Going Home

Part 72

Margaret watched until the car was out of sight and the dust had settled on the road once more before turning to speak to Robert, but as she did she realised she was alone. She sighed. She knew he was angry with her and why. She also had a fair idea where he’d gone, so she didn’t rush off to find him. Instead she moved slowly to give him some time.

As Margaret reached the shed that housed Josh’s ute she paused. She took a deep breath to prepare herself for what was to come, then walked inside. As she did, Margaret saw the cover was off the ute and that Robert was sitting in the driver’s seat wiping a cloth over the dash board, his expression was stern. Opening the passenger door Margaret slipped into the seat next to Robert and watched as he polished the interior.

Without looking at her Robert accused, “you showed him.”

Hiding a smile she knew he wouldn’t appreciate, Margaret studied his profile and said “yes I showed him, he needed to know.”

“And what if he hadn’t been happy about it?”

“He was never going to be unhappy about it Robert. How could anybody be unhappy about what you’ve done here?”

Turning away Robert said “I didn’t want him to think it was a play for his forgiveness.”

“I know Robert and he didn’t think that” and with a sigh Margaret continued “we’ve been very lucky. He’s a good man, no thanks to us and while he may not have forgiven us completely yet, we are a lot closer than we were. And we’re not going to give up. We are not going to let him drop out of our lives again are we?”

Turning his head Robert looked at his wife for a moment then reaching out he pulled her into his arms and said “no Ret, there is no way we are going to let that happen. I don’t think any of us could survive it again.”

Margaret smiled and blinked back tears, at the old nick-name her husband had used for her. He hadn’t called her that since before the accident.

Holding his wife in his arms Robert took a deep breath and said “you’re right, we are very lucky, luckier than we have a right to be.”