‘Well, it is a fridge,’ he drawled, deadpan.
‘Don’t tell me there’s a sense of humour under your mask as well?’
He raised his brows. ‘As well as who?’
‘Lex McKay cracked a joke the other day. I nearly fell over.’
He almost laughed. ‘Seems you Wilson girls bring out hidden depths in us.’
He glanced at his watch. ‘Well, better go pick up the madwoman.’
Eve blinked in shock. Madwoman? There was only one person he’d talk about like that. ‘Sienna wants to go on the mail run with you?’
He shrugged and picked up his parcels. ‘I told her it wasn’t a joy ride but she said she may as well see what all the fuss was about.’
He saluted as he went out the door and Eve shook her head with a wry smile on her face. Wonders never ceased, though Sienna may get a shock associating with a real man for a change.
And then her thoughts flew like a homing pigeon straight back to Lex. She hadn’t seen him this week. How was he going with Lily?
Sienna saw Douglas pull up at the store across the road and grabbed her bag. This had been a dumb idea but she was out of others. She’d been chipping away at him every time she had a chance for two weeks but hadn’t got anywhere.
Eight hours in an outback refrigeration truck just for the thrill of a grumpy man’s company. But what else was she going to do on a Saturday?
Well, work would have been a good option. She’d never been a Monday-to-Friday girl, so why start now? Didn’t she want to get back to Melbourne before they stopped missing her?
Nah. Not today. Douglas was driving her mad. She’d give this man one more chance and if she couldn’t seduce him sitting next to him for a day then he was a lost cause. Or she was.
He looked up as she opened her door. ‘You know you’ll have to open the gates?’
He could have said hello. ‘I’m sure I’ll survive.’
‘Will I?’
‘Within an inch of your life. Looking wary there, Sergeant McCabe.’ She smiled, feeling immensely better. So you should be wary.
‘You realise I know karate.’ There might have been a twitch of humour as he said that.
Sienna replied sweetly. ‘I know Kama Sutra.’
He leaned forwards and started the car. ‘This should be interesting.’
They drove out past the lake and three black and brown emus began to run beside them.
Sienna’s nose was glued to her window. The emus’ incredible long legs stretched out in front of them in enormous strides, their fluffy bodies of feathers puffing and shimmering.
She laughed out loud as one glanced across and she could see his beady eyes as he ran faster, pulling away; she wanted to reach her hand out the window and touch him but Douglas slowed and the emu gained on them. Before she could urge Douglas to drive faster she saw why he’d slowed, as suddenly the old man emu veered in her direction and dashed in front of the vehicle.
‘If you hadn’t slowed we would have hit them, wouldn’t we?’
‘Maybe.’
‘Why would they do that? Why wouldn’t they go the other way?’
‘Sheer contrariness. Like someone else I know.’ He went on before she could comment. ‘See the wedge-tailed eagle there?’
She looked. ‘Ugh. Saw dozens on the way here. Eating the roadkill.’
He slowed again. ‘Plenty of food at the side of the road for them. Rather it got eaten than rotted and stank. But they take off in a straight trajectory if you startle them; you think they’ll lift but they end up in through your front windscreen.’
She tried to imagine that huge wingspan inside the car. ‘Wouldn’t fancy one of those in the seat beside me.’
‘No. So watch out when you drive past.’
Any excuse for a lecture. ‘You can’t help yourself, can you?’
He looked at her. ‘Try not to complain in the first hour.’
Ohhh. ‘I cannot believe I chose to come with you.’
He raised his brows, then slowed the vehicle some more. ‘You want me to stop? We’re not too far out. You could walk back in an hour.’
She glared at him and then suddenly laughed. Laughed until the tears ran down her face. ‘You’d bloody well do it. Drive away and leave me out here to walk back.’
‘It wouldn’t kill you.’
‘But I’d kill you.’
He grinned at her. Admitted he’d been baiting her to blow her top. ‘Yeah, well. Worse ways to die.’
By the time they pulled up at their first mail stop two hours later they’d even had a couple of normal conversations.
