Page 72 of Back in the Saddle

Before we’d split up, the answer had been yes. But she’d been better since we’d gotten back together. Her priorities had changed. Mam was staring at me, waiting for an answer.

“She doesn’t really work late anymore.”

“Mmm.”

An unfamiliar electric car drove past the house. The owner, I presumed. Mam and I finished the dishes and left the house to go for a walk. The maiden paddocks were beside us, and I watched as three of them ate hay under the shelter.

“How long did you and Taylor split up for?”

There was no point lying.

“Two months.”

“And you got back together when you knew I was coming?”

That was a leading question. “Yes, I guess the two coincided.”

“You don’t think she will go back to the way she was before I got here?”

“No.” At the start I had worried exactly about that, but I wasn’t as concerned anymore. “Is that what you were talking about last night at the party? Our separation?”

Mam nodded with exaggerated head movements. “Yes. Yes. I was telling her how happy I was.”

I smiled. “Thanks, Mam.”

We continued walking, stopping every now and then so I could point something out to Mam. Half an hour later, when we were heading back home, the owner drove past us. When we got home, I expected Taylor to be there. All she had to do was meet with the owner and he was already gone. I shrugged it off even though Mam’s lips were a thin line. One small thing didn’t mean she was falling back into old habits.

But it took another half an hour for her car to pull into the carport. I couldn’t ignore my sinking heart and Mam’s ‘I told you so’ look. When Taylor put her keys on the hook, Mam said, “That was a long meeting.”

Taylor looked between us. “I went back into the office to get a couple of things done while it was quiet.”

That made sense. Maybe she had to note down some info from the owner or he asked for something and she had to help with that while it was still fresh in her mind. Or was I making excuses because I was too scared to face the truth?

A frown tugged at the corners of Mam’s mouth. “You should enjoy your first weekend off in months with your family.”

Taylor’s nostrils flared. “I’m here now,” she said, beating me to it. “What would you all like to do? Watch a movie? Play aboard game?” Her voice showed no indication of the irritation I’d seen on her face.

Mam looked at me. “Amhuirnín, what would you like to do?”

“Let’s play Scrabble.”

She smiled broadly. “You sit with your old mam and help her. Some Australian words may be confusing.”

Taylor spun around. “Maybe Isabelle or Callum would like to help their Mamo. I’ll go get them.”

When Taylor was out of earshot, Mam shook her head and said, “One hour to sort out some paperwork. I don’t think so.”

I didn’t reply. I didn’t want to admit that she was right. I went and got the box of Scrabble off the shelf. Taylor came back with Isabelle and Callum. Mam arranged the seating so that I was sitting next to her and Taylor was at the opposite end. Fear had me wondering if our priorities had become opposites again as well.

I stoodat the front of the morning meeting and let everyone know the plans for the day. “As you all know, my mother is here visiting from Ireland. I’ll be here for the next couple of hours and then I’ll hand over to Lorraine.”

Everyone glanced at Lorraine and nodded. After the meeting, I headed off with her. We went to the foaling unit to do a stocktake on the milk and colostrum in the freezer.

“You and Taylor seem to be in a good place,” Lorraine said as she pulled the bags of milk out.

“I think so.”

“Do you think so or know so?”

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