Eight seconds, p.21
Eight Seconds, page 21
“I seem to be good with animals. I work for a vet clinic and recently changed from med studies to vet studies.”
“Goodness me, my girl. Way to go.”
Erin’s chest pumped at the encouragement. “It’ll still take a few years, but I’ll get there this time. Some of my med degree can go towards it, so it won’t be a total slog.”
“You can still come over this way. There’s always a need for a vet.”
“I’d love to come and visit you all. I feel like a part of me is missing, and this might be what it is.”
Larry dropped his eyes. He had his elbows on the desk and his fingers knotted together at the bottom of the screen. “If your mother hadn’t been involved in that accident, none of this would’ve happened. She was moving to Queensland anyway, for her medical degree, but she refused to tell us the truth before she left.”
“The truth about what?”
The audible sigh came across clearly when his eyes lifted. “It was an accident with a group of friends that went very wrong. One of the young kids slipped down a waterfall and was killed. We know your mother wasn’t to blame for the death, but she refused to tell the police anything, and I wouldn’t take a bar of it. All she had to do was describe exactly what’d happened. She wouldn’t, and I drew the line. I’ll admit I was angry and hurt that any daughter of mine would do this. When I put my foot down and demanded she volunteered a statement to the police or not come back, she—”
Erin let out the breath she wasn’t aware she was holding. “—she chose not to come back?”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Oh, Grandad, I’m so sorry.”
“Not your fault. I thought I’d done the best I could as a father, setting the right example, teaching the kids how to face their problems honestly, no matter the outcome. In the end, it made no difference. She was more worried about any slight against her name that would risk her one chance to study medicine. She was adamant she’d done nothing wrong, and I just wanted her to explain it. In the end, it”—he sniffed and dabbed his nose with the back of his hand—“it broke us as a family.”
Someone’s arm blocked the front of the screen and obscured Larry’s face. Then the same arm wound around Larry’s shoulder before the screen moved to the person sitting beside him.
“Hi, Erin. It’s me, Katherine. Grandad is a little overwhelmed, so I’ll give him a moment.”
Erin’s jaw dropped. It was like looking in a mirror—the same honey-brown, shoulder-length hair and matching hazel eyes. The same high cheeks and button nose in a heart-shaped face. “Oh my God, Katherine, how many more of us are there?”
Katherine must’ve understood what she meant because her delightful laughter rang through the laptop speakers and, for the first time, Erin experienced what everyone else did when they heard her laughing. Erin had been told before her laughter made people stop and stare. Until that moment, she’d never really understood why.
“Well, let me see. Your mum has a brother and a sister. My dad is the brother, and I have three brothers. Our Aunty Anne has a couple of daughters and two sons. But it’s just the two of us that look exactly like great-gran Liz. “
“Okay, I need to see a picture of great-gran Liz.”
“Coming right up. Have you got your phone handy? I’ll message it through.”
“That would be great! Thanks.”
When the phone buzzed with an incoming notification, Erin swiped and tapped, downloading the black-and-white image. She gasped, and Katherine chuckled. It was a photo of Liz with a hand-scrawled note, Elizabeth, Age 21. They could be triplets.
Something tugged inside her chest. There was this invisible cord that firmly attached itself to her heart and the woman in the photo. Erin couldn’t suppress the enormous well of disappointment that she’d never had the opportunity to meet Liz. Rosemary had no right to keep her from this side of the family. How unfair and selfish.
“Believe me now?” Katherine asked.
Erin hoped her nod conveyed the message. She was too busy looking at every detail of the photo. When Larry spoke again, she looked up again.
“Thanks so much for trying to find us, Erin. It means the world to me.”
Liz had passed away ten years earlier, but Katherine had assured her during the week that Larry was well cared for after the unexpected passing of his wife only a year ago. He still enjoyed a very active and busy life.
