Page 121 of Where the Wattles Bloom

Rowena’s heart swelled as the homestead came into view twenty minutes later. It had done the same as she’d driven into Acacia Junction, but not like this.

Like a visceral tug and a soothing balm all at once.

A veritable tsunami of emotions swamped her chest. She’d missed it. This place that she’d lived for such a short period of time but that somehow felt like home. This place that Lachlan called home.

That their daughter would call home.

And then there was the profound heartache at knowing there was no Reggie to greet her with a cup of tea and a biscuit fresh from the oven. This house had felt like a home because Reggie had filled it up with her enormous spirit and generosity and given it life.

With a heavy heart, Rowena pulled up, parking under the tree next to Lachlan’s ute. Red and Blue, who’d been lying at the front door under the empty hat rack, barked a couple of times before trotting to greet her, tails wagging.

Rowena crouched to give them some love, lifting her face away to avoid two slobbery tongues. She stood again after a minute and headed to the homestead, the dogs at her heels.

Remembering the first time she’d stepped into the kitchen, Rowena opened the unlocked door and looked around. The table was covered in a seersucker cloth, the plain brown teapot sitting in the middle covered in its knitted cosy. The two ultrasound images of the baby were still affixed to the fridge door.

Nothing seemed changed and yet it felt so empty.

‘Lachlan?’ she called.

A quick scout around told her neither he nor Albert were in the house, which wasn’t surprising. Life on the land didn’t stop because the rest of the country had a day off. She stepped out the back door, glancing at the bunkhouse and the yards beyond. ‘Lachlan?’ she called again.

Still no answer.

Red whined and she glanced down to find him looking at her like he knew exactly where Lachlan was situated.

‘Where is he, boy?’

The dog didn’t need any more encouragement, taking off at a trot across the yard. Rowena, feeling a little like she’d landed in an episode of Lassie, followed. As they passed the bunkhouse and the yards, she wished she was wearing sturdier footwear than her ballet flats, but boots didn’t exactly go with her strappy sun dress.

When Red continued in the direction of the shearing shed, Rowena knew where he was taking her, and they arrived at the glade of gums soon after. Through the trunks she could see Lachlan standing in the middle of the cemetery, his blond head bowed. He was alone, so Albert must be elsewhere attending to other things.

Stopping, she crouched beside Red, scratching behind his ear as she whispered, ‘It’s okay, boy, go home now. I’ve got this.’

At least she hoped so.

The dog gave a quiet whine, panting a little before turning around and heading back to the house. Rowena stood, taking a moment to centre herself, to go over what she was going to say, before she started towards him again.

He must have been really lost in thought because Lachlan didn’t hear her approach until she was about a metre away from the gate. Half turning, his eyes widened as they landed on her, and Rowena’s breath caught and held in her throat.

God … it hit her anew and with startling precision. She loved this man.

‘Rowena?’

A muscle worked in his jaw, and the incredulous tremor in his voice almost undid her. ‘Hey,’ she murmured, smiling at him tentatively as she reached the open gate.

Her gaze dropped to where Reggie had been laid to rest. The soil no longer looked newly turned but a fresh bunch of flowers lay across the grave that wasn’t yet properly marked. Lifting her gaze, she met his as she walked into the yard, drawing level.

His blue eyes shone with unshed tears and her heart ached for him, a torrent of emotion clogging her chest as her eyes stung and her nostrils tingled from a backlog of tears. She yearned to pull him close. But she didn’t know what was acceptable given the way they’d parted.

‘I’m so sorry, Lachlan,’ she said, her breath catching. She’d left and she’d hurt him. Sure, she’d panicked, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t screwed up. And she needed to say so. She needed to own it and try to put it right. ‘I’m so sorry for walking away like I did. I was such an idiot.’

Every muscle in her body tensed as she waited for him to respond. Thankfully, he didn’t make her wait, snatching her up in his arms with startling efficiency.

‘You’re here now,’ he said, his voice muffled in her hair. ‘And I’m so glad to see you.’

He held her tight as silent tears coursed down Rowena’s cheeks. She’d forgotten how good it felt, enclosed in the solid cage of his arms, and she held on for dear life.

‘I love you,’ she whispered when she was finally able to speak, her eyes squeezed shut.