Hannah had prepared a spread of Amy’s favourite foods, appreciative of the fact that her daughter had a sophisticated palate. The family would be enjoying cheese platters, sushi, antipasto, dips and crackers.
Hannah smiled as she looked from the kitchen across the open-plan living area to the large bay window that overlooked the backyard. For the first time in weeks she felt like she could relax. The worry of Zane Fox’s threats hanging over her were gone – for good she hoped – and her daughter was smiling in a way she hadn’t seen for months. She was, of course, still worried about Damien and his up-and-down moods, but doing her best to be supportive and understanding was preferable to dealing with the fallout if he learned the truth.
Laughter erupted from the garden as Amy, Skye and Damien played with Bear, the chocolate Labrador Amy had chosen. Even though she had already shown interest in Bear when she’d looked at the dogs online a few weeks ago, she’d still surprised both Hannah and Damien when she bypassed a cage with three puppies and chosen the four-year-old dog. Hannah had been sure Amy would want a puppy. She’d been dismayed when she’d seen the enclosure housing the three ten-week-old pups. She’d assumed that all the rescue dogs would be older, and they wouldn’t have to train a puppy. In saying that, they were so cute that the biggest issue would have been choosing one. They probably would have come home with all three.
But Amy had made a beeline for Bear, amazed that he was still available. She’d mentioned him over the birthday breakfast but had assumed he would have been adopted by now. The Lab, however, had sat patiently at the door of his cage, his tail wagging, his eyes locked on Amy. It was as if he knew that she’d come to rescue him. The moment the RSPCA worker opened the door, Amy had flung her arms around him, and he’d leaned into her, licking her face. When she’d let go of him, he’d rolled straight on to his back with his legs in the air wanting his belly rubbed. There had been no question as to which dog they were adopting.
Hannah smiled as she watched Amy throw a ball towards the back fence and Bear rush to get it, return to Amy and drop it at her feet. He was already well trained as he’d belonged to an elderly man who’d had Labradors all his life. He’d raised him from a pup and taught him to be incredibly obedient. But according to the manager at the shelter, he was a man without any family and when he’d surrendered Bear the previous month it was because he’d had a stroke and been moved into a care facility.
Tears had welled in Hannah’s eyes when she’d heard this story. She thought of Phyllie and imagined her without any family. It was so sad to think of getting to the end of your life and having no one at all. She’d asked the manager if it was possible to get a message to the man to let him know that Bear had gone to a loving home, but the manager shook her head. Bear’s owner had died the previous week.
Hannah glanced at her watch. It was nearly three. Her parents, Nat and Phyllie would be here any minute.
Hannah’s eyes travelled over to her sister as they sang ‘Happy Birthday’ and Amy blew out the twelve candles on the mud cake they’d picked up from Sweet Treats on their way back from the shelter.
Damien stepped forward to cut the cake after Amy finished blowing out the candles, smiling as Phyllie checked she’d made her wish. Hannah was smiling too, but she couldn’t help but focus on Nat. Her sister had hardly said a word since she’d arrived. She’d also forgotten to bring Amy a present, which was so unlike her.
When the formalities of the cake-cutting were over, Amy and Skye went back outside to play with Bear. Hannah had agreed that the dog could come inside, even though initially she’d said he was to be an outdoor dog. But even she couldn’t imagine being relegated to the yard with the temperature falling to low single digits overnight. They’d bought Bear a bed, which had been set up in the laundry, although Hannah had a sneaking suspicion that Amy would get her way and Bear would sleep with her.
She’d insisted her dad, Sue and Phyllie move through to the lounge room, and Damien was refilling their champagne flutes as Hannah stacked the dishwasher with the plates from the cake. Nat excused herself to use the bathroom, but Hannah noticed that rather than join her parents and Phyllie on her return, she’d slipped out into the garden and was sitting huddled on the small bench under the rose arbour watching Amy, Skye and Bear.
Hannah wiped her hands on a towel and decided it was time to get to the bottom of Nat’s strange mood. She poured two glasses of Pinot Noir, knowing Nat would prefer the light red over champagne, and carried them through the French doors to the patio area where her sister sat.
Surprise registered in Nat’s eyes as Hannah passed her a glass. ‘Thanks.’
Hannah sat down next to her, a smile playing on her lips as Bear ran after Amy as she tore across the garden. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen her playing in the backyard. She was usually holed up in her room, reading or on her iPad.
‘You were right about a dog being good for Amy.’ Hannah laughed as Nat’s mouth dropped open. ‘What?’
‘I just can’t remember you ever suggesting I was right about something, that’s all. You’re usually very good at telling me what I’ve done or said that’s not right.’
Hannah chose to ignore the bitterness in Nat’s voice. She was going to do her best to rise above the little digs today and find out what was going on with her.
‘You okay?’
Nat broke eye contact and sipped her wine.
Her evasive stance immediately had Hannah on alert. ‘What are you keeping from me?’
‘What? Why do you automatically think I’m keeping something from you?’
‘Because you’re a terrible liar and I know your body language. It’s Phyllie, isn’t it?’
Nat shook her head. ‘What the hell are you talking about? I’m tired from working long hours and you interpret it as something’s wrong with Phyllie?’
Hannah folded her arms across her chest. ‘So Phyllie seems okay? She can manage everything?’
Hardness replaced the surprise Nat had previously shown. ‘What are you getting at? You’re not still trying to put her in a home, are you?’
Hannah stared at her sister. They’d had this discussion when she moved in with Phyllie. It wasn’t about putting her in a home, it was about working out whether she could cope alone if Nat were to move out. Why was she being so obtuse? ‘No, I’m not trying to put her in a care home. I’m just checking that you think she’s still fine to live at home, that’s all. You’re there every day, you’d know if she wasn’t coping or needed extra help. There are all sorts of services she’s entitled to. Meals on wheels, gardening help, even cleaning. She won’t let on to me, and with the way you’re acting I can only assume she does need help but has made you promise not to say anything.’
‘She hasn’t asked me to promise anything, but she is still convinced you’re going to do everything you can to run her out of her house.’
Hannah sucked in a breath. ‘She still thinks I’d do that?’
‘More or less. She wants you to mind your own business, which I’d appreciate too. If I’m not feeling sociable I don’t need the third degree from you.’