A soft tickle of hair brushed against her cheek rousing her from sleep. Del opened her eyes, startled when she saw the huge brown eyes blinking inches from her own. Warm breath rolled over her face as she struggled to keep her eyes open and she blinked rapidly. The dimples on Lilly’s cheeks deepened when she smiled even more at the motion.
“You were making a funny noise out of your mouth.”
“Really? I find that very hard to believe.” Del sat up, moving the child to one side as she glanced down at her ankle. The slow, deep, throbbing pain was more than she’d expected. The injection had worn off. Pursing her lips, Del wiggled her toes and rotated her foot. Hmmm, I can live with that, but I think I’m going to need some pain relief tonight to sleep.
She swung her legs over the edge of the couch and sat looking around at the pile of books Lilly had brought out. It took her a couple of seconds to stack them all together, and hand them to Lilly. “How about you put these in your room for now? I can read you some more tonight before you go to sleep, okay?”
“Okay.” Lilly hurried from the room.
Del swallowed a nasty taste coating her tongue she put down to the painkillers they had sent her home with. With slow moves, she stood up. Once the fuzziness settled and she took a few deep breaths, she hobbled into the kitchen for a large glass of water to chase away the taste in her mouth. The clean freshness of the water made all the difference and Del relaxed against the kitchen counter as she finished off the glass. When her thirst was quenched, she placed the glass on the draining board. The smell of the dinner cooking reached her nostrils. She opened the drawer and withdrew a wooden spoon. Lifting off the lid, she took the time to savor the smell of the first casserole she had ever made—proud of her efforts—especially if it tasted as good as it smelt. Del gave it a stir before placing the lid back on.
By the time Blake and Bluey came in with a dirty Royce in tow, she had set the table with help from Lilly and managed to add some steamed vegetables to the meal without burning them.
Blake sniffed the air appreciatively and hung his hat on the back door. “That smells pretty good, Del.”
“And not a sniff of burnt food in the air,” quipped Bluey as he walked over to the table and pulled out his chair. He sank down with a sigh, closing his eyes for a moment before looking over at her. “So, what have you done this afternoon, not too much I hope?”
Delilah let Blake take the slow cooker and put it on the table before she pulled out her chair, and sat down. “Lilly and I did the dinner, and then lay back on the couch to read a few books. I didn’t realize she was such a good reader.”
Lilly looked up at her father, a shy smile on her face before dropping her gaze to her hands.
“She can’t read.” Royce spat the words out unhappily. “She can’t, I know.”
“She is trying, Royce. Leave her be for goodness sake. You need to concentrate on your own school work, and stop picking on your little sister. I’ve just about had enough of it, to tell you the truth.” Blake looked over at Del, frustration clearly showing on his face.
Delilah’s heart melted as she watched the boy blush under his father’s disapproving glare. Instant regret crossed Blake’s handsome features at the hurt in the boy’s expression. For a brief moment, Del could almost forgive the flash of temper. He was understandably tired. The load he’d carried alone for so long had to be wearing him down. She reached out and squeezed his fingers lightly. He glanced at her before he squeezed hers back and took a deep breath.
“Royce,” he said, his voice gentle once more, “your sister is little and she’s still learning. Please stop picking on her.” He looked over at Del, frustration clearly showing on his face. “Instead of criticizing, why not help her instead?” He lifted the lid and stirred the spoon through the steamy concoction.
“Sorry, Dad. Sorry, Lilly.” His lips quivered and he held back his tears bravely.
“Pass me your plate, Royce.”
An uncomfortable silence fell over the table as they ate their dinner. Royce’s lips trembled through the remainder of the meal, while Lilly cast surreptitious glances at her brother, whose eyes remained downcast on his plate while he ate. Blake clearly battled with his conscience, torn between disciplining his children and the guilt he felt at his reprimand.
Bluey tried to lighten the atmosphere with his account of their work out in the paddocks, but the strain of the day settled on them all. He gave up and ate the rest of his meal in silence. In truth, Delilah wanted nothing more than to head to her room for an early night. It was all she could do not to heave a sigh when Blake herded the children off to bed.
“I’m really tired. It must all be catching up with me. I think I’ll go to bed too. Leave the dishes. I’ll do them in the morning.” She glanced at Blake. “Did you want me to read to the children tonight?”
“No.” Del shivered at the harsh tone in his voice. “I’ll read to them.”
“Goodnight, Bluey.”
He nodded as she turned away.
With a heavy heart, she tucked the crutches under her arms and headed to her room. She sat on the edge of the bed and lifted her foot up, easing back against the pillows. Delilah couldn’t deny that his harsh response to her offer to read to the children had hurt. Sure, he was tired and stretched to the limit, but
