Justin put an arm around his brother’s shoulders to guide him to the door. As they turned, Ben spotted Anna.
‘That’s her. The one with the scar. She was with you at the fire.’
Anna wanted to cringe as all eyes in the pub turned her way.
‘She ran into the fire. To rescue a koala … No … NO … That wasn’t her, was it? It was our mother.’ Ben’s voice was slurring more with every passing minute.
Justin caught Anna’s eye. ‘I’m sorry.’
She barely heard the words over his brother’s increasingly loud voice. Then Justin took a firmer grip on Ben and forced him to walk across the silent room and out the door.
As they left, the hubbub of voices started up again. Anna put her half-full glass back on the bar. She had lost all desire for company. She would give Justin a minute to get Ben away, then she would leave. She shifted her head slightly, so her hair hung over the side of her face as she waited. When she thought enough time had passed for Justin and Ben to be well away, she got to her feet, ready to leave.
‘Anna. My dear. Do join us. Mick, move over and make room for her.’
Rose from the Wool Emporium was sitting at a table, a handsome grey-haired man beside her. He was the lead shearer who took care of Bree’s herd every year. And Rose’s boyfriend, if that was the right word for a couple who were both at least in their sixties. It felt awful to be jealous of Rose, but Mick looked at her in a way no one would ever look at Anna again.
‘Hello, Rose. Mick. No, thank you. I’m fine. You’re waiting for your dinner. I don’t want to disturb you.’
‘You are not disturbing us at all.’
Mick was already on his feet, placing a spare chair at the table for her. Reluctantly, Anna sat down. It would be rude to walk away now.
‘While you’re up, Mick, could you get a drink for Anna, please?’
‘No, honestly. I’m fine.’
‘What will you have?’ Mick asked.
Anna sighed. She knew better than to try to stand against Rose’s determination. ‘Lemonade, lime and bitters, please.’
‘Excellent idea,’ Rose said as Mick vanished in the direction of the bar. ‘I think that young firefighter would benefit from drinking those for a couple of days.’
Anna couldn’t disagree.
‘I am sorry he was rude to you,’ Rose continued.
Anna shrugged. ‘I know that’s how people think of me. Only they don’t say it out loud very often.’
‘No, they do not think like that!’ The conviction in Rose’s voice was clear. ‘People see you as who you are, a kind and thoughtful person. An excellent vet. And a friend, too. If you’d let them. Part of this community. More than that boy is.’
A lump formed in Anna’s throat. ‘Thank you.’
‘Don’t keep yourself away from us so much. You know, once you get too used to being alone, it can be a hard habit to break. I know that.’ Rose’s eyes sought out Mick at the bar. He smiled back and Anna could clearly see the happiness in both their faces. It was good to see.
But it wasn’t going to happen to her. Carol was right. Justin would always put his twin brother first, just as he had tonight. Even if she wasn’t horrible to look at and ugly, there could be nothing between Justin and herself as long as the conflict remained between the twins and their mother. There was no place for her or anyone else in their world.
CHAPTER
20
Justin could hear Ben snoring from the kitchen. It was early, but they had a busy day ahead, and he needed Ben on his feet and functioning, not nursing what he suspected was going to be the mother of all hangovers. He hadn’t seen his brother that drunk in a long time. Not since the first months after they struck out on their own, when the wounds were still fresh. Those wounds had been re-opened when they were assigned to Wagtail Ridge, but maybe it was time he woke up, in more ways than one. Justin hit the switch on the coffee maker before heading for the bunk room. He wasn’t that cruel.
Ben was still groaning when he came into the kitchen, fresh from the shower but seemingly not yet able to button the shirt of his uniform. Justin poured him some strong black coffee and said nothing. Ben took a deep drink and held the mug out for a refill.
‘Go on, big brother. Say it.’
‘Say what?’ Justin refilled the mug and returned it.