An old rusty fridge stood forlornly at the entrance to a dirt driveway that disappeared into the distance. There was no sign of a house or cattle yards or even a windmill in the distance.
‘So where’s the house?’
‘Five kilometres that way.’
He got out and so did Sienna to stretch her legs. The day had warmed from the chill of the morning to a dry heat that wasn’t unpleasant after the cool of the air-conditioning in the truck.
She glanced around at the barren landscape hiding the light brush of barely visible grass around the edges of the dirt track. A distant steer wrestled with the grey-green tufts of some low, wiry-looking bush. There were no tall trees – not enough sustained water for that, but plenty of medium-height bushes. A lovely spotted gum beside Douglas reached its multi-coloured limbs to the sky; it was not the tallest she’d seen, but still a sight you’d never see in the city.
Douglas was grappling with the door of the ‘mailbox’. She tried to imagine a rusting fridge on her kerb back in Melbourne. If she painted her house number on a dead appliance in her upmarket street she could imagine the horror from her neighbours. It might be almost worth the effort.
Douglas collected two stamped envelopes to post in town and lifted a brown-wrapped box from the back of the truck and jammed it into the fridge. Then he put several letters on top of the box and glanced at her.
‘Ready?’
She sighed elaborately. ‘Are we there yet?’
He laughed, strode over and pulled her to him. Stared into her eyes. Kissed her long and thoroughly.
‘No. And you get one of those every time you ask.’
Holy crap. Sienna opened her eyes when it was over and didn’t even try to resist the urge to grab his shirt and pull him back for more.
When that was over she could barely feel her feet. But Douglas was steering her backwards to the truck. He opened her door and pushed her firmly up into her seat. ‘We have places to go.’
‘And don’t I know it,’ she muttered happily. She glanced across at him as he climbed in. Sienna loved the way his shirt strained as he pulled himself into the seat. Ooh ah.
She grabbed the map he’d given her of their route for the day. Even that made her smile now. Couldn’t hide her impatience. ‘So where’s the next mailbox?’
TWENTY-SEVEN
With the news of Callie’s baby they all hoped that Sylvia had rallied and decided that she had to live to see her grandchild. And for the next two months she seemed to be holding her own. But after that each week seemed to tire her more.
By the time Callie was thirty-five weeks they all knew Sylvia had given herself permission to stop fighting the disease.
By mid November she could barely stand and needed help with nearly everything. Callie and Eve shared the constant supervision to prevent her dodgy sense of balance from letting her down, which it did often and none too gently.
Callie had stopped going to the medical centre unless someone was on hand to keep Sylvia safe.
Each day Callie reminded herself she was lucky she was home. ‘You have no idea how much I regret wasting my time in Sydney when I could have been here with you earlier,’ she said to Sylvia one day. They were in the bathroom and Callie was awkwardly drying her mother’s frail legs after a shower. It was much more difficult with a pregnant belly.
‘Everything is perfect. The only thing I reg
ret is that I’ll never see your baby, my darling.’
‘Maybe you will.’ But they both knew that wasn’t going to happen. Callie reached down to wipe her mother’s feet.
Sylvia shook her head. ‘You shouldn’t have to do this.’
‘And why not?’
‘It’s not right.’
Callie sat back on her heels and looked up at the dear face above her. ‘And I was just thinking how right this was. I’m pretty sure I’ve said this before, but tell me, my mother – if it were me who was sick, would you mind drying my legs?’
Sylvia’s mouth twitched. ‘Of course not.’
‘Thank you. I rest my case.’
‘But I am sorry you’ve had to look after me so much. I’m the child now and you’re the parent.’
Callie slipped the soft cotton nightie over her mother’s head, and for a moment she could see the young woman she remembered from when she was a child. ‘It’s a gift. This time we have is precious.’
‘I’m very tired, Callie.’
‘I know.’ She kissed her mother’s forehead. ‘I love you so much.’
‘I will always be here.’
‘I keep telling myself that.’
‘And I want to see your father.’
