Life Support: Escape to the Country (11 page)

“Sounds fair.” Tom exhaled and the lines deepened around his mouth. He must be still worried about what her arrival would mean to Lexton Downs. And therefore, his job. How was she going to put him at ease?

They walked back toward his car and Tom called the dogs. They came running, leaping and jumping up on Emma, trying to outdo one another to knock her over. Tongues lolling, yellow eyes sparkling, they greeted her enthusiastically. Tom tried to call them back, but Emma laughed and reached to ruffle one of the dog’s ears. The dog flopped at her feet and rolled over so she could rub its stomach. She stooped, brushing the soft fur gently. The dog stretched his legs above his head and growled with pleasure. The other dog, not wanting to miss the attention, pushed his wet snout into her face and licked her cheek. Emma threw back her head and laughed.

“Up.” Both dogs obeyed, jumping onto the back of the ute.

“I’m impressed.”

“I’m sorry. They’re overly friendly and haven’t learned that not everyone loves dog slobber.”

“I love dogs.” She rubbed both dogs’ ears again to prove it before straightening and pushing her hands in her jeans pockets. “Do they ever slow down?”

He attached their collars to the chain and secured it tightly. “Only at night. Until then, they’re like energizer bunnies – they keep going and going and going. But they’re good dogs. They’re sensational at their job and awesome company on cold lonely nights.”

Emma raised her eyebrows. Surely with such a gorgeous wife and kids in his life there wouldn’t be any chance of Tom feeling lonely, let alone cold, at night.

They drove in silence. Now the fog had cleared, Emma took in the surrounding countryside. The paddocks were green and well fenced and everything looked neat and tidy. All that was missing were the horses she could already picture grazing under the towering red gums. It was absolutely beautiful. And it was all hers.

Excitement bubbled within before it ebbed away, leaving her filled with a sense of loss. She forced a smile on her face but it soon died. It was such a shame to own something so beautiful and not be able to share it with someone special. Someone like Tom.

Emma drove slowly into town, her mind racing over the events of the previous twenty-four hours. Nothing had been what she’d expected. Firstly, she’d discovered she was the owner of an historic homestead, not a derelict farmhouse like she’d anticipated. Then she’d discovered the feelings she’d once had for Tom Henderson hadn’t dulled over time. And
then
she’d discovered he was married with kids.

She banged her fist on the steering wheel. How could she have kissed him? What was she thinking? Or rather,
not
thinking? Her stomach clenched at the memory. Why hadn’t he pulled away and said something? And afterward, he’d never brought it up, which was odd, but she wasn’t complaining. She certainly wasn’t going to be the first to mention it. Perhaps they could both forget it ever happened and move on.

She knew exactly why she’d kissed him. The last few months had been the most difficult she’d ever encountered. Then she’d seen the house and been so overwhelmed she had felt the need to reach out and connect with him.
If he hadn’t hugged me first, I wouldn’t have felt the need to kiss him
, she reasoned. But she was kidding herself. Being in Tom’s arms had felt so natural – like she was exactly where she belonged. Until Ruby arrived. Emma groaned again. Stupid, stupid,
stupid
.

She arrived back in town and headed straight to her parents’ house. Pulling up, she rolled her shoulders and exhaled, surprised how good it felt to be home. After she graduated with her nursing degree, she hadn’t been on the best of terms with her family. Lleyton had proposed on the last day of semester before moving back to Melbourne. Emma had followed less than a month later. After a three-month engagement, they were married, leaving Emma’s parents reeling over what they felt was a series of snap decisions on Emma’s account. In hindsight, they were right, but it had taken a year before Emma’s relationship with her family was fully restored. Emma was the baby of the family – the much-adored girl after identical twin boys, Joel and Liam.

An unfamiliar car was parked out the front and she frowned. Visitors? She hoped not. It would ruin her surprise arrival. Turning her key in the lock, she opened the front door and closed it again quietly. Voices came from the kitchen. She froze when she heard her name.

“How’s Em doing? We haven’t heard from her for a while.” It was Joel.

“She’s doing okay,” her mum answered.

“When I spoke to her she didn’t seem to be as upset as I’d thought she’d be,” Joel said. “Was everything okay between them before he died?”

Lorraine said something Emma couldn’t make out.

“Is she going to move back here?” It was Kate.  

“I’d love her to move back, but it’s up to her. She has her life in Melbourne. Her friends, her job.”

Emma smiled. Her mum was repeating, word for word, what Emma had said when Lorraine asked the exact question.