“I might come over for a visit,” Larry continued. “It’ll be grand to catch up with Grace too. I couldn’t believe it when she phoned the other day. Thought I was hearing things. That young Gracie was some girl back in the day. Fearless, gutsy, with a competitive streak a mile long and a crazy side that left you scratching your head. Your great-grandmother adored her and thought the world of her. Some days she wished she could’ve done more for her but it wasn’t always possible. It’ll also make my day to meet you in person and not over these screens. I—”
Erin swallowed back emotions she wasn’t used to.
“I should’ve tried finding your mother years ago. It broke your grandmother’s heart, but I was a stubborn old fool who didn’t deserve her and it’s too late now to make it up to her.”
“Oh, Grandad, don’t say that.” Erin blinked back tears.
“Hey, an old man can confess his sins.”
On the edge of the screen, Katherine’s arm wrapped around Larry’s shoulder again and squeezed it.
“How about we do this again next week?” Erin suggested.
“I’d like that, love. It’ll give me something to look forward to.”
“I’m also going to talk to Mum about this.”
“Now, you don’t go doing anything that’ll cause problems between you.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
“Okay, I’ll let you two chat. This old man will go shed a couple of tears while he has a shot of scotch. Thanks again for finding us. It’ll help ease the guilt that is always sitting here.”
She could only see the tips of his fingers against his chest. She swallowed the lump lodged in her throat and blinked back the tears filling her eyes.
As Larry rose from the chair, he said, “Don’t do anything you’ll live to regret. It’s not worth it, love.”
Erin assumed they wanted her to be cautious about what she told her mother. She’d think carefully about it, but the unsolved mystery was like an itch she wanted to scratch. It would be hard to hold back the questions.
“So, Erin—”
She pushed aside all her worrying thoughts and enjoyed a few more minutes chatting with Katherine. When they signed off, they set a date for the following weekend.
With the reunion complete, it was time to prepare for the barbecue and Grace’s epic quest to get back on a horse. Erin had prepared two cakes earlier, so all she had left to do was shower and dress. Her hands shook, and her stomach churned as she turned the laptop off and stood. She stretched her arms above her head and took a couple of calming breaths. As long as Tom hadn’t changed his mind, she wanted him to know she was ready to take things a little further.
CHAPTER 30
Present Day
Grace’s daughter, Natalie, handed Erin a can of beer and told her to relax and mingle, but instead, she lingered in the shadows, feeling a little out of place as close family and friends continued to arrive.
Tom’s work ute was parked down by the stables, and she itched to walk over and say hello. Resisting, she sat on one of the upturned wooden crates placed around the lawn for seating. Others had found seats, too, and their laughter and chatter began in earnest around Grace’s homestead yard.
“Oh, there you are. Glad you could make it.”
“Was there ever a chance I wouldn’t?” She rose and embraced Grace like an old friend, comforting and … natural. “You look great, and those riding boots are to die for!”
“Thanks. I’m nervous about everyone here. I have some very special friends I’ll introduce to you later. Julie drove up from Innisfail and Gary and his wife have come over from Perth. Dear me, whose idea was it to invite so many people to watch me topple off my darling Eve?”
Erin chuckled. “Eve doesn’t let me fall off. It won’t happen to you.”
“This is the longest I’ve ever gone without riding a horse. I’m not ready to give up my stirrups yet.” A thinking-frown look appeared on her face. “Am I being a silly old woman?”
“No,” Erin said with conviction.
They both turned when someone called Grace. She gave them all a smile and a wave.
“Off you go. They’re waiting for you.”
“I will, but first, thanks for coming,” Grace said, resting her hand on Erin’s forearm.
“Of course. I wouldn’t have missed it. Between your nerves, are you excited?”
Grace’s face lit up, and there was a twinkle in her eye. “Getting on any animal has always excited me. But yes, today is extra special. Eve has been waiting patiently, just like I have. Tom volunteered to ready her, and they should be here any minute.”
At the mention of Tom, nerves fluttered inside her stomach. Erin smiled despite her body’s overreaction. “I’m sure it’ll all go how it should. Where do you plan on riding?”
