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Stacey gave me a curious look as Leonie joined us.
“Your dad’s a painter?” her mother said. “Wouldn’t have expected a doctor’s father to be a painter.”
“I wasn’t the private school kid that many were in my year at med school.” I laughed. “Dad’s been trying to get out of it since he hurt his back years ago. Getting up the scaffolds is too much for him now, but he can’t afford to retire yet.”
“Come into the kitchen.” Leonie waved us both to follow her down the hall. “Stacey, get the good tea in the pot, and the biscuit tin. What does your mother do, Harry?”
“Everything. Bookkeeper, admin, social media manager for Dad’s painting business. She’s been at home as a full-time carer, too.”
“I know that all too well. You soon become a jack-of-all-trades on a farm when you marry a sheep farmer.”
We walked into a huge kitchen, painted pale green and white, about the era of nineteen-twenties or thirties, with a wood stove in an alcove, spreading warmth throughout the room. A huge wooden table was in the centre of the space with ten chairs around it.
A huge fruit bowl was in the middle, overflowing with fruit, keys, pens, and other household items. One end was covered in textbooks, a calculator and lecture pads while we sat at the other. Stacey headed to the kettle
“Excuse the mess.” Leonie waved at the textbooks. “My youngest son Tom studies where he’s close to tea and biscuits. He’s doing ag science at uni but right now, he’s out checking in the western paddocks. Some lambs got caught in the old barbed wire yesterday.”
Stacey placed a teapot down and fetched teacups and a battered and well-loved biscuit tin. I poured tea for us all. Stacey took a seat opposite her mother and took a home-made butter cookie from the tin. I sat at the head of the table flanked by the Turner women. I couldn’t help but feel I was about to be grilled.
“You said your mother is a full-time carer?”
I set the teapot down. “Yes, for my brother. Liam’s thirty but he’s intellectually impaired and has high needs. He tried independent living earlier in the year and it didn’t work out. If he’s stressed, he runs away and gets lost.”
My throat tightened thinking about my family. They’d had always been strictly off limits as a conversation topic with a potential lover.
“What brought you to Ballydoon?” Leonie asked.
“It was a case of good timing. I’d kept in contact with George after a uni prac placement. He heard I was on extended leave from the hospital and asked if I wanted a short contract to cover him here. I felt a bit guilty at first leaving Mum and Dad but I’m really glad I came. It’s been great so far, except when I stuff up patient files.”
Stacey was smiling and I smiled back.
“And what an amazing night for both of you. If you hadn’t both been working tonight, well, I can only wonder what would have happened to Lesley. I’m so proud of my daughter, and you, too, Harry.”
I sipped my tea. Sheep bleated in the distance.
“Tell me about sheep.” I grinned. Leonie laughed, and then talked about training as a wool classer and travelling to different shearing sheds in the district to class fleeces. As she spoke, I realised there was a lot more to sheep and wool than I’d ever thought.
“I do that for the season, about six weeks a year. Before that, I was a teacher. I’d do relief work when I was first married but then Ryan came along, then Amanda and Stacey. Learning more about the wool trade was more interesting and a priority while I raised my kids. And then surprise, twins.”
“So, you’re the middle child?” I swivelled to Stacey, flashing her a teasing grin.
She rolled her eyes and plucked another biscuit from the tin.
“Stacey’s getting her nursing diploma too.” Leonie regarded her daughter with so much pride.
“She’s accomplished in many things,” I added.
“Says the doctor,” Stacey quipped.
I pointed my teacup towards her. “Says the painter, sheep farmer, firefighter, race car driver.”
“Oh, Stacey,” Leonie blurted. “You told Dr Cain about your car racing?”
I almost dropped my cup.
“I mentioned it briefly,” Stacey said. “Harry’s into cars. You probably guessed by his Mustang.”
Good save. Leonie didn’t need to know I had the best sex of my life with her daughter in the back seat of my muscle car.
