Coming Home (Williams Siblings)

by Ann B. Harrison

  "Sydney. Paddington to be exact. My parents were both in medical research. They spent their life looking through microscopes and writing about their findings." She looked down and made patterns on the tablecloth with her finger.

  "Do I detect a note of disdain there?"

  "Not really. They were great parents. I guess I had it better than most. At least we were a family." She smiled and her whole face lit up when her gaze met his. "Tell me about you. I bet you had a great childhood."

  "Well, I was born here but you probably know that."

  A small twitch curved the her lips more. "I actually don't really know much about you at all. I told you I don't listen to gossip but if I did, I somehow doubt they would get it right."

  "Fair comment. My parents owned a farm just outside Lorn. It's a beautiful property that’s been handed down over generations. Full of history and the perfect place for children to grow up. I have one brother, Cade who is a football star and a sister, Rooney. She’s a vet and opening her own practice soon. She has a daughter, Tamara."

  The waiter arrived with their entree and Russ stopped talking until he’d served them before continuing.

  "My mother was the kind of person who encouraged us no matter what we wanted to be when we grew up. Sadly, my father was cut from a different cloth and wanted us to follow in his footsteps and continue the farm. He stipulated in his will that we all live on the property or it goes to the state. So here I am." He speared a piece of prosciutto and popped it into his mouth. Chewing slowly, he groaned in pleasure. "That’s just perfect. How is yours, Lizzie?"

  "It's lovely, thanks. So, your brother, would I know him?"

  "Depends if you’re a footy fan, I suppose. Cade Williams, plays for the Sydney Gulls."

  "It's actually my guilty pleasure, Saturday night football." She frowned. "Just a minute, wasn't he injured a couple of weeks ago?"

  Russ looked at her, hoping this wasn't going the way it used to when he dated a girl and they found out who his brother was. "Yes, he was."

  "That’s such a shame. I do hope he’s going to be alright although from my take on things, I somehow doubt it. The news reported a suspected medial collateral ligament, not sure if it’s torn or not though. Could be a career ending injury." She gave him a puzzled look. "Don't you know what happened?"

  "No. I don't watch sport much, too busy working and Cade hasn't told me what the damage is. It's kind of a touchy subject with him."

  "That's understandable." Lizzie cleaned up the remains of her entree and sat back with a smile on her face. "That was pretty special."

  "This was one of my mother's favourite restaurants when she could drag my father away from his work."

  "So, tell me more about yourself. Do you prefer cats or dogs?" Russ smiled at the shocked look on her face. "Come on Lizzie, I won't ask you anything you can't ask me. I think it would be nice to get to know each other a bit better." He held his breath while she pondered his suggestion. Russ was attracted to her but that didn't mean he wanted to make anther commitment just yet. "Look at it like this, we work together, we can be friends. No strings, Lizzie, I promise. Not yet."

  After waiting for what seemed far too long, Lizzie spoke. "Cats."

  "Chocolate or cheese?"

  She laughed. "Can I have both please?"

  "Silver service or back yard barbeque?"

  "You will think I'm rude if I say back yard barbeque. But I'm really enjoying being here tonight too." She rested her elbows on the table and cupped her chin with her hands.

  "I am too. I may as well tell you, my divorce papers are barely dry. One of the reasons I moved back home to a small town. I needed a change of pace and time to get my head around being single again. I promise I won't rush you, Lizzie, but I would like to get to know you much better."

  Her mouth opened and Russ watched the small pink tip of her tongue trace her bottom lip. She swallowed before speaking again.

  "So, Russ. Cats or dogs?"

  Russ managed to get more out of Lizzie than he’d hoped. She’d loosened up after a couple of glasses of wine and relaxed.

  When he took her home, they stood on the front porch talking. "I'd better go in," Lizzie said. "It's way past time I was asleep."

  Russ cupped her chin in his hand and lifted her face up to his. Her eyes closed and he dipped his head touching her lips with barely a breath between them. She parted her lips with a soft sigh and gripped his arms as she fell into him. Lizzie groaned and Russ slid his arms around her waist holding her firmly against his chest.