“She’s still got friends here too. And there’s always jobs at the hospital. With her experience she’d get a job in ED tomorrow,” Kate said.

Emma stored that piece of information in the back of her mind. Joel muttered something but she couldn’t hear what he said either. They were quiet for a moment and Emma knew she’d have to walk in and surprise them before the conversation went any further or until one of them discovered her standing in the hallway.

She tiptoed quietly back to the front entrance and opened the door softly. Slamming it closed, she called out in a singsong voice, “I’m home.”

Seconds later three heads popped out of the kitchen doorway but it was her mum who got to her first, hugging her tightly.

“Emma. What a lovely surprise. What are you doing here?”

“I thought I’d come home,” Emma said, pulling herself from her mum’s embrace.

Lorraine’s eyebrows shot up. “Home for good?”

Emma nodded as she hugged Joel, then Kate. “Yep. My suitcases are in the car. Can you bring them in?” Emma asked, tossing Joel the keys with a grin. “Meanwhile, I’d kill for a cuppa.”

“The kettle’s just boiled,” Lorraine said, heading back toward the kitchen. “Does everyone want another one?”

“Yes for me,” Joel said from the hallway.

“Me too,” Kate said, pulling out a chair at the kitchen table. “You’re looking good, Em. How are you really doing?”

Emma caught the quick look that passed between Kate and her mum but chose to ignore it.

“I’m doing well. I’ve got lots to tell you.”

Lorraine’s head shot around and her face was full of questions.

“Where’s Dad?” Emma asked, ignoring the inquisitive looks they were both giving her.

“He’s at work. He should be home any minute.”

“Whose car is that parked out the front?” Emma asked.

Joel dropped Emma’s cases with a thud. “What have you got in here? Your whole life?”

“Pretty much, yes.”

“So you’re moving back for good?” he asked, eyes wide.

“I am. I’ll tell you all about it when Dad gets here.”

Lorraine placed cups of tea in front of everyone before pulling brownies from a plastic Tupperware container and placing them on a plate. Emma’s mouth watered in anticipation. Her mum was an excellent cook.

“So whose car is it?” Emma repeated her original question.

“It’s mine,” Kate said with a smile.

“A seven seater?” Emma chuckled. “I’ll have to start calling you a soccer mum.”

“We’re going to need a bigger car next year,” Joel explained.

“Why?”

“It’s too hard to fit two baby car seats and a toddler into a normal car.” Kate placed her hands on her stomach and grinned.

Emma frowned before realization dawned. She squealed and Joel put his fingers in his ears. “Who do I hug first?” she asked, jumping up from her seat. “Is it really true?”

“Yes, it’s really true.” Kate smiled.

“You’re having twins?”

“Yep,” Kate said with an even bigger grin.

Emma hugged Kate then Joel. She was thrilled for them both. No wonder Kate was glowing.

“How far along are you?” Emma asked.

“Thirteen weeks. We wanted to make sure everything was okay before we told anyone. I had some spotting early on, but I’m okay now. And would you believe no nausea?”

Kate had spent much of her previous pregnancy in and out of hospital with hyperemesis gravidarum.

“That’s good.”

“We had the ultrasound today. Two healthy babies with all their fingers and toes.” She pulled out the ultrasound pictures from her handbag and laid them on the table.

“Do you know if they’re identical?”

“They are.”

“Girls? Boys? Or are you keeping it a secret?”

Kate looked at Joel and he shrugged. “It’s up to Kate whether she wants to keep it a surprise.”

“It’s definitely a secret,” Kate said.

Emma turned to her mum who was sitting with a grin on her face like the proverbial Cheshire cat. She narrowed her eyes. “How long have you known?”

Lorraine held up her hands. “Only about half an hour longer than you,” she said. “Joel and Kate just arrived and told me. They were hoping Dad would be home too.”

“How are you going to tell him?”

“The same way we told your mum,” Kate replied.

Lorraine held up two tiny T-shirts. The words “I love my grandma” were screen-printed on one and “I love my grandpa” on the other.

“Does Annabel know yet?”

“Not yet. We’ll tell her in the next week or so. It’s a long time for a kid to wait and it will be difficult for her to get her head around the fact there’s going to be two of them.”

Emma was so glad she’d decided to come home and surprise her parents – the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. They were finishing their cups of tea when he arrived home.

“Is that my baby girl’s car I see parked out front?” Sean’s booming Irish lilt could be heard from the front entrance.

Emma grinned. “Hi Daddy,” she called out. “I’m in the kitchen.”

