Faith understood why her father was so protective—her mother had had her stroke while he’d been working, and it had been pure luck that a friend popping around to visit found her. His actions came from a place of love and fear, not of control. “I guess I won’t be going on Sunday,” she murmured. She sighed and opened the fridge, staring without seeing the items inside. A trail ride with her favourite student and a sexy farmer would have given her something to look forward to, but she didn’t dare suggest it with her father already in a mood.
“What was that, Faith?”
Faith shook off the disappointment and retrieved the stir fry ingredients for dinner. “One of my students invited me on a trail ride to the beach on Sunday.”
Her mother stood, a little unsteady on her feet, and then leaning on her walking stick, she tottered over to the kitchen bench. She’d put a little weight on during her recovery, and had more of a roundness to her ever-smiling face, when previously she’d been wiry. “You should go.”
“Dad has a tour on Sunday.”
Milly glanced behind as if to check her husband hadn’t come back in. “Staying at home is driving me crazy,” she said. “I want to join him on the boat and this is the perfect opportunity. We need to figure out how to convince him.”
Faith studied her mother. She hadn’t complained once of cabin fever, though she had been insistent about their little outings each day as she’d grown stronger. A walk down the street, a coffee at the local café, or going to visit a friend for an hour or more.
Before Faith could speak, Milly continued, “What excuse can we give?” She shuffled around and opened the soy sauce to add to the dish.
Faith hated seeing her mother so frail, but this was far better than she’d been a few months ago. It reminded her her parents were getting older, already in their seventies, definitely retirement age. She’d been the surprise child. Both her brothers were much older with families of their own.
“How about we say a friend of yours is in Coral Bay and you’re meeting them?”
“Why don’t we tell him the truth?” Faith asked. “Say you want to go on the boat with him, and I have plans.”
Milly shook her head. “No, that won’t work. He’s cross with you anyway.” She perked up. “You could say you’re helping someone with a contract and the only day they have free is Sunday. Your dad’s so proud of you being a lawyer and likes to brag. He couldn’t refuse.”
It seemed like a lot of work. “Mum, just tell him you’re bored at home and want to go out.”
“He doesn’t think I’m ready yet.”
“That’s not his decision to make.” She hated how her mother always gave in to her father. Not once had she stopped one of his harebrained schemes which had seen them move every couple of years after the next shiny get rich scheme, even though as a child, Faith had begged her to.
The bathroom door slammed open and her father marched in. “Is dinner ready?”
Faith finished slicing the capsicum. “Just waiting for you to finish your shower.” She turned on the gas stove and added oil to the wok. “Mum was saying how she misses going on the boat with you.”
Her mother glared at her, but Rob didn’t catch it. “The boat’s no place for her. She’s too unsteady.”
Faith thought fast. “Inside the reef it’s pretty calm most days. She could sit next to you on the captain’s chair.”
“She’d be bored.”
Faith raised her eyebrows at her mother, hoping she would chime in.
“It might be nice to chat to some new people,” Milly said. “I miss hearing everyone’s travel stories.”
Rob hesitated. For all of his bluster, he liked to keep his wife happy. “Let me check the forecast.”
Faith added the garlic, ginger and chilli to the wok and hoped Sunday’s forecast was for light winds and sunny weather.
Her father grunted. “The boat’s going to sway a lot.”
“I know. I’ll stay seated. Perhaps when you stop to snorkel, I can jump in for a swim too.”
“I don’t know about that. You might have difficulty getting back on the boat.”
“Oh, but you’ll help me, won’t you?” Milly said.
“Of course.”
“Then how about we play it by ear?”
