Chapters (50)
- Cover
- About the Book
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Twenty-three
- Twenty-four
- Twenty-five
- Twenty-six
- Twenty-seven
- Twenty-eight
- Twenty-nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-one
- Thirty-two
- Thirty-three
- Thirty-four
- Thirty-five
- Thirty-six
- Thirty-seven
- Thirty-eight
- Thirty-nine
- Acknowledgements
- About the Author
- Also by Sandie Docker
- Book Club Questions
- Welcome to the Kookaburra Creek Café
- Prologue
- One
- Sign up to Read More and discover new favourites
PS I have just received a call to say Mother has passed away. I was with her only a fortnight ago. Perhaps I should have stayed. Though I doubt she would have wished it. We found a gentle ease this past year, but never a closeness. And now we never will. I should have done more, for now it is too late.
No, Ivy. No, it wasn’t fair that one mistake could so easily ruin a life. None of any of this was fair.
Nicole rocked back and forth, Ivy’s words running through her head.
‘The forgiveness he truly needs is that which comes from within.’
Forgiveness. And strength.
‘Well, Nicole,’ she whispered into the empty morning, ‘what are you going to do about it then?’
Thirty-one
Nicole let the hot water wash over her, easing her tired muscles.
She stepped out of the shower and pulled on her clothes. Voices floated down the hallway.
‘Who are you?’ Danny’s tone had an edge.
‘I’m Nicky’s fiancé.’
Nicole swore to herself and ran down the hall. ‘Danny?’ She called. ‘Danny, wait.’ She slid to a stop in front of the door.
‘Is this why you’ve been pushing me away?’ Danny’s face was a storm cloud of hurt.
‘Wait. Let me explain.’
‘No. I think I’ve got the full picture.’ He turned and strode down the verandah steps and away from Nicole.
She pushed past Mark back into the cottage. Oh, God, now she’d lost Danny too.
‘So this is what you’ve been up to while I’ve been frantic with worry back at home? How could you do this to me, Nicky?’
‘Please don’t.’
‘Don’t?’ Mark paced in front of her. ‘Nicky, we’re engaged.’
Nicole shook her head. ‘No. I left, remember?’
‘Without even giving me a say. That doesn’t count. But apparently not much does with you. What? Were you planning on playing happy families with him? Does he even know that happy families isn’t an option for you?’
Nicole took a deep breath.
‘He doesn’t, does he? What do you think he’ll do when he finds out that you’re barren?’
‘I’m … not … barren.’
‘Do you think he’ll love you despite your failings? That’s me, princess. I love you, despite all your failings. No other man could ever love you if he knew the truth about you.’
No. It wasn’t true. If she just explained things to Danny, he’d … maybe …
‘You’re only half a woman, Nicky. Who else is ever going to love you but me?’
Nicole slumped into the sofa.
‘You know I’m right. The only person in this world who truly cares about you is me. I wouldn’t have come all this way, worked so hard to find you, if I didn’t. You know it’s the truth.’