“We’re saddling up three horses, and I just want to ride around the homestead, maybe do a few little jumps. Just a taste of what I’ve missed out on this past year. Anyone who wants to join me is more than welcome. Do you think you’d like to?”
Erin gulped. She was not ready for any show jumping. She laughed at the absurd idea and then took a sip of her beer. “Maybe not today, but thanks.”
Grace gave her an understanding smile and patted her shoulder. “Can I promote you to official photographer, maybe?”
Erin jumped at the offer. Being useful was akin to being wanted in her books. “I would love to do that for you. Do you have a camera, or would you like me to use my phone?”
“I have a camera. It’s charged and ready to go. Give me a sec; I left it on the patio.”
Erin remained on the lawn and watched the mingling crowd. There were a lot of RM Williams boots and a stack of Akubra hats in various colours and states of wear and tear. After hearing Grace’s stories, she sensed this crowd knew how to party and had been doing so for many years. There would’ve been some good times had amongst them all, with a lot of boot stomping and fun had the old-fashioned way. An entire generation ago.
Grace returned with the camera. “Here you go. It’s a fairly standard digital one. If you have any questions, Peter can help if I’m busy.”
“I’ll be fine. I’m pretty good with a camera. Now off you go; your friends are waiting.”
A remarkably tall woman, Grace strolled away dressed in slim-fitting riding pants and a pale pink pressed-stud long-sleeved shirt. Despite her age, there was a glimpse of the stunning woman she’d been in her youth.
During one of their interviewing days spent pouring over photos, one particular image of Grace stood out. She was in her early twenties and showed a striking resemblance to the late Princess Diana. Even her hairstyle had mimicked the princess’s.
Even though Erin had been only a toddler when the princess was killed in that infamous car accident, who hadn’t seen images of the princess? Erin had immediately remarked on the likeness to Grace, but she had only responded with a shy smile. In hindsight, and after Erin had done the numbers, Princess Diana had not existed in a royal sense when that photo was taken, and no connection would’ve been made all those years ago.
Despite Grace’s serious illness over the last year, Erin saw a woman who no longer resembled that twenty-something princess look-alike, but someone a lot older and wiser standing amongst her friends, but still able to carry herself in a regal manner.
Erin turned when a cheer went up from the crowd. From the direction of the stables, she spotted Tom and Grace’s young grandson leading three horses towards the large gathering. She fumbled with the camera, not even close to having it ready to record such a momentous occasion.
It didn’t take her long before she got busy with the shutter and started taking shots. She fancied herself a bit of a photographer and did her best to forget that one jibe from her parents that ‘photography wasn’t a career choice’. At the time, it had hurt—she had been desperately questioning what she was doing and trying to find her place in the world.
For one shot, she zoomed in on Tom’s face. He held the lead around Eve’s neck and was looking at Grace. Erin couldn’t hear what was being said, but whatever Grace said caused Tom to laugh at the exact moment she pressed the shutter. She gasped at the perfect timing. She wanted nothing more than to stop what she was doing and look at it. It took every ounce of control not to. Instead, she ground her jaw tight and continued with the task. If anything, she wanted first dibs on that photo.
She took photos as Tom helped Grace into the saddle and zoomed in to catch her expression as she held the reins and nuzzled her face into Eve’s mane. It was so natural, like she’d done it a thousand times before, and she probably had. Grace’s face lit up brighter than the afternoon sun in the far corner of the western sky.
At one point, Tom rode beside her and then Natalie joined her as they walked over to the jumps. Others wanted to share in the occasion, too; it was as though everyone wanted to be a part of the history of Grace. That’s how much she was loved and respected by everyone there.
When the sun lost most of its intensity for the day, it signalled the end of the ride for Grace. There was a loud round of applause as she dismounted, Erin capturing the moment the dust swirled around Grace’s silhouette against golden hour light, the stables in the background. She checked the screen on the back of the camera—another postcard-perfect image.
