Coming Home (4 page)

Rooney gripped the
armrest of her chair and fell down into it. She dropped her head into her hands.
Julie was the sweetest person she knew and to be knocked down with Alzheimers
was a terrible blow. Her heart was breaking for them both. Pete and Julie had
taken her in when she found herself with nowhere to live and helped her through
so much. There wasn't anything she wouldn't do for them.

Not showing how gutted
she was about not being able to buy the business would be one thing she could
do. All during her uni days Pete had told her the business was hers when she
could afford it. She had scrimped and saved her heart out to put money aside
for that very reason. To own her own business was the dream that kept her going
on the days when things got too much and the study, along with the wailing of
her toddler, threatened to derail her.

Now it was gone. Everything
she had worked so hard for was being ripped away, leaving her with a pounding
heart and an empty ache. What was she going to tell Tam? Having a secure future
for her baby was the one thing that kept her focused.

"Rooney, are you
okay?" Tara leaned on the door, a frown on her forehead as she looked in.
"Pete told me the news."

"Um, yeah, I'll be
fine."

"But I know how
much you had your heart set on this place. You've wanted it ever since I can
remember."

"I know, but
what’s happening to Julie is so much more important right now. Let's focus on
what we can do to help them and I can worry about my career after we meet the
new owner next week." Rooney thought of the spring bulbs she’d planted at
the front door last week and wondered if she would be here to see them burst
into bloom.

"Sure, but if you
need me, I'm here. You know that."

"Thanks. Now, what
time is our next appointment? I might try and grab a quick break if I have
time."

"You do. Free time
for around forty minutes, then the afternoon rush starts."

"Great. I'm going
for a walk to clear my head. I'll have my phone if you need me." She stood
and took off her white coat, hanging it on the back of her office door before taking
her running shoes from the closet. Rooney slipped them on, stood up and picked
a cap from the collection she kept on the hook inside the closet. "Back in
half an hour."

She managed to get out
the door and part way down the street before the tears overflowed. Walking was
her saviour, it always had been. It had started as her way to distance herself
from the real world when it all got too much. Now she was an adult, it allowed
her time to herself to relax and think things through. It was Julie who’d convinced
her to start walking to get her out of the house and give Rooney some time to
herself.

The flowers bloomed and
the sweet fragrance of spring blossoms mingled with the smell of freshly cut
grass. She let the smell soothe her nerves, breathing deeply to let the scents
calm her nerves and smooth out the jagged edges of her hurt feelings. Her feet
hit the pavement in a steady rhythm and eventually the pounding of her heart
matched it
. Funny how getting outside always sorts out the crap rolling
around in my head. I just need to give Pete and Julie all the support they need
and play nice with the new guy. There is plenty of work for both of us if he is
planning on being hands-on. It should all work out fine. I need to remember
that and it will be so. Keep telling yourself that, girl.

By the time Rooney made
it back to the practice, she was more relaxed and focused on what lay ahead.
She would put all of her energies into helping Pete and Julie get through the
turmoil that lay ahead.

When she arrived back from
her walk there was already a patient waiting for her. Rooney greeted the woman
and her dog. "Just give me a minute to get changed and I'll be right with
you, Rose."

"Take your time,
honey. We're early anyway."

Tara stood and followed
her into the office. "Listen, you had a phone call while you were out. It
was Tory. I'm sorry, honey, you need to call him straight away. I'll deal with
Rose."

Her breathing sounded
jagged to her ears. The pounding of her heart scared Rooney and she sank down
in the chair behind her desk.

God no! I can't take
any more bad news today.
She wiped her sweaty palms on the
legs of her jeans and struggled to get her breathing under control.
It's bad
news, it has to be. Why else would the family solicitor and long-time friend
call me?

"You have to be kidding me."

Cade glared at Tory and
brushed off his brother’s restraining arm. Although they were roughly the same
age, Tory was the calmest of the group. Cade had always been the show pony of
the trio, intent on being in the spotlight while Tory and older brother Russ
were happy to stay in his shadow. The only thing Russ and Cade shared was their
height and blond colouring.

"How dare that old
bastard dictate to us from the grave. Didn't he do enough damage while he was
alive?" He stood up, grabbed his crutches and tucking them under his arms,
hobbled over to the window. He looked out into the sunshine as the traffic
passed.

"Your father made
this will some time ago, Cade. I did suggest at the time that the conditions
were a little harsh, but he wouldn't hear of changing them." He sat
forward in his chair, running his hand over his short dark cropped hair.
"Look, you only have to spend two thirds of the year at Petersham
Homestead. That allows you time for holidays and in your case, games."

"That's if you can
play again and for the record, you still haven't told me what happened,"
Russ said looking down at the brace holding his brothers leg. "When did
you say you find out?"

"I'll play again,
you can be sure of that. I still have a few years left in the top grade, so
don't go burying me in the country too soon, brother." He turned and sat
on the window ledge, leaning his crutches against the wall. "So, apart
from the old man insisting we all live back at Petersham, what else does he
have in store for us?"

"If one of you
fails to fulfil the terms of the will, the property will be gifted to the
people of the Hunter Valley and held under the management of the Agriculture
Department. Your father had plans for the property for years. He felt there was
too much history for the family home to be sold off and not preserved for
future generations."

"I get that, but
hell, to have to live there. That just doesn't do it for me, Tory." Cade
crossed his arms and sighed.

"What about you,
Russ? Is there any possibility you could move home?" Tory asked.

