Outback Ghost (42 page)

Stella sipped the cup of water a nurse had brought her and watched as Esther read Heidi an old Golden Circle book they'd found in the hospital waiting room. Some pages were torn and the spine tattered but neither of them cared. Heidi had been upset upon learning that Adam had gone and so Stella had asked Esther if she'd come in and say ‘hi'. It warmed her heart that Frankie, Simone, Ruby and Ruth were still out there waiting but the nurses wouldn't let any other visitors into the room.

As she watched Heidi and the woman who had been like a surrogate grandmother this last month interact with each other, she tried not to think about the fact she'd be breaking that bond when she took Heidi home. The fact that Esther had conquered her fears of leaving the farm to be with Heidi proved the love she had for the little girl and Stella had never felt so conflicted in her life. Having calmed down from the initial shock of the snakebite, she now found thoughts of staying in Bunyip Bay creeping back.

No matter how much the logical side of her brain told her that moving up here wouldn't be the same as the time they'd spent here the last month, she couldn't get the idea out of her head. She wanted the dream. She wanted a family again. Knowing these thoughts weren't healthy Stella glanced at her watch wondering when Adam would return. It felt as if he'd been gone for hours but she felt on edge waiting for him to come back.

Although she knew they couldn't leave the hospital until Heidi had been giving the all clear, and that might not be till tomorrow or even the day after, she wanted to go back to the farm so she could pack their things. The quicker they left now, the better. She didn't trust herself to stay any longer in Adam's presence and knew her heart couldn't handle any more time in his bed but it wasn't only her heart that would break when they left. Still, although she couldn't bear the thought of Heidi having to go through proper goodbyes to Adam and Esther, prolonging that agony wouldn't make it any easier.

Heidi would need time to recover from the heartbreak of leaving her new friends, but sometimes life was tough. Stella had learnt that fact on more than one occasion and as much as she yearned to protect Heidi, her daughter needed to learn that lesson as well.

‘You're awake.'

Adam's words and arrival jolted Stella's thoughts. He nervously glanced her way but then headed straight to Heidi. ‘Hey missy,' he said, ‘do you like giving me frights or something?'

She beamed up at him and giggled. ‘Want to see kittens. Want Whiskers.'

He chuckled and reached out to stroke her cheek. ‘And I'm sure they want to see you too, as soon as the nice doctor says you're allowed to come home.'

‘Hopefully tomorrow,' Stella said, wanting him to look her way.

He did and an awareness sparked between them. But there was something more than the usual heat. ‘We need to talk,' he said, looking directly at her.

She nodded and swallowed.

‘Mum,' Adam said, glancing at Esther, ‘do you mind sitting with Heidi a couple more minutes?'

Esther smiled and shook her head. ‘Of course not.'

‘Back soon, kiddo.' Adam smiled at Heidi and then held the partitioning curtain open for Stella to go through. She stepped past him and felt his hand on the small of her back as he ushered her out of the emergency ward. Her skin tingled under his touch and her heart broke a little more.

He led her to a quiet spot down the end of the corridor and then stopped, turning to face her. He opened his mouth but she couldn't bear to hear his attempted apology again.

‘Don't say it,' she said, reaching up to cover his lips with her finger. ‘I'm the one that should be apologising. I was in shock when I saw Heidi lying in that bed but I know the snakebite wasn't your fault. She can be persistent when she wants something and goodness knows I'd have been looking at the kittens rather than around me as well. The doctor told me you saved her life and I'll be forever grateful.'

‘I didn't bring you out here to apologise,' Adam said.

‘You didn't?'

He shook his head. ‘And I don't want you to be grateful.'

‘Oh.'

‘You weren't the only one that got a shock today,' he continued. ‘I would have died if something happened to Heidi because I'd never be able to look into the eyes of the woman I love.'

Something twitched in Stella's chest. Confusion flooded her. ‘Who's that?'

