Coming Home by Rosie MacDonald

Author:Rosie MacDonald
Language: eng
Format: epub

Chapter Seven

Anna worked in the bar, while Daphne and Tom headed back from the hospital. When they returned, Anna would find out exactly when Tom hoped to be able to return to work. She wasn’t sure if she hoped it would be sooner, or later. It was quiet. Jim had gone for a day out with Adelina and Melanie. They had taken him to Shark Bay to go scuba diving. Anna hadn’t known that Jim dived, but wasn’t entirely sure she was happy with the amount of attention Tom’s two most persistent admirers were now paying to Jim instead.

Tom wasn’t impressed with the competition either – and the fact that he was now competing with a man who genuinely respected women, and didn’t treat them as objects to amuse himself with, was causing him to have to rethink his strategies. If it hadn’t been making things so precarious and made Tom even more determined to achieve his conquest of her, Anna might have found it a little funnier. It was like watching a couple of stags fight it out to see who got the girls.

Gracie was, as usual, perched like a wizened crow at the end of the bar, and as Anna handed over her vodka, she patted Anna on the hand. ‘You look troubled little one,’ the older woman stated matter-of-factly.

‘I probably do. What would you do if you were me Gracie?’ Anna asked, not really expecting the woman to keep talking. She tended to keep herself to herself. Anna started to elaborate, but Gracie was clearly in a talkative mood – and was clearly very perceptive in her alcohol-induced world.

‘Honestly love, I’d go home. Get myself married to that lovely, tall drink of water of a fella - before someone else takes him. He’s obviously head over heels in love with you. You’ve done well so far, keeping away from Tom. He’s trouble. Always has been, since his dad upped and left. Daphne did her best, but he just doesn’t trust anyone now – not even himself. So steer clear, and as soon as you can, you get off home.’ She sat nodding wisely and Anna, surprised by the old woman’s sudden eloquence, barely took in anything she had said. Then it hit her that Gracie had said that Jim was in love with her.

‘Gracie, hate to say it, but I think you have had a few too many if you think Jim is in love with me. He hasn’t so much as hinted towards his feelings for me, and he’s been here weeks. I think my heading off to the other side of the world to find myself put paid to that – he’s here to help my parents get me home. Nothing more. Nothing less. I blew it with him. I won’t get a second chance and I don’t deserve one.’

‘Oh, you young girls think you know everything these days,’ Gracie said, exasperated. ‘Open your eyes, and use your actual brains for once, child. How many

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.