Coming Home (11 page)

"Thanks, Kate. I'm
sorry I didn't tell any of you but it was easier not to at the time."

Essie glanced at her
before joining the huddle. "Oh, child! I wish you’d come home. I could’ve
helped out with the little one."

"Yeah well, that’s
probably what will happen now, so don't go getting your knickers in a twist,
Essie. We all
have
to come home, so you’ll have your fill of us."
Cade lifted the bottle to his lips taking a noisy slurp.

Cade leaned back in the
chair and shook his head. "Sorry to take the sparkle off your
announcement, little sister, but has anyone bothered to think about what
I
want
to do? I mean, Russ here had to run out of town because his trophy wife didn't
want to stay with him and his job was going nowhere. You need to find a home
for yourself and your child, but what about me?" He put his bottle on the
table beside him, ignoring the disgusted look from Essie. "Has anyone even
thought about what would happen if
I
decided not to come back home? I
have a fucking career, for God's sake, and I
like
it." He ran his
hand through his hair. "I don't want to come back here and fester away in
the bloody country—not yet anyway."

Rooney turned on him,
and Cade blanched at the venom in her gaze. "Why is it always about you,
Cade? Ever since you were a little boy, you had to be the one in the front.
First to have everything, first to get the attention. Russ and I took a back
seat to you and your goals, so don't you think it's about time you thought
about what we want just for once?"

"Honey, let it go
for now. Talk to him when he isn't drinking." Russ tried to get her to
back down.

"No. I'm sick of
everyone giving him what he wants. It was all ‘Cade this’ and ‘Cade that’.
Cade
must play football because he is good at it. That’s what
Cade
wants. I'm
so damned sick of it. I want a home for my child and a business of my own. Now
I have a chance to get it, and I won't let
him
stand in my way."

"Since when have I
had it all my way?" Cade pulled himself to his feet ready to do battle
with his sister. "I've worked for everything I have, and don't you forget
it. For some reason you all think being a sports star is all glamour. Well let
me tell you, it isn't. I have to work my arse off every day to stay in shape
and train, to say nothing of the promotional crap that gets thrown at us."
Cade held onto the edge of his chair to stop from toppling over. The whiskey
played havoc with his balance. "You were always Father’s little girl,
Rooney. Why the hell do you think he took it so damned hard when he caught you
with your pants down? You disappointed him, that's why." He laughed
bitterly. "You were the final chance he had to make one of us the next
member of the dynasty and look what happened. Little Katie stepped in where
none of us wanted to be and now
she’s
in charge."

He saw the colour race
up Kate's cheeks. "So, instead of falling into line with Father’s idea of
a farming dynasty, you go and get knocked up by the local bad boy. For fuck’s
sake, it's laughable. You would always think of yourself before anyone else."

"That's enough,
all of you." Tory stepped between Cade and Rooney.

"Mind your own
business, Tory. I haven't finished." Cade pushed him out of the way.
"I will make up my mind about moving home when I'm good and ready, little
sister, and there is
nothing
you can do about it. I'm going to
bed."

Cade turned and hobbled
out of the room. He leaned on the entry way wall for support as he headed for
the veranda for his crutches. His leg ached like never before and despite the
amount he’d drunk, Cade knew there was more to it than the doctors where
telling him. After being so stupid and leaving his crutches outside, he knew
the pain he would feel tomorrow wouldn’t be good.

 The rush of
voices sounded behind him. Cade ignored them as he headed upstairs to his room
and slammed the door. He ripped his shirt over his head and threw it on the
floor. The room was hot and stuffy. Cade hopped over to the window, his knee
throbbing each time his foot landed on the floor, the pain making him feel
sick. Grabbing at the turned timber handles on the sill, he lifted the window
and pushed it up, breathing in the cooler air that rushed inside.

He lay down on his bed
without pulling down the quilt. Why did he have the jitters about his injury
when normally it wouldn't bother him? Deep down he knew but didn't want to
admit it, even to himself. This time he knew it was more crippling than before.
It could mean the end of his football career, and he wasn't ready for that. He
wished he could tell his family the reason he was so belligerent but he
couldn't face the sympathy, not yet.

Russ woke the next
morning with anticipation running through his veins. He chose his suit and
shirt with care, spending extra time on his appearance. First impressions meant
a lot to him and he wouldn't do the meet and greet with mismatched socks or a
bad tie. He splashed on a small amount of cologne and looked at his reflection
in the oval, full-length mirror in the corner of his room.

Satisfied, he took his
wallet from his bedside table along with his phone and keys before walking out
of his room. The bedroom door opposite was still closed and there wasn't a
sound coming from inside the room. He assumed his brother was sleeping off the
drinking binge from the day before.

Russ looked forward to
returning to the hospital where he’d been born. A fresh start, a new job and a
return to the home he loved put a spring in his step as he headed down the
stairs.

The sound of laughter
came from the direction of the kitchen. He pushed open the door and smiled.
Essie stirred a pan on the stove while Kate leaned on the kitchen counter,
cradling a large coffee mug between her hands.

"Morning, ladies,
how are you this bright, sunny morning?" Russ placed his car keys on the
counter with his phone and headed to the oversized coffee machine.

"Much better than
yesterday, thanks. Get away with you, I'll do that," Essie said as she
nudged him with her hip.

Russ made eye contact
with Kate, who grinned. "I see nothing has changed in this kitchen."

"And why would it
then? Things were working just fine and they will continue to do so under my
watch." Essie turned to him with a baleful glance. "Just because
you've grown up some since I saw you last doesn't mean anything has changed in this
house, you know. I still run the kitchen my way. Go and sit."

She turned on the
machine and placed a mug underneath the spout before hot coffee dribbled down,
filling the kitchen with a delicious aroma.

