The Road Home by Fiona Palmer

was Turner land, and he wanted it to stay that way. He had to do the right thing by his family.
    ‘Hey, mate. I’ve got some bad news. Spare a minute to talk?’
    Jack leant back against the corrugated tin fence and crossedhis arms. The muscle twitched in his jaw as he sized Noah up. ‘It sounds serious.’
    With a sigh, Noah scratched his scruffy hair and thought of the best way to break the news to his best mate.

9
    NEARLY three weeks later, Lara couldn’t believe she was at her own going-away party. Anna had organised it at her place so she could put her kids to bed and party on. But Darcy was trying to climb all over the couch with toys in each of his chubby two-year-old hands, and Chloe was running around the table with her blond hair trailing behind her, only stopping to shove more food into her little mouth. It didn’t look like they’d be in bed any time soon. Coloured balloons floated around the tiled floor for the kids, and Anna’s husband Paul was adding more finger food to the table. The kids’ toys had been packed away neatly in the corner and the lounge room sparkled from a recent spring clean, with fresh flowers on the table and washed cushions on the couch. No signs of the kids’ grubby marks anywhere.
    ‘Drink up, girls,’ said Anna, pouring some champagne into their glasses. ‘This could be the last night in a long time that we’ll all be together.’
    Mel’s shoulders drooped, and her black top slid off one shoulder.‘It seems like just yesterday that you came in saying you didn’t like your job, and now you’re really leaving on a big adventure. I’m so happy for you, even if I don’t look it,’ Mel said, sighing as she attempted a smile. There were some friends from school chatting by the CD player and Amber from work was making conversation with Chloe on one of her many stops for more food. It was a nice crowd, but Lara was going to miss the two girls by her side the most.
    ‘Thanks, Mel.’ Lara swayed her hips in time to the music playing in the background, her turquoise summer dress swishing around her knees. ‘You guys will have to come and visit. I might need all the help I can get.’
    ‘Sorry, I have an allergy to dust, animals and country music,’ laughed Anna.
    Lara didn’t really expect her friends to come and visit. It was a long way from the city, they weren’t used to driving on gravel roads, and Darcy and Chloe would be hell in a car for that long.
    ‘Count me in!’ said Mel. ‘You know I’d love to visit … hopefully while Noah is still there.’
    ‘Engaged, remember?’ said Anna, who was drinking down her wine like it was water. She was adjusting her green strapless dress every few minutes. ‘God, it feels like ages since I last wore a dress. I feel like a fish out of water.’
    ‘Well, you look gorgeous, Anna. You should do it more often,’ Lara said.
    ‘I totally agree. I wish I had your skin tone.’ Mel sighed and turned to Lara. ‘When I visit I’d love to catch some yabbies.’
    ‘Oh my God. That sounds like a sexual disease,’ said Anna, horrified.
    Mel ignored Anna’s outburst. ‘So, does Nic know you’re off into the outback?’
    ‘No. I haven’t heard from him since I threatened to tell Emily about us. He must have realised how much his marriage meant to him.’
    ‘Bastard.’
    ‘Jerk.’
    Anna shook her head and changed the subject. ‘Are you happy with the sale of the house, Lara?’
    ‘Sure am. Can you believe it sold for eight hundred? Who would have thought the house Mum and Dad bought all those years ago would have turned such a profit?’ Lara sighed. ‘I’m going to miss that house. It’s been my home for a long time. But Erindale is more of a home to me than that house ever was. I could never picture Mum and Dad in it.’ Her parents had rented it out until Lara left high school, then she’d moved in and after their death it had become hers.
    ‘Are you taking all your stuff?’ asked Mel. ‘In particular, that