Right As Rain Read Online Free Page B

and the thawed chocolate slice, although her father got dry biscuits Mackenna noted.
    â€œWhat’s been happening, Dad?” she asked.
    â€œI’ve had a bloody heart attack. Who’d have guessed it?” He began to pat the table.
    â€œLyle.” Louise put a hand on his.
    â€œOne of my arteries has required spare parts. They didn’t get it right the first time so they’ve just done some more. Sent me home with a pile of pills and instructions to stay on light duties for a few weeks. Then I’ll be right as rain.”
    â€œI wish I’d known.” Mackenna looked into her father’s weary eyes but he avoided her unspoken words and turned to Patrick.
    â€œYour brother’s here and I’ve hired a bloke to do some driving and heavy work.”
    â€œSomething we should have done years ago,” Louise piped in.
    â€œLet’s not talk about me for the moment. I’ve had enough of that while you’ve been gone.” He paused and shifted in his seat. Pain etched in his face. “I want to hear all about your trip.”
    â€œPerhaps you should be resting first, Dad.”
    â€œRemember what the doctor said, Lyle. You’ve got to take it easy.” Louise stood up and coaxed him to his feet. “You need a sleep. We can hear all about the holiday over dinner tonight.”
    â€œI am a bit tired, love.” He gave Mackenna an apologetic look.
    Once again she was shocked at his frailty and how easily he complied with Louise’s instructions.
    He stopped at the door. “Did you organise that drench, Patrick?”
    â€œAll done, Dad.”
    â€œAnd the rams need to be shifted back to the ram paddock.”
    â€œI know.”
    â€œThose ewes in the front paddock need more silage.”
    â€œBed, Lyle,” Louise said.
    â€œGoing.”
    â€œCan you bring in our bags, Patrick?” Louise called over her shoulder.
    â€œSure.”
    Mackenna was left alone in the kitchen. Her earlier relief at being home was gone. She’d only been away a few weeks but in that short time many things had changed. It was as if she’d stepped back into a different world.

CHAPTER
4
    Mackenna’s eyes flew open with a start. She was hot and her heart pounded in her chest. Adam had been kissing her, his quirky smile dancing before her eyes, but the grey early morning light brought her back to reality. She’d been dreaming. The warmth of his imagined embrace ebbed away and once again she felt the ache of his loss and rejection. She lay still, listening to the dawn bird calls, telling herself to breathe slowly and push Adam from her mind. That worked okay during the day, but she had no control over wayward dreams at night.
    She rolled over and peered at the clock. It was only five thirty. She groaned and flopped back on her pillow. A deep rumbling snore reached her ears. Surely that couldn’t be her father or Patrick? Her bedroom was at the top end of the house, away from theirs. It had originally been her parents’ room with the corner window looking down towards the swamp; the only bedroom on this side of the house. They’d moved to the room closest to the bathroom and kitchen at the other end of the long passage when she’d left school and gone to Adelaide. Opposite her was the empty guestroom and Patrick’s room was next, sandwiched between it and their parents’.
    Going back to sleep was no longer an option. Mackenna tossed off the sheet and went to her door. The snoring was so loud she understood why she’d woken. She made her way down the passage to the guestroom door, which was ajar. The noise was loud enough to shake the walls. Perhaps her father had taken up residence in the spare room since his attack.
    She peered around the door. There was a shape sprawled across the bed. Mackenna took a step forward, caught her toe on something, lost her balance and toppled to the floor.
    The snoring stopped instantly and