computer guy, Russ, had set it up for her. At least this way she had privacy when reading her emails. Jimmy wasn’t likely to look over her shoulder – not like Nan and Mum.
She flicked on the computer, happy that it started up more quickly than the old one. Clicking on her mailbox she watched as a message downloaded. It was from Stefano.
With a whoop of delight she started reading, at first zooming through it quickly but then going back to read it again and again.
Buongiorno bella Felicity,
Si, I still miss you. I go to the lights of Umbertide most nights to feel close to you. Sofia thinks I am silly but I know it is more. I feel it in my heart. We had new Aussie tourists in Montone, an older couple but their accent reminded me of you. Because I miss you I have talked to my parents about coming to Australia as I have the money put aside. They are happy for me to go and experience your country. They gave me two months. Can I still visit? You use me for harvest, si? I wait your reply.
A più tardi,
Stefano.
‘Flick, are you in here?’ yelled Jimmy.
‘Yeah,’ she yelled back, then heard the creaks as he came down the passageway.
‘I need your help, can you drive the tractor with the field bin to the paddock while I take the header? Your mum had to go into town to get oil and grease for the truck.’ He frowned when he saw her face. ‘What’s up?’
Flick felt like she was going to burst. ‘I just had an email from Stefano. He wants to come help us with harvest, if it’s still okay.’ She knew she was probably grinning like the Cheshire cat. ‘Is that all right?’
Jimmy laughed. ‘Don’t know why you’re asking me, I just work here. You need to check with the boss.’
‘Well, she’s the one who offered it to him when we were over there, so she should be cool with it.’ Flick swivelled her chair around and tilted her head. ‘Hey, I consider you a boss here.’ She gave him a wink. ‘Especially seeing as you’re dating the big boss,’ she teased.