The Bush Telegraph, page 20
Connor’s breath caught in his chest, but he concentrated on not changing his expression. He’d skin his brother.
Jayden scuffed his toes on the floor. ‘I was trying to make money to pay him back and Maddy said she’d help me find some work.’
His son was telling the truth, but he had the feeling there was more. ‘So are you going betting with Kyle again anytime soon?’
‘Not freakin’ likely,’ Jayden said.
‘Then that’s the best hundred bucks you’ve spent.’ Jayden didn’t comment, so he asked, ‘How are the wages going?’
‘I’ve got fifty dollars.’ He looked at Connor. ‘Maddy offered to pay it all and I could earn it to pay her back, but I said no.’
Connor felt the tightness in his chest loosen. Still, he kept his face expressionless. ‘Good choice. And a very mature decision. Thanks for telling me that. Is there more?’
‘Yes. But I’m not telling you.’
Despite himself, Connor laughed. ‘One day.’
‘Maybe.’ His son really did have a sense of humour. He’d grown up a lot since they’d come here. And Connor was finding parenting had bonuses he hadn’t expected.
If that was all, then he was out of here. He had a lot to think about. ‘Enjoy the washing-up. I’m going to put my feet up and pretend you don’t still have a secret.’
Connor and Jayden rode over to Kyle’s the next morning to see Belle. As they pushed the bikes through the gate in the fence, Connor noticed how worn the track was. ‘Been through here a few times have you, mate?’
‘Just a few.’
Connor laughed. ‘Your sense of humour is improving.’
When they stepped off their bikes at the house, Kyle met them at the door. ‘You’re up early.’
‘So are you.’ His brother looked better than usual.
Kyle jerked his head at the house. ‘Someone has to be, with the missus in bed.’
‘How is Belle?’ Connor asked.
‘She’s okay.’ He shrugged but still didn’t step aside so they could go in. ‘Good as she can be. As long as she keeps her hand up, it doesn’t hurt too much.’
Connor wanted to see Belle. ‘Anything we can do?’
‘You haven’t got a loaf of bread, have you? I was supposed to bring some home on Friday.’
Connor glanced at his son. ‘Jayden? You want to ride back to the house and grab one out of the freezer, please, mate?’
Jayden nodded, turned his bike around and roared off.
‘He’s a good kid,’ Kyle said.
‘He is.’ Connor narrowed his eyes at his brother. ‘Which is why he’s worried about owing you money.’
Kyle looked away. ‘Told you that, did he? I’m surprised.’
‘Please don’t encourage my son to gamble. And especially not to borrow money to do so.’
‘Sometimes I don’t say smart things when I drink.’ His brother still couldn’t meet his gaze. ‘You should be thanking me for teaching him a lesson.’
You don’t like being called on it, do you, Connor thought. ‘I’d rather know about the lessons my son is learning than find out after the event.’
His brother’s face hardened and he snapped his head to give him a disgusted glare. He should have stopped while he was ahead.
‘Suited you well enough when I was your babysitter while you were busy.’
Connor met Kyle’s eyes. ‘I was looking after Mum.’
‘Oh, yes. Because the golden child was allowed to.’
Connor really didn’t want to get into this conversation. It was no win for anyone. Instead he said, ‘I miss her.’
Kyle laughed harshly. ‘How? You hadn’t seen her for two years.’
He raked a hand through his hair. Yes. There was no excuse for that; he offered one, anyway. ‘You know there was stuff going on in my world.’
‘And now you want to check on Belle. Your little nurse friend seems to think I pushed her.’
Connor straightened. ‘Did you?’
Kyle waved his hand in disgust. ‘No.’ There was no subterfuge in that answer. Connor stared hard at his brother and Kyle stared right back.
‘I believe you.’ He knew what it was like to be accused of something he hadn’t done. His brother hadn’t pushed Belle.
Kyle narrowed his eyes but gestured for him to enter the house. ‘Come in and see she’s okay.’
As they entered the sunny kitchen, Connor heard Belle call out. ‘Kyle. Can you help me get dressed, please?’
