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Back The Orchardist's Daughter Save as PDF
Chapters (57)
  1. COVER PAGE
  2. PRAISE
  3. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  4. DEDICATION
  5. PROLOGUE
  6. PART I SEEDS
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. PART II GERMINATION
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. PART III GROWTH
  29. 21
  30. 22
  31. 23
  32. 24
  33. 25
  34. 26
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. PART IV UNDERSTOREY
  42. 33
  43. 34
  44. 35
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. 38
  48. 39
  49. 40
  50. 41
  51. 42
  52. 43
  53. 44
  54. 45
  55. 46
  56. EPILOGUE
  57. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

‘What was that thing you said to stop Rosie having puppies?’ Max asked.

‘You could get her spayed,’ Leon said. ‘I’m going to the vet soon to have Bonnie vaccinated. I could ask about it for you. Find out how much it costs.’

‘Can I come with you?’ Max asked.

‘Sure. I’ll make an appointment one night after school.’

Bonnie was running around like crazy, chasing her grotty old ball. It had her spit all over it and Max didn’t want to touch it, but Leon didn’t seem to mind.

‘How are things at school?’ he asked, tossing the ball for Bonnie.

Max shrugged. ‘Okay.’

‘How are your friends?’

‘All right.’

‘What about that big kid I’ve seen you with in the street sometimes?’

Max went cold. He didn’t know anyone had seen him with Jaden. What else had Leon noticed?

‘That big skinny kid,’ Leon went on. ‘What’s his name?’

‘Jaden,’ Max said cautiously. ‘My friend’s big brother.’

‘What’s he like? Is he okay?’

Max shrugged again. ‘He’s all right.’

Bonnie put the ball near his feet, and suddenly Max didn’t care about the spit. He picked it up and waved it in front of her face, so she grabbed one end with her teeth and they had a tug of war. He could see Leon watching, and it worried him. Maybe Miki had seen him steal something from the shop. Maybe she had told Leon. Maybe Max should get out of here. ‘I have to go home,’ he said, throwing the ball again for Bonnie. ‘It’s nearly dinnertime.’

‘Okay, but if anything’s bothering you, make sure you tell me, hey? Then we can fix things.’

Max nodded, but he was wondering what Leon meant. Fix things how? By telling Jaden’s dad that Max had been stealing stuff and get him sent to jail? Did Leon know Jaden’s dad was a policeman?

Leon gave him a ten-dollar note. ‘Buy something at the shop. Lollies aren’t cheap these days, not like when I was a kid. Buy yourself an ice-cream or something, and one for your friends.’

‘Thanks.’ Max put the note in his pocket. Mum wouldn’t be happy about him taking money from Leon, so Max wouldn’t tell her. He could secretly leave it in the shop for Miki, to pay for some of the stuff he had stolen. It might not cover everything, but it would be a good start.

26

26

Leon managed to get an appointment for Bonnie on Friday evening. He knocked off work early and went home to collect Max and the dog. As they spun down the highway, he was pleased to have Max there to hold Bonnie; she was so excited she was bouncing around like a jackhammer.