Outback

We still worked the farm together. Mark was happy working alongside my father and the others. He thoroughly enjoyed shearing season, as he made plenty of cash going around to all the farms to help get the little buggers sheared. He generally disappeared for a month, though he called me every single night. Sometimes just to talk. Sometimes just to hear my voice. Occasionally so I could talk dirty to him.

He also spoke to our two-year-old son. I reckon I would have fallen pregnant within the first year if not for the pill. Once he rediscovered that fire, that spirit he no doubt had before, he was… something else entirely. And when life returned to those blue eyes, and I saw him look at me the same way, I loved him even more. And wanted him all the time. When we were not at work, we were at it like rabbits. Thankfully, our parents never caught us though… they knew. Always had that look in their eyes, though with my rosy cheeks and Mark looking content with life, I guess it was obvious.

As I thought of that, I caressed my belly. We already knew we were having a daughter. He almost fell apart when we were told. He felt guilty about being excited that he was having another daughter. I told him our daughter wasn’t a replacement. Katie was still out there, still his daughter. Through it all, he never lost hope. Nothing had ever come of his search. He hoped for a miracle but still hadn’t given up.

Mum and Dad doted on their grandson. Bill and Mark were now… more than family. Mark called him Dad. Ely was Mum. When he called her that the first time, she must have hugged him for half an hour. They both cried, Mum sobbing when he said he loved her more than he’d ever loved his own. We knew he had no love left for anyone there.

Except one. Maybe just one. I didn’t push the matter, at least not at first, but I’d been dropping hints since the birth of our son. Mark stayed quiet. He was more thoughtful than he gave himself credit for. He always thought before opening his mouth. And I knew he didn’t want to upset me either.

Mark wasn’t interested in social media, as I said. But I kept an eye on it for him because, he would admit, that was perhaps the avenue Katie would one day get in touch with him. But every week since he’d disappeared, his sister had left a message for him. And I knew it was genuine as it was a different one, each and every time. I could feel the sorrow that came through the words on the screen. And she always ended it by saying how much she loved and missed him, and hoped that one day, he would reach out to contact her.

As for the rest of the family, not a word. They were not on any of his lists. Other friends left the occasional message, wondering where he was, if he was even still alive. He asked me not to put anything on the site except he was alive. Not where he lived. Not that he was married. He didn’t even have his new name on there. On the website, he was still ‘Mark Samuels’, a name I knew he despised nowadays.

Kelly had left another message just the day before. I clicked on her profile again. She was quite a pretty young thing, only a couple of years older than me. No kids, from what I could see. Didn’t look like her parents were on the site. Her brother was, but I wouldn’t dare open that can of worms. Mark said he had no brother, and he had new parents. I remembered what he said being a twenty-five-year-old orphan. My heart had broken for him hearing that, the fact he had felt so alone.

I wouldn’t contact her without letting Mark know. He knew Kelly left messages. He said little to that. He was never rude to me. Man didn’t have a bad bone in his body. But I also knew he felt guilt about what he’d said all those years ago now. His sister had just been in the firing line as he let rip on everyone. He admitted, at least a year after we were official, that the only regret he had leaving was what he’d called his sister. It was in the heat of the moment, designed to hurt.

Over dinner that night, I waited until we were finished before I turned to him. He was now thirty years old, still built like a brick shithouse, hair a little longer, tanned more than ever from working in the sun, and those blue eyes now sparkled more than ever. When he looked at me at times, I’ll be honest, just a simple glance had my panties rather wet.

“Mark, can we discuss something.”

“Sure.”

“It’s about….”

I took a deep breath. When he noticed my hand was shaking, he gently took it in his hand. “Sweetheart, I hate it when you get nervous around me,” he said softly.

I’d seen Mark angry, of course. Nothing wrong with emotions, positive or negative. It’s how you deal with them that’s the problem sometimes. Angry at me, though? The only time was when he found me in the cabin. Work pissed him off from time to time, but we realised coming home to a happy wife put the grin straight back on his face. I only got nervous from time to time because of the subject matter, whenever it came to something from his past. It was still the only thing that could possibly make him blow his top. But he’d never shout, yell, curse in front of me. He’d politely excuse himself, go outside for a few minutes. I’d watch him from the window. He’s simply stroll around, kick at the dirt, loosening himself up and relaxing. He’d see me watching and smