‘From the garage?’ Horror streaked through Sarah at the brazen theft. That sort of thing didn’t happen in Mingunyah. ‘How? When?’

  ‘If I knew that, it wouldn’t be stolen, would it?’

  ‘Have you rung the police?’

  ‘No,’ her mother said imperiously, as if Sarah was a little bit slow. ‘I was trying to call the police when you rang. Now you’re tying up the line.’

  I called to wish you happy Mother’s Day! Sarah reminded herself that her mother was stressed, which was why she sounded rude. ‘Do you want me to come over?’ Hello? Bad idea. You’ve got ten people coming for lunch. ‘Actually, Mum,’ she hastily amended, ‘I’ve got a better idea. Call Cameron. He can drive you to the police station then bring you here for lunch.’

  ‘I can’t ask him to do that. Your brother’s a very busy man.’

  And I’m a very busy woman. Sarah drew in a long breath and blew it out slowly, because she was never going to win that competition. ‘It’s Sunday, Mum. It’s Mother’s Day. I’m sure Cameron’s got the time and he’ll be happy to help.’

  At least one of those statements was correct.

  * * *

  Anita was propped up on pillows and balancing a tray on her knees as her two youngest daughters bounced on the bed.

  ‘Do you like the flower, Mummy?’ Ava asked. ‘I chose it.’

  ‘Open your present, Mummy,’ Chloe demanded. ‘I chose it.’

  Ava put her hands on her hips. ‘I chose the present.’

  ‘You both chose the present,’ Cameron said, lifting his eyebrows in a ‘here we go again’ tilt. ‘And I cooked the pancakes.’

  ‘Open your present,’ the girls chorused.

  ‘She’ll open it after she’s eaten breakfast. Come on, shoo. Leave Mummy to eat her breakfast in peace.’

  Ava pouted. ‘Aw, but I want her to open it now.’

  Cameron clapped his hands and the noise echoed around the room like a gunshot. ‘Kitchen. Now. Or you won’t get to see her open her present at all.’

  Surprisingly, the girls obeyed, running from the room.

  Anita sighed as she took in the slightly charred pancakes and the rapidly cooling coffee. She didn’t even want to think about the state of her kitchen. ‘I’m sure I need a champagne and orange.’

  ‘Plenty of time for that,’ Cameron said, giving her a kiss. ‘We don’t want the girls telling the family you were on the slops at breakfast.’

  ‘It’s Mother’s Day. Sarah will approve.’

  ISBN: 9781489257345

  TITLE: HOME FIRES

  First Australian Publication 2019

  Copyright © 2019 Fiona Lowe

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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  Fiona Lowe, Home Fires

 

 

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