‘A nurse at the hospital.’
‘You mean the pretty little dark one?’
‘Yes, that’s the one.’
‘I knew it.’ She smiled again. ‘Don’t let anyone tell you I don’t know my children. I’ve seen you looking at her. She seems a nice girl — not that I have had much to do with her. There are actually a few nice nurses in the hospital. I’m not surprised you’ve asked one out.’
‘Up and at ’em, Ben. Clean your teeth for school,’ Annie said later, the moment he had finished his breakfast.
Tim watched Ben saunter to the bathroom before rising from the table and sliding his empty plates on the sideboard where Annie was elbow deep in suds. ‘Rachel wants to see the old man,’ he said to Annie, who immediately looked up at him with a horrified expression.
‘I don’t think that would be a good idea,’ she said. ‘He’ll only keep saying he doesn’t remember anything. I know that man like the back of my hand — well, as it turns out I don’t, but I know him well enough to be certain he will not own up to anything. So if it’s an apology she’s waiting for, or even an admission of what he has done, she will be waiting till hell freezes over.’ She shook her hands free of suds. ‘I’ll have to talk to her,’ she mumbled wiping her hands on the tea towel.
‘Why does Rachel want to see Dad?’ Ben said at the breakfast bar, glowering with the effort of pushing his lunchbox into his shambolic backpack.
Tim and Annie exchanged curious glances, each wondering how long Ben had been standing there. Tim answered his question. ‘I don’t know. Maybe she misses him,’ he said unable to think of a better reason.
‘I don’t miss him,’ Ben said innocently.
It was then, waiting for Annie to tie Ben’s shoelaces, Tim noticed the computer desk sat as usual in its dark corner of the family room, but that it was glaringly bare. ‘Where’s the computer?’ he said, striding over and seeing only a dark rectangle where the clunky computer had covered the timber for so many years.
Annie sent Ben off to fetch his windcheater from the bedroom. ‘I meant to tell you. The police took it,’ she said at Tim’s elbow, both peering down at the dark rectangle on the small timber desk where Peter had spent so many uninterrupted hours. ‘Jeezus, what next?’ Tim said rolling his eyes. ‘They don’t think he’s been downloading kiddy porn, do they?’
‘They said it’s only routine, love. I just hope they bring it back soon. It has all our farm records on it,’ she clucked as she shuffled back to the kitchen.
‘Do you reckon it’s true that he can’t remember doing those things to Rachel?’ Tim said, dropping onto a stool at the breakfast bar and checking his phone for the time.
‘I’m really not sure, love. Sometimes I think I wouldn’t put it past him to lie about it just to save his own skin. And other times … well … I don’t know.’
‘Did you know his father was a convicted paedophile?’ Tim said.
Annie’s hand flew to her mouth. Her eyes doubled in size. ‘No. Oh, my giddy aunt, Tim. Who told you that?’
‘Noah Tamblyn. He said it went to the Supreme Court so it’s on the public record. It must have been pretty bad because according to Noah it was rare for child sex abuse to be reported then, let alone prosecuted in court. Apparently he sexually abused the two girls, but no one is certain about the boys.’
‘Oh lordy, Tim. That’s shocking. I wonder if Dad’s mother knew about it,’ she said, methodically wiping the breakfast bar with a yellow sponge. ‘Perhaps that’s why she committed suicide. Her guilt must have been overwhelming.’ She clucked, sprinkling a handful of crumbs into the sudsy dishwater. ‘That poor woman. Oh my gawd, Tim. I wonder what will become of all this.’
‘Come on, Ben,’ Tim called suddenly anxious about the time. He paced the room before he remembered the appointments his mother had attended yesterday. ‘What did the lawyers and everyone else say?’ he asked her.
‘There’s so much to work out, love. But I’m thinking we should sell the farm as soon as we can. Before it deteriorates. Apparently the Hamilton’s cottage is coming on the market soon. I’ve always loved that little place … it’s close to the school and the beach. Even after your father gets his share of the farm, we’ll still have enough to buy a little house and if we are careful we could live quite comfortably — for the rest of my days, at least.’ She smiled. ‘I get a bit emotional thinking about selling this place. It’s been a part of my family for so long.’ She took a deep breath and her dreamy expression slid away. ‘But I think it would be a good outcome for everyone if it went to right people. People with the energy and passion it deserves.’
