The Wildwood Sisters by Mandy Magro Page B

morning… I’d like to make an appointment with the doc please.’
    â€˜Sure, I’ve actually just had a cancellation for eleven tomorrow morning. Would you like to take it? Otherwise it’s a two week wait, I’m afraid.’ Her voice was so cheery it was almost annoying.
    So there you go. The doc was booked out for weeks. So he wasn’t the only one in Opals Ridge needing help. It made him feel better about going. ‘Yup, I’ll take it for now, but can I get back to you later if I need to change it? I’m not sure if I’m working tomorrow.’
    â€˜That should be okay, as long as you let me know by mid-afternoon today.’
    â€˜Oh, yup, no problems. Will do.’ Dylan’s right leg was bouncing like the clappers. He placed his hand on it to stop it. Bloody nerves.
    â€˜Okey-dokey then, what’s your name so I can book you in?’ she sang down the phone.
    He wanted some of what she was on. ‘Dylan Anderson.’ He waited for her to say something like, Oh my goodness, you need to see a shrink , really? I never would have guessed.
    But she didn’t. She just very professionally booked him in without even a mention of knowing him from the pub.
    â€˜Okay then, Dylan, all booked in. We’ll see you tomorrow if I don’t hear back from you this afternoon.’
    â€˜Great, thanks, see you then.’ Dylan was relieved to hang up and he took a few deep breaths. He’d finally done it.
    Staring out his office window to the paddock Rascal called home, he grinned. The gelding had his head up in the air, lips back and teeth bared while snapping at the flies. Rascal certainly was a character and a half. Over the past two months he’d really bonded with the horse, as had Annie, and he was glad he’d followed his gut instincts and brought the horse home. It hadn’t taken long for Rascal to trust him, and all the hard work he’d put into him had certainly paid off. He’d deliberately put him in the closest paddock to the cottage as a pal for his stockhorse, Turbo, and also so Annie could hang out with her new buddy whenever she liked, which was quite often. Not long now and she’d be able to ride him in the round yard, under strict supervision of course. Sculling the last of his coffee, he stood and pulled on his wide-brimmed hat. One huge accomplishment down and one to go. Time to hit the road and get himself that job at Wildwood Acres.
    ***
    Rinsing the last of the cutlery in the sink and then popping it into the dishwasher, Renee took off her flour-covered apron while bopping along to the Brad Paisley song playing loudly on the local radio station. It was a rare treat to turn the wireless on and have country music playing. Staring out at the spectacular pastoral views from the kitchen bay window, she sang the words out loud and way out of tune, but she didn’t care. Nobody could hear her here.
    For the first time in as long as she could remember, she felt free of worries, as though she was somehow lighter just by being back at Wildwood Acres. Something magical in the country air was cleansing her from the inside out, making her feel more invigorated and alive than she had in years. And she loved it. Immensely. It was the complete opposite of what she thought she’d feel, her panic attacks and nightmares not rearing their ugly heads at all.
    Packing her nan’s legendary homemade strawberry-and-rhubarb jam and a container of freshly whipped cream alongside the flask of tea and pannikins, Renee then wrapped some of her freshly made date-and-walnut scones into a clean tea towel. She made sure to keep two of the delicious golden mounds aside for Nan, wanting to take some homemade treats to her at the hospital this afternoon. The AGA stove had worked a treat, the scones the best she’d ever made. Even the demerara sugar she’d sprinkled on top had gone nice and golden.
    She’d made sure to save some for Mick,