‘Well, we’re all extremely happy Elvis has been returned home where he belongs, and we wish you all the best.’
The segment ended and Emma burst into uncontrollable laughter beside Bel on the lounge, where they’d been watching on the TV.
‘There is nothing amusing about any of this,’ Bel told her friend, eyeing her with a narrowed gaze.
‘Oh, come on, Bel. I’ve said I was sorry a million times. But even you have to see the absolute genius, albeit unintentional genius, of the whole thing? It’s put us on the map.’
‘Dean and I could have been caught putting that stupid thing back. Can you imagine the uproar that would have caused?’
‘Stop being so dramatic. Betty would have nominated you for Citizen of the Year next Australia Day ceremony,’ Emma said dismissively.
‘Betty would have been devastated that her theory about Bob Baxter being the criminal was wrong,’ Bel corrected.
Bel had been concerned that once the whole social media thing had died down, so too would the unexpected tourist trade, but her dire predictions hadn’t proved true. All the hype had alerted people to another ‘big’ thing to add to theirsightseeing list. Word of mouth was sending a steady stream of people out to see this part of the country, and everyone in Wessex was reaping the rewards.
Emma’s departure was every bit as sad as Bel was expecting. When Dean came to pick her up and drive her to the airport, the kids cried as they waved her off. Bel spent the rest of the afternoon sitting with them quietly and coming up with ideas for the welcome-home party they would undoubtedly be having once their father was well enough to return to Fernvale. It may have been a little premature, but it helped to distract and cheer them all up somewhat.
When Dean came back, he brought ice cream; having four children on a sugar high right before bedtime was deemed okay, just this once.
As Bel and Dean sat together on the lounge after averylong bedtime tuck-in routine, wine in hand and listening to nothing but the sounds of nightfall outside, Bel was finally able to let out a long breath.
‘I hope they let Craig come back soon. The kids have been through so much upheaval. They need to have their dad back home, in whatever capacity that turns out to be.’
‘Emma reckons he’s making progress. At least she sounded positive when she was talking to me about it,’ Dean said. His arm around her felt solid and she buried herself closer into his side.
‘They’re still going to need his family’s help for a while, though. I think we need to be prepared that it’s going to take a long time before he’s back to where he was before the accident.’
‘He’ll get there,’ Dean said.
‘I hope so.’
‘He’s a tough bugger—always has been. You’ll see. He’ll do whatever needs to be done and probably in half the time the doctors reckon he will.’
Bel latched onto Dean’s words and held them close to her heart, praying he’d be right. Emma and the kids needed him back.
Her phone beeped on the lounge beside her and she gave a small groan as she read the text.
‘What is it?’ Dean asked, lifting his head from where he’d dropped it back against the head rest.
‘I’ve been summoned to dinner tomorrow night at Glentoberon. Aunt Lois just texted me.’
‘I thought they were still away?’
‘So did I. Apparently, they’re back.’ She’d thought she’d been saved from family duties for a while.Great.
‘It’s not like you’ll have to say much. You won’t be able to get a word in edgewise with your aunt.’
Bel sighed. Larkin must have passed on the news that Bel was back in town. In typical Larkin fashion, she’d gotten over her earlier huff about Bel not cooperating by going to the reunion. She never stayed angry long and besides, she’d had too much tea to spill about the weeknotto give in and callwhen she got back to Sydney. Apparently Tate had been a no-show and two others had pulled out at the last minute—namely Niki and Kelly, when they found out that Oliver had been up to his old tricks again, this time with Gigi—so it had been a complete disaster.
It would be fine. It was just dinner. How bad could it be?
