Chapters (48)
- Cover
- Praise
- About the Author
- Also by Tricia Stringer
- Title Page
- 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
- Author’s Note
- Acknowledgements
- Excerpt
- One
Natalie took his big hand in hers. “I’m sorry everyone was worried but I needed the break and I’m glad I did it but…next time I go away I want it to be the two of us. A holiday we can enjoy together.”
“That’s good.” He smiled a rather smug smile. “You see I was hoping we might go away next weekend, before school starts.”
This time it was Natalie’s spoon that returned with a clunk to the bowl. “Go where?”
“Melbourne. I couldn’t get a refund on my Broome tickets but I can convert to a different flight.”
“But…” Natalie couldn’t believe what Milt was suggesting. “But Bree’s away, who will—”
“It’s only for two nights. Laura will be home and Paul and Mum both offered to stay and help keep an eye on things.”
“You’ve already worked it out?”
“There was a show Laura thought we might see and I wondered if you’d be up for seats at the footy? It’s at the MCG. It will be our wedding anniversary but if you’d rather stay home I can use the credit another time.”
“No!”
Milt smirked.
“No,” she said more softly this time. With all that had gone on she’d been the one to forget their anniversary was close but Milt had remembered and that meant so much to her. “I’d love to go to Melbourne with you this weekend.” If she’d had the energy she would’ve dragged him to his feet and danced with him round the kitchen but given that they were both very tired she simply leaned in and kissed him instead.
Thirty-Eight
Thirty-Eight
Six months later
Natalie scrutinised her dining table and liked what she saw. The special dinner plates, the crystal glasses, Olive’s silver cutlery; it had all been set out with the napkins, the crackers and the sparkling decorations. All ready for Christmas dinner even though Christmas had been two days ago. That day it had just been Natalie, Milt and Olive for dinner; today there’d be fourteen, fifteen if she counted her new granddaughter. She’d made little Olivia Rose a place card and sat it between Kate and Sean’s.
Their baby had been born three days before Christmas in Adelaide. Her name had been a nod to Olive and to Sean’s grandmother, Rosalie. Olive had been thrilled. Kate had slowly come to terms with the change in her life plan – there’d been lots of long phone calls in the months prior to the birth and Natalie had visited as soon as the baby was born, of course. Given Kate’s anxiety about parenting they’d kept her in hospital for a few extra days for which Natalie was grateful. If only she’d had the support her daughter was getting, her baby days might have been less traumatic.