Feeling the need to getout on the turf once more, Cade headed down the tunnel toward the stream ofbright sunshine. The last time he was here was when they’d driven him out on astretcher. The drone of the caretaker’s lawnmower reached his ears and helooked around. To not be able to come out on this field in his home colourswould be the worst thing he could possibly imagine.
"Cade, thought youmight come over." The head coach slapped him on the back and came aroundto stand beside him. "Doc just called me. Not looking too good,mate."
"Quick, wasn't he?Don't worry about it just yet, Tommo. I've come back before and I'll come backagain. Just you wait and see." He flexed his leg out in front of him asthough it would make a difference.
"You have toremember you are older now than you were the last time you took a knock likethat." Tommo shook his head. "Cade, I love you man, really I do. Youare one of my best players but your body won't heal as good as it did when youwere a kid. I want you to be prepared for the fact that this might be it foryou, as much as I hate to say it."
"Rot! Doc hasgiven me another couple of weeks off, then we’ll see." Cade flashed asmile at the coach. "If you’re thinking of writing me off now, thinkagain. The Cade Machine will be back, don't want to let my fans down."
"Let's wait andsee then. Make sure you rest up properly and stop walking around on that legwhen it should be up." He took a step closer and lowered his voice."Watch the drinking and driving too. The bosses won't take anotherincident like the last one. You’re skating on thin ice, buddy. Becareful."
The coach walked backdown the tunnel and left him standing alone. The emptiness settled in Cade’schest, leaving him with the gut-wrenching notion that this could easily be thelast time he would stand on this hallowed ground.
Chapter Nineteen
"Thanks guys, Iappreciate the way you got here so quickly." Rooney signed off on thetelephone installation and watched the servicemen pack up the tools and walk totheir truck. Now she had a phone line, she could hook up her internet. Over theweekend, Rooney had purchased the equipment and supplies she needed to open herdoors. With luck, it would start arriving today and she would be working thisweek.
The last couple of dayswere hard work but it had paid off. The walls shone and the dirty grey tiled floorwas surprisingly cleaner now she’d scrubbed the years of neglect from it. Russhad helped her bring shelves and a desk out of storage from home for heroffice. They also added comfortable chairs to the front room which now lookedcomfortable and homely.
The stainless steelworkbenches had come up shiny and new with some elbow grease, and the onlything she lacked after her supplies was patients. Hopefully the word would getout and she would get a steady stream of people dropping in.
Kate had helped bydoing up a flyer which had gone through the post to all the surrounding areas.She’d also done an email to all of the contacts in the address book Rooney hadfound in the paperwork the last vet had left behind. There weren't any entriesin the last couple of years he’d owned the business but it was all she had. Nowit was a case of sit and wait to see if anyone wanted her services.
As the truck pulled outof her driveway, a small red sedan pulled in. Rooney stood at the door andwaited to see who it was. The car door opened and a young woman in jeans and aloose white blouse climbed out, lifting her hand in greeting.
"Rhian? RhianWalker, is that you?" Rooney skipped down the stairs and across the carpark with her arms open wide to embrace her old school friend. "Oh mygoodness, you look terrific. How are you?"
"Fabulous now I'veseen you." She pushed back and looked at Rooney with a huge grin on herface. "Kate told me you were here and I just had to come out and seeyou." She slipped her arm through Rooney's and together they walkedinside. "Tell me all about it. We have years to catch up on."
"Let me make you acoffee and we can do that. It is so good to see you again." Rooney brushedaway a tear before it fell down her cheeks. "I've missed you so much."
"Likewise. Whenyou left, I was heartbroken. Nobody knew where you were, Stevie wasn't talking.It drove me crazy." She followed Rooney into the small kitchen and leanedon the bench while she filled the kettle.
"I'm sorry. I knowI should have kept in touch but things just didn't turn out the way I'dplanned. I owe everyone a big apology for that." She smiled again."You look terrific."
Rhian ran her hand overher stomach, showing off a small swell. "This is why. I feel terrific. I'mhaving a baby and we are so pleased."
"Oh my, I nevernoticed the ring. Congratulations Rhian, I'm so happy for you. Who did youmarry?" She turned to add boiling water to the cups, holding up the sugar.
"No not for methanks. Just black." Rhian took the mug and walked back out to thereception area and took a seat leaning back comfortably. "Do you rememberDennis Hines? The tall, dark and gawky kid who never said boo?"
"Yes, of course Ido. He had eyes for you and you used to ignore him. I often felt sorry forDennis." Rooney smiled at the memories that came flashing back, of themall swimming in the dam while Dennis sat quietly under the weeping willow treeswatching and biding his time until he could speak to Rhian.
"Yes well, he wasdetermined and I finally went on a date with him. We've been stuck togetherlike glue ever since. We got married a couple of years ago."
"Oh, I'm so happyfor you. Say hi to him for me, won't you?"
"I will. He knewyou were here anyway. I think Stevie told him. So, about the man, are you goingto hook up with him or have