Tim’s unfathomably mounting anxiety suddenly spiralled into a crushing sense of turmoil. He longed for the day when he could leave the farm, but it had all happened so quickly, so unexpectedly. He thought about asking his mother to move to the city rather than a mere 10 kays down the road into town. That would give them all a totally fresh start.
‘Oh, and there’s something else I want to talk to you about, Tim. Something very serious, love. A conversation I should have had with you years ago,’ she said.
‘I’m ready,’ Ben interrupted grumpily clomping into the room.
‘We’ll talk about it a bit more tonight, love,’ Annie murmured to Tim.
Torn between sating his curiosity about what she had on her mind and getting to work on time, Tim finally resolved that whatever his mother was burning to tell him, it was probably not all that serious or important — and it was more than likely not even interesting. He was certain it could wait until tonight.
‘What does Mum want to talk to you about?’ Ben said climbing into the car.
‘I don’t know mate,’ Tim said.
‘You always say you don’t know.’ Ben said.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Mia awoke weighed down with guilt from knowing she had to leave Molly at home yet again while she worked, this time for the entire day. Ten full hours trapped alone in a relatively strange environment was bad enough for any animal to endure, let alone a dog who was obviously used to having human company.
She lay quietly listening for Molly’s stirrings at the foot of her bed, but there was only the deep, rhythmic breathing of peaceful sleep and the cooing of doves in the garden outside her bedroom window. It was only fair, she thought, that she contact the pound today and tell them they should put Molly up for adoption by someone who could give her the time and attention she deserves. But that thought brought a stab of pain something akin to loneliness. ‘Later,’ she mumbled, rolling out of bed and instantly causing Molly to stir.
Mia felt less concerned about deserting Molly by the time they had taken in the pristine crispness of the new day by jogging to the park where an ecstatically joyful Molly had proudly fetched and delivered the ball at Mia’s feet for at least 10 minutes before they had jogged home again. She showered and dressed for work and left Molly with a bowl of fresh water, a generous heaping of kibble, enough toys to attract the envy of any children’s nursery, and a dental chew sufficiently large to amuse a dinosaur for a full day.
‘See you, girl,’ she said sadly, rubbing the dog’s neck. ‘I’ll be home at six.’ It was heartening to Mia that as she turned for a last look at Molly before walking out the back door, the dog was more intent on demolishing the bowl of kibble than on saying farewell. Mia softly closed the rear door of the house giving fleeting thought to the security risk she had created by leaving the laundry door ajar for Molly. Creeping down the stairs to the car park she resolved to get a doggy door fitted at the first opportunity.
Turning the key in the ignition of her car she rationalised there were plenty of loving dog owners who left their pets alone all day — and that they and their beloved dogs all survived perfectly well. She resolved she would make it up to Molly by taking her for another run this evening. Another problem solved, she thought gleefully, her old grandmother’s voice immediately countering her optimism when it floated into her consciousness from decades a
go: ‘When one problem is solved another one surfaces.’
Mia had just pulled into the hospital car park and was about to slip her phone into her shoulder bag when it beeped the arrival of a text. Tempted to ignore it because she was running late, the truth was she could not control her curiosity. She glanced at the screen only to find the text was from Eric. Still sitting in the seat of her car she gasped, first at hearing from him after so long, and secondly at the tone of his message. Keep your dyke bitch lawyer off my back or my lawyers will be onto you so quickly your ugly head will spin like a windmill in a storm.