Sean entered the room and grinned at his family sitting around the kitchen table. He kissed Lorraine first before enveloping Emma in a hug.

“I’ve missed you sweetheart,” he murmured into her hair.

Resting her head against his chest, she breathed deeply and instantly relaxed in his embrace. “I’ve missed you too Daddy.” She straightened and dashed at the tears that had sprung unexpectedly to her eyes.

“Well this is a nice surprise. What’s the occasion? Other than my favorite girl coming home for a visit?” Sean ruffled the top of Emma’s head the way he’d always done when she was growing up. He caught sight of her suitcases and raised his eyebrows in question. “Or are you home for good love?”

Emma nodded and Sean grinned again. “I’m glad.” He leaned closer to her and spoke softly. “We can have a proper chat later. Now, where’s my other little princess?” he boomed. “She’s not hiding somewhere about to jump out and give me a heart attack is she?”

“No, Sean,” Kate said with a chuckle. “She’s in day care. We’ll pick her up soon.”

“And what about Liam? Is he going to pop up and surprise me next?”

“He’s at work,” Lorraine said.

“We bought you and Mum a little present today,” Joel said, handing the two packages to Sean.

“What’s all this about then lad?” Sean asked.

Emma loved how her dad continued to call her brothers by that pet name.

“Open it and see,” Emma urged.

Sean picked away at the sticky tape at the corners of the soft present.

“Dad, just rip it open.”

Emma couldn’t understand how calm Kate and Joel were. She was jumping out of her skin waiting to see their dad’s reaction. Lorraine beamed from her position at the end of the table, her eyes not leaving her husband.

Finally Tom unwrapped the first present and held up the tiny “I love grandpa” T-shirt in his fingers. A massive grin split his face in half. He hugged Joel tightly, backslapping him firmly and kissing him on the cheek before pulling Kate more gently into a bear hug and kissing her warmly on the top of her head.

“Oh lad, I’m so proud of you kids.” Tears formed in his eyes. “I’m going to be a grampy again.”

Lorraine wiped at the tears in her eyes before pointing to the other package. Sean frowned. This time he ripped open the packaging and pulled out the other T-shirt. He looked at Kate first then Joel in confusion. Lorraine held up her two shirts. Sean’s head swiveled from one to the other.

“What does this mean? Twins?”

Kate nodded and there were more hugs and kisses. And a few tears too.

“How are you keeping this time love?” Sean asked.

“I’m doing well. Much better than with Annabel.”

Joel stood. “Speaking of which. We need to get going. We have to pick her up from day care.”

Kate stood too and Emma noticed she wasn’t moving with her usual speed. She hugged Kate. “Let me know if you need anything.”

“I will. It’s good to have you back. Why don’t you come out to the farm soon and we can catch up properly.”

Emma hugged her sister-in-law again. “You can count on it.”

“Lleyton left you a house?” her dad asked incredulously when Emma had finished filling them in on everything that had happened since the funeral. This conversation was one she hadn’t wanted to have over the phone.

“I’m not that hungry, Mum,” Emma said, watching Lorraine potter around the kitchen preparing dinner. By the looks of it, her mum was planning to feed the five thousand.

“Rubbish. You’re wafer thin,” Lorraine said firmly. “You look like you haven’t eaten a proper meal since the last one I cooked for you.”

Did she look too skinny? It was true she hadn’t been eating well. Judy’s roast lamb the night before was the first time she’d eaten everything on her plate since Lleyton died.

“I don’t want you to go to too much trouble.”

“Don’t be silly. It’s no trouble having my little girl home again.”

“So tell us about this house,” Sean said, getting back to the original conversation.

“It’s not just a house, Dad. It’s a mansion. He left me Lexton Downs.”

He screwed up his face. “Is that the huge place on the road to Bathurst? I thought it was derelict. I remember some discussion a few years ago about what was going to happen to it. I think the National Trust wanted to get involved.”

“That’s the one. You have to come out and see it. It’s incredible. It’s been renovated in keeping with the original designs. I can’t begin to describe how beautiful it looks and I can’t believe I’ve lived here most of my life and had never heard of it.”

“So what are you going to do with it?” Lorraine asked. “Surely it would make sense to sell it now that it’s been renovated. Besides, you can’t possibly run a farm.”

“I won’t need to run it. There’s a manager …” She paused. “And you’ll never guess who it is.” She waited again for effect. “Tom Henderson.”

