You would love Tamara, Mum. She is so much like you. Feisty, full of life, and so much compassion it breaks my heart. I hope I'm doing the right thing bringing her home. Russ and Cade don't know about her yet. What they are going to say when I tell them?
I wish you were here, Mother. I wish so many things but that…most of all.
A firm hand rested on her shoulder and Russ dropped to the ground beside her, pulling her close in his strong safe grasp. As Rooney leaned into him, she relaxed.
"I'm sorry I wasn't here for you when she passed, Russ. I know how close you were to her."
"I guess you had your reasons, Rooney. I wish you could tell me what kept you away though." She shivered at the thought that the time to avoid the subject had come. Looks like now will be the perfect time then.
"Well, I was going to talk to you about that. It's not that I didn't want to come home, I couldn't."
He held her far enough away to look into her eyes. "Why not?"
She dipped her head and sucked in a breath before meeting Russ’s puzzled gaze. "I was in hospital." Rooney held up her hand when he tried to talk. "I was a little too busy giving birth to my daughter to attend."
She watched the emotions flash through his eyes and waited for the accusations to fly. There were going to be some very ruffled feathers in the next few days.
"Why didn't you tell me? I could have helped you Rooney. You know I would have." He gripped her hand. "I'm disappointed you didn't trust me enough for that. I thought you would have come to me for help."
"I didn't tell Cade either, if that is what you’re wondering." She smiled and held his hand. "Russ, you know you would’ve tried to convince me to come home and tell Mother and Father. Not that I would have blamed you, I was only eighteen. Cade would have laughed his head off for being so damned stupid and falling pregnant."
"Does Stevie know?"
"No."
"Are you going to tell him?" A frown marred his face.
"Not if I don't have to. I'm sure he’ll find out sooner or later." Rooney laughed bitterly. "He is her father even if he is a spineless little prick. Do you know what happened that night or just Dad’s version of it?"
"Why don't you tell me your version? It's the only one that matters at the moment."
"Father caught us naked in the barn. Instead of sticking up for me, Stevie ran. The bastard ran out of the barn naked as a buck rabbit, pulling his pants on as he did. He left me there to take a hiding and make excuses to Father. You should have seen the welts on my arse when he sent me to bed. I couldn't sit down for a week."
"So you ran away."
"Yeah, isn't that what bad girls do? I ran away and didn't look back."
"Rooney, you were never a bad girl. A little fiery maybe but not bad. I know you called in to see Cade. Why didn't you stay with him?" Russ picked at a piece of grass, rolling it between his fingers as he looked at her.
"His place was like a damned whore's train station." She shivered at the memory.
"What did you do for money? You should have come to me." Anger slipped into his voice.
Rooney had wanted him to rescue her—like he always had—but she’d been too scared.
"I had money saved up. I didn't have to live on the streets, if that's what you think. I ended up in Brisbane, got a job waitressing and lived in a cheap boarding house. I didn't even know I was pregnant to start with. Yeah I know, dumb hey?" Rooney traced her fingertips over her mother's name. "Anyway, long story short, I got jack of serving irate customers and had a job as a vet assistant by the time I found out. Thing was, I had made up my mind I wanted to be a vet and my boss wanted to help me. Pete and his wife are like family. They took me in and made sure I was okay when I had Tam. Then they pushed me to study. It was hard, really hard, with a small baby but I got through it." She dropped his hand and stood up, brushing down the black pleated skirt she wore. "I was saving my butt off to get a down payment on Pete's business so when he retired I would have enough for the bank to see I was earnest and give me a loan. Things didn't work out, and here I am."
Russ stood up and held onto her shoulders. "What happened?"
"Pete's wife is sick. He was offered good money for the business and he took it. He would have been a fool not to. That left me at a loose end. Now we have to come home."
"Interesting will, isn't it? I never thought he would do this to us." He shrugged. "I think it's a good idea, for me anyway, and I think for you too. I'd like to get to know my niece. Where is she?"
"Staying with Pete. I couldn't bring her home before I sorted things out. I fly back tomorrow. We might drive back in the next week or so."
"You okay?" Russ looked over at the gate at Tory watching them, then looked back at Rooney.
"Yes. Tory knows everything. He’s my ‘go to’ person when I need to keep up with things." She reached out a hand. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you but I thought it was for the best."
Russ took her hand in his, winding their fingers together as they had when they were children. "I know you
