She struggled to put her case in the back amongst the hay and tools but managed it without asking for help. When she slid inside and shut the door, Bluey planted his foot on the accelerator and they were off. Del kept her eyes on the shed until it was out of sight. Heaving a great sigh, she kept her eyes on the road ahead.
“You’re making a big mistake, you know that, don’t you?”
“I honestly don’t know anything anymore.”
“I warned you but you wouldn’t listen. Broke the boy’s heart good and proper now. To say nothing of the young ‘uns. I thought you were better than that, Delilah.” He grunted and slowed at the gate, driving over the cattle grid and checking the road before shooting out.
“I tried to explain it to him but he wouldn’t listen. Seems like nobody will.”
“Don’t go getting all damned maudlin on me now, girl. Hell, I’m sure you’ve been told you think way too much.”
She gave a wan smile. “Yes I have, but it’s the way I’m made I guess.”
“Shame that. You were good for him, for all of them.”
They were almost in town when she spoke again. “Here’s my card, Bluey. I’d appreciate it if you could keep in touch. Let me know how he is. My work address is on there as well as a number you can get me at.” He took it and jammed it in the groove of the speedometer. He glared at it then turned to look at her.
“Why?”
“Because I care about him… about all of you.”
“Got a right funny way of showing it, girl.”
“As I said, it’s the way I am. I can’t just walk away from this contract, too many people rely on me. I told Blake that and I thought he understood. This isn’t something I can do over the phone. The studio head has asked for this meeting and it’s the least I can do since he holds the contract and is the only one who can break it.” She sighed. “I need him to do that before I can move on. I can’t do the show and live at the farm, it just won’t work.”
“I get it, Del, but hell, the boy loves you. This is killing him, ya know?”
“Is it, Bluey?” She glanced out the window and let her head drop to rest on the cool glass. “He didn’t even have the balls to say see ya later.”
When they pulled up in front of the store, a panic spread over her. The bus had pulled in, making it real. She was going back to Sydney.
The shop door opened and Sue stood there, watching Bluey pull her suitcases from the back of the ute. She looked at Del disapprovingly for a couple of seconds then turned away, shaking her head and shutting the door.
“Guess that’s that then.” Bluey touched her on the shoulder. “You take care now and come back soon. Never known anyone so damned interesting as you, Del. Going to miss you, ya know.”
She threw her arms around the craggy old man and hung on tight. Her throat closed over and she had trouble getting any words out. He had a huge impact on her time at the farm and she would never forget him, regardless of how her future turned out.
She kissed his weathered cheek and turned to climb the steps of the bus. Thankfully it was almost empty and she didn’t have to sit next to anyone. All the way back to Sydney, Del brooded and chewed over what she’d done. By the time they crossed the Sydney Harbour Bridge, she still hadn’t worked out a better way of handling things.
A taxi dropped her at her gate. When she stepped from the vehicle, she stood and looked up at her apartment. It felt foreign now after her time in the Outback and she swallowed back a sigh of frustration. Nothing had changed. Her apartment was still the same cold, uninviting, sterile environment she’d thought she enjoyed.
Del walked over to the phone and called the farm, hoping to speak to Blake. He had ignored all the calls she had made on the three day trip home and she was desperate to hear his voice.
It rang a couple of times and just as she was going to hang up, she heard a small voice. “Hello.”
“Lilly, is that you?” She sat down on the couch with the phone tucked into her shoulder. “It’s Delilah.”
“Are you coming back now?”
“Not yet honey. Is Daddy there?”
“He’s down at the shed with Bluey.”
“Can you tell him I called when he comes in, please?” She waited for Lilly to answer.
“Okay.”
“Bye baby, I love you.”
She disconnected the phone and tears filled Delilah’s eyes. She missed the children more than she thought possible. Twice she had wanted to get off the bus and turn around, but knew she would regret it unless she had everything sorted.
After a restless night, she dragged herself out of bed and prepared for the meeting that would change her life. Wearing her fashionable stilettos and pencil skirt in a stunning shade of green, she hoped to make a good impression. She looked in the mirror hoping to see manicured, neat professional woman. What she saw was a sad, torn woman who should be somewhere else. There were bags under her eyes and a sadness she couldn’t shake.
* * *
“Why didn’t you show me this idea earlier, Delilah?” Paul Steenburg, the head of the studio, sat back in his chair watching her, the manuscript she had emailed for his consideration sitting in front of him on the desk. “You know we’re keen to do movies as well as our regular shows.”
“Because Kim wasn’t interested. She wanted me to put all my energy into the series. I have to be honest with you though, Paul, I’ve