His lips turned upwards into the most delicious grin. ‘You, silly.' And then he stepped towards her, cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips against her mouth. It was the most intoxicating kiss of her life and she felt her sanity slipping.

Grabbing hold of it before it was too late, she forced herself to break the kiss and look into his eyes. ‘What are you saying, Adam?'

‘I'm saying I love you. It happened so damn fast I almost missed it but,' he clutched his chest, ‘what you make me feel is like nothing I've ever felt before and I don't ever want to let you go. I'm hoping maybe you feel the same way and that you'll agree to move up and live with me permanently.'

Oh
. His words were more alluring than an ancient love poem. How she wanted to believe them. ‘But what about Heidi?' she managed.

He took her hands and brought them up against his chest, looking into her eyes as he answered. ‘Stella, I can't live without Heidi any more than I can live without you.'

Happy tears flooded her eyes but she managed to say one more thing. ‘Are you sure you want children? It wasn't so long ago you thought you didn't.'

‘That was fear speaking,' he admitted, leaning in and holding her close. ‘After Lily-Blue disappeared, I blamed myself. Mum and Dad never said so, but I always thought it was my fault she disappeared, that I should have been looking out for her. I thought if I'd managed to lose my sister, I didn't deserve kids or a family of my own.' And then he shrugged one shoulder. ‘Hey, maybe I still don't, but that doesn't stop me wanting it. Wanting you and Heidi.'

‘Oh Adam. You
do
deserve it. What happened to Lily-Blue wasn't your fault and I'm sure she wouldn't have wanted you to live your life thinking so.'

‘Does that mean you'll make me the happiest man alive and agree to be my wife?'

‘Adam!' Stella blinked, the shock and joy almost knocking her over.

‘What?' He shrugged his delectable shoulders. ‘I can't help it if I know what I want.'

‘Yes.' She grinned. ‘I'm probably crazy to say so, but
yes
.'

‘Crazy in love,' he said, drawing her into him for another blissful kiss.

When they finally came up for air, he said, ‘I understand if you want to take things slow and wait a while before we tell Heidi and my family but…'

‘I don't.' She'd never been surer of anything in her life. ‘Heidi adores you and your family. It's been a shocking day, let's make it better.'

Then, together, they walked back into the emergency room, told Esther to start looking for a mother-of-the-bride outfit and asked Heidi to do the great honour of being their flower girl.

Four months after the discovery of the remains under the jacaranda tree at the back of Uncle Tom's cottage, the pathologist confirmed the body was that of seven year old Lily-Blue Burton who'd gone missing from her family property over twenty years ago. Forensic testing determined the cause of death as being from a blow to the back of her head. Perhaps thankfully, they hadn't been able to confirm whether the crime was sexually motivated or otherwise.

The sun shone high in a beautiful autumn sky the day her family were finally able to lay Lily-Blue to rest. The main street of Bunyip Bay and all its shops closed unofficially for the afternoon as the whole town turned up to put a twenty-year mystery to rest. When the black hearse with a tiny white coffin in the back turned into the local cemetery, there wasn't a dry eye anywhere.

Faith and Monty, as well as his parents and brother, had made the trip north to support their friends, as had others who'd been living in town at the time of Lily-Blue's disappearance but had since moved on. Stella, Heidi, Ruby and Drew were only recent newcomers to Bunyip Bay but their closeness to Adam and the situation made them as moved as anyone. No one who'd lived in the region or known the Burtons remained unaffected. Although this wasn't the outcome anyone had been hoping for, there was almost a feeling of contentment among the crowd as little Heidi stepped forward and laid a pink and purple wreath upon the coffin.

At last, the little girl who had touched their lives briefly and their hearts eternally would get the peace she so deserved. Her family would always grieve, always miss her and wish things had turned out differently, but they now had the answers they needed to keep on living.

ISBN: 9781488742637

TITLE: Outback Ghost

First Australian Publication 2014

Copyright © 2014 RACHAEL JOHNS

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