"Morning, Kate,
sleep well?" Russ dropped onto the stool beside her.

"Yes, surprisingly
I did." She gave him a gentle smile, her lips twitching. "After the
bombshell Rooney dropped on us yesterday, I kind of figured my mind would be
churning over the news and wouldn't sleep a wink." Kate drained her mug
and pushed it away before resting her chin on her hand. "What do you think
is going to happen when Stevie finds out?"

"There will be
hell to play, that's what." Essie placed coffee in front of Russ.
"That boy isn't going to take the news lying down, I know that for a fact."

"What makes you so
sure he will even care?" Kate raised an eyebrow at the older woman.

"He may have been
a bit wild as a teenager but things have changed. He's a reliable member of the
community now and you can ask anyone what he’s like. Straight down the middle,
Stevie is. I think our girl is in for a shock." Essie poured pancake
batter in small pan on the stove. "Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward
to having Rooney and her little one home, but I don't reckon it's going to be
as easy as she thinks."

"Essie is right. I
don't have much to do with the law mind you, but by all accounts Stevie Taylor
has turned out to be a pretty good guy. It's a shame things weren't resolved
before now. It could get nasty since Rooney has left it so long," Kate
said.

"Well, that is
something she’ll have to sort out for herself. I have things of my own to work
out." He took a sip of the coffee, sighing as the hot cup of joy slid over
his tongue, buzzing his taste buds awake. "Oh Essie, that would have to be
the best coffee I've had."

She stepped in front of
him, a hint of pink on her age-lined cheeks, and deposited a plate piled high
with pancakes in front of him. She added a small bottle of maple syrup and a
pot of butter curls to the side of his plate.

Russ reached out and
grabbed either side of her face, pulling her close for a fast kiss of
gratitude. Essie grinned and bustled away to clear up her dishes.

"Kate, aren't you
eating?" Russ asked before he cut a wedge of syrup-drenched pancakes and
jammed them in his mouth. He closed his eyes in bliss and groaned as he chewed.

"I'm all good,
thanks. Had mine already." She stood and walked to the sink, dropping her
mug into the hot bubbly water. "Back for lunch, Essie. You have a good
day, Russ. I expect you will knock them all dead in there. It's about time the
hospital had a handsome young doctor instead of the old fogies they’ve been
hiring. Place could do with a shake up."

Kate grabbed her hat
from the hook on the back door and jammed it on her red, wavy hair. With a
wiggle of her fingers she walked out the door, shutting it behind her.

"True, Russ. It
will be good to have someone a little bit younger than Dr Rivers. He was so set
in his ways, and that was a shame. I hope you enjoy getting into a small
community hospital and don't get bored with how quiet it will be compared to a
big Sydney hospital."

"Not a chance. It
wasn't so bad where I was, just too big and impersonal. I prefer knowing who I
work with. Blame it on being brought up as a small town country boy." He
ate contentedly until his plate was clean, resisting the temptation to lick the
plate. When he looked up, Essie watched him with a knowing expression borne of
familiarity on her face.

"I can just
imagine what's going through your mind. Put that in the sink and be off with
you. I have cleaning to catch up on and dinner to prepare for tonight."
She wiped her hands on her apron and took a cooler box from the big industrial
fridge. Essie held it out to him. "You enjoy your day."

Russ was taken back.
His wife had never made his lunch, even when he was struggling with late hours
and little sleep. He took the offering and wrapped his arms around her
shoulders before dropping a kiss on her grey hair. "Thank you, Essie. I
can always count on you to look after me."

"I'm glad you came
home, Russ. Now we just have to hope the others follow suit and stay."

Russ picked up his keys
and phone and waved her goodbye as he walked out the door.

By the time he got to
the hospital, the streets were busier than he remembered with early morning
traffic.
Perhaps it’s market day at the cattle yards
. He drove through
the car park looking for a space to park his BMW. When he got to reception, it
was five minutes past nine. "Dr Russ Williams to see Nurse Elizabeth
Stanley."

"Take a seat, Doctor.
I'll page her for you."

Russ walked over to the
window and looked out. The trees were just bursting to life with new foliage
erupting from tight buds and birds flitted in and out of the branches. He
smiled. He would enjoy working where there was space for trees and grass.
That’s what he’d missed most about living and working in the city—no nature,
just concrete and steel.

"Dr
Williams?"

He turned and faced the
woman who spoke. Russ guessed she was in her early thirties. Tall and slim, she
stood straight-backed and stiff with her hands clasped together. Russ let his
gaze rest on her face as he stepped forward. Her dark hair was twisted up into
a bun on the back of her head and her dark eyes watched him angrily, white
lines around her mouth. "Yes. Nurse Stanley?" He held out his hand.

"You are late,
Doctor. Follow me please." She turned on her heel and walked away, her
black shoes squeaking on the polished floor of the hallway. He watched her for
a second before his brain told his feet to move, more intent on looking at the
way her navy skirt moulded around her hips and fell to just above her shapely
knees.

Russ followed, the
feeling in his gut reminding him of his first day at university when he was
chewed out by a lecturer for being late because he couldn't find his way. The
last thing he wanted was to get off side with Nurse Stanley. She was the head
of the Nursing Unit and they would have to work closely together for the
duration of his contract. Nurses were often awarded more respect than doctors,
especially when the doctor was new to town, so he would have to bide his time
and earn her respect.

She walked through a
maze of corridors and stopped to glance over her shoulder at him before walking
into an office. Nurse Stanley held the door, waiting for him to follow her in.
Indicating a chair in front of the desk, she pushed the door shut before
walking around and pulling out her chair.

Russ swallowed and took
a seat, his stomach rolling as though he was back in front of his school
teacher. The penalty in a small town hospital for being late couldn't be too
bad, could it?