Coming Home (28 page)

She collapsed on the
floor, her hands covering her mouth. The sobs escaped her fingers and Stevie
crouched down beside her, holding her tight.

"What's going
on?" Cade hopped out of his room, rubbing his hand over his face.

"Nightmare. She'll
be okay. Russ told us to expect it." Stevie stood up, pulling Rooney to
her feet.

Russ opened his door,
looked to see what was happening and walked out of his room toward Rooney. He
lifted her chin and looked into her face. "I think you should take a
sleeping tablet. You need the rest."

She shook her head.
"No. No, I'll be okay."

"I'm not asking
you, Rooney, I'm strongly advising it. Your body needs to heal as well as your
mind and been ripped from your bed with nightmares is doing you more harm than
good. At least just tonight, okay?"

He gave her the big
brother frown and she gave in. "Okay, just this once."

"Take her back to
bed and I'll go get a hot milk to go with it," Russ ordered.

 He headed down
stairs and Stevie walked her back to bed. Plumping up her pillows, he helped
her into bed, tucking her in. Holding her hand, he sat on the side of the bed.
"You know I won't let anyone hurt you. You have to trust me to look after
both of you from now on, it's my job."

Tears welled in her
eyes and she nodded. "I know, but I can still feel the blood on my face,
smell it every time I close my eyes." She looked at him, afraid she was
being weak. "I don't want to fall apart. I need to keep it together."

"Maybe that’s the
problem. You coped with having Tam on your own, losing your mother and then
your job. Don’t you think it's time to let someone else shoulder some of the
load?"

"Yes it is,"
Russ said from the doorway as he walked in with a steaming mug of milk and a
tablet bottle in his hand. "You need to let someone else in and not be
superwoman, Rooney. You have a family to fall back on now, and Stevie. The last
thing any of us want is you falling down in a heap." He handed her the mug
and opening the bottle, shook out one tablet for her.

"Thanks." She
placed it in her mouth and washed it down with the hot milk.

"I'm serious,
Rooney. You’ll have all kinds of problems if you don't deal with things. Maybe
I should give you a referral to someone."

"Let me think
about it. I just need some sleep without nightmares and I'll be fine. Thanks,
Russ."

"Anytime. Let me
know if you need anything else. I'll see you in the morning before I go to
work." He waved and walked out, shutting the door behind him.

"Do you think I
need to see someone?" She gazed at Stevie, reaching for his hand.

"It could be a
good idea. We get the offer every time a death happens in our line of work.
You'd be surprised how much it helps. Some of the guys try to bottle it up and
tough it out. Funny thing is, one day it just knocks you to your knees and you
don't have any choice but to get help."

"Just hold me.
That's all I want for now."

She placed her hot milk
on the bedside table and shuffled down under the blankets. Stevie slid in beside
her, wrapping his arms around her. Rooney closed her eyes and let the world
drift away.

Russ ran downstairs and
into the kitchen, leaving his briefcase by the door. He walked over and slid a
mug under the coffee machine, grinning at Essie.

"What's got you so
happy this morning?"

"Essie, today is
going to be a better day than yesterday. That's enough for me."

"I suppose it
would have to be after yesterday. Bacon and waffles for you this morning?"

"Sounds wonderful.
Is Rooney awake, do you know?" He poured his coffee and took a seat at the
island counter to wait for his breakfast.

"No, still asleep
according to Stevie. He’s outside with the little one. They took the dogs for a
walk." She bustled around the kitchen, taking a warm plate from on top of
the stove and dishing up his breakfast. Essie placed it in front of him and
wiped her hands on the apron tied around her waist. "Needs all the sleep
she can get, if you ask me. A terrible business that, just terrible."

"She was very lucky
Stevie was able to stop Stubbs. I can't say I'm sorry to see the earth rid of
someone like that." Russ picked up his knife and fork, cutting the bacon
before placing it in his mouth. A sound at the back door made him look up.
Stevie walked in with Tam holding his hand.

"Uncle Russ, I
told Daddy we should eat breakfast before Mummy wakes up. Then we can take her
breakfast in bed. That's a good idea, isn't it, if she doesn't feel good?"

"I think that is a
brilliant idea, Tam. She has to rest up a bit so she gets better sooner."

She held out her hands,
gripping a couple of flowers she had picked on her walk. "These will look
pretty in her room." She climbed up on the stool beside Russ. "Can I
have some eggs for breakfast, Essie?"

Essie looked at her, an
eyebrow raised.

"Please."

"Of course, child.
Stevie, bacon and waffles for you?" She walked to the stove top and picked
up a plate, ladling eggs out for Tam.

"Thanks, that
would be great." He perched up next to his daughter and watched her eat.

"How did Rooney
sleep?" Russ looked at him, hoping the low dose sleeping tablet did the
trick.

"Yeah, good. She
talked for a bit, then snuggled down and was out for the count. I left her
snoring soundly when I heard Tam up."

"Keep an eye on
her. Are you going in today?" Russ sipped his coffee.

"Later on I will.
I'm going to take Tam to school then spend some time with Rooney. I can always
stay here if I need to. She won't need for anything, you can rest assured on
that."

"I know. It was
always you for her. Glad things are working out for the three of you." He
took his plate and placed it in the sink. "Better get going, I
suppose." Russ picked up his briefcase and walked outside.

The door banged behind
him and he looked up.

"Russ, a minute if
you don't mind." Stevie walked up to him, his dark eyes watchful.

"I don't want to
intrude on your business but Rooney and I were talking last night."

Russ tensed, waiting
for the advice he was sure was coming his way.

"Yes."

