We carry dishes out to the long wooden table under the patio lights. The sun’s nearly gone now, the fire pit casting a warm flicker across everyone’s faces.
That’s when I meet Patrick—Lucas’s older brother. He walks over still wearing his Akubra hat. He looks a bit like Lucas, except his hair is a bit longer, messier and he has a beard, his eyes are more hazel than green. Patrick actually looks a lot like their father did, whereas Lucas is more a kin to his Mum.
He gives me a nod and a quiet “How ya goin’?” Then returns to loading his plate.
“Patrick’s a man of few words,” Lucas whispers in my ear as we sit down beside each other.
Dinner is loud and full of easy laughter. Jill tells stories about Lucas’s childhood—how he once used an entire bottle of shampoo trying to “make potions,” or how he cried when they ran out of hot cross buns and blamed the Easter Bunny.
“You’re supposed to be on my side,” Lucas grumbles through a mouthful of potato salad.
“I am,” Jill says sweetly. “I’m just also a woman who believes in historical accuracy.” I nearly choke on my drink laughing. Everything is delicious—perfectly tender meat, crispy potatoes, steamed vegetables and a fresh salad with a tangy dressing. I can’t stop smiling.
After dinner, we all pitch in to clean. Lucas and Patrick tackle the table, Jill and I do the dishes, and Nicole hums softly as she wraps up leftovers.
The water is warm, and the room is full of the clink of plates and the quiet hum of togetherness.
Jill passes me a plate, her hands wrinkled from the water, and I dry it with a soft cloth that smells faintly of lemon.
“You’re good for him, you know?” she says gently, not looking at me right away.
I pause, fingers tightening around the plate. “Lucas?”
She nods. “I haven’t seen him this happy in years. He’s always been good at taking care of others, carrying things quietly… but around you? He laughs more. He smiles in that real way, not the polite kind he gives everyone else.”
I swallow the lump rising in my throat. “He makes me feel that way too. The way he’s patient with me. The way he makes me laugh when I forget how. The way he makes everything easier.”
Jill finally looks at me, her gaze kind and unwavering. “That’s how you know it’s something good. The way you see him. The way he sees you. That kind of recognition… it’s rare.”
I don’t have words at first. Just a soft, tearful smile. “Sometimes I feel like I don’t deserve all of it.”
“Darling,” Jill says, placing a warm hand over mine. “You do. We all do. It just takes a little longer for some of us to believe it.”
I nod, blinking quickly. “Thank you. It’s something I’m still learning how to let in.”
She squeezes my hand and smiles, her voice full of quiet certainty. “You’ll get there, Darling. One day you’ll look around and realise you already have.”
When it’s finally time to leave, Lucas grabs the keys to the car. He hugs Jill and Nicole goodbye and shakes Patrick’s hand with a nod. Jill gives me one more long hug.
“Come by again soon,” she says.
“Thank you,” I whisper. “For everything.”
The car ride home is quiet at first. Comfortable.
I look out the window, hands in my lap, heart still full. Then Lucas speaks.
“So, what did you think?”
“I love them Lucas. They’re amazing. Really. The farm is beautiful too. The house? Stunning.”
“I could tell they loved you too. You really fit in.” He smiles.
“Your mum and I, we talked about your dad. I saw your family picture and your mum told me about him. I hope you know you can talk about him whenever you like. I can understand what you went through. The pain of losing someone, it never leaves.” I reach my hand and place it on his thigh. “Anyways, what she said about him. He sounded like a great man. I’m really sorry you lost him Lucas.”
“He was. Thank you. Mum went through a really hard time when he first passed. It was hard when he was sick, it devastated her but it kept her busy. Fussing over him all the time, he let her do it because he thought it helped her deal. But once he was gone, she was a mess. We all were. But that was her best friend. They were so in love. I swear she didn’t leave her room for a whole week. That’s when Nicole moved back home. It helped. I don’t think Mum is ever going to let her move back out though.” He laughs a bit.
“Thank you for taking me out there. And sharing everything about your family.”