"Funnily enough,
yes. My divorce is going through and I was looking for a change of pace."
He gave a bitter laugh. "The big city never really suited me but for
obvious reasons I couldn't move back here. Anyway, since I was only a locum
where I was working, I applied for a country hospital position and got it, not
knowing it was in Singleton until they gave me the contract."

"You are kidding,
right?" Cade slapped his hands on his good leg and roared with laughter.
"The big city doctor, divorced and locked in to the one place he couldn't
wait to leave."

"You left just
after I did, Cade. Just remember that. At least I'm happy to come back to the
farm. If the old man hadn't tied the place up like he did, I could imagine us
selling it off and going our own way. Give him credit for thinking ahead at
least. It would have been a shame to look back and see it in overseas hands
turned into a damned hotel or similar. Mother would have had a fit." He looked
at the solicitor. "You said Rooney was coming later. How is she?"

Tory looked down at the
paperwork in front of him and fiddled with the pages. "Your sister is
fine. That's about all I can say at the moment. She will fill you in on what’s
happened but I have to say, she wasn't thrilled to be coming back either."

"I don't blame her
one bit. The old man worked her over when he caught her with Stevie. Poor kid
had welts on her butt for days." Cade shook his head, a smirk on his face,
and Russ wanted to hit him. If he’d stood up for his sister, they might have
kept contact with her. She’d avoided them and Russ was sure it was because Cade
didn't defend her.

"Perhaps if you’d
supported her a bit more instead of thinking the sun rose and set on your
football career, she might want to have some contact with the family. As it is,
she could have been through hell with no one to help her."

"Stop your
bleeding heart. For God's sake, Russ, she knew what she was doing when she jumped
in the sack with that no good boy. It's her fault Father found them out. Rooney
always thought she could get away with anything being the baby of the family.
Besides I gave her a bed for a few days after she left home. Not like you did
anything for her yourself."

"Could we continue
with the will here, guys? You can have your family domestic on your own time.
Now, the funeral." Tory picked up the papers in front of him. "I know
you said you wanted him to rest beside your mother and I've made the arrangements.
Tomorrow afternoon at three. The minister will be in touch sometime this
afternoon to work out the service."

"Thanks."

"Now, there were a
few small bequests to other people as well. Estelle Green has been left a small
sum of money and the promise she will have a home as long as she lives. The
servants’ quarters are hers until she dies or chooses to move on."

"She deserves it
for all she’s done over the years." Russ thought about the woman who let
him sit in the kitchen and lick the bowl when she baked cookies. The same woman
who cleaned up his scrapes and bruises when he came in crying from a fight with
Cade and some of the other kids on the farm. If his mother wasn't always around
for the children, Essie was. "I'm looking forward to seeing her again."

"The farm has had
a new manager for the last few years too. Kate Robins has taken over the
everyday running of the farm and is doing very well."

"What, little
Katie is the farm manager?" Cade shook his head. "I don't believe it.
Was the old man sane when he gave her the job?"

"Why do you doubt
it, Cade?" Tory asked, taking his glasses off and rubbing his eyes.

"Because she was
always talking about leaving as soon as she could and heading to Sydney,
getting away from the farm. I can't see her hanging around unless there was
something in it for her."

"I've known Kate
as long as I've known you guys and I don't like what you’re insinuating. Kate
has shown how capable she is at the job and there isn't any reason to change
that." He picked up the will and continued to read. "Kate Robins is
to be kept on as manager until my legal representative, Tory Daniels, sees fit
to make changes." Tory looked up. "Along with the manager’s cottage,
Kate is to receive the same wage she is on now, subject to CPI, with an added
bonus each year, after the yearling sales, if she makes a ten percentage of
profit and keeps the stock sales in the black."

"Fair
enough," Russ said. "I sure as hell can't run the farm and Cade
doesn't want to."

Cade snorted in reply.

"Shall we
continue?" Tory put his glasses back on and looked over the black frames
at the two brothers.

Cade shrugged and Russ
nodded his head. He wanted this over and done with so he could go and see how
much had changed since he’d left.

"To my children.
Russ, Cade and Rooney, I leave the farm known as Petersham Homestead and all it
entails. Land holdings, stock and adjoining small holdings will remain in joint
ownership provided the attached provisions are met." Tory looked up again.
"I've told you those." He looked back at the papers in his hands.
"In the event of a death among them, the shares will be passed to the
remaining siblings. After the death, the siblings and children will inherit the
property." Tory paused and looked over at his clients before reading
further.

"All profits from
the sale of stock will be reinvested in the property for maintenance and
running costs. Bonds, term investments and bank accounts will be divided
equally between my remaining children. My late wife's jewellery is to be given
to my daughter, Rooney. Artwork is to remain part of Petersham Homestead to be
gifted along with the property if that is what comes to pass."

"Geez, I get it
already. We can't sell the damn place." Cade brushed a lock of blond hair
from his forehead. "Don't know how the hell I'm going to live there
though."

"As I say, you may
not have to stay in the city if your leg is too badly busted." Russ hated
to be cruel but it was time Cade thought of someone other than himself.

"Whatever. Is that
it, Tory?" He grabbed his crutches and tucked them under his arms.

"Yes, for now. All
of the accounts will still come to me for payment. If you could give me your
bank accounts details, I can arrange the transfer of funds when the bonds and
term deposits mature at the end of the financial year. Or, if you wish, you can
reinvest the money."

"So, is there any
money in the bank that isn't tied up?" Cade asked.