"It's not well known
around town but Lizzie has had a few issues. It's the reason she is…well I
suppose you could call it standoffish. Rooney thought you ought to know in case
you think she’s giving you a hard time."

"You may as well
tell me then. To be frank, I could use some help after the way Paula did her
best to destroy my chances the other day." He dropped his brief case and
grinned. "Although I doubt she’s going to want to talk to me, I might have
to make her listen
at least. How do you know so much about
it anyway?"

"You seem to
forget I'm involved in the community now. I know more than you would think. She
had a bad experience with her ex-boyfriend. Guy threatened her and all sorts of
drama. I have a lot of time for her, she's a lovely person. Most people get the
wrong idea thinking she’s snubbing them, but that's not it. Lizzie has been
hurt more than most people and it's hard for her to let her guard down."
He looked around the farm, his lips twitching at something only he knew.
"All I'm saying is…be kind to her. Rooney wanted me to tell you to get off
your arse and fight for her—her words, not mine."

"Sounds like her.
Thanks. I appreciate you trying to help. She’s had a tough time and none of us
were there for her. That makes me sick in the gut, but at least we all have a
chance to make up for it."

"Have a good day
and good luck." Stevie turned back to the house, leaving Russ alone.

He walked down to the
barn and got in his car. Before he drove away, Russ tried to sort out in his
mind what he was going to say to convince Lizzie to give him another shot.

Russ drove and thought,
and by the time he pulled into the car park at the hospital, his mind was clear
and focused. The drone of the lawn mower filled the otherwise quiet morning as
he walked inside the hospital.

"Morning, Doctor
Williams."

"Morning."
Russ walked straight to his office and removed his jacket, hanging it on the
coat hanger before putting on his white coat. He was doing up the buttons when
Diane popped her head in the door.

"Doctor Williams,
I wonder if I can have a minute." She walked in and shut the door behind
her.

"What can I do for
you?" Russ stood where he was, the prickles of unease sliding down his
back.

"Well, it's like
this." Diane ran her finger over the edge of his desk as she sidled toward
him, her eyes half closed and a smile on her face. She ran her other hand over
her hips, her gaze on Russ. "I think it's time you and I got together. I
know Cold Fish Stanley doesn't do it for you, and she never will by all
accounts, but if you’re looking for someone warm and friendly you've found your
girl."

She lifted her top,
showing off a wide expanse of bare belly. Before Russ could say anything, Diane
launched herself at him, winding her arms around his neck and leaning in for a
kiss.

"Stop right now!"
Russ twisted away from her to avoid her lips, grabbing her arms and pushing her
back. "I think you forget yourself, Nurse. If I wanted to take you out I
would ask you, but I don't. You need to get that through your head."

Russ ran a shaking hand
over his face and tried to keep things from getting too nasty. "Look,
you’re probably a lovely person, but to tell you the truth, you’re too young
for me. I'm not interested in an affair, I'm sorry."

"You liar, I've
seen the way you look at her." Diane brushed her top down, glaring at him
with a sneer on her face. "She won't give it to you. Stanley is a frigid
bitch."

There was a knock on
his door and he called out. "Come in."

Lizzie stood there, her
face pale and pinched.

Hell, she heard that.

Diane brushed past her
and stormed from the office.

"Lizzie, we need
to talk." Russ walked toward her, saddened by the sheen of tears in her
eyes.

"No, we don't. I
heard more than I needed to. You’re required in emergency, Doctor." She
turned on her heel and rushed away.

Russ watched her hurry
down the corridor before he followed
. Today is turning out all wrong.
He
hurried to emergency and dealt with the growing number of patients lining up
for treatment. Diane was in a foul mood and avoided him as much as possible
while glaring pointedly at Lizzie. The stress was beginning to take its toll by
lunchtime and Russ was relieved to get a break.

He returned to his
office, shutting the door behind him. Russ sat in his chair and leaned back,
his head starting to pound with a tension headache. He lifted his hands and
massaged his temples, breathing deep to clear his head.

Before he could feel
any relief, his pager beeped and he was heading back to emergency.

"Thanks for
staying with me. I appreciate it." Rooney smiled up at Stevie, her eyes
dreamy, her face relaxed. They sat outside under one of the huge trees in the
front yard.

"It's what I'm
here for."

"How did Tam like
you taking her to school?"

He smiled at the vision
of his daughter beside him in the police car when he drove her into the school
drop of zone. "She seemed pretty proud to arrive in the squad car, even if
it is undercover. You've done a great job with her, Rooney. She is an amazing
kid."

"Yeah, she is.
I've been lucky I guess. She’s been the easiest kid to raise, which is just as
well with all the study and work I've had to do." She looked down at her
fingers tearing at the strand of grass in her hand. "Can I ask you
something?"

"Of course you
can. Whatever you need is yours, you know that." He waited with a knot in
his chest to see what she needed and hoped it wasn't space from him after
yesterday.

"Can you stay with
me again tonight? I don't think I can stand to sleep alone for a while and I
don't want to take a tablet every night. They knock me around. I still feel
dopey."

"Of course I will.
I might need to go home and grab a bag of clean clothes but I won't leave until
you say you'll be okay on your own."

Rooney lifter her hand
and cupped his jaw, bringing his lips down to hers. "I'm fine here with
Essie. You go and do what you have to do. I'm sure they need you at work."

"I do have things
to take care of but I've promised Tam I would collect her after school. If you
can manage until then, I can go into town and get everything done." He stroked
his finger down her cheek and traced her lips with the tip of his finger.
"I said I'll do anything to prove how much you mean to me, and I mean
it."