‘I’ll be back in a sec,’ Kyle said, just as the phone rang. ‘Grab that, will you?’
Chapter Thirty-three
Maddy
On Sunday morning, Maddy pushed past her reluctance to talk to Kyle and phoned Belle to check on her.
‘Connor here. Can I take a message?’
Her pulse rate jumped at the unexpected response, just a little, with a spurt of pleasure at hearing his voice. And the fact that his voice could do that irritated the heck out of her, especially when she’d been the one who said she needed more space.
Still, she was glad she didn’t have to go through Kyle to get to Belle.
Then she worried about why Connor was there. ‘Is Belle okay?’
Connor’s deep tones calmed her. ‘I just heard her voice and she sounds fine.’
She was being imaginative. ‘I’m ringing to see how her arm is,’ Maddy said. ‘But if everyone is busy, I can ring back later.’
‘Here she comes now.’ Connor’s words stopped her before she could follow her instincts and hurriedly ring off. So she waited. And listened to the sound of voices, Connor’s, Kyle’s and Belle’s, though she couldn’t distinguish the words. None of them sounded upset and she breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe she was seeing issues and dangers where nothing existed.
The phone clunked as it was picked up. ‘Hello.’ It was Belle’s voice, which sounded louder than normal. Bright. Happy even. ‘Is that you, Maddy?’
‘Hello, Belle. I just wanted to check how your arm was this morning.’
‘Thank you.’ Belle’s tone was warm, friendly and lively, as if she were content. ‘I’m fine. The fingers are a little swollen, but Kyle said they’re still warm. He’s been wonderful.’
‘That’s great.’ She damped down her thoughts of yes, that is how he should be. ‘Are you keeping the hand elevated?’
‘Yes, Kyle’s been very strict about that.’
‘I’m glad.’ She paused to see if Belle wanted to add anything else, but she didn’t. ‘In that case, I’ll see you on Wednesday at ten am, when the flying doctor comes in, unless you need to see me earlier.’
‘We’ve got that time written down. Thanks, Maddy.’
They hung up. It all seemed very normal, and she was glad. She’d woken last night wondering if she should have done more. Worrying if Belle was safe, or if she was ignoring a woman at risk. But Connor was there and Belle sounded happy. The happiest she’d heard her.
Of course, she realised those negative thoughts were coming from her own experiences and insecurities, and maybe she was imagining Belle’s problems with her husband. Maybe he was just cranky. Phyllis and Rita hadn’t said anything about violence.
And he was the mayor. Maddy shook her head.
On Wednesday, the flying doctor arrived on a morning heat wave and left with the afternoon winds. Belle’s arm was X-rayed with lead shielding all around her belly, something Maddy hadn’t wanted to do without medical approval, and the radial break in her wrist was confirmed as uncomplicated.
They set a proper plaster on her wrist and the doctor congratulated Maddy, not just with the diagnosis, but the choice to use strapping and a board so they could open it to look now and not go through all the drama of removing plaster if it became swollen.
Maddy hugged that praise to herself, glad to know that she was making the right decisions.
Mick, their cardiac patient, arrived home on the plane as well, looking thinner, pink and healthy, though still tired around the eyes. He’d had a small setback so had stayed a few more days, but Maddy could see how relieved he was to be home.
She’d discovered the crusty bachelor lived three doors down from the school and Maddy had met with his older sister, Lila. She and Maddy and Bridget had helped spring-clean his small house and prepare it for his arrival. The knowledge that his house was waiting, looking spruced and welcoming, made Maddy extra glad to see him.
He surprised her with a hug. ‘You’re a good girl,’ he said, as he patted her back. ‘I’m one lucky man you came back to Spinifex. They reckon I wouldn’t be here without you.’
‘You’re very welcome, Mick.’ Maddy pulled back to look into his wrinkled face. He reminded her of Alma. A kind heart but not expecting kindness from others. She hugged the older man gently to her again. ‘It was a team effort. I couldn’t have helped as much without Rita and Phyllis.’
She was very glad, too, that Mick had come through. Though he hadn’t asked why she’d come back, she could see the questions hovering near the surface of his faded blue eyes.
