Time Will Tell Read Online Free Page A
Author: Fiona McCallum
line crossed the paddock from the main road to the house. Now it seemed to be a storage room for empty chemical drums.
The toxic smells filled Emilyâs nostrils and she puckered up her nose in distaste. The first thing sheâd do if she bought â when she bought â the place would be to get rid of them via the Councilâs farm chemical drum disposal program.
Though she couldnât really complain. It was a small job compared to other farms sheâd been to where rusting car bodies and junk of every sort was mixed with scrub, hidden behind sheds, and left for the next generation to deal with. Trevor and Donald Baker were quite tidy compared to many around.
Emilyâs stomach growled, reminding her she was yet to eat breakfast. Sheâd been too busy and too nervous earlier. She headed down the gentle slope to the back of the house and around to the side door into the kitchen.
She made herself two pieces of toast with butter and vegemite and sat side-on to the glass-panelled door that led out onto the verandah.
Strips of green and red light cut across the table in front of her. She nibbled her toast, taking small mouse-like bites to kill time. Occasionally she glanced at Grace â who was snoozing on her mat in the corner â and wished she too could so easily shift between being totally excited and totally relaxed.
Emily was suddenly startled by a hefty three-barrelled knock on the front door, so loud that the echo bounced around in the emptiness of the hall. Grace leapt to attention and sat with her head cocked, waiting.
Who could it be? It was too early for Jake â well, unless heâd left Whyalla really early, which he could have, she supposed.
She got up, her heart pounding with the anticipation of seeing him again.
âComing!â she called, and made her way quickly down the hall.
Chapter Three
With a shaking hand, Emily opened the door and was surprised to find Nathan Lucas on her doorstep. His face lit up with a big grin.
âHi. Merry Christmas. Thought Iâd pop by to see your new digs.â
On Christmas frigginâ morning?!
Emily was momentarily speechless. She frowned slightly, then her upbringing kicked in.
âOh, Nathan. Hello. Right, well, itâs not very exciting Iâm afraid. But itâs home,â she said with a shrug.
She felt rooted to the spot. The polite thing to do would be to invite him in, but knowing her luck, Jake would then turn up. And how would that look?
Um, like youâre having coffee with a friend .
âIâm sorry, I shouldnât have just turned up unannounced â youâre probably really busy,â Nathan said, starting to shift his feet and look about awkwardly.
âNot at all, come on in,â Emily said, finally shaking off her hesitation. She stepped aside to let him in. âI do actually have a friend coming a little later â to stay for the weekend â and Mum and Dad and some friends are coming for lunchâ¦â Well, Mum isnât, but⦠Shit, should I invite Nathan for lunch too? No, surely heâs having it with his parents.
âWell, arenât we the social butterfly,â Nathan teased as he pecked her on the cheek and stepped past her into the dark hall.
She didnât know what to make of his tone, but found herself bristling in response. âItâs not normally like this, believe me.â
âWow, lovely wide hall,â he said, gazing about.
âYes, itâs what they call a cricket pitch hall, though I havenât measured it.â
âGreat colour â youâve just repainted havenât you?â
âYes. But the colour wasnât my choice. It was leftover from a friend â Barbara, who you met at the funeral. I do like it, but I probably would have gone more marigold than cream. I may as well give you the grand tour, since everythingâs pretty much on the way to the kitchen at the
The toxic smells filled Emilyâs nostrils and she puckered up her nose in distaste. The first thing sheâd do if she bought â when she bought â the place would be to get rid of them via the Councilâs farm chemical drum disposal program.
Though she couldnât really complain. It was a small job compared to other farms sheâd been to where rusting car bodies and junk of every sort was mixed with scrub, hidden behind sheds, and left for the next generation to deal with. Trevor and Donald Baker were quite tidy compared to many around.
Emilyâs stomach growled, reminding her she was yet to eat breakfast. Sheâd been too busy and too nervous earlier. She headed down the gentle slope to the back of the house and around to the side door into the kitchen.
She made herself two pieces of toast with butter and vegemite and sat side-on to the glass-panelled door that led out onto the verandah.
Strips of green and red light cut across the table in front of her. She nibbled her toast, taking small mouse-like bites to kill time. Occasionally she glanced at Grace â who was snoozing on her mat in the corner â and wished she too could so easily shift between being totally excited and totally relaxed.
Emily was suddenly startled by a hefty three-barrelled knock on the front door, so loud that the echo bounced around in the emptiness of the hall. Grace leapt to attention and sat with her head cocked, waiting.
Who could it be? It was too early for Jake â well, unless heâd left Whyalla really early, which he could have, she supposed.
She got up, her heart pounding with the anticipation of seeing him again.
âComing!â she called, and made her way quickly down the hall.
Chapter Three
With a shaking hand, Emily opened the door and was surprised to find Nathan Lucas on her doorstep. His face lit up with a big grin.
âHi. Merry Christmas. Thought Iâd pop by to see your new digs.â
On Christmas frigginâ morning?!
Emily was momentarily speechless. She frowned slightly, then her upbringing kicked in.
âOh, Nathan. Hello. Right, well, itâs not very exciting Iâm afraid. But itâs home,â she said with a shrug.
She felt rooted to the spot. The polite thing to do would be to invite him in, but knowing her luck, Jake would then turn up. And how would that look?
Um, like youâre having coffee with a friend .
âIâm sorry, I shouldnât have just turned up unannounced â youâre probably really busy,â Nathan said, starting to shift his feet and look about awkwardly.
âNot at all, come on in,â Emily said, finally shaking off her hesitation. She stepped aside to let him in. âI do actually have a friend coming a little later â to stay for the weekend â and Mum and Dad and some friends are coming for lunchâ¦â Well, Mum isnât, but⦠Shit, should I invite Nathan for lunch too? No, surely heâs having it with his parents.
âWell, arenât we the social butterfly,â Nathan teased as he pecked her on the cheek and stepped past her into the dark hall.
She didnât know what to make of his tone, but found herself bristling in response. âItâs not normally like this, believe me.â
âWow, lovely wide hall,â he said, gazing about.
âYes, itâs what they call a cricket pitch hall, though I havenât measured it.â
âGreat colour â youâve just repainted havenât you?â
âYes. But the colour wasnât my choice. It was leftover from a friend â Barbara, who you met at the funeral. I do like it, but I probably would have gone more marigold than cream. I may as well give you the grand tour, since everythingâs pretty much on the way to the kitchen at the
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