The look on her parents’ faces showed they had no idea who she was talking about before Lorraine’s eyes suddenly widened in understanding. “As in Judy Henderson’s son? The guy you—” She left her sentence unfinished and Emma wished she’d never taken her mum into confidence about that one night.

“Yep.”

“I think I heard he got married,” Lorraine mused.

“Yes, he did. His wife’s name is Christine and they have a daughter Ruby, a son Noah and another on the way.”

Emma hoped her voice didn’t give away how this made her feel.

“Have you seen him yet?” Lorraine asked, her head cocked to one side.

“Yes. We spent most of the day together while he showed me around the property.”

“How was it? Awkward?”

“No. It was fine.” Emma felt a flush creep up her cheeks. It wasn’t awkward. Until she’d gone and kissed him. Then it was beyond awkward. Her mum would give her the eleventh degree about it later. Emma had cried on her mum’s shoulder when she’d collapsed in the door that morning ten years ago.

“So what are you going to do with a farm?” Sean asked. Emma was glad he hadn’t picked up on the emotional undercurrent zinging around the room.

“When Lleyton bought it, he employed Tom and Judy to manage the property and gave them free rein with what to do with it. They’re using the paddocks and stables for agistment for retired racehorses and they’re turning the mansion into a bed and breakfast for horsey people to bring their horses and stay in the mansion. I’m sure when news gets out, they’ll be solidly booked for weddings too.”

“It sounds like he’s got big plans for the place. How do you think they’ll go?”

“From what Tom says, it’s a niche market. His wife has some sort of qualification in tourism so she is helping set it up and apparently they’ve had lots of enquiries.”

“So you’ll live out there?” Sean asked.

“Um. I’m not sure. I couldn’t live in the mansion. It’s too big. There’s a cute cottage five minutes away from the house but Judy lives there, so that’s out. I saw another bluestone outbuilding near the stables that could work perfectly, but it looks like someone else lives there. Until I work things out, is it okay if I stay here?”

“Of course love,” Lorraine assured her.

“What about a job? Will you try to get work at the hospital?” Sean asked.

“Probably. I’ll catch up with Kate and see if she knows of any jobs in ED.”

Emma crawled into her old double bed later that night, long after the American talk shows became infomercials selling facial hair removers and abdominal exercise machines. She knew she’d sleep poorly, dreaming of Lexton Downs. Dreaming of Tom. Tom. After all these years not even thinking about him, she was shocked the way her body ached at the one memory of the night they’d shared. She rolled over, flipped her pillow to the cool side and tried counting sheep.

Sometimes life was so unfair.

*

It rained non-stop for the rest of the week and Emma ended up spending her time inside. It was freezing cold and she wasn’t motivated to do anything except sit in front of the fire and watch television.

She added a massive red gum log to the fire. It was crazy weather. It was nearly October but it was still cold enough to have a fire in the middle of the day. She pointed the television remote at the screen. Thank goodness for Netflix. The screen came to life and the
Friends
theme song burst out. Emma reached for the block of chocolate and snapped open a can of Coke. Her parents were both at work and she was looking forward to another quiet day on her own. She hadn’t felt so relaxed in years.

The only problem was she couldn’t concentrate on the show. She kept seeing Tom’s face. She shook her head. She had to stop her mind from wandering where it wasn’t meant to go. It was time to put the memories of Tom and her teenage crush back into the past where they belonged. A crush she’d obviously never outgrown.

She kept promising Kate she’d visit once the weather was better. She also contemplated heading out to Lexton Downs again, but decided it would do her good to put space between herself and Tom. The memories of their kiss still burned bright and every night she fell asleep dreaming of him. If he needed her for anything, he could call.

A key turned in the lock and she glanced up from her position on the couch to see Liam let himself in.

“Hey sis, welcome home,” he said, collapsing beside her and dragging her into a bear hug. “What’s news? I hear Lleyton left you a house.”

News traveled faster than the speed of sound and light combined in the O’Connor household.

“You could say that. Although the term ‘mansion’ describes it better,” she said with a chuckle.

“And I heard Tom Henderson works for you now? What’s the story there?”

Emma felt her face reddening. “Nothing. There’s no story.”

“So why are you blushing?”

“I’m not. Lleyton employed Tom to be the manager.”

Liam’s eyes narrowed. “You’re not falling for him again are you?”

“For Tom?” she scoffed. “Don’t be stupid.”

The adamant denial came from her lips but Emma knew Liam was right. She
had
fallen for Tom Henderson again, which was stupid and futile and very, very dangerous. She was not going to be the “other” woman and get in the way of Tom’s marriage.

