"Cade, you'll beright, mate. You did it," Matt said. The team captain leaned over him,grinning. "We won, mate. I'll catch up with you soon."
"Just make sureyou convert that damned goal," Cade said before his voice wavered asanother wave of pain hit. "Make it worth the bloody pain."
"Done. Listen forthe roar of the crowd as they take you into the locker room." Matt ran offto set up the ball.
"Cade, mate,listen." The doctor leaned over him. "I need you to tell me where ithurts."
"Fucked myleg…ahh…not sure where. It’s burning." The sweat ran into Cade’s eyes andhe wiped his hand across his face as he grunted.
"Right, let’ssplint it, just in case." The doctor guided the paramedics to strap Cade’sleg to minimise movement. "This is going to hurt, mate, but it can't behelped. We’ve got to get you onto the stretcher." He nodded at the paramedics."On my count—one, two, three, lift."
Cade gritted his teethas they worked together to lift him. His vision wavered but he managed to holdin his cries of pain, with three people holding him in place on the cart. Thejolt as the cart started shot new pain to his leg. Cade groaned and turned hishead sideways, his stomach rolling. If he was going to vomit, it wouldn't beover his shirt. With each metre of space covered, the ruts in the groundvibrated through his body. The sweat rolled down his forehead and pooled in hiseye sockets making his vision disappear and clear with each blink.
The faces of the crowdblurred as Cade lifted his hand to wave. At least forty thousand members filledthe stadium and their voices roared as he was driven through the tunnel to thelocker room. Silence fell and in his mind, Cade pictured Matt taking the kick.The crowd went wild.
"Good job Matt,good job," Cade muttered.
"You set it up,Cade. You did well, mate."
He tried to smile atthe team doctor but the pain was too much. At what cost though.
Chapter Two
Across town, Cade'sbrother, Doctor Russ Williams rubbed his hand over his face, thankful hisoffice door was closed. Another screaming phone call from Paula was all heneeded to make his day. His soon to be ex-wife was determined to drain his bankaccount of every last cent she could lay her hands on. She told him it waspayback for not being the husband she’d hoped he would be.
He’d signed over theirtownhouse just so he could walk away and put his marriage behind him. Paula hadbeen his soul mate, or so he thought at the time. They met in his last year atmed school and clicked instantly.
It wasn't until afterthey were married, he found out it was what he could offer her that matteredthe most. She was determined to marry for money and with his family’s landinvestments, she thought she was onto a winner with Russ.
Russ leaned back in hischair, his gaze going to the painting of a country scene on the wall. Therolling hills and gum trees took him back to his last visit home.
***
"If you want toleave behind what I’ve worked my arse off to give you ungrateful kids, you areon your own. You won't get a penny from me." Russ's father stormed out,leaving him standing in the front drawing room.
"You know yourfather loves you, Russ. It’s a great disappointment to him that you won't takeover the farm," his mother said as she walked into the room.
"He knows I wantto be a doctor, Mother. He knew all along. Why wait until now to tell me howhe’s disowning me?" Russ knew his father was a hard man but he had nevertried to talk him out of his dream.
"I know, Russ butI think deep down he thought it was just a young man's dream and you would comearound eventually. You have farming blood in your veins but that doesn't mean youhave to be a farmer like your father." She walked over and slipped her armthrough his, guiding him to the green button-patterned leather couch. Drawinghim down, she settled beside him. "Don't let go of your dream if that’swhat you want. Go and study. Your father will survive."
"I don't want tolet you down, Mother. I don't think I could stand it if you were disappointedin me too."
"Oh Russ, alwaysthe peacemaker." She kissed his cheek and the smell of her violet perfumefilled his nostrils. "Do what feels right for you. Your father willsurvive, I'm sure."
"He's cutting meoff." He looked around the room and wondered how he would cope living awayfrom all of this. He gazed through the open French windows at the manicuredfront lawns and circular driveway. The fabulous house he’d grown up in, wideopen spaces of the family farm, and the restaurant quality meals theirhousekeeper cooked would soon be a thing of the past.
"I know, but youcan always use your grandmother’s trust fund. I'll clear it with the lawyers soyou can dip into it for your school fees and rent." She squeezed hisshoulder.
"Won't Father tryand stop you doing that? I know how he feels about us saving everything weget."
"Since it was mymother that left you children the funds, it is mine to supervise however I seefit. Your father has never questioned how I run things in that respect."
"Thanks, Mother.You’re amazing."
"No, my darlingboy, you are and don't let this hold you back. Your father will comearound."
***
Russ was grateful forwhat his father had done. It meant Paula couldn't touch any of the familymoney. A small blessing but there none the less, and now he could see thewisdom in his father's thinking.
He picked up the phoneand spoke to the outpatients’ receptionist. "Send in the next patientplease, Carol."
"I’m sorry,Doctor, but there is a man here to see you. He doesn't appear to be a patientand won't leave. He said he has something you would want to see," shesaid.
"Fine, send himin." Russ stood and rubbed the back of his neck as he walked to open thedoor.
A man in a dark greysuit walked towards him. "Dr. Williams?"
"Yes, what can Ido for you?"
The man handed over alarge yellow vellum
