LITMIR.BIZ

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have to be soon because he’ll be gone.’ She hoped she didn‘t sound plaintive.

      Misty missed nothing. ‘Sunday, isn’t it? I think you’ll miss him. You okay with that?’

      Tammy reached for a pile of nappies to restock Pip’s cot. At least she could avoid Misty’s eyes that way. ‘Fine. No problem.’ She didn’t want to think about it. Something she hadn’t been able to achieve in reality. She shrugged. ‘I’ve enjoyed his company, but really, we barely know each other.’

      And yet on another level they knew each other far too well.

      Misty might have been able to read her mind but there was no pressure in her comment. ‘Sometimes it doesn’t take long to feel that connection.’

      Tammy smiled at the pile of nappies. ‘Like you did with Dad?’

      She could hear the returning smile in Misty’s voice. ‘I can remember driving away as I tried to deny it.’

      She’d heard the story many times and never tired of it. ‘And he followed you to Lyrebird Lake.’ Tammy stood and glanced over at her stepmother. ‘I’m glad he did, and glad he brought me with him. But I can’t see Leon hanging around here for me and I’m certainly not moving to Italy.’

      She thought about the differences in their cultures and she thought about distance and all she’d achieved here. Then she thought about her bad run with Italians and finally the kidnap attempt on Leon’s son, even though the criminals had been caught and Paulo was safe now. She couldn’t imagine living a life like that.

      Misty handed her some clean singlets to put under the cot. ‘I’m sure your father told me once you can speak Italian?’

      She didn’t know why she wanted to hug that to herself. ‘Only a little.’

      ‘Does Leon know?’ Tammy shook her head.

      Misty smiled. ‘Isn’t that interesting.’ She moved away from Pip’s bed to change the subject. ‘I’m actually glad it’s my last evening tonight. Peta and Nicky want to go to the beach house on the weekend and your father says he’s not going without me. It’ll be good to relax.’

      Tammy thought of her father and the run-around her stepsisters would give him if Misty wasn’t there to gently control their exuberance. ‘I don’t blame him. The girls are full-on.’

      Misty laughed. ‘And Jack isn’t?’

      ‘Must be in the genes.’ They smiled at the family joke. Though Ben wasn’t Tammy’s biological father they’d decided Tammy had inherited all her bad traits from him.

      ‘Actually—’ Misty paused as if weighing her words ‘—I was wondering if Jack would like to come with us? Give you a weekend off.’

      Tammy frowned at the sudden unease the thought left her with. All this talk of kidnapping and violence and her son away. Then she thought of her response when she’d thought Leon was coddling his own son. ‘Maybe not this weekend. But another time, sure. As long as I can take the three of them some weekend and you and Dad could have a weekend off?’

      ‘We could do that.’ Misty glanced at the clock and saw it was almost time for Tammy to go. ‘Has Jack been keeping Paulo company?’

      She’d tried to encourage her son to visit but he’d resisted. ‘Not yet. I’m not sure they get on. I have a feeling they both like being only children. Rivalry. I’m taking him around to Louisa’s this afternoon to play.’

      Tammy glanced at her watch. ‘Did you want to send the girls around after school? Louisa would love it. The more children, the happier she is. Just until Dad gets home with Leon? I’ll be there too.’ Not to mention she’d be there when Leon came home. She wouldn’t have to wait until late that night to see him and the thought sat warmly just under her throat.

      Misty glanced at her own watch and weighed up the time she had to change plans. ‘Instead of after-school care? They’d like that.’

      ‘It was Louisa’s idea for the children to visit.’ And Tammy had been quick to agree. ‘I’ve been meaning to catch up with her for a few days.’

      Misty nodded as they both paused and thought about Louisa’s loss and Tammy went on. ‘Leon says she’s lonely. That the residence is too big and empty for her.’

      Misty bit her lip. ‘Poor Louisa. Maybe she needs a change of scenery to help her think of something else for a while?’

      ‘Leon says he’s trying to get her to move to Italy with him.’ She was starting all her sentences with ‘Leon says.’ Good grief. She needed to watch that and she’d bet her stepmama wouldn’t miss it either. She changed the subject. ‘I wonder where Gianni took Emma for the Australian leg of their honeymoon?’

      Tammy saw Misty bite back her smile as she accepted the change. ‘She’ll send us a postcard, I’m guessing. It’s not long till they fly out.’

      Tammy glanced at her watch. It was time for her to go before she said something else she’d regret. ‘Yep. Imagine—Italy on Sunday.’ She didn’t look at Misty as she left. Just waved and stared straight ahead.

      ‘I don’t want to play with him. I’m not a little kid, Mum, you can’t make me.’ Tammy glanced across and checked that Jack had done up his seatbelt before she started the car. Stinky pulled against his dog restraint and panted longingly at the window.

      ‘Sure I can.’ She ruffled Jack’s black hair. ‘So stop acting like a baby and be nice. The girls are coming too. The poor kid’s probably bored out of his skull not being able to go to school.’

      Jack screwed up his nose. ‘Poor Paulo. Imagine not having to go to school? How terrible.’

      ‘Don’t be sarcastic. It doesn’t suit you.’ Tammy tried to keep a straight face. There was a lot of muttering going on under Jack’s breath and she thought she heard, ‘I’d kill to not have to go to school.’ She could remember thinking the same thing a lot of years ago.

      She parked outside and walked the path of the old doctor’s residence and up the stairs onto the verandah. Tammy knocked and opened the door. The residence was always open and Louisa would be out the back in the kitchen.

      The tantalising aroma of fresh baking wafted down the hallway and she sighed philosophically about her new jeans that were a little tight already. Louisa’s scones were legendary.

      ‘Hello, Jack.’ Tiny Louisa held out her snuggly-grandma arms and smiled hugely as she enveloped him in a big hug. Louisa was the only person he’d suffer a hug from and the sight made Tammy smile too.

      Jack emerged pink cheeked, grinned shyly, and he leaned up and kissed Louisa’s cheek. ‘Hello, Aunty Lou.’

      ‘You need fattening up, my boy. You and Paulo are like two skinny peas in a pod.’ She glanced fondly over at Paulo, who sat beside the window with an open book in front of him. ‘Paulo’s been forcing down my scones. Haven’t you, Paulo?’

      Paulo smiled shyly at Louisa and kissed his fingers. ‘Delizioso.’

      Tammy stepped in for her own hug, and she squeezed Louisa’s waist which suddenly seemed smaller than she remembered. She frowned. ‘You losing weight, Louisa?’

      Louisa patted her round tummy. ‘Oh, I’m not cooking as much, though I’ve put on a pound or three since two more gorgeous Italians moved in.’

      Tammy felt slightly reassured but decided she’d mention Louisa’s health to her dad next time she saw him.

      She noticed Jack had wolfed down his scones by the time Peta and Nicola arrived. Misty and Ben’s girls were both fair-headed like their mother and Nicola stood half a head taller than her sister.

      More hugs and more homemade strawberry jam and freshly whipped cream to be piled onto disappearing scones and then the children all trooped off to play outside. Tammy felt Paulo dragged his feet a

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