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Back The Orchardist's Daughter
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

Mum had given Max some money to spend at the takeaway on the way home, but he was anxious about going because he hadn’t seen Miki since everything had come out in the open. Mum said Miki had been really nice, and he should be grateful she was such a kind person. All the same, when Max entered the shop, he stood back from the counter, feeling awkward, and let the other kids crowd forward first to buy lollies.

Miki was serving alone, and when she saw him, she smiled. ‘Hey, Max. Are you okay? I was worried about you.’

Max dropped his head, glad the shop was empty now. ‘I’m really sorry for nicking stuff.’

Miki nodded. ‘I know Jaden put you up to it. And I know you’re not a thief, so I’m sure you won’t do it again. Kurt might find out next time … and we don’t want that.’

No, Max didn’t want that at all. Kurt was as scary as jail.

But the apology was over with, and he was ready to move on. ‘Can I have a Mars bar?’ he asked, grabbing one. Then he thought twice about it and placed the chocolate back on the shelf. He opened his palm and left Mum’s scrunched five-dollar note on the counter. ‘Actually, I don’t need anything. But you can keep this. I’m going to pay for all the things I’ve stolen.’

Miki smiled. ‘How’s Bonnie going?’ she asked. ‘All recovered from her adventure?’

39

39

A week later, on a sunny spring Tuesday, Miki tidied herself in front of the mirror and pulled her hair back in a ponytail. She needed to compose herself because today Leon was taking her to see her devils at the sanctuary, and she was almost erupting with enthusiasm. Three hours in a car! The furthest she had ever been. Three hours of talking to Leon. She studied herself in the mirror, rearranging her features until she looked normal. Calming herself wasn’t easy. It required capping internal wells and damming psychological rivers, but she knew she had the strength to do it. Wasn’t this something she did every day?

She left through the back window then strode down the lane. Moving fast gave her confidence. It was time to embrace the day. Kurt wasn’t the only one who had secrets—this was an adventure beyond his control.

She met Leon in the car park behind the visitor centre, and they took off towards Hobart in the big white Toyota.

‘How are you?’ he asked, raising his eyebrows.

‘I’m good. How’s Max?’

‘I think things are better now they’ve sorted out Jaden.’

‘Max still looks pale. It was lucky you found him.’

‘Bonnie’s the real hero,’ Leon said. ‘Who’d have thought my pup could be so useful!’