Red Dirt Heart 3 by N.R. Walker Read Free Book Online Page A

and went back to the dining room and took my usual seat. It felt wrong having an empty seat beside me. In all the years I’d sat at that table, George was always there right beside me. His quiet, unassuming, stronger-than-hell presence wasn’t there.
    Suddenly, I wasn’t too sure I felt like eating, but Travis put a plate in front of me. He threw on some bread and sliced meat, and before I could shake my head, he hooked his foot around mine under the table.
    Like an anchor or a saving grace, he grounded me. I don’t know how he knew, but he always seemed to do, say, be just what I needed. Without a word, he was telling me to stay put and stay strong.
    I nodded and looked over at Bacon. “How’s the roof going?”
    And so the conversation started. Until all the food was gone, we talked about what had been done and what needed doing still. I suggested everyone leave what they were doing and help get the roofing done. I knew it was Travis’s project, and he and Bacon would get it done in good time, but I didn’t want the house to be losing heat while Ma was in bed sick.
    They all understood.
    “I don’t know how long she’ll be off work,” I told them. “Could be two days, could be a week or longer. But until then, we all do everything we can to cover her.” Everyone nodded. “I don’t want her to add feelin’ guilty to her troubles, okay?”
    Nara poked her head around the door, the corner of her mouth pulling down in an unsure kind of sorry.
    “What’s up?” I asked her.
    She showed me a wriggling blue beanie and a small bottle of milk. Oh shit, I’d forgotten about him.
    Nara’s voice was quiet. “He won’t feed again.”
    I waved her over. “Bring him in,” I said, taking the wombat from her and quickly shoving the bottle teat in his fussing mouth. Then while Nara was still in the room, I continued talking. “We’ll have to take it in shifts for cooking,” I said. “I know it’s not what you’re all employed to do, and believe me, no one here wants to eat what I cook, but we need to chip in.”
    Nara collected a tray off the table. “Um…” She started to say something, but then stopped. Everyone was watching her, and she looked like as nervous as I’d seen her. “Nah, it’s nothing.” She took a backward step toward the door.
    “Nara,” I said, stopping her. “Please, say what you wanted to say. Your opinion matters as much as any of ours.”
    She blinked quickly. “I was just gonna say”—she spoke to the floor—“that I can do the cooking.” When I didn’t answer, she added, “I help Ma all this time and she teached me what to do. I know I won’t be as good as what she does, but I used to cook for my family as well…”
    A slow smile spread across my face. Not because she’d just volunteered to cook so I didn’t have to, but because she found the confidence to speak up.
    “Nara, you are more than capable,” I told her. “And I’m very grateful.”
    “But?” she asked.
    “But nothing,” I said. “You just scored yourself the job.”
    Man, her smile was huge. Billy’s smile was just as big. Travis’s foot nudged mine, he squeezed my knee, and he was starin’ at me with that you’re-something-kinda-wonderful look in his eye again.
    Everyone got up from the table and got busy outside, and after I’d put a now sleeping baby wombat back in his pouch, I helped Nara clean up and took inventory while she organised what we’d be having for dinner. Seeing she obviously didn’t need me for anything, I left her to it.
    I found myself back in the lounge room sitting down on the sofa. I had meant to just pick up the scattered clippings and I was going to put them away. I dunno how long I sat there, and it wasn’t until Travis came in and knelt in front of me that I even realised I’d been reading them over again. I’d even put them in some kind of chronological order.
    “Charlie,” Trav said softly. “Whatcha got there?”
    I handed them over, the birth notice on