‘I know.’ Callie brushed the tears from her face. ‘Say hi for me.’
Sylvia sank onto the chair to rest before walking further. ‘Eve’s a lovely girl.’
‘Sienna’s not too bad.’ They both smiled but it was hard to find amusement when they knew their time for conversation was so limited.
They shuffled through to the little bed Callie had dragged into the big dining area off the kitchen so her mother could stay a part of the heart of the house. She tucked the light cover around Sylvia’s legs as the day warmed.
‘Rest now. I’ll go and make a little milkshake for you. Eve should be home soon.’
‘I’m so pleased she’s here for you.’ Sylvia’s dark lashes sank onto her cheeks as she closed her eyes.
‘Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine,’ Callie whispered.
But her mother heard her and she whispered back, still with her eyes closed, ‘I know, my darling. But it helps me.’
Callie swallowed the huge jagged lump in her throat and walked through to the kitchen. She paused at the big kitchen table and rested her hands on it. How many times had her mother sat here? Presided over the family. Given comfort and wise advice. How many times had they all laughed at something outrageous her father had said, been hosts to friends and visiting dignitaries. Her family would soon be all gone and there was nothing she could do about it.
Even Eve would leave. Sienna couldn’t wait to, and Callie suspected she might even miss her more abrasive half-sister when the dust settled.
But she would have Bennet. And her baby. And Bennet’s son, Adam, who would hopefully grow to love her as she would grow to love him. And it was true her mother would always be with her in spirit. But she didn’t want her human form to leave.
Eve found her sister with tears streaming down her face as she stood at the table and for a horrible moment she thought Sylvia had gone.
‘Callie? What’s happened? Sylvia?’
Callie sniffed and straightened. ‘I’m fine.’ She glanced across to the corner of the room where her mother slept. She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand and then took a tissue from the box Eve pushed into her hand.
‘Boy, have we gone through a few of these.’
‘And more to come,’ Callie said as she blew her nose.
‘How is Sylvia?’
‘Very weak. I don’t think —’ her voice broke. ‘I don’t think it will be long now.’
Eve saw the pain and wanted to draw Callie’s head against her shoulder but could see her diminutive sister had her I’m-being-strong coat on. She remembered her own resistance to letting go at this time and reached out and drew Callie against her chest.
‘Poor Callie. It’s so hard.’ She stepped back and looked into her face. ‘But it’s beautiful too, that you can be here to help your mum at this time.’
‘You did this with your mum?’
‘Yeah. Tough times but I don’t regret them. Though I think I’d be happy to go from a hospice myself. It’s hard to be the one waiting for the moment without the break of responsibility you get in a hospice.’
‘That’s what I think it is. The responsibility of making sure she has enough pain relief, not too much that she sleeps all the time, but is comfortable, coherent.’
‘Sylvia is a dream compared to my mum. Denise kicked and screamed all the way to the pearly gates.’
Callie smiled. ‘Tough, like you and Sienna.’
‘Ornery like us.’
The words hung with nowhere to go until finally Callie changed the subject. ‘So how was the clinic?’ They’d shut down the GP side of the centre temporarily so it was only offering basic nursing and antenatal care.
‘Sienna talked to the FOG about a gynae clinic. He’s going to lend her his equipment for the day and it means those on the waiting list get seen three months earlier.
Callie couldn’t hide her surprise. ‘Maybe when she goes home she could still come out here once a month.’
They looked at each other and smiled at that unlikely scenario. ‘We could ask her,’ said Callie.
‘Yeah, well. Dreaming. Though I do think she’s seeing the need. She may surprise us yet.’ But this was about Callie and her impending loss.
Eve glanced across at Sylvia. ‘So is she sleeping much?’
Callie blinked. ‘Yes. We’d just got out of the shower and it exhausted her.’ She opened the fridge. ‘I was getting her a milkshake before I faded out.’
Eve touched Callie’s arm. ‘I saw Bennet in town today. He said he was coming over soon. Why don’t you go for a drive with him and I’ll sit with your mum. Maybe go out and watch the sunset at the lake or something? There’s mobile coverage out there. I could ring if I needed you. Have a little break before you can’t leave.’