“When you were a kid you had the hots for him.”

“First of all, I wasn’t a kid. I was sixteen. Secondly, I’m not falling for him again, even if he
is
tall, dark, handsome and every single time he looks at me I want to run into his arms and kiss him.”

Liam did a double take and Emma wished she could grab the words and stuff them back inside her mouth. What was wrong with her? She’d never hear the end of it from Liam now. And if he breathed a word to Joel, she was really in for it.

“Anyway, he’s married now,” she said in a rush.

“Pity. He was a top bloke. I never understood what he saw in that chick he went out with at school.”

“That’s ancient history. It doesn’t matter anyway. His wife seems lovely, so that’s it. I’m sure we can all be good friends.”

Liam snorted. “Liar. You’re so easy to read Emma. Trust me, your nose is growing before my eyes. You might think you only want to be friends, but you’ve evidently still got feelings for him. You’re going to have to sort that out or it will be a problem. Especially for his wife.”

She hugged a cushion to her chest. “I might have felt something for him once, but that was years ago before I met Lleyton.”

“Before you met Lleyton,” Liam repeated slowly. “What a day that was and look how well it turned out for you.”

The words dropped like stones in the pit of her stomach. Liam wasn’t being deliberately nasty, but he had never liked Lleyton and had never held back his opinions. Emma had had to beg him to come to Melbourne for her wedding. Funny how he’d willingly shown up for Lleyton’s funeral.

There was silence between the siblings and it took all her willpower to change the subject to something else. Something safer.

“How’s work anyway? Are you missing Sydney?” she asked. She still found it hard to believe he’d given up the bright lights and fast pace of being a Sydney paramedic and was loving the slower lifestyle back home. There had to be more to his reason for returning to Birrangulla, but he refused to talk about it with anyone.

“Not at all. I wouldn’t trade this job here for anything in the world. I’ve finally got my work–life balance right.” It was his stock-standard answer and she didn’t fall for it for a second.

Best to change the subject. “Have you met anyone yet?” She wished he’d find someone to love and settle down. “Whatever happened to Lily? You guys went out for ages.”

He shrugged. “We wanted different things in life. She wanted to settle down …”

“And you don’t.” Emma finished his sentence.

“Nope,” he said with a grin. “Every family needs a playboy bachelor and I’m happy to diligently perform that role. While the girls keep lining up, I’ll keep asking them out, but I have no plans to marry or settle down.”

Emma punched him in the arm. “Famous last words, big brother, famous last words. You know what they say. Never say never.”

*

When the sun finally appeared Emma headed out to Eagles Ridge, Kate and Joel’s property, which sold everything from brambleberries to beef in their farm shop and café.

“What are you going to do with it?” Kate asked once they had settled opposite each other at one of the corner tables in the café overlooking the orchard and vegetable gardens and Emma had told her all about Lexton Downs and shown her some photos on her phone.

“At this stage I don’t intend to do anything. Tom has everything under control.” Emma spooned sugar into her hot chocolate and stirred it in.

“Are you going to go back to Melbourne and let him run it?”

“No. Lleyton’s lawyer said he’ll be in touch with the Chirnsides to arrange what they want to do with the house in Kew. I’m staying in Birrangulla.”

Kate frowned. “But wasn’t that your house?”

“Technically not. It belongs to the Chirnside family trust. We only lived there.”

“But what about all your furniture? Surely you’ll want that?”

“Nope, I don’t want any of it. It came with the house and I never liked it. It’s in storage. I have my clothes and that’s about it. I’ll just start again, even if that means I’m starting with nothing.”

Kate chuckled and tapped Emma’s phone with a fingernail. “It doesn’t look like you’ll have nothing. I’ll bet those photos don’t do it justice at all.”

“True. I’m still trying to wrap my head around Lleyton leaving it to me.”

Kate leaned forward. “Your mum told me you and Lleyton were getting a divorce before he died. Won’t his parents fight for it?”

“They don’t know about the divorce.”

Kate sat back in her seat with a surprised look on her face. “But what if they find out? Surely the lawyer will say something.”

Emma shook her head emphatically. “I can assure you he won’t say a thing.”

“Why?”

“It’s complicated.” Emma took a sip of her hot chocolate and prayed Kate wouldn’t ask any more questions. She’d promised Andrew his secret was safe.

“What about work? Are you going to look for a job here? You know they’re always looking for staff at the Base hospital.”

“I wouldn’t mind picking up some casual shifts.”

“Leave it with me. The director of nursing is a friend of mine. I’ll give her a call.”