  With a passion he didn't expect, she ramped up the kiss leaving him shaky at the knees with lust. When she unexpectedly pulled back, Russ was left with an dull ache in his stomach.

  "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me." Her cheeks were red and she couldn't meet his gaze.

  "No, I have to apologise. I said I wouldn't rush you and I'm afraid I did." He smiled and stepped back. "Thank you for a wonderful evening, Lizzie. We'll have to do it again sometime soon." He squeezed her hand and walked away, leaving her standing on the veranda watching him.

  He risked a glance her way as he drove off. She stood where he’d left her, a look of regret on her face.

  On the way home, Russ debated with himself about what he thought was the right move. If he’d stayed any longer, it would’ve been difficult to leave. Lizzie was different. She gave the appearance of being self-assured as one in a position as she was, but he wondered if it was a front she used to keep people especially men, at arm's length. The way she had reacted to his kiss goodnight made him think there was more to her than she said. He aimed to find out more about Nurse Lizzie Stanley.

  When he drove up to the house, the lights were still on, sparkling against the cloudless night. Russ parked his car and walked up the yard from the barn, used to the track from the many nights of being outside after lights out.

  "So Romeo returns." Cade sat in the back garden on a stone bench under a Jacaranda tree. "Good date, brother?" He slurred and lifted the bottle to his lips, taking a long drink.

  "Yes I did, thanks." Russ stopped in front of his brother. "So what is it this time, a celebration or just your normal drinking to deal with life?"

  "Fuck off, Russ. You have no idea what's going on in my life."

  "So tell me then. You aren't doing yourself any favours getting drunk every night, mate."

  "Why don't you mind your own bloody business, brother?" Cade glared at him before taking another swig from the bottle. "I can drink when I want to."

  "Is there something you want to talk about, Cade? Maybe what's happening with your leg? So far you haven't said anything."

  "What do you want me to say? Huh, tell me that?"

  Russ watched his brother lift the bottle again. "Tell me what they said, how bad is the injury? I only know what they said on the sports news."

  "I have no fucking idea, alright? They might tell me tomorrow when I go to Sydney, they might not. A law unto themselves, frigging doctors."

  "Did you want someone to go with you?"

  "I don't need anyone holding my hand. Now fuck off and leave me alone. I can handle my own life."

  Russ walked away, sad to see what had become of his brother. Heaven forbid they should give him bad news tomorrow. If what Lizzie said was true, they could all be in for a rough ride with Cade and his foul mood swings.

  Chapter Eighteen

  "Come in, Cade." The specialist held the door open and Cade hobbled in. "Take a seat on the bed please and put your leg up for me." He shut the door and walked over to his desk, opening the file on his laptop. "Hmmm, I have some scans here but they don't show too much improvement."

  "It feels much better, doc." Cade turned on his charm and smiled.

  "We’ll see. Right, let me get this brace off and we can go through a few exercises to see how much better you really are." The doctor undid the brace and dropped it to the floor.

  He lifted and bent the leg, twisted it and prodded while he frowned and muttered to h
imself. When he released the leg, Cade breathed a sigh of relief.

  "Hurts, doesn't it? No point trying to pull one over me, you know. I'm not sending you back onto the field until I'm a hundred percent convinced you’re okay."

  "Can't you just operate like you did last time and get me back in the game?"

  "I don't think so. You have done your medial collateral ligament this time. Not torn but pretty close to it. Surgery will achieve nothing and we've already talked about this."

  "Doc, I have to play again. This could be the end of my career." He shuddered as the cold chill settled down his spine. "I'm not ready to give it up yet."

  "I understand that, but you have to look at things from my point of view. If I send you out again before that leg heals and you take another hit, you will be out for good. There will be no coming back. As it is, I don't really like your chances, Cade." The doctor washed his hands and walked back to his desk. "It's only been a few weeks but I would think we’d see more of an improvement by now." He looked up. "Have you been doing what I instructed, keeping it up and iced? Using your crutches at all times?"

