Read Online The Last Mile Home by Di Morrissey - Free Book Online

butter on a plate, a pile of thick slices of milk loaf, and a pot of homemade mulberry jam.
    â€˜Kevin, go and get the twins inside for theirbath while I get Brian out,’ sighed Gwen, already missing Abby who normally bathed little Brian and got him ready for bed.
    She hurried through the house to the bathroom, hoping Abby was having a good time with her dad at the cut-out barbecue. Maybe there was a nice young shearer there she’d make friends with. Not that she’d wish the life of a shearer’s wife on her daughter. At least with Abby in tow, Bob wouldn’t be tempted to go into town to the pub with the others. Gwen knew what the men were like once they got a few quid in their kick. Bob had never blown a pay cheque the way some of the men had, but in his younger days he hadn’t said no to a drink or two. Gwen knew he’d have a few beers and bring Abby home safely.
    It was nice for them to be out together like this, she thought, for soon enough Kevin then Brian would be out with their dad, and hopefully Abby would have a man and a life of her own. Father and daughter would treasure these times.
    Once in the bathroom, she picked up the worn enamel saucepan from out of the bath and poured a panful over Brian’s soapy head.
    â€˜Okey dokey, out we get.’ She lifted him over the edge of the old tin tub onto the floor mat and wrapped him in a towel. She staggered slightly as she lifted the chubby child. ‘My, you are getting abig boy. Almost too heavy for Mummy to pick up.’
    â€˜Where Abby?’
    â€˜She’s at a party, darling. With Daddy. They’ll be home soon. But we are going to have a party of our own.’
    Outside, the twins were nowhere to be seen. Then Kevin heard their muffled squeals coming from the back of the water tank where they’d set up their little garden. There he found Shirley and Colleen running about the edge of their garden bed, flapping their arms and chanting, ‘Shoo, shoo!’
    â€˜Quick, Kev, help us! The chooks got out and they’re digging up our plants,’ wailed Colleen.
    Kevin lunged and clapped his hands at the merrily digging hens and rooster. Tom Turkey flew up to perch on the tank stand and, with a startled screech and whirr of wings, the rest scattered from the garden bed across the straggly grass lawn.
    â€˜Don’t frighten them! Now look what you’ve done!’ Shirley began to run after them, sending them in all directions, a rooster crowing in alarm.
    â€˜Come back, stop chasing them, you’re frightening them,’ called Kevin. ‘They’ll come back. Come inside. Mum says to have your bath.’
    â€˜We can’t leave them out, it’s getting dark.’ Colleen looked worried.
    â€˜Leave them alone. Leave the coop door open and they’ll find their way back inside.’
    â€˜Do you think so?’ asked Shirley.
    Kevin looked at his twin sisters, their almost identical blue eyes looking trustingly up at him. He grinned. ‘Yeah. Take my word for it. They’ll all be there in the morning.’
    Brown-haired Colleen and fair-haired Shirley walked beside their teenage brother, comforted by his know-it-all voice.
    â€˜Why do we have to lock them up at night anyway?’
    â€˜Well, you sleep in a house, don’t you?’ Colleen said to her twin.
    â€˜There could be a fox or a dingo or a cat about that would grab them. Or a big bad wolf!’ teased Kevin, pretending to grab them both. Squealing and laughing, the girls took off as he chased them, growling and calling, ‘Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf . . .?’
    They thundered into the house and the girls fled to the bathroom, slamming the door as Kevin began, ‘I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blowwww your house down . . .’
    â€˜Kevin, stop that racket and come and help in here please,’ Gwen shouted from the kitchen where she was lifting a saucepan of milk, which