Chapter Six
‘He was going to fly up on Christmas Eve but when I told him that you and I were volunteered for the first aid tent at the bonanza, he decided that he didn’t want to miss out on work drinks and instead booked the first flight out on Christmas morning.
Crazy that there are flights on Christmas Day.
I suppose it’s reassuring knowing that the health industry isn’t the only workplace that works every single day and night of the year. ’
Emmett kept his eyes on the road and rolled his shoulders as Stef continued to yammer on from the passenger seat beside him.
The trip from Townsville to Rush Creek was one they took often, and Emmett could probably drive it with his eyes shut, but the threat of kangaroos and other wildlife—along with potholes, weather and other drivers—kept them open.
He never wanted to be the paramedic who needed a paramedic because he’d crashed the ambulance.
He should’ve let Stef drive like she always bugged him to.
That way he could safely stare out the window and replay the scenes from this morning over and over again.
Had he really patted Piper on the shoulder?
He was the biggest moron in the world. She’d been crying and he’d had zero clue how to handle it.
‘Emmett? Hello!’
‘Sorry, Stef. Don’t forget police work every day and night too.’
She groaned loudly. ‘That was about two kilometres ago and I’ve changed conversation twice since then. What’s going on with you? You never let me prattle on this much without a single command to zip it. Spill! Are you worried about old Mrs Narlinney? It’s like her third trip into the big smoke.’
Emmett shook his head. They’d transported Mrs Narlinney from Rush Creek Aged Care facility to the hospital in Townsville after she had another turn the previous night.
He didn’t know the elderly lady that well apart from the trips she’d taken with them, but his heart still felt heavy in his chest knowing that this might be the time when the Rush Creek local didn’t come back.
‘It’s not Mrs Narlinney.’
‘What’s up with you, then? Your broodiness is on the advanced level today.’ Stef swivelled a little in her seat to face him.
He gripped the wheel a little tighter. ‘I think I stuffed up with Piper this morning.’
‘I’m listening.’
‘I’ve dated before, you know, and I grew up with a single mother, so I’m not a complete novice when it comes to women and their emotions, but I generally exit before anyone can get attached or …’
‘Or need too much from you?’
‘Exactly. It might sound cold, but it’s worked for me so far.’
‘Until Piper.’
‘There’s nothing going on with me and Piper, but she had a rough phone call with her mum this morning and cried after it and I … I didn’t really handle it very well.’
Stef was quiet. Too quiet, and he risked a glance from the road to her. Her lips were pursed as she studied him.
‘What did you do?’
‘I accidentally threw the tissue box at her, then patted her shoulder and left.’ He cringed at the memory.
Stef burst out laughing. ‘You idiot. When a woman cries, the best thing you can do is offer to give her a hug. Hugs fix everything and often don’t require words.’
‘Huh.’ A hug. That sounded a lot simpler than what he’d tried. ‘I could probably try that next time.’
Stef’s laughter died down. ‘Can I offer you any more words of wisdom?’
Emmett scratched his palm against the steering wheel, thinking back to Piper’s side of the conversation with Maree. A quiet Christmas. He was really starting to hate that phrase.
‘In your limited life experience—’
‘Oh, give me a break. It might be my first year out of university, but it’s not like you’ve been working for decades.’
‘I’ve lived in more places than you.’ He paused as Stef rolled her eyes then returned his focus to the road.
They weren’t too far out of Rush Creek. ‘If someone really loves Christmas, grew up annoying everyone around them with their festive spirit and decorations and Hallmark movies, do you ever think they fall out of love with it?’
‘Be specific. You’re talking about Piper again, aren’t you? Are you sure you guys are just friends? You talk about her a lot.’
‘She’s my best friend’s little sister.’
‘You can’t use that excuse—I’ve read that book. It’s not like you and her brother hang out every weekend or talk every night.’
‘We grew up together; it counts.’ He chuckled at the audacity in her tone.
‘But yes, we’re talking about Piper. She always went all out for Christmas and this year, she’s batting everyone off, saying she wants a quiet one.
I can’t help but think it’s tied to the boyfriend she broke up with before coming here. ’
‘Probably is,’ Stef said. ‘Heartbreak anywhere near Christmas would dampen someone’s love for the festive season, but in my—’ she cleared her throat, ‘—professional opinion, Piper just needs reminding about how wonderful Christmas is.’
‘A reminder, huh?’
Stef started talking again as the town Emmett loved came into view, but he couldn’t focus on what she was saying.