  Cade grunted in reply.

  "I want you to rest it totally and see how we go. If there is no improvement the next time you see me, we can talk about our options then."

  Disappointment simmered in Cade’s stomach. He managed to keep it down while the doctor strapped the cast back on and wrote him up a prescription for an anti-inflammatory to help with the swelling.

  "Come back in two weeks and if things haven't improved, I'll have to contact your coach."

  Cade hobbled out of the doctor's office, the frustration eating at his stomach. By the time he made it down to the car park and was sitting inside his car, he was at boiling point.

  He slammed his hands on the steering wheel and yelled out his denial. Tears of disappointment and anger ran down his cheeks unheeded. One fucking hit. That was enough to ruin my career. I have at least three more years in me, I know I do. Damned specialists, they know nothing, nothing!

  He opened the glove box and took out the small bottle of whiskey he kept stashed away for an emergency. Unscrewing the top, he tipped the golden liquid down his throat, the burn of the alcohol giving his churning stomach a numbness to match his brain.

  When the bottle was empty, he threw it on the floor before starting the engine and peeling out onto the busy main road. Ignoring usual driver courtesy, he dove in and out of the lines of traffic along the city streets. Mindless of where he was going, Cade drove on auto pilot until he found himself at his home-ground rugby club.

  He parked his car and got out, gazing around. Today the place looked deserted with just a couple of cars parked near the main entrance. With his crutches under his arms, he hobbled over and worked his way inside to the dressing rooms. The lights were out and the place was deathly quiet.

  Feeling the need to get out on the turf once more, Cade headed down the tunnel toward the stream of bright sunshine. The last time he was here was when they’d driven him out on a stretcher. The drone of the caretaker’s lawnmower reached his ears and he looked around. To not be able to come out on this field in his home colours would be the worst thing he could possibly imagine.

  "Cade, thought you might come over." The head coach slapped him on the back and came around to stand beside him. "Doc just called me. Not looking too good, mate."

  "Quick, wasn't he? Don't worry about it just yet, Tommo. I've come back before and I'll come back again. Just you wait and see." He flexed his leg out in front of him as though it would make a difference.

  "You have to remember you are older now than you were the last time you took a knock like that." Tommo shook his head. "Cade, I love you man, really I do. You are one of my best players but your body won't heal as good as it did when you were a kid. I want you to be prepared for the fact that this might be it for you, as much as I hate to say it."

  "Rot! Doc has given me another couple of weeks off, then we’ll see." Cade flashed a smile at the coach. "If you’re thinking of writing me off now, think again. The Cade Machine will be back, don't want to let my fans down."

  "Let's wait and see then. Make sure you rest up properly and stop walking around on that leg when it should be up." He took a step closer and lowered his voice. "Watch the drinking and driving too. The bosses won't take another incident like the last one. You’re skating on thin ice, buddy. Be careful."

  The coach walked back down the tunnel and left him standing alone. The emptiness settled in Cade’s chest, leaving him with the gut-wrenching notion that this could easily be the last time he would stand on this hallowed ground.

  Chapter Nineteen

  "Thanks guys, I appreciate the way you got here so quickly." Rooney signed off on the telephone installation and watched the servicemen pack up the tools and walk to their truck. Now she had a phone line, she could hook up her internet. Over the weekend, Rooney had purchased the equipment and supplies she needed to open her doors. With luck, it would start arriving today and she would be working this week.

  The last couple of days were hard work but it had paid off. The walls shone and the dirty grey tiled floor was surprisingly cleaner now she’d scrubbed the years of neglect from it. Russ had helped her bring shelves and a desk out of storage from home for her office. They also added comfortable chairs to the front room which now looked comfortable and homely.

  The stainless steel workbenches had come up shiny and new with some elbow grease, and the only thing she lacked after her supplies was patients. Hopefully the word would get out and she would get a steady stream of people dropping in.

