Callum and Cooper crossed the floor and threw their strong arms around their equally strong brother. A passer-by would have seen a combined ball of long legs, muscle and men. There were back slaps all around until they sprang apart like opposing magnets.
‘What’s her name, Chris?’ Cooper asked.
‘Charlotte Elizabeth. After our mother.’ Chris wiped his eyes. ‘Thanks for staying. Thanks for being here, guys.’
And the brothers Malone hugged once again.
Chris didn’t have to say anything more. His brothers knew. One Malone life had ended and another had just begun, all in the space of a couple of weeks. The baton was being passed on to them, one at a time, to continue the family name. To keep alive the memories of their much-loved mother and their difficult father, despite all his faults.
It was up to them now.
‘Is Ellie up for visitors?’
Chris laughed, ruffling his hair. ‘She can’t wait to show off our daughter. Follow me.’
The brothers strode down a linoleum corridor until they reached a side room.
‘Come in, Uncle Cal and Uncle Coop,’ Ellie cried out. The brothers surrounded her bed, peering down at the tiny baby in her arms, swathed so tightly all Callum could see was a little pink face.
‘She is very cool, Ellie.’ Cooper ran a finger down Charlotte’s tiny nose.
‘She’s beautiful,’ Callum said and he had to stop and step back. Damn it, was he choking up? He was looking at his big brother’s baby. He’d just got used to his big brother being a husband.
‘Thanks, boys,’ Ellie said, sounding exhausted and exhilarated. ‘Just think. You were all this tiny once. And now, look at you.’
The brothers exchanged glances. Smiled at each other. And in that look, shared and understood between all of them, Callum saw brothers who wouldn’t let the ties that bind loosen. He saw brothers who could create their own family dynamic now that their father was gone.
Chris and Cooper were building their futures.
Callum had a long flight to Singapore to make a decision about his.
*
The first thing Callum did from the comfortable leather seats of first class was send a text to Ava.
Delayed departure to Singapore because I’m an uncle.
Her reply came a few seconds later: How exciting! Congrats. Pls send hugs and kisses to C + E.
I will.
Name?
Charlotte.
Beautiful. Have a good trip. Will be slaving away in your garden while you’re gone.
He stared at the message for a moment. The idea of her slaving away in his garden made him think hot and sweaty and he couldn’t think like that right before he was disappearing for a week.
Will do. About to take off. Catch up when I’m back.
He waited five minutes for a reply but it didn’t come. There was so much more he wanted to say, but not this way. Callum switched his phone to flight mode, fastened his seatbelt and started planning.
Chapter Thirteen
‡
‘That’s looking great, Andy.’ Ava swiped the beads of sweat from her forehead and lifted her sunglasses.
It was Wednesday of the week after Callum’s departure for Singapore and Ava and Andy had made serious inroads into the transformation of his gardens. They’d been held up one day with soaking rain, but today the sun was out and there was a familiar warmth in the air that energised Ava. She loved Sydney weather, the balmy climate that meant it never really got cold and never really got stinking hot. The sun on her arms warmed her as she worked and the salty sea breeze fluttered on her face. She adjusted the chin strap on her wide-brimmed hat and looked over the lowest tier of Callum’s split-level property.
‘Do you think we need any more topsoil?’
‘This should do it.’ Andy stopped shovelling dirt and dug his spade into the mound of dark, rich earth and propped a hand on his hip. ‘And Ava?’
‘Yeah?’
‘Next time you get us a job like this, which involves carting two tonnes of dirt in a wheelbarrow, load by load, because there’s no access for my truck? I’m quitting.’ Andy reached his arms up high and stretched out from side to side, groaning as he moved. She’d worked with Andy ever since she’d hung up her own shingle and couldn’t think of a better person to work with. He had a great work ethic, was smart, organised and possessed a body honed by carting two tonnes of soil load by barrow load. On top of everything else, he was damn nice eye candy.
‘C’mon Andy. You wouldn’t dare quit on me. Despite these challenges …’
He arched an eyebrow at her over the top of his aviator shades. ‘Challenges?’
‘Okay, hardships then. But we always get these jobs done, right? No matter how freaking annoying the access is. And if you thought this one was a pain in the butt, you won’t want to know about the job I’m quoting on next week on the river at Berowra Waters.’