Page 9 of The Last Ultimatum: Part 1

“Aaron, is that you?”

“No, Mum. It’s me, Lachlan.”

She gasped and dropped the spoon she was stirring a pot on the stove with.

“Lachie? My baby?”

“I’m home, Mum.”

She had tears in her eyes as I walked over and hugged her.

“Why didn’t you call me? I would have picked you up at the airport.”

“I know you would have. I wanted to surprise you.”

“Mission accomplished.” She kissed my cheek and stepped back to look at me. “You look good.”

“So do you, Mum. It feels good to be home.”

“I can’t believe you’re actually here, work free and everything.”

I cringed.

“What is it?”

Mum always could read me like a book.

“I’m going to have a bit of work to do while here. In fact, if you’d like, you can meet the whole team.”

“Delta is coming here? To Australia?”

I nodded and smiled, trying to make it seem like it was no big deal.

Dad and the boys walked in with my baby sister in tow.

My parents had me when they were very young and then decided no more kids. That changed when I was ten and they had three more boys back to back and then, at last, our baby girl.The boys were all teens now and my little Hannah-banana was growing up much too fast.

“Lachie!” she squealed, launching herself into my arms.

“Who are you?” I asked.

She shot me a look that only a little sister could manage.

“It’s me, Hannah.”

“No way. My little banana is not this big.”

She giggled and threw her arms around my neck.

“I’m so happy you’re home.”

Home.

It should have felt like coming home, but it missed the mark. My home wasn’t here anymore. This was my family, and I loved getting to see them, but it wasn’t home for me anymore.

Of course, I didn’t tell a ten-year-old that.

I said a quick hello to Jack, Toby, and Tom as they all spoke at once, trying to catch me up on everything I’d missed from footie to sheilas.

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