Where the Heart Is

Chapter 45

CHAPTER

45

Sawyer didn’t want to stick his nose in his sister’s business, but if his suspicions were correct and his nephew had ADHD, he owed it to her to steer her in the right direction. Brett seemed like a good kid and the last thing he wanted was for him to go through what Sawyer had.

Allison was hanging out the washing when he arrived, and her face lit up as he strolled towards her.

‘Wow, I don’t see you for ages, then two visits in as many days. Lucky me.’

He slung an arm around her shoulder. ‘I can go if you like.’

‘Don’t be an idiot,’ she muttered, and elbowed him in the ribs.‘Want a drink?’

‘I’m good, but I did want to talk to you about something.’

Something in his tone must’ve alerted her this wasn’t purely a social call.

‘Sounds serious. Are you okay?’

‘Yeah.’ He gestured to the cracked outdoor furniture nearby. ‘Let’s sit.’

A frown furrowed her brow as they pulled the chairs into the shade. ‘You’re scaring me.’

‘It’s nothing bad, honest. But I’m not sure you’ll appreciate my interference.’

Her frown deepened. ‘What’s this about?’

‘Brett.’

Her frown cleared but confusion clouded her eyes. ‘Did he say something to worry you? Because that kid’s always making up stories. Has a good imagination for someone who can’t focus on schoolwork for more than two seconds.’

She’d provided him with the perfect segue. ‘Actually, that’s what I want to talk to you about. Have any of the teachers at school mentioned reasons why Brett can’t focus?’

She shook her head. ‘He’s energetic and rambunctious, perfectly normal for a ten-year-old used to running loose in the country. Why?’

‘Because I see a lot of myself in Brett. At school, my focus wavered constantly. I couldn’t study for longer than ten minutes so my homework was rushed. I switched hobbies and interests constantly. I even mixed up words sometimes.’

Recognition sparked in her eyes. ‘Brett does all that too.’

Relieved he’d made the connection after hearing about his nephew’s learning behaviours, he said, ‘Back then, everyone thought I was stupid, so I acted out. Mum and Dad thought I was lazy, dumb, or both, so I learned to deflect their focus by being funny. And that carried over to school, because being the class clown distracted from my inability to learn. But after I left town, a girlfriend mentioned I might have ADHD, like her brother, and she was right. I was diagnosed, put on meds, and my life changed. I could concentrate long enough to study and complete a degree. I could remember stuff. Everything seemed clearer.’

‘I didn’t know,’ she said. ‘I’m sorry nobody picked up on it back then.’

‘It’s not your fault. It’s nobody’s fault. But if Brett’s like me, I want the best for him, and that means getting an early diagnosis.’

She nodded. ‘You’re right. I’ll get a referral for a specialist in Melbourne.’

‘I can come with you to the appointment, if you like? I’ll be heading home sometime in the next few weeks. And you’re welcome to stay with me.’

He caught the shimmer of tears in her eyes. ‘Thanks, little bro. I’m so glad we’ve reconnected, so let’s keep this going, okay? Regular catch-ups, whether it be here or in the city or even halfway.’

‘Sounds good.’ Sawyer forced the lie, knowing he probably wouldn’t return to Ashe Ridge for a long time, if ever.

Because he’d come to a realisation in the wee small hours this morning. After divulging the truth about his diagnosis to Mila, he’d been tempted to tell her everything, and that meant revealing the truth about who had acquired her land.

And he had no doubt that once she learned the truth, she’d be glad to see the back of him.

‘How will Mick react?’ he asked, only to hear a footfall behind him.

‘How will I react about what?’

Sawyer’s heart sank as he turned and fixed a smile on his face. The last thing Alli needed was her husband thinking they’d been talking about him behind his back.

‘Hey, Mick.’ Sawyer thrust out his hand. ‘Good to see you.’

‘You too, mate.’ A lie, and they both knew it. Mick shook his hand quickly and released it. ‘What’s going on?’

Sawyer shot Alli a quick questioning glance and when she nodded, he said, ‘I was just telling Alli I have ADHD. How I acted out at school because of it, how I couldn’t concentrate long enough to learn anything, but I got diagnosed in my early twenties and never looked back.’

‘Sounds a bit like Brett,’ Mick said, his expression thoughtful. ‘He can’t sit still for two seconds, especially when it comes to homework.’

‘He’s a great kid. Aimee too. You and Alli are lucky,’ Sawyer said, relieved Mick had taken his interference in the right way and hadn’t reacted defensively.

‘Yeah, we are.’ Mick slung an arm across Allison’s shoulders and Sawyer had never been happier to see his sister lean into her husband rather than stiffening, which would’ve happened if they were truly on the outs and Mick was a controlling prick. ‘So you think we should get Brett assessed or something?’

Sawyer nodded. ‘Can’t hurt.’

‘I agree,’ Mick said. ‘How about you, Al?’

Allison glanced up at her husband and smiled. Looked like Sawyer wasn’t the only one relieved by how Mick was taking the news. ‘Our kids are incredible and we want to give them every opportunity in life, so if that means maximising Brett’s potential if he needs help, we do it.’

Mick’s fond smile at his wife made Sawyer wish he hadn’t misjudged the guy. ‘You’re a smart woman, Allison Fogarty, one of the many reasons I married you.’

Pleased that this had gone better than expected, Sawyer said, ‘Want me to pick up the kids so you two can sort out appointments?’

Mick nodded. ‘Thanks, mate. And we appreciate you telling us about what you went through in an effort to help Brett. You must’ve had it tough growing up.’ He sent a pointed stare at Allison. ‘Especially with much-older sisters who were more interested in chasing after boys like me than keeping an eye on their little brother.’

‘You’re an idiot,’ Alli said, elbowing Mick hard enough he let out an ‘oomph’. ‘But seriously, Sawyer, we do appreciate it.’

‘No worries.’

At least, not with his family. But with his impending plan to tell Mila the truth, that was a giant worry.