A thin, mature, black dog ran up to the car, barking, tail wagging, the intelligent doggy face alive with curiosity to see who was in the car with Ava. Zac loved dogs, and one day he planned on adopting one. He might need an object of affection for when he looked back at these times with the increasingly fascinating Ava May, the desert midwife. He stared at the excited canine and he laughed out loud in response. He might need a dog quite badly, in fact.

They pulled up at the main entrance, though it seemed every room in the house facing them had its own door outside to the verandah. He recognised the main door by the welcome mat and the row of boots standing to attention outside.

The door stood open and he saw Ava’s grandmother – Mirium, she’d told him at the hospital – though Ava referred to her as Mim. The small, well-tanned, white-haired woman called, ‘Reggie.’ The dog obeyed immediately and came to sit, very still, beside her at the door. She bent and rubbed his ears and the black tail slapped the floor of the verandah in ecstasy.

Then Ava’s mother, slightly taller, equally well-tanned, with Ava’s blue eyes and snub nose, stepped past her and smiled in Ava’s direction as she climbed out of the car.

He couldn’t help comparing the welcoming delight on the faces of the two women to the gracious acknowledgement his wife had showed when he’d arrived home each day. Poor little rich boy, he mocked himself, and opened his door.

Ava’s mother smiled at him, nodded and gestured them towards the door. ‘Come in, come in. Come and have a cold drink. And late lunch. You must be starving.’

Chapter Twenty-three

Ava

Ava turned her head to survey the familiar surroundings and felt the peace wrap around her like her grandmother’s arms. If anywhere could heal Zac, then her home could. She believed that with all her heart and quashed the doubts that tried to surface again about his memory.

When she entered the homestead, she could hear the clatter of a pot going onto the stove and guessed her mum was heating soup already. She turned back and saw Zac coming in after Granny Mim, his bag in his hand, a little diffidently, as if unsure if this really had been a good idea. She drew a deep breath and plastered a smile on her face.

‘This way, Zac, I’ll show you to your room. You might like to freshen up – you have your own bathroom – and then meet us back in the kitchen.’ She gestured to where the noise was coming from. ‘Mum’s onto lunch already.’

His face cleared. ‘Thanks.’

Granny Mim followed them and Zac moved closer behind Ava as if afraid of getting lost.