His mind was whirling with thoughts of Piper and Christmas.
This was caused by Heath. He didn’t know how, but he’d bet everything he had.
Piper deserved more than this. Emmett would do everything in his power to give her the best Christmas he could.
Piper found a park outside the community hall and pulled Connie into it.
She cut the engine and took a deep breath.
It was the first night of choir practice and she couldn’t pretend she wasn’t nervous.
She’d been in Rush Creek for a little over three weeks and this was the first real event she’d been to without Emmett by her side.
He was curled up in bed, catching a few Zs before undoubtedly getting a callout.
They did things differently in the country and having the ambulance parked in the driveway when Emmett was on overnights had taken some getting used to.
Really, they’d been like ships passing in the night since the embarrassing moment she’d broken down in front of him.
Wasn’t she done crying over memories of Heath yet?
She lifted her head and swung the van’s door open.
She was done. As of right now, no more tears would be shed for the man who was secretive and destructive.
Who she never really knew. Who no longer belonged in her life.
Piper headed down the grassy slope to the hall.
The lights were shining out of the main building just where Gloria’s email had said they would be rehearsing.
Walking across the concrete, Piper refused to drop her gaze.
She was going to delete her heartbreak playlists as soon as she got home.
It was time for her Christmas tunes and while she wasn’t entirely ready for it, she was good at pretending.
Pausing in the doorway, Piper worked to not let the smile slip from her face. There was a dozen people sitting in the chairs placed in a semicircle around Gloria. Piper tilted her head. Was that lady knitting? ‘Ah, Piper, our last singer to bring us up to a baker’s dozen.’
Gloria beamed at her then gestured to the group. ‘Come, come and take a seat so we can get started.’
Maddie was sitting in the second row and tapped the empty spot beside her.
Relief flooded Piper and she hurried to take the chair. ‘Thanks for saving me a seat,’ she whispered.
‘Of course, girl. Every rehearsal.’ Maddie winked and Piper smothered her grin.
Gloria clapped her hands. ‘I want everyone in a circle around me and we’re going to do some scales so I can sort you based on your vocal range. Drop your things and let’s go.’
Piper stowed her bag under her chair and followed Maddie to a place in the circle, giving a wave to her other fellow nurse, Robbie, who sat at an electric keyboard. She didn’t know he could play.
‘Peggy, will you please put the knitting needles down and join us to sing?’ Gloria gave a pointed look to a now blushing older lady.
Once they were all gathered, Gloria counted them in to warm their voices then tested their ranges.
Piper was surprised to hear a unity within the rising and falling of notes. Eagerness raced
through her veins.
‘Right,’ Gloria said, clapping her hands again as they finished the last run. ‘Jim, Maurie and Stanley will be our baritones. The four gentlemen to my left here will be our tenors, although there may be some songs that I might need you, Peter, to jump down to the help the baritones. Anita.’
A lady with a brunette bob and warm brown eyes who looked like she was somewhere in her forties, nodded at Gloria.
‘I’ll get you to go with Piper and Maddie to be our altos and the rest of you ladies will be our sopranos.’
Piper’s eyes widened at how quickly it was done. They shuffled around to stand in some kind of order as Gloria unearthed a stack of thick folders and handed them out.
‘These are all the songs we’ll be singing at the Christmas Eve Bonanza,’ she announced. ‘Traditional Christmas carols and …’
Piper was distracted by the buzzing of her phone that she’d shoved in her back pocket out of habit.
Taking it out and holding it by her hip, she stiffened at the sight of Heath’s name on the screen.
Had he somehow heard her decide that she wasn’t going to cry over him anymore?
Impossible. She let the call go to voicemail, releasing her breath when he didn’t leave a message.
Before she could slip her phone back in her pocket, it buzzed again with a text message.
Please call me back, Piper. I need to speak with you. This isn’t the right way to end a two and a half year relationship.
Irritation coursed through her, and she shoved her phone back in her pocket, wishing she’d left it in her bag. How dare he tell her the right way to end a relationship? After everything he’d done to them. She wanted to scream.
‘Let’s start with “O Come All Ye Faithful”,’ Gloria announced. Piper wrenched open the folder, earning her a raised brow from Maddie.
‘You right?’
‘Stupid ex being a nuisance.’
‘Ah, of course it’s a man problem; they’re nothing but trouble.’
‘Amen to that.’ She smiled at Maddie and worked to push the anger into the furthest space of her mind, ready to focus on the songs she used to love.