The Redgum River Retreat by Sandie Docker

Author:Sandie Docker [Docker, Sandie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia

The first rays of sun pushed through the opening of the curtains in the living space, as Sarah padded around the room, trying not to disturb the others. She hadn’t slept much – at all, really – her mind racing from one flustered thought to the next, and she’d given up all hope of nodding off as the clock on her phone ticked past 4 a.m.

Six o’clock now, it was still another two hours before she had to have Melody up and ready for her first session. Staring at the walls inside their cabin was doing nothing to calm her nerves, so she wrapped her yellow cardigan around herself and headed out into the cool morning air.

There was a light on in the Stave across the clearing, and one of the other cabins was stirring. But the air was still. A light dusting of rain sat on the grass – Sarah had heard it coming down a few hours earlier – but the sky, just waking up, showed the promise of a clear day.

A clang from behind the cabin rang out on the still air and Sarah jumped.

‘Come here.’ A deep whispered growl followed by another clang.

Sarah stepped off the porch and edged around the side of the cabin. She didn’t know what she would do if it were some sort of burglar. But she figured the chances of that around here were probably pretty slim. Although there was that one horror movie she’d watched as a teenager, set in the bush . . . no, don’t be so silly.

Placing her hands on the cabin wall, she popped her head around the corner, hoping she would be so stealthy and quick that whoever was there wouldn’t see her. But she didn’t pull her head back quick enough. She didn’t pull it back at all.

She stared, open-mouthed, at the sight just up the path.

Next to the gardening bench Joshua crouched, in a grey tracksuit, hands in a clump of dirt spilled under the table, a . . . Sarah blinked . . . yes, a possum perched on his shoulder.

‘You are in so much trouble, young lady,’ he growled under his breath.

Sarah stifled a laugh. ‘Young lady?’

Joshua jumped up and whacked his head on the table.

‘Oh, god, sorry.’ She rushed over to him but stopped a few feet short when the possum lifted its head and stared at her – like a genuine death stare.

‘No. My bad.’ Joshua rubbed his head. ‘I shouldn’t have been poking around. But this little mischief-maker couldn’t help but get into my geraniums.’ He ran his hand down the possum’s tail, which curled around his fingers. ‘All the eucalypt leaves in the world at her fingertips and she still goes for these.’ He picked up the smashed pot and tidied up the mess. ‘I hope we didn’t wake you.’

Sarah shook her head. ‘No. I’ve been up for a while.’ The whole night. ‘So is . . . she . . . your pet?’

Joshua laughed. ‘No. It’s not legal to keep possums as pets.

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