  Kate had helped by doing up a flyer which had gone through the post to all the surrounding areas. She’d also done an email to all of the contacts in the address book Rooney had found in the paperwork the last vet had left behind. There weren't any entries in the last couple of years he’d owned the business but it was all she had. Now it was a case of sit and wait to see if anyone wanted her services.

  As the truck pulled out of her driveway, a small red sedan pulled in. Rooney stood at the door and waited to see who it was. The car door opened and a young woman in jeans and a loose white blouse climbed out, lifting her hand in greeting.

  "Rhian? Rhian Walker, is that you?" Rooney skipped down the stairs and across the car park with her arms open wide to embrace her old school friend. "Oh my goodness, you look terrific. How are you?"

  "Fabulous now I've seen you." She pushed back and looked at Rooney with a huge grin on her face. "Kate told me you were here and I just had to come out and see you." She slipped her arm through Rooney's and together they walked inside. "Tell me all about it. We have years to catch up on."

  "Let me make you a coffee and we can do that. It is so good to see you again." Rooney brushed away a tear before it fell down her cheeks. "I've missed you so much."

  "Likewise. When you left, I was heartbroken. Nobody knew where you were, Stevie wasn't talking. It drove me crazy." She followed Rooney into the small kitchen and leaned on the bench while she filled the kettle.

  "I'm sorry. I know I should have kept in touch but things just didn't turn out the way I'd planned. I owe everyone a big apology for that." She smiled again. "You look terrific."

  Rhian ran her hand over her stomach, showing off a small swell. "This is why. I feel terrific. I'm having a baby and we are so pleased."

  "Oh my, I never noticed the ring. Congratulations Rhian, I'm so happy for you. Who did you marry?" She turned to add boiling water to the cups, holding up the sugar.

  "No not for me thanks. Just black." Rhian took the mug and walked back out to the reception area and took a seat leaning back comfortably. "Do you remember Dennis Hines? The tall, dark and gawky kid who never said boo?"

  "Yes, of course I do. He had eyes for you and you used to ignore him. I often felt sorry for Dennis." Rooney smiled at the memories that came flashing back, of them all swimming in the dam while Dennis sat quietly under the weeping willow trees watching and biding his ti
me until he could speak to Rhian.

  "Yes well, he was determined and I finally went on a date with him. We've been stuck together like glue ever since. We got married a couple of years ago."

  "Oh, I'm so happy for you. Say hi to him for me, won't you?"

  "I will. He knew you were here anyway. I think Stevie told him. So, about the man, are you going to hook up with him or have you found yourself a husband while you were away?"

  Rooney looked down at her coffee and wondered how much to tell. If Stevie found out before she told him herself, there would be hell to pay and that was understandable.

  "Look, you don't have to worry about me saying anything to Dennis. Girl’s honour, anything and everything will be between us as always. That hasn't changed, Rooney."

  "Sorry. I have my reasons for being a bit cautious. I owe Stevie a decent conversation but when he rocked up here the other night, it didn't feel right. I gather you know what happened, how Dad found us?"

  Rhian nodded.

  "Well, he belted me. God, how he laid into me. I still have the scars across my butt from his leather belt. Anyway, stupid us for being caught. Fact is, I got the biggest dose of rejection because Stevie grabbed his pants and ran away into the dark, leaving me to take everything the old man dished out. He didn't even try to defend me."

  "Honey, we all know what your father was like. I don't want to speak ill of the dead, but he wasn't nice. He hated your boyfriend but I understand what you mean. It was kind of spineless to leave you there to take it all on your own." She drained her coffee mug and placed it on the small table in front of the chairs.

  "Well, anyway I headed to Cade’s first. I didn't know where else to go. That got rather sickening after a couple of days with all his girlfriends coming and going, and the parties. It just wasn't what I wanted so I headed to Brisbane, found a job and settled down." She took a breath and decided whether or not to tell all.

  "I hated waiting tables but the money was good, then I heard about a job as a trainee vet nurse. It sounded exactly what I wanted, and they loved me. Loved me so much the darling couple who owned the business pushed me to go to university and study to become a vet myself."