The delicious aroma of barbequed steak and onion wafted past Erin’s nose, causing her stomach to grumble. The guests were gathering around the food-laden tables. She was about to join them but found herself watching Tom make his way towards the stables, the three horses in tow. Alone. Before he got too close, she took a set of shots.
He stopped when he drew level with her. “Hey,” he said and flashed her a brilliant smile.
“Hey, back.” She itched to take another shot but was too busy smiling.
“Want to give me a hand?”
She didn’t need to be asked twice. Nodding, she stumbled over her feet and followed behind.
When Tom led the horses inside, Erin drank in the smell of hay and all things horse, not so invasive on her nose these days, set the camera on a bench and helped with untacking and removing the bridles and saddles. Tom placed a bucket of water in front of each horse and handed her a brush. In silence, they brushed them down. They hadn’t done anything too strenuous, but it was something Erin noticed Tom did to unwind.
“Okay, I think that’s enough for now, he said. “How about we wash our hands and join the party? I’m starving.”
“Me too!” Erin gave Eve a final scratch behind her ears before latching the stall door closed. Eve poked her head over and nudged Tom’s shoulder, looking forlornly back at them.
“I don’t think she wants us to leave.”
Tom chuckled and pointed to the camera on the bench. “May I?”
The single bulb hanging down from the rafters cast shadows across the stables. Tom switched on the flash and took a close-up of Eve.
“Grace will thank me one day,” he said. When his hand rested on her shoulder, it zapped with his warmth. “Now, one of you and Eve.”
Instinctively, Erin wound her arms around Eve and rested her cheek against her nose. Erin’s eyes were half closed when the shutter clicked, and they flicked open when she realised. Eve suddenly lost interest in what they were doing and moved back into the stall, snorting a few times.
Tom still held the camera at the ready, but his gaze blazed into hers. She licked dry lips. This was the moment she’d been waiting for, and somehow, her tongue had gone and done a runner.
“Can I take a shot of you?”
Erin gulped. He could have anything he wanted. What was a photo anyway? She nodded.
“This first.”
Huh? His mouth was millimetres from hers before she realised what he meant. The moment his mouth touched hers, and for those precious few seconds, everything in her world felt right. When he pulled back, she wanted to protest and demand he kept going, but before she uttered a single word, he snapped another shot.
They stood staring at each other, the camera dangling from Tom’s arm. She looked down when he placed it on a bale of hay. A rush of warmth filled her chest when Tom wound his arms around her waist and pulled her in tight; their bodies pressed together.
Now was her chance to declare her changed intentions. If she didn’t do it now, she may as well just walk out. After all, she had followed Tom to the stables.
She breathed in a lung full of air and tightened her hold on his shoulders before slowly releasing it. “Tom, kiss me again.”
His arms dropped, and her legs wobbled without his support.
“Thank Christ for that.” The shock must’ve been too much for him because he stumbled back and tripped over the bale of hay. He fell onto his butt, and a burst of laughter erupted from him. “Do you have any idea how hard it’s been to see you, work near you, talk to you, and not touch you?”
He laid back against the hay-covered ground. “Get down here, girl, and let me show you what a kiss is.”
He reached for her hand and tugged on it. Dropping awkwardly, she laughed. Tom froze for a second at the sound of her laughter before winding his arms around her waist. She didn’t hesitate to link her fingers behind his neck.
“Kiss me, Tom. Please, now.”
“Hey … what? That’s what I plan on doing.”
“Stop talking, Tom. It’s called kissing. What don’t you get about it?”
Tom laughed some more with her, rolling them to the side, but their laughter stopped abruptly when their gazes locked. Lust, compassion and apprehension flickered through his eyes. His tongue touched her first, and she gasped at the delicious invasion. She glimpsed a smile on his face before it vanished, his mouth fastening onto hers. Shivers travelled up her arms and down her spine. She nestled in closer, closed her eyes and drank in the sensation of kissing someone whose image had invaded her every waking moment since meeting him all those months ago.