Mia had become immune to Eric’s verbal brutality, but this message instantly piqued her curiosity because it hinted at something other than his usual fervent desire to hurt. She pondered whether he had turned suddenly maniacal at her being the first to file for divorce — but that would free him up to marry Lucinda. And the hold she had placed on their joint finances until settlement could not have possibly made him so angry because the amount would be a drop in the ocean compared to what Eric would be sharing with Lucinda now. And it couldn’t possibly be their steadfast refusals to let him take the beach house from her because the little fibro would seem like a hovel compared to the places he and Lucinda would be sharing. No, she could only reach one conclusion — and that conclusion was based on years of so-called research in being married to him. He was under pressure. Perhaps the stress of his new job in the States was over the top for him. Mia felt a jolt of satisfaction from knowing that Eric had at least a modicum of tension in his new life.
‘Your choice. Your life, Eric,’ she muttered, locking her car and padding in red runners across the dank concrete floor of the car park towards the hospital staff entrance. She would not be deterred by Eric’s threats, regardless of his reasons for making them, and she knew it took more than a few churlish insults to throw Debra Illingworth off the trail.
She had changed into scrubs and was about to go on the floor when her computer signaled the arrival of mail from Steve Wheeler. She bent over her desk to open the message, smiling as she read: Who said the gods refuse to shine on the wicked? I’ve just been offered a specialist consult over there. Do you have time for a catch up? Perhaps dinner? Smiley face. Steve xxx
It had been a long time for her. Warmth flooded and she did not hesitate in her response. I have another commitment for Saturday lunch. What about Sunday? Lustful face.
She hurriedly stabbed ‘send’ and rushed along the corridor, pondering whether or not she owed it to Steve and Noah to tell each of them about the other. But she quickly concluded she owed Steve nothing. They had both agreed their relationship had to be of the moment and casual. And Noah was obviously only interested in a platonic friendship. Hell, he could even be gay for all she knew. There was no reason she should feel accountable to either of them.
At the end of what had turned out to be a very long, tiring day, Mia was pulling on her jacket, intending to visit Rachel before she left the hospital and highly anxious to get home to Molly, when Declan stepped into her doorway and immediately looked her straight in the eye. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you yesterday,’ he said. ‘But I thought it best to leave you until you had calmed down.’
‘It’s fine, Declan,’ she replied walking past him to her desk and shutting down her computer. ‘I have calmed down. But in future I would appreciate you not telling my personal business to people.’ She pushed past him again to reach into her locker.
He made a face. ‘Well, it was a bit embarrassing, Mia. I didn’t know what else to say.’
‘It’s not your problem to rescue me every time I say something stupid when you are present, Declan.’ She stretched up and grabbed her bag from the shelf. Threw the strap over her shoulder. ‘I’m about to drop in on Rachel before I go home. Did you meet with her today?’
Declan sighed. ‘Yes. For our first session. She is very confused as you can imagine. But we made good progress. You’re a bit late though. She went home earlier this afternoon. I’ll be seeing her as an outpatient over the next few weeks.’
‘Oh no, Declan. Damn it. I’m so disappointed.’
‘Give her a ring,’ Declan said. ‘I’m sure she’d like to hear from you. I’m thinking of taking a drive to the coast on the weekend,’ he added cryptically.
‘That sounds nice,’ she said, straightening the strap on her shoulder bag, anxious to get home.
‘Would you like to join me?’ he said, his Irish lilt pushing through as it did whenever he was nervous or excited.
‘Yes, I would. But I already have plans for Saturday and Sunday, I’m afraid.’
He lifted an eyebrow. ‘Anyone I know?’
‘Maybe,’ she said, stepping outside her office door, relieved to see Declan absentmindedly following. She leaned across him and locked her office door.
‘You seem in a hurry,’ he said in his probing voice.
‘I am. I want to get home to Molly.’
‘Who the dickens is Molly?’ he asked, his brow suddenly creasing into a deep frown.
‘She’s my dog. Well, not my dog. She’s a stray. But she’s gorgeous. A golden retriever.’
‘Is that fair, Mia?’ Declan said walking alongside her towards the exit. ‘You work such long hours.’
She stopped and turned. ‘No. It probably isn’t fair, Declan. But Adam suggested when we spoke on the phone today that I enrol her in doggy day school. He’s a vet. He should know what’s good for her,’ she said, flicking Declan a warning glance.
