Free Flight to Coorah Creek by Janet Gover

a car with the job … but then I was supposed to get a house as well. I’m beginning to think I got it wrong.’
    â€˜Adam will know. Or more likely, Jack. He’s the practical one.’
    â€˜Okay. I’ll get in touch with him.’
    â€˜In the meantime,’ Trish came over to refill her coffee mug, ‘there’s a ute out the back. Take that.’ She dropped a set of car keys onto the table.
    â€˜No. No. I couldn’t!’ Jess was startled by the offer.
    â€˜Oh, go on. I am not going to be using it today. There’s no other way for you to get out to the airstrip. Or to the hospital.’
    â€˜But it’s your car …’
    â€˜Out here we help each other. That’s just the way it works. You need the car more than I do. Take it. You can bring it back once Jack has got you sorted out with your own transport.’
    Jess hid her face in her coffee cup for a few seconds while she took a deep breath. Her recent experiences had taught her that no one ever did something for nothing. Stop it, she told herself. There’s no catch. Trish is just trying to help. Accept the offer in good grace.
    â€˜Thank you,’ she said.
    â€˜Just watch the brakes. They’re not too good,’ Trish added. ‘I told Syd to get them fixed, but he hasn’t yet. Of course, most men would fix the car themselves, but not my Syd. He’s a good man, mind you, but totally hopeless when it comes to cars. Or anything else mechanical, for that matter. Thank goodness for Jack, that’s all I can say. If it wasn’t for him—’
    â€˜Thanks so much for the car,’ Jess interrupted, before Trish could really get up a head of steam. ‘If you need it, just call me. I’ll bring it right back.’
    â€˜All right, but don’t you worry. Syd’s got a car too; although why we have two I don’t know. We certainly don’t need them.’
    â€˜Maybe it’s so you can lend one to people like me?’
    Trish laughed. ‘Maybe.’
    A clatter of eager feet outside the door heralded the arrival of Bethany and Harry, their mother in close pursuit.
    â€˜I’m hungry,’ Bethany announced.
    â€˜Bethany,’ her mother chided, ‘that’s not very polite. You should say good morning to Mrs Warren before you demand food.’
    â€˜Good morning,’ both children chorused at the same time.
    Trish ruffled the blonde heads as the children climbed onto two more chairs around the big kitchen table. ‘And I bet you’d like some juice.’
    â€˜Yes!’ The children chorused.
    â€˜Yes what?’ their mother demanded in mock severity.
    â€˜Yes, please!’
    â€˜Well, let me see what I can do.’ Trish turned back to her huge refrigerator.
    â€˜How are you this morning?’ Ellen enquired, as she took a seat next to Jess. ‘Did you sleep all right?’
    Something about her tone caused Jess to hesitate. Ellen was only a few years older than her, but her voice held the same sort of concern she had heard in her own mother’s voice on those nights when she’d sought comfort in the family home. Nights when the nightmares caused her to cry out in her sleep.
    â€˜It’s always hard to sleep somewhere new,’ Ellen offered. ‘I’m sure you’ll sleep better when you get settled into your own place.’
    Jess felt a twinge of gratitude for Ellen’s empathy. They were two very different women, but Jess had a feeling they had at least two things in common – a good reason to come to Coorah Creek and a strong desire to keep that reason secret.
    â€˜Speaking of my own place,’ Jess said, ‘I’d better find Adam. Thanks for breakfast, Trish. I’ll take good care of the car.’ She escaped before the conversation could get any more personal.
    â€˜You know, Doc, for a smart man, sometimes you really get it wrong.’
    â€˜You can fix it.