When Bennet came he was persuasive too. ‘Just for an hour.’ And then Sylvia joined in. ‘Take a photograph on your phone and bring me the sunset. It’s been a long time since I was out there and I’d like to see that.’
Callie put up her hands. ‘Fine. We’ll go. I’ll take the lemonade we made today and make an occasion of it.’ She glanced at Sylvia and Eve as if to reassure herself they’d still be here when she came back. ‘Be back before dark.’
Eve watched them go. Then looked across to where Sylvia had drifted off to sleep again. She went out to the verandah to phone Sienna and warn her it was getting close.
To her surprise, Sienna offered to come over. ‘You want company while Callie’s away?’
‘Sure. If you can spare the time away from your research.’
‘I’m a bit stumped anyway. Maybe talking it through will help. I keep thinking it’s something so simple we’re missing it.’
‘That would be good. Simple we can fix. See you soon.’
Eve opened the door ten minutes later and Sienna stepped into the kitchen with a bottle of white wine. Even leaned forwards and kissed her cheek. It was probably just a sympathy peck because Sienna knew how much Eve had grown to love their father’s wife, but it was comforting that she cared enough to do something so out of character.
Sienna stepped back. ‘What time is Callie coming home?’ Her voice was brisk. Regretting it already, Eve thought with a wry inner smile.
‘Just after sunset. She won’t stay away long. Just getting a breath of outside before it’s time.’ They both glanced through the door to the lounge.
‘Go through. Sylvia wants to say hello to you.’
Sienna hesitated then nodded. ‘Sure.’ She put the bottle of wine on the kitchen table. ‘Thought we both might need a glass later?’ She crossed to the little bed and pulled a chair over. ‘Hello there, Sylvia.’
‘Hello, darling. It’s nice of you to come to keep Eve company.’
Sienna shift
ed closer. Eve stood behind her. ‘How are you?’
They could see her face was becoming more thin and drawn every day. ‘I’m ready.’
Sienna nodded. ‘Are you in pain?’
She brushed the concept away with a frail hand. ‘The only thing that bothers me is that I won’t be here to see my grandchild.’ She wiped a tiny silver tear from her cheek and tsk tsked herself for the weakness. She sighed and closed her eyes. Talking more to herself than Sienna, she said, ‘I so would have liked to see the baby at least once, but . . .’
Sylvia drifted off to sleep again and Sienna eased out of the chair quietly as she looked down at the luminous woman in front of her. She crossed the room with Eve and their eyes met in silent acknowledgement of the impending moment. They both moved out onto the verandah to watch the sky darken and so they wouldn’t disturb Sylvia.
‘She looks like an angel already. She won’t be here for Callie’s baby.’
‘I know.’
‘It’s the only thing holding her back, I think.’
Eve had been toying with an idea but had hesitated to bring it up with Callie. Maybe Sienna’s input would help. ‘I wondered if we could bring the ultrasound up here? It’s portable, really just like a bigger laptop computer.’
Sienna’s eyes brightened and then she shook her head. ‘Great idea but Callie might not want that. She said she didn’t want any tests.’
‘We could run it by her. And you’re so good at ultrasounds you could choose what she sees. Not like us.’
‘We can ask when they come back.’
An hour later they heard Bennet’s truck pull up, then the sound of Callie and Bennet climbing the steps. ‘That’s them now. You ask her.’
‘Hello, Sienna,’ Callie said, searching Eve’s face for reassurance.
‘She’s fine. Sleeping.’ Eve glanced at Sienna. ‘We’ve got an idea.’
Callie raised her brows in question and Sienna inclined her head in Sylvia’s direction.
‘Your mother wants to see your baby. We wondered if you’d consider showing her an ultrasound. We don’t have to do anything diagnostic. Maybe facial features, baby fingers, stuff like that?’ She shrugged. ‘But it’s just an idea and only if you want to.’
Red Sand Sunrise Page 20
