Page 80 of Outback Reunion

He hadn’t even thought about the dog but as he glanced back towards the ocean, he saw Jai standing a few feet away from them, his mum’s hand on his shoulder and a soggy dog struggling in his arms. Rookie must have rushed into the water after them.

‘She looks fine to me. The question is, how are you feeling?’

Luna sniffed. ‘I feel stupid.’ She looked up at Gabriela and started to cry. ‘I’m sorry, Mum, I know I’m not supposed to go swimming by myself, but I was with Jai. I thought I’d be fine.’

‘Oh, sweetheart, shh, it’s okay. Don’t worry about any of that, I’m just glad you’re safe. I love you so much.’

‘I love you too,’ Luna sobbed. ‘I thought I was going to die.’

‘Not gunna let that happen,’ Gabriela choked.

The drama apparently over, the crowd dispersed, and Mark walked across to Jai and thanked him for rescuing Rookie, then took the dog back to Luna, whose eyes lit up as he approached. ‘Someone else is real happy you’re okay.’

Sniffing and shuffling away from her mum slightly so she could open her arms, Luna cried, ‘Rookie.’

The dog all too happily climbed into her lap—looking bigger than usual against the small girl—and the two of them were still snuggling, Rookie against Luna’s chest and Gabriela’s arm tight across her daughter’s shoulders, when sirens sounded coming into the carpark.

Moments later, two volunteer ambulance officers hurried down the sand towards them.

‘Hey!’ Mark lifted a hand to wave as he recognised Henri’s older brother, James, and Sam, the female plumber who’d recently moved to town.

He took Rookie and stepped to the side as James and Sam introduced themselves to Gabriela and Luna and checked her over. Although she seemed okay after her terrifying ordeal, both agreed that as she’d been unconscious for a short time, it would be best to take her to Geraldton Hospital to get checked out.

‘I’ll collect your things and follow to Gero,’ Mark told Gabriela as she glanced back towards their stuff on the sand. ‘Don’t worry about anything. You’re in good hands with these guys. See you soon.’

‘Are you bringing Rookie with you?’ Luna asked.

Dammit.Despite the leash in his hand, he’d almost forgotten about the dog, but he couldn’t take her into the hospital and nor could he leave her in the car with the windows open. He wanted to be inside in case Gabriela needed his support.

‘I’ll quickly drop her at home and be there as soon as I can,’ he said as Sam and James started ushering them up the sand towards the waiting van.

‘Don’t tell me that’syourdog?’

Mark turned and couldn’t help grimacing at the sight of Eileen Brady behind him, wearing a bright green swimming cap and a swimming costume that sadly left little to the imagination.

‘Yeah, you got a problem with that?’

She blinked, clearly shocked that anyone would dare speak to her in such a manner. ‘I’m surprised, that’s all. She doesn’t look like much of a farm dog.’

Mark’s hackles rose. Rookie might not be the most conventional farm dog, but he felt an affinity for her—they’d both been tossed aside.

‘Looks can be deceiving, Mrs B. Anyway, if you don’t mind, I’ve—’

‘I’ll look after her,’ she interrupted.

‘Seriously?’ Was there a catch?

She nodded. ‘You go with your girls and come and collect her from my place when you can.’

‘Oh God, thank you.’ He could have kissed the old busybody.

Maybe there was a heart beneath that tough exterior after all. Now that he thought about it, Eileen Brady was a little like Mary Poppins—all knowing and seemingly always in the right place at the right time.

Leaving Rookie in her hopefully capable hands, he quickly collected Gabriela and Luna’s belongings, then hightailed it to the ute so he could get to them as soon as possible.

Only family members were allowed into the A&E, but Mark asked a nurse to let Gabriela know he was there. Three hours, two chocolate bars and a can of Coke from the vending machine later, she walked into the waiting room hand-in-hand with Luna.

‘Mark!’ Luna squealed at the sight of him, but Gabriela didn’t look so pleased.

---