Tam slept on her back with one arm thrown above her head and the other wrapped around an old stuffed toy. Rooney leaned down to brush the thick dark hair from her daughter’s face and smiled. All the hardship had been worth it to keep this precious little being safe.
Rooney looked up when she heard soft footfalls behind her. Russ placed his hand on her shoulder.
"I didn't mean to piss you off," he whispered.
"I know."
He looked past her to the sleeping child and she watched the smile light up his face. "She is beautiful."
"Yeah, I think so too but I'm biased. She has turned out pretty well, considering."
"I doubt you would have it any other way, Rooney. I'm sorry Mum never got to see her."
"Yeah, me too."
"Come outside and spend ten minutes with me. I'm too wound up yet to sleep." Russ looped his arm through hers and walked her down the stairs. The front door stood open and they walked out onto the wide wooden veranda to stand looking over the front lawn. The huge Morten Bay fig trees in each corner of the yard swayed in the gentle breeze. Rays of white from the moon shone down on the dam at the front of the property, and the sound of water birds drifted up to the house.
"So, tell me, how is the new job going really?" Rooney untangled her arm from Russ's and sat down on the front steps. She shuffled over when he lowered himself to join her.
"I love the change of pace, if nothing else. The head nurse is pretty efficient and has everything running well." He sighed and ran his hand around the back of his neck.
"What aren't you saying?"
"I think all but one of the nurses have hit on me already and I've only been there a week." He laughed, the sound loud in the still night air.
"What's wrong with that? You're young, good looking and available."
Russ nudged his sister with his shoulder, grinning. "The only one who appeals to me is playing hard to get."
"Looks like you've got your work cut out for you then." Rooney slapped her hand on her thigh, giggling. "Best you get out your ‘rules of dating’ book. It’s been some time since you needed to rely on your charms and skill."
"I'm onto it already, thank you. I'm taking her to dinner on Saturday."
"Who is it? Anyone we know?" She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder.
"No. From what I can gather, she grew up in Sydney and trained there before getting this position."
"Good luck. Make sure you take her somewhere nice and, once you get to know her, you can bring her home for a meal. Essie would love that." She kissed his cheek. "I need to go to bed. Tomorrow is going to be a big day and Tam wakes up at the crack of dawn." Rooney stood and stretched.
"Good, I'll get to meet her before I go to work then." Russ stood up and followed her into the house, saying goodnight to Essie before heading upstairs to his room.
Chapter 16
"This place is a freaking dump." Cade used his crutch to push aside a bunch of dirty rags on the floor, making sure nothing would came out to bite him.
"Mind your mouth, there is an impressionable child outside." Rooney walked past him and peered into the treatment room, the disgust on her face obvious.
"Seemed pretty impressed with the big brother this morning. Russ, look at me, Russ can I come with you, Russ what time will you be home?"
Rooney glanced over at him with a huge grin on her face. "Not jealous are you?"
"Nah. She's an awesome little kid. I know she likes me and that's good enough." He leaned his crutches against the wall and surveyed the room cringing at the filth. The windows were streaked with dark smears of God knows what. Dust and cockroach droppings lined every window ledge and he fiddled with the latch to open the windows.
"First things first. I'll sweep out and you can throw everything you can lay your hands on into the skip bin outside. Don't touch anything in the treatment room though, please. I have to go through everything and see if I can salvage any of the instruments."
Cade looked at Rooney. "Are you serious? The whole place should be tipped and fumigated."
"You know I can't afford that. What money I have will need to go into paying for board and start up money for this place."
"What do you mean, board? We own the place remember." A confused look crossed his face.
"Yeah, we do but the money Dad left was to run the farm, not pay for our food. I spoke to Kate this morning before she headed out. We all need to put in for the food bill at least. The farm can deal with the power and running costs of the house, but not feeding us apparently."
"For fuck’s sake. This just gets better and better doesn't it? The old man must be laughing in his grave. He gets to bring us all back and we have to damn well pay to live there."
"Yeah well, deal with it, Cade. Can we get on with this and discuss money later?" She pulled on a pair of gloves and threw a set his way, grinning as he caught the pink rubber gloves. Rooney grabbed the broom and started sweeping years of neglect and filth out the door.
By the time Essie arrived with lunch and to help out, they had cleared all the rubbish, swept and mopped the place. The windows were still dirty
