“Thanks goodness for that.” Delilah leaned back on the pillow and breathed a sigh of relief.
* * *
On the drive home, Blake made her sit in the back of the vehicle with her leg up on the seat. She dozed part of the way, woken by the vibration over the cattle grid when they got to the farm.
Bluey and the kids raced out when the four wheel drive pulled up at the house. With Blake's help, Delilah managed to get out of the car and used her crutches to hobble into the house, the children hovering behind her.
They insisted she sit down and put her foot up before letting her do anything. Bluey made a cup of tea and they sat around the table discussing what happened while she was at the hospital, and the next job on the list. Lilly sat with Blake and kept her gaze on Delilah.
“Show me how to work that slow cooker and I'll do dinner.” She looked up at Bluey, hoping for a quick lesson. “I mean, how hard can it be? Throw in meat and vegetables and turn it on, right?”
“That's about it, I guess. Chuck in a few herbs and spices to add some flavour. So long as you rest your foot every now and then and don't let it swell up, you should be all right. If you overdo it though, we will know.” He frowned and tried to look stern, something the kids seemed to find amusing as they giggled behind their hands.
“Yes, sir, just point me in the direction of the freezer and I will attempt my first meal for you.”
Blake pushed Lilly from his knee and stood up. “I'd better get stuck into it then. Royce, do you want to help me bring in the other herd of sheep?”
“Sure thing, Dad. Give me a minute to bring in the horse and get Bluey to help me saddle up.” Delilah’s chest tightened with pride as she watched him grab his hat and push it on as he raced down the steps and out the kitchen, a broad smile on his face.
“Lilly, I want you to stay here and help Delilah, okay?” He ran his hand over his daughter’s hair and she nodded happily with her thumb in her mouth.
“Yes, Daddy.” Lilly glanced shyly over at Del and took a few steps in her direction.
“If you have any problems, send her down to find me. Otherwise, I’ll see you ladies just on dark.” Blake grabbed his hat from the back of the door and pushed it onto his head as he skipped down the back stairs. Within minutes, he was back with a bag of frozen meat which he dropped into the sink. “This will do for tonight. Put it in the cooker and let it sit for a few hours before you stir it. Should thaw out and soak up the flavour of whatever you add to it in time for dinner.” He turned and left them alone.
“Well, just you and me, Lilly. Should we do dinner first, do you think?”
“Yes.” The words sounded thick coming from the small mouth jammed full of thumb. She followed as Del hobbled into the kitchen, getting closer until she was leaning into Del’s leg while she stood peeling vegetables to add to the meat.
Del dropped a hand to stroke the soft curls cascading around Lilly’s forehead. “Honey, how about you go and pick a couple of books from your room? We can sit on the couch with my foot up and I’ll read to you while we both rest, okay?”
Lilly looked up, her eyes bright. A huge smile broke out on her face before she bolted to her bedroom. Must have hit a good point there.
When she came back, her arms were full of books, some falling to the floor as she attempted to keep them all against her little body.
“Put them on the couch, and I’ll be there in a minute.” Del poured a jug of vegetable stock over the mix in the ceramic pot, placed the lid on, and plugged the cooker in. She set it to automatic, and double checked it all looked how she imagined it should before hobbling over to join Lilly on the couch.
With a few puffy cushions behind her back and one under her ankle, she settled back. Lilly gave her a shy smile before snuggling against her, and leaning her head back in the crook of Del’s arm. She passed up the first book, slipping her thumb from her mouth. “This one is my favorite.”
A tattered copy of The Hungry Caterpillar was thrust into her hands. “Well, it just so happens I love this one too.” She opened the cover and started to read. A small voice matched hers, word for word. Together they read page after page. When Del closed the book, Lilly glanced around at her, a shy smile on her face.
“You are a great reader. Almost as good as me, I’m thinking.” A soft giggle was the response. “What next?” She dropped The Hungry Caterpillar to the floor and waited for the next one.
Lilly shuffled through her books and picked another one handing it up. “This one.”
“Can you read this one too?”
“Yes.”
Delilah opened the book and started reading. Word for word, Lilly matched her and they worked their way toward the end of the book, speaking together the same as the first. Her small body relaxed against Del, and a yawn interrupted the last page. Quietly, Del closed the book and placed it on the edge of the couch. Lilly snuggled down further and sucked hard on her thumb.
With the pillows adjusted behind her, Del sank back and let her eyelids close, determined to have a short rest as well while she had the chance. The morning’s events had taken the wind out of her usually effervescent nature, and suddenly her body was heavy with