Declan rolled his eyes. ‘A dog. You have become a stranger to me, Mia. How is Adam, by the way?’
‘He’s really well,’ she said, brightening. ‘He has completed his last exam and has applied for a research scholarship to study primate protection in West Africa. In the meantime, he’s packing to come home as we speak.’ She beamed at Declan and he put an arm round her shoulders, pulled her to him in a quick hug. ‘You’ll be very glad to have your boy home again, won’t you?’
Mia swallowed hard and nodded.
‘I must get back to my office and finish up for the day. Have a great weekend,’ he said walking briskly towards his office as Mia pushed through the door into the car park, anxious to be home before darkness fell.
Noah knocked on Mia’s front door at precisely 12.00 noon the next day, bringing Mollie to her feet from where she slept in front of the living room window. She broke into avid peals of barking at the first sound of Noah’s confident steps along the slate path. Molly bounced noisily towards the entrance, refusing to move once lodged there, while Mia quickly applied fresh lip gloss in front of the hall mirror and pushed past Molly to open the door.
His face was shiny clean from a fresh shave, his hair still slightly wet from the shower. The way he stood in the doorway and beamed at her with his hands clasped in front of him reminded her of a photo of Adam on his first day at school — apart from the designer jeans and black cashmere jacket.
‘Hello,’ he said before bending to pat Molly whose tail would not sit still for a moment.
‘Hello, Noah,’ Mia said, uncertain if his greeting had been aimed at her or the dog. ‘Come in. I’ll get my bag,’ she said walking quickly to the kitchen while Noah and an outrageously excited Molly followed.
‘This is a nice place,’ Noah said, looking around and bending to pat the dog again. ‘I didn’t know you had a dog,’ he said, still smiling.
Mia grasped her leather shoulder bag off the kitchen bench. ’I didn’t until three days ago. She’s a stray.’
‘She looks too healthy to be a stray,’ he said peering down at Molly with his head on the side while the dog peered up at him.
‘I know. That’s why I’m refusing to get too attached to her.’ Mia knelt and looked into Molly’s sad brown eyes. ‘Now, girl. I’m going out to lunch with Noah. I’ll be back in a few hours. While I’m away you can have a lovely long sleep.’ She came to her feet, suddenly aware of Noah’s intent gaze. She straightened the strap of her bag and pulled back her shoulder
s, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge her behaviour towards the dog was even slightly deranged. ‘Shall we go?’
‘Why don’t we take her with us?’ Noah said, staring fixedly at Molly.
‘Oh no. I don’t think so.’ Mia said studying her as well. Molly watched their interaction with intense interest.
‘She’ll be fine in the car while we have lunch. It’s a cool enough day. I can open the sunroof to give her fresh air. After lunch we’ll take her for a walk on the beach. It’ll be much better for her than being cooped up here all day without any company.’
Molly was totally in tune with what was happening, Mia thought as the dog ran across the narrow verge to Noah’s black Peugeot and stood at the kerb, peering impatiently up at him, finally leaping into the rear of the car to settle on Noah’s perfectly spotless leather seat. Noah’s smile broadened as he vigorously rubbed Molly’s neck. ‘Good girl.’
Quietly slipping into the front seat, Mia wondered whether Noah would have preferred her to climb into the back, leaving the front seat free for Molly.
They exited the expressway to the coast with Molly stretched out and sound asleep in the back of the car and Mia pondering how supremely comfortable Noah had proven to be with the sound of silence. Mia had always preferred lapses into silence above prattling small talk, but it had not seemed to her, until now, that many shared her preference. She thought back on their conversation when they had been at dinner three nights ago. ‘Did you get those testimonials you promised?’ she joked breaking the silence.
‘What testimonials?’ he asked in all seriousness, his brow furrowed in a frown.
‘The ones from your workmates to prove you’re not still married.’
His face relaxed and broke into a smile. ‘You’ll just have to believe me.’
It doesn’t matter, anyway. I think you’re a gay guy. Why don’t you just put me out of my misery and tell me? ‘Have you had the opportunity to take any lovely rides on your two-wheeler since I saw you last?’ she asked.
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