She replaced the photo frame, silently picked up the cups and plates and took them to the kitchen. It was a modest room but big enough for a square table and four chairs in the middle. She wiped down the bench and returned the milk to the fridge. There were several cards and invitations on the door, held in place by magnets from her parents’ travels to various parts of Australia. The invitations were for a high tea at the bowling club, an eightieth birthday from a name she didn’t recognise and then a sixtieth. She frowned at that and lifted it off the fridge. It was to Ray and Althea and was for a dinner in two weeks’ time in Adelaide, to celebrate Tony’s birthday. There was no surname but the invitation was from Marcia and girls and Natalie was pretty sure her old boyfriend had married a Marcia and that his birthday was in June. Why would her parents be getting an invitation to his birthday?

A car pulled up in the driveway. Natalie stuck the invitation back on the fridge and turned as her sister came in the door, her hair damp from the rain.

“Damn, that smells good.” Bronwyn drew Natalie into a squeezy hug. She was Natalie’s younger sister, and shorter, so her head rested briefly against Natalie’s neck.

“It’s only slow-cooked lamb. I made plenty so you can take some home.” Natalie had taken the big chunks of lamb from the freezer the night before and then this morning had set the slow cooker going with the lamb, onions, garlic, frozen tomatoes from her summer vegetable garden, the remains of some red wine from the previous night’s dinner and assorted herbs.

Bronwyn pulled back. “I am capable of feeding my family.”

Natalie was surprised by her change of tone. “I know. But you’ve got a lot on your plate. I do so little to help with Mum and Dad, I thought at least food would be useful. It’s a big pot so enough for us all to share or I can freeze it if you’ve got something organised.”

Bronwyn looked contrite. She sighed. “To be honest I haven’t even thought about tonight’s meal. Karl’s at the shop. Paying wages on a Sunday at this time of year nearly kills us so we mostly work it ourselves. I’ve been cleaning up the house and packing ready for this camp. Lina’s home with the twins and Marcus is who knows where. I’d say surfing but even he wouldn’t go out on a day like today.” She dropped the plastic bag that swung from her fingers to the table and flicked on the kettle. “It must have been a wild drive down.”

“It was. Wind and dust until I got close to Adelaide then wind and driving rain from there onwards.”