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I didn’t know I was crying until tears splashed on the laptop’s keyboard. I grabbed a wad of tissues and cleaned myself up, closed the laptop, and crawled onto the trundle bed.
Sleep was dreamless and black.
I woke up feeling confident about what I had to do. There was still time to make this right.
I barrelled into the kitchen, startling my family.
“Geez, love. You look terrible,” Mum murmured. “We’ll get you a different bed.”
“It’s not the bed, it’s … I’ve been thinking about Simon.”
Everyone was quiet. Even Liam. I know I looked like shit but inside, I was at peace with my decision. And I felt had an urgency that I hadn’t felt in … I couldn’t say how long. An idea that was both a legacy and a future needed to be acted upon.
“I know the press conference will be called soon but I’m going to the hospital today.”
“You’re going back to work there?” Mum asked in disbelief.
I slowly shook my head. “I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my future and we never got to talk when you visited Ballydoon. Firstly, you should all know I’m in love with Stacey.”
“My dear boy,” Mum sighed. “We’ve known that for a while now.”
“I like her. So does your mother,” Dad said, slapping butter on his toast while Mum hid her grin behind her teacup. “And not just because she saved Liam. Although that counts for a lot.”
I managed a small smile, glancing at my brother.
“Stacey pretty and nice,” Liam added before he dunked his toast in his coffee.
“Secondly, I’m about to make some big changes with my career.”
“If it’s what I think it is, we’ll support you,” Mum said slowly, setting down her teacup. “But, Harry, what if it doesn’t work?”
I swallowed hard. “No half measures, Mum. It’s all in or nothing. I have to try.”
“This a grand gesture?” Dad asked, quirking an eyebrow.
“The grandest of gestures. And to do it, I’m calling in lots of favours.”
32
STACEY
Ballydoon Community Group:
Mark posted 6.02 a.m.:
The paper reported today that the recent bushfire on the Cunningham’s farm on the national park boundary is being treated as suspicious. Any information, please contact me. Sgt Mark McDonough
Nancy commented: Stacey is a hero. Well done saving that young man!
I didn’t want to be in hospital a minute longer. Technically, I was a discharged patient, but had to wait for one final visit from the doctor on shift before I could leave.
Mum was meant to be here by now. If only I had a working mobile so I could text or call. Hopefully Ryan had found a replacement.
I stared at the ceiling, fidgeting with my hospital bracelet.
“Well, hello, Miss Turner.”
An older man, with a white beard and thinning hair, stood in the doorway, peering over his half-glasses, with flowers in one hand and two large envelopes in the other.
