"Thanks. Bye."
She hurried out of the coffee shop and didn't stop until she was at the solicitor’s office. The papers were prepared for signing and once they were witnessed, she was ready to go home.
"Post them or give them to Mason yourself. I've done my part." She said to the receptionist before walking out.
* * *
The next couple of weeks passed quietly. Sami tried not to notice the work going on next door. All of the posts were in and the wires strung in readiness for the new grapes. Garth worked over there every day and Mason could be seen moving around on his crutches. Her brother was excited with his new job and constantly kept her up to date on what was happening.
Sami tried to be happy for him but underneath her heart was breaking. Her chance at happiness shot to hell because she was too quick to jump to conclusions and too slow to admit she was wrong.
Too ready to believe the wrong people.
Tibby was resting up after hurting his arm and hip when he was pushed against the stock fence by two feisty young bulls as they were separated from the cows and moved to a different paddock. Things had started to go wrong and it annoyed the crap out of her. When Garth came home with cuts on his fingers from learning to prune she wondered if she’d jinxed everyone.
She kept up the pace working from dawn till dusk trying to keep the thought of what could be the biggest mistake she had made from her mind. The cattle were fed and moved when necessary, the horses monitored. She was working herself ragged but that was the way she wanted it. It gave her less time to think about what could have been. Every night she walked into dinner exhausted and ready for her bed.
The envelope on her dresser caught her eye when she was getting ready for bed one night. She looked away, shaking her head. I don't want to know, not yet. Sami climbed into bed and tried to get comfortable but her gaze kept going to the top of the dresser. The envelope taunted her more than she would like to admit. Would the reason Mum claimed to have no family be inside?
Desperate for the answer, she threw back the blankets and picked up the letter. Sami slid her finger under the flap and released it. Drawing out the folded page, she started to read the shaky writing that covered the page.
Dear Samantha,
This has been one of the hardest letters I have had to write.
For too long I have held off doing so in the hope your mother would come to her senses and return home but it was not to be as you know.
I am a stubborn man too set in my ways to change now. Your mother takes after me. I sincerely hope you don't follow in our footsteps.
You see, there is more to life than being the person who is always right. You need to learn to forgive and move on as your dear grandmother often told me. Something both your mother and I failed to do and so I go to my grave knowing I missed seeing her married and you and your brother grow up.
My stubbornness cost your grandmother her daughter and her grandchildren, something I cannot forgive myself for.
The inheritance I leave you cannot in any way make up for what you and your brother have gone through. I learned of your mother's death too late and for that I beg forgiveness. If I could take back the years I would do so willingly but life is not always so easy.
What I wish for you and Garth is happiness and the sense to know what you want in life is in your own hands. Fight for what is right Samantha. Don't do as I did and dig your toes in to make a point. Life is too short and death comes too soon.
Take what you want from life and don't let it define you. You are the person you were meant to be.
Lovingly, your Grandfather,
Miles Pendergast Westwood.
Sami folded the page and slid it back into the envelope. Slipping it under her pillow, she fell into a troubled sleep.
Chapter 24
Tibby hobbled in for dinner the next night and spoke to her about Mallika. "I think you should keep an eye on her. Could be time for the foal, she seems to be a bit uncomfortable tonight."
"I'll go down after dinner and sit with her for a bit."
"Call me if anything happens won't you? I might be some help."
Sami smiled at him. There wasn't much he could do anywhere on the farm at the moment and that wouldn't change anytime soon. She wanted him to heal properly and at his age that took time. "Sure, no worries."
On impulse, she grabbed her rarely used mobile phone and dropped it into her pocket along with an apple from the pantry. She took the torch from under the kitchen counter and headed down to see her mare.
Mallika was pawing at the ground and snorting when Sami arrived. "Oh baby, look at you." Sweat was pouring down the mare’s sides and she was in obvious discomfort. She walked to the corner of the stall and leaned down as if to lie on the hay and changed her mind, throwing her head in the air and crying out.
Sami grasped her halter and tried to sooth her, talking and stroking her neck. "Hush baby, I'll take care of you, sshh." Mallika nudged her pushing her back. "Oh take it easy, sweet girl." She ran her hands over the mare’s sides as a contraction gripped her belly. It was a strong one and the horse trembled.
"I'll stay with you, lovely girl, you won't be alone."
Keeping an eye on the mare, Sami timed the contractions. After a couple of hours and no
