Working down in the shed with Bluey the next morning, Blake let her impending departure get to him. He kicked out in frustration when the tractor wouldn’t start, furious at himself for not checking the fuel level the day before. When he dragged over a can of diesel, it splashed on his hands, burning the scratches unhealed yet from shearing.
“Damn it all to hell and back.” He blew on the cuts and when that didn’t help, stomped over to the water trough and dunked his hands in it, letting the coolness soothe the heat that was burning more than his hands. His mood was darker than it had been for years.
“Looks like someone stole your fire truck. What’s going on?”
He looked at the only friend who been with him through thick and thin, and seen him at his worst. “Del’s going back to Sydney.” With his throat tight with tears, he stumbled to a bale of hay and let his body fall down. “I opened my heart to her. I’ve never done that before, you know that. It’s not fair. Guess that’s what you get for falling for the most unsuitable person in the world.”
“Tell her how you feel then. Geez, don’t be shy about it. If you want her to stay, fight for her.”
“I told her how I feel. Claims she has no choice but to go and sort out the studio. I don’t want to be the one to tell the kids. They’re going to be so upset she’s going.”
“Might be for the best. She’s a city girl after all. Not sure how she would go out here in the long term.” He rubbed a hand over his whiskers, looking toward the house. “Might be the best thing for both of you. Either get her out of your system or make you do something about it.”
* * *
Delilah broached the subject with Lilly while they were sitting together sorting through books in the bedroom. “Honey, you know I love being here with you, don’t you?”
Lilly looked at her and nodded her head.
“I have to go back to town for a little while and sort out some stuff…adult stuff.”
“Why?” Her voice pitched higher with fright.
“Because I have to figure out what to do about my job.”
“But your job is here looking after us.” Her eyes filled with tears and her chin wobbled.
“Sweetheart, I love you, I really do, but big people have responsibilities they have to keep even when they don’t like it. I have to go and do some things, and then I can come back.”
“You promise?”
Delilah held out her arms. “I promise.” Lilly fell against her, small sobs wracking her tiny body, breaking Del’s heart.
There was a movement at the door and Royce stood there, a look of hatred on his face. “Royce, mate, come here and let me explain.”
“No. You’ll only lie to me. I thought you were our friend. I thought you loved us.” A sob tore at his throat and he ran from the room, down the hallway, and out through the kitchen door.
“Honey, I have to go and talk to your brother. Stay here.” She hugged Lilly before she ran off to find Royce. There was nobody in the shed. Blake and Bluey had gone out to lead the sheep to the outer paddocks now the shearing had finished. A bunch of ewes with new lambs milled around in the paddocks, but otherwise there was nothing moving down at the sheds. She looked around, calling for Royce, but silence met her pleas.
With no choice but to inspect every nook and cranny, she climbed under the shearing shed to see if he was there but he wasn’t. She looked up in the loft above the barn, hoping he was hiding behind boxes that remained unopened, gathering dust.
By the time she could see dust on the horizon heralding the men’s return, there was still no sign of the little boy, and panic took hold with every passing minute.
Blake pulled up in the ute and jumped out when he saw her standing waiting, tears streaming down her face.
“What’s wrong?” He grabbed her by the arms, looking into her eyes.
“It’s Royce. He…he ran away when I told him I had to go back to Sydney.”
Disbelief showed on his face. “You told him you were leaving? What were you thinking?” He turned to Bluey who was tying up his horse. “Did you hear that? Royce has gone.”
“Hell. Damned fool kid.” He ran as fast as his old legs would allow toward the stable. When he came back he mounted his horse again. “Horse is gone. Didn’t pass us so he must have gone down toward the river.” Bluey turned and galloped away, whistling at the dogs to follow him.
“If I’m not back before five o’clock, call Sue and tell her what happened.” He climbed back into the ute, giving her a dark glance as he shook his head. “Good move, Del.” He started the vehicle and slammed it into reverse, then headed the same way Bluey had gone.
She stood in the rutted driveway and watched them disappear in a trail of dust, regret a bitter taste in her mouth. With nothing else to do, she headed back to the house to try and keep Lilly occupied until the men came home with Royce.
Delilah glanced at the clock. There was nothing more she could do. The big hand ticked its way toward the number twelve and she put Lilly aside on the couch and picked up the phone. She already found the contact list in the side cabinet and had memorized Sue’s phone number while she waited, hoping against hope the call wouldn’t be necessary.
The pain in her chest tightened as she waited for Sue to answer. “Hello.”
“Hi, Sue, its Del. Blake asked me to call you. Royce has run away.” A sob tore at her throat. “He said you
