The Lawson Boys: Alex Read Free Page A

been through things she
could only imagine.
    She guessed
she’d find out tonight.
    Bill turned off
the main road onto a smaller bitumen road that needed repairs, the
old ute bouncing and jarring in the potholes.
    “’Bout time the
Council got their arses in gear and fixed this,” he growled.
    “I’ve written
them a letter.”
    “Like that’s
goin’ to do any good.”
    “I also had a
word to Bob’s wife.”
    Bill grinned.
“The Mayor’s wife. She’ll light a fire under his arse.”
    “Hey, the woman
wants to be served with a smile, I want to drive with a smile. We
worked it out.” Harly laughed.
    Turning into a
short drive, Bill waited while Harly got out, opened the gate and
got back into the ute before driving up and parking in front of the
old house with the wrap-around veranda. Resting one arm on the car
door, he gazed out at the house, a faint nostalgic expression
crossing his face. “You did well with this house, Harly.”
    “I like
Grandma’s house just the way it was.” Harly looked at the hanging
pots on the veranda, the black-eyed susans dipping down to curl
around the posts.
    “You’ve kept it
in good condition.” He nodded.
    The familiar
feeling of pride slid through her. “I try.”
    Bill grunted
and shifted the gear stick into reverse, an open hint to Harly that
he wanted to go. Used to his changes of mood, she thanked him and
got out of the ute, waiting until he’d turned around and driven off
before going up the steps and unlocking the door.
    In the hallway
she was met by Buffy, the collie, and she stroked the old dog’s
head. “Hey, girl. Did you miss me?”
    Buffy licked
her hand, her tail wagging.
    “Me, too.
Where’s the rest of the crew?”
    Turning, Buffy
trotted back down the hallway and into the lounge, stopping to look
back at Harly.
    Peeking in, she
smiled at the three cats sprawled out on the big, old sofa. “Hey,
boys and girl.”
    They blinked at
her, Chuckie stretching and yawning loudly, blinking at her out of
his one yellow eye.
    “Don’t all rush
me at once. I couldn’t stand the overload of love.” Approaching the
sofa, she stroked the cats, laughing as they purred but didn’t
move.
    It was a
routine they all did every time she’d been out, regardless if it
was for an hour or all day.
    “No time to
muck around tonight,” she informed the dog and cats. “I’ve got to
go out soon, so it’s meal time in the kitchen and you’ll have to
amuse yourselves for a couple of hours tonight. And you know what
that means.” She pointed at Pepper. “The combined dog/cat flap is
closed at night, so no getting up to mischief while I’m not here to
watch you.”
    Pepper, being
so ancient it took her all her time to get from the lounge to the
kitchen, didn’t even bother to open her eyes.
    “Wild thing.”
Harly affectionately rubbed the old black and white cat’s ears
before straightening and heading into the kitchen. “Right, dinner
time, you mob.”
    The first thing
she did was lock the combined dog/cat flap as she did every night
before dishing out the bowls of cat and dog food and refilling the
two water bowls inside the laundry. Once the animals were set for
the night, she walked up the hallway and into the bedroom, hanging
her small bag on the hook behind the door and undressing. A shower,
hair wash, and then she stood in front of the open wardrobe door
and contemplated her choices.
    The days might
be warmish, but the nights were getting cooler. Autumn was
arriving.
    Reaching in,
she withdrew the navy slacks she’d made a week ago, followed by a
yellow t-shirt she’d bought on-line from the Big Dreams plus-sized
store in the city. It fell over her hips, hiding the
overly-generous curves in a neat drape, thanks to the false brown
cardigan sewn onto it. Sucking thoughtfully on her bottom lip, she
eyed her shoe choices. Never a woman who liked clothes or shoe
shopping, she only had the basics.
    “It’s only a
BBQ at Paul’s house,” she muttered, yanking