‘I heard rumours that you’re trying to get a swimming pool up and running?’ Mick’s face tilted to the side with a cheeky grin.
Maddy wrinkled her forehead. ‘Wow. Rumours reaching all the way to Charleville Hospital. That’s impressive.’
He waggled his own much bushier brows. ‘You know the bush telegraph doesn’t break down. Not like I do.’
‘You didn’t break down, Mick. You just bent a little. But they’ve straightened you out now.’
‘Apparently. And you’re going to be my Jiminy Cricket in staying well.’
She really should read Pinocchio with Bridget. ‘Everyone needs a conscience. I’m your cardiac conscience. To remind you about gentle walks, light beer, and to cut down on that butter you love.’ She pulled her face and voice into more serious lines. ‘And I’ll be monitoring your blood pressure once a week, so anytime you feel you need me to check, you drop in here.’
‘Maybe I can take up swimming.’ His faded eyes almost disappeared into the folds of skin as he teased her.
‘I could see you in a pair of budgie smugglers. We’ll have to raise the money first. Maybe people will pay to see you in your jocks.’ She winked. ‘Though I do have an ace up my sleeve to raise money.’
‘Do you, now? I’ll bet our mayor would like to know what that is.’
‘I don’t think the mayor is excited about the idea, but we’ll see.’
The council meeting had come and gone on Monday and today being Wednesday, Mick had probably read Rita’s minutes.
The nurse had tabled Maddy’s proposal for fundraising, a very short paragraph that Maddy had prepared, and it had gone through for discussion at the council meeting. In fact, they were calling an early meeting in two weeks when all the necessary paperwork would be handed in.
Most people had been interested, Rita had said, though Kyle hadn’t been impressed. And the council had agreed to look for quotes to put in preliminary requests to the Queensland Government for discussion.
Maddy suspected Kyle had picked up on her personal reservations about him, though she had tried to be extra nice when they’d come to the clinic. There was still a chance she had been imagining things about his treatment of his wife.
Belle had an extra glow about her, kept raving about how changed Kyle was, and Maddy hoped that would continue now the young woman’s arm didn’t need to be elevated as much and she could do more things safely within the plaster. Fingers crossed that Kyle wouldn’t go back to his old ways and take up the bottle again. And more fingers crossed that Belle’s arm would be mended by the time the baby was born.
Soon he’d have to worry about getting Belle to Longreach for the birth.
Not once through the week did she see Connor. Or Jayden. But Bridget said the boy had been at school every day and was first on the bus for home.
So no Connor in town to pick up his son and no Connor to hail Maddy as she waited for Bridget.
No quick conversations.
No gifts of food.
No anything.
It was her own fault. And she couldn’t help wondering if she really needed this much space from a single station owner, even if he had a secret she hadn’t given him a chance to explain.
She mentioned casually to Bridget that if Jayden wanted to come on the weekend for small jobs then he was welcome.
Mrs Cook had put up Jayden’s sign in the shop saying he was looking for odd jobs and two small tasks had turned up for quotes. There’d been a spark of interest at the miraculous makeover of Mrs Cook’s front and back yards and even the shop had seemed brighter. And those who had visited Mick at home had been impressed with his polished digs as well.
Other townsfolk had dug their lawnmowers out of the sheds and mowed and trimmed their dry lawns until the main street looked almost like a tidy-town nominee. Even the small library that opened three times a week had a new Australian flag flying. Maddy couldn’t help feeling that her presence in this town, and her passion for reviving it, was meant to be.
Chapter Thirty-four
Phyllis
On Friday, Phyllis didn’t know how it happened, but the Boss Baby had her and Rita lined up for a study weekend on kids’ emergencies and they were leaving after lunch. In Mount Isa. Just around the corner.
Right. Five hours’ drive away and way out of her comfort zone sitting in a bloody classroom with a bunch of young hotshot nurses. To top it off, she’d bet there’d be one of those horrid face-to-face exams at the end of it all.
Phyllis didn’t have an exam brain. She was old-school multiple choice if she had to do a test and hated acting out some scenario like a goose.
‘We’re too old for new tricks, Rita. I thought we’d just have a quiet weekend cooking.’
Rita dragged her eyes from the paediatric pre-reading module she was trying to finish online before they left. ‘Now, Phil. We’ll be fine. It’ll be a nice change. Did you want me to print this out for you to read, or are you going to do it on the computer?’
‘Print it out.’ Phyllis huffed a long-suffering sigh and tried not to let her nerves make her even crankier than she already felt.
After a long delay she added, ‘Please. I’ll look at it when you’re driving and ask you questions. Best chance of cramming it into this old brain if I do it that way.’
She saw the excitement on Rita’s face as she looked at her. Bloody optimist.
Rita’s eyes sparkled. ‘I think we’re lucky those two last-minute places popped up on the course. A weekend in a motel will be fun.’
Fun? ‘Ha. The Boss Baby will have fun. She’ll be sorry if she gets busy. I can’t believe she’s replacing us with Alf for the weekend.’
Rita turned back to the screen. ‘Alf was a medic in Vietnam.’
‘And how did the BB find that out?’
Rita’s finger hovered over the computer mouse. ‘I think Connor told her. But I’m pleased he’ll be there to drive the ambulance if she gets a call.’
‘Hmm.’ Phyllis wasn’t impressed. ‘’Nam was a long time ago and Alf hasn’t done anything since then. Maybe Maddy should have thought that through more.’ With the nurses away, it meant Maddy was without trained medical support except for telehealth and fly-in emergency cover.
There’d be no trips out to Fairhall station or anywhere out of town, unless she was in the ambulance, and despite her grumblings Phyllis was genuinely concerned that Maddy would get swamped on her own.
The nurses were leaving town at midday so they could arrive before dark. Maddy had pushed for area health funding to pay for their accommodation in a nice motel with a pool, and, surprisingly, that approval had come through in time. Maddy had told Phyllis to pack a swimsuit, to which Phyllis had snorted in response.
‘We’ll be home on Sunday night,’ Rita said without taking her eyes from the screen. ‘I’m excited about time away and learning something new. Sick kids have always made me nervous.’
Phyllis too. She guessed after it was over she’d be glad she went, but right now she wished she was going anywhere else. And she’d heard that whispered bet between Maddy and Rita on whether or not Phyllis would venture to the hotel pool if the weather stayed hot. Not on your life.
The thought of watching Rita kicking back in the relative luxury of a decent motel did improve Phyllis’s mood a little. Rita deserved it. But Phyllis crossed her fingers that there’d be no medical callouts for Maddy, because when the relief staff hadn’t panned out at the last minute Phyllis didn’t feel right going. But the Boss Baby had said it was fine. She’d manage.
Now Maddy was out there, going through the first-aid equipment in the back of the Sprinter ambulance with Alf, explaining and naming, in case Alf needed to retrieve equipment for her.
And Phyllis worried about young Bridget, who would be staying with Mrs Cook for two nights. Just in case Maddy needed to leave the house overnight.
The printer whirred and a wad of paper spewed out next to Phyllis’s knee. Pre-reading. The only reading Phyllis wanted to catch up on was last week’s Sunday papers.
Chapter Thirty-five
Maddy
At five pm, just as Maddy and Bridget were closing the front door to the clinic, a dusty older-model ute pulled up in the driveway and an agitated man climbed out. He sprinted to the passenger side of the cab.
Maddy handed Bridget the keys to the door. ‘Open up again for me, Bee, please,’ and walked along the verandah to see what the problem was.
There was something about the father, a thin red-headed man around Maddy’s age, that tugged at her memory, but his obvious distress about the occupant was a more immediate concern.
He nodded at her. He must have seen her frown as she tried to place him. ‘Bruce Dalton. I met you when you used to work at the pub. You might remember my dad from the fire brigade, Blue?’
‘I remember your dad.’ Blue had been a regular at the pub. A good volunteer fireman, Alma had always said.
‘Are you still open?’
‘We are now. How can I help?’
