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Back The Lie Save as PDF
Chapters (69)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. Acknowledgements
  66. Reading Group Questions
  67. Read More
  68. I
  69. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

‘So …’ Romy let out a long sigh. ‘So she’s saying it’s really over with your dad?’

Rex spoke up. ‘Certainly from her point of view, I reckon. Although she waves her arms about and shrieks so much, I can’t make out what she’s on about half the time. She kept saying, “ I love him, I love him ”, but then she says something about Dad not wanting her any more.’

‘And when I asked her if she was going to stop visiting,’ Leo took up the story, ‘I thought she was going to lynch me. She grabbed me by the arms and shook me. “ Of course I come, Leo. Who do you think I am? I will not leave your father when he is like this. I told you, I love him.”’ Leo did a terrible imitation of Anezka’s accent, which might have made Romy laugh at any other time.

The three were silent. Then Leo said, ‘Mum, what are we going to do? Anezka is obviously a lost cause.’ He shook his head slowly. ‘I mean, I guess I can take a bit of time off work, if they’ll let me. But I’m not exactly sure … I hope I’m up to it. And Rex won’t be any help. He has to get back to start his new job next week.’

Romy gave her youngest a sharp look. Next week? Her heart lurched. ‘What new job? You didn’t tell me.’

Rex sheepishly lowered his eyes and picked at the crumbs on the paper case that had held his chocolate muffin. ‘I only just heard. It’s not barista work this time. This is a proper global outfit. It’s my dream job, Mum. If it works out, it means I’m set for life. I can travel all over the world.’ There was a lengthy pause. ‘But obviously I don’t have to take the job. I wouldn’t want to land Leo in it.’ He gave a resigned sigh. ‘I’ll stay if you need me, of course … It’s just …’

‘Coding?’ she asked. She’d hoped he would get bored with Australia and come home after a few months. But now he’d probably settle somewhere thousands of miles away from her, meet some girl and live a life she would only know about on Facebook.

‘Yeah. Uncle Blake had a contact. They seem to think I’m pretty good.’ He gave a shy grin.

‘That’s great.’ Romy managed a smile in return. ‘I’m pleased you’ll be –’

‘It’s great for Rex, obviously,’ Leo interrupted. ‘But where does it leave Dad? I’ve got a job too, which I certainly don’t want to lose.’