AllFreeNovel
Share Us
8
The last of Nate’s guests left around 2am. Mum and Dad left much earlier, but not before making me promise to go out to the farm the next day. Luke carried Amelie out to Dan’s car and gently fastened her in without waking her. Dan said his goodbyes and took his sweet little girl home.
As Nate and Amanda were leaving I pulled my big brother into an unexpected hug. I’m certain the drinks I consumed beforehand had made me a little more affectionate than I’d usually allow myself to be. In my industry, you had to keep your hands to yourself, or you'd end up in the tabloids, no matter who it was.
“She’s amazing Nate, I’m really happy for you,” I whispered in his ear.
He gave me an affectionate squeeze in return. “It’s great to have you home, Nat.” He pointed his finger at Luke. “Make sure she gets back to her motel safely,” he warned, before he began his long walk back to the farm with Amanda.
“Aren’t you going with them?” I queried, and both boys let out an amused laugh.
Luke shook his head and Nate waved goodbye, stumbling off into the darkness with his arm around his beloved.
“I’m already home. I live upstairs now,” he said, pointing upwards, above the pub.
The last time I’d seen upstairs it was full of old junk and empty kegs.
My mouth dropped in surprise. “What? Here?”
“I converted it about six years ago. It made sense I guess. Early starts, late nights.”
“Oh wow! But…” My heart dropped. “You didn’t sell...” I dreaded Luke’s answer to my next thought, but he interrupted me before I could find the words to ask.
“No, no way. I could never sell her place, Blue,” he reassured me. “It’s just too big for one person. Hopefully I’ll move back some day, when I settle down…But this will do fine for now.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. Dawn’s house was the most beautiful house in Fairleigh. It was one of the original Australian homesteads with a veranda that encircled the entire house. Nothing compared to it. I loved every moment of my time there, and couldn’t imagine anyone else living in it.
“I still spend a fair bit of my time there, mainly for upkeep…but for other reasons, as well.” Sadness clouded his eyes.
My heart ached and I nodded sadly, understanding the pain he felt all too much. I couldn’t believe it had already been four years.
I remembered those days vividly.
I walked off stage in Nashville, thrilled to have performed in front of another sold out crowd. I bounded into my dressing room and found Stefan staring down at my phone. He peered up at me apprehensively.
I froze. “What?”
His face paled. “I think you need to call home.”
“Why? What’s wrong?” I demanded, searching his sad eyes.
He pressed a few buttons on my phone, and placed it in my palm. My hand trembled as I brought it to my ear. I could barely hear the ring over my pounding heart.
“Hello?” a faraway voice rasped on the other end.
“Mum? It’s me. What’s going on?”
“It’s Dawn, darling,” she choked. “She passed away this morning.”
I couldn’t breathe. The words that followed faded away as I crumbled to the floor gasping for air. Stefan knelt down and wrapped his arm around me, easing the phone out of my hand with the other. He stroked my back as he spoke to my mum, working out all the details. He ended the call and pulled me into his arms, pressing his lips to my head as I sobbed. He knew how much she meant to me.
As I lay curled up in my tour bus, Stefan switched to manager mode. He wasted no time rearranging my schedule so I could attend Dawn’s funeral. He organised his dad’s private jet to fly me to the closet airport, and a driver to take me the rest of the way. I only had a small pocket of time before I had to get back on tour, and he made it possible.
I was already late arriving to the town cemetery, but didn’t have to search long before I saw the mass of people gathered. Dawn had a lot of friends in Fairleigh and it brought tears to my eyes to see how loved she was.
Everyone was quiet and I realised the service had already begun. I moved my way through the crowd in a haze, trying to get closer to her. I wanted Dawn to know I was there, that I had made it home to say farewell. As the guests parted to let me through, I was finally confronted with her mahogany coffin, moments from being lowered into the ground.
I stopped breathing and clenched my jaw tightly to hold in the emotion. I would wait until I had a private moment to let my tears fall.
