Page 35 of Sugarloaf Ridge Lies

Chapter Ten

Liv

Another parent interview, another happy customer.I’m doing it, I’m really doing it.The week is off to a great start.

My heart tightens at the thought of sharing this news with Mum. She’d be proud.

As I say farewell to Bronwyn and her son, Will, a dark-haired man in army uniform loiters outside the classroom. He bears the nameRINDELLon a patch above his pocket. I don’t have any students with that surname.

“Hi.” I wave. “I’m Liv Rosehill.”

He nods. “Pleasure to meet you, Ma’am. I’m Campbell—”

A swish of blonde hair darts into the room. A body crashes into me, small arms gripping tight around my thighs.Gracey. “M-miss Rosehill. This is my Daddy. He’s been gone for a long, long time. Like forever.”

That might explain why she was emotional this morning. Her face was blotchy after school drop off and she barely spoke to the other girls on her table. Has he recently returned from service abroad? Children with a parent in the services can experience a whole range of emotions. If only I had this background earlier.

I extend my hand. “Nice to meet you, Campbell. Sorry. I was expecting Sally.”

He nods as we shake. “Yeah, she got tied up at work, but I was keen to meet the woman who my little firecracker won’t stop talking about.”

“Come on in and take a seat.” I motion towards a small table.

Campbell sits, shifting around in the low chair to accommodate his long legs. Gracey dives onto his lap and links her arms around his neck.

“You can sit beside me if you like, Gracey?” I pull out a small chair.

“Nah, it’s okay,” he says. “I’ll take all the cuddles I can get.”

With that, I explain where Gracey is up to with her reading, literacy, and math. Campbell asks a few questions about friendships but otherwise, he’s happy with the feedback.

“She was a little out of sorts this morning. Is there anything I can help with?” It’s a lead-in in the hope he’ll tell me if there have been any changes of late.

Campbell runs his hand over his short hair then shrugs. “I’m about to be posted for nine months.”

Gracey buries her face in his chest and squeezes him tighter. “No, Daddy. You can’t go.”

My chest aches as her small frame trembles in his embrace. I’ve never been close with my father, but seeing these two together has memories racing around my head. He always kept me at arm’s length, even as a little girl. He was all about business. The firm. Making money and entertaining clients.Not making memories with his only child. Would things have been different between us if I was a boy?

Campbell blows out a breath and glances up before focusing on me, his dark eyes glistening. “We connected two years ago, and I was trying to get out of the Army, but I have to do one last deployment.”

“Oh.” They’d been separated? How was it that he was away for the first four or five years of her life? I place my hand on the table closer to him. “If there’s anything I can do to support Grace with the change, please let me know.”

His Adam’s apple bobs. “’ppreciate it.”

With a deep breath, I tap my index finger on Gracey’s shoulder. She turns to face me, tears streaming down her flushed face.

Tears prick at my eyes.Stay professional. If I cry it’s only going to make this situation worse. Keep yourself together...“Gracey, how would you like to take an extra book home to read tonight?”

Her small lips curl up. “A Grug one?”

I nod. “Absolutely. Whichever one you like. Perhaps you and Daddy can choose one to read before bedtime?”

She slips from his lap and grips his large hand with both of hers. “You come pick, D-daddy.”

He smiles and allows his daughter to lead the way. “Thanks.”

As I farewell the pair, I promise to keep Campbell and Sally informed of Gracey’s progress.

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