Page 25 of The Talk Around Town

What had possessed her to say that she could look after him? She didn’t want the responsibility of another life, especially one so young. It wasn’t part of her plan.

Ralph just stared at her with his huge ebony eyes, oblivious to everything, barring his meal.

Ralph.Gabe had almost fallen over laughing at the name she’d bestowed with such seriousness on the bull calf. Every time he’d looked at Ralph, it had started him off again.

“It’s a very dignified name!” she’d argued. “My great-grandfather was named Ralph.”

And that had been it. She couldn’t get sense out of the man after that. He’d just gone about his business, building a small shed for Ralph with Ed’s help, shaking his head and chuckling.

The calf made a huge nuisance of himself, getting in the way and sniffing everything in sight, jumping and bouncing around when they were trying to screw things together.

Emma grinned. Ralph got under Gabe’s feet at every opportunity, tripping him and sticking his wet nose into his face, only to lick him from chin to forehead.

Gabe’s laughter had echoed around the backyard, sending Emma’s insides into a spin. Seeing him lying there on his back with calf slobber all over him was the funniest thing she’d ever seen. If only she’d had her phone handy.

Having Gabe around her home had felt so easy. It was as if he was meant to be there. She was so glad their friendship was getting stronger. She and Darby were getting along fantastically—she was atrue friend—but it was nice to know Gabe didn’t mind her company either. Contentment had pooled deep in her belly and spread, flooding her as she’d watched him putter around the backyard with his tools.

She didn’t want to analyse too closely the source of the feeling. Just the thought of being accepted was enough.

So she was now the proud owner of a baby bull. Or rather, the adopted mother. Gabe had agreed to take Ralph back when he grew too big for her yard. A giggle slipped out of her mouth at the thought of a full-grown stud bull in her backyard. At least he’d be a conversation point.

Emma managed to get Ralph into his little shed without too much trouble. She shut the bottom half of the split door and latched it.

“You, my friend, need to rest.”

She stood a moment, stared down at him and shook her head. To think, only yesterday she’d been scared witless of these animals. She still had no intention of going near the big ones, but calves she could handle. It was good to know she wasn’t a total write-off.

Emma took the three low steps to her veranda quickly, going over the list of things she had to do for the day.

Mr Forster would be open this morning until lunchtime, which was a godsend considering it was Sunday. It would save her the big trip to Bialga for some supplies. She had a bathroom to paint and some lacquer to buy for the kitchen cupboards. Plus, she wanted to update the bathroom fixtures with some nice ones she’d noticed the last time she’d been in the hardware store.

*

The main streetwas surprisingly busy as she drove toward the hardware store. She’d thought being a Sunday morning it would be much quieter, but it seemed most of the town was out. Not unlike a Sunday back in Perth.

At the thought of where she’d grown up, Emma’s eyes flicked to the locket dangling from the key in the ignition of her truck, which led inevitably to the reason she’d left. She shoved hard at the shaft of pain, forcing it back where it belonged. Thinking about her cheating husband kicked all her hard-won peace in the belly. And Sasha, her happy,bubbly Sasha…

It was bad enough thinking about Alex and how it had felt to have been told—by his sister, as well as himself—that he found her lacking, let alone think about all she’d lost on a whim.

Emma shook her head and closed a door on the hurt. She didn’t want to deal with that here, down the main street of her new hometown. Time enough for that when she was by herself.

What surprised her even more than the number of people out and about today as she drove, was the amount of people that she didn’t recognise or remember meeting who waved to her.

She blinked, taken aback.

The locals actually smiled and waved at her as she drove by. It warmed her knowing that, just maybe, she could be happy here. That small measure of acceptance from the locals touched her heart in a way that nothing else had for years. This was a place she could put the past behind her and build a new future.

Darby and the whole Jameson family had been wonderful. So friendly and welcoming, not asking too many personal questions, content to let her divulge what she wanted to. She had a feeling she had a friend in Darby like she’d always wanted.

Someone to laugh with, to be silly with, and someone to confide in. Not yet, but perhaps one day, once she’d known her longer.

Much longer.

Emma glanced at the locket again, swinging from her keychain with the motion of the ute.

Alex. Sasha.

The uncensored memories lent a sad taint to her happy thoughts, regret and loss coalescing into a tight little pinpoint of pain. Emma squashed the intrusive feelings and forced them back a second time. There was no point in dwelling on things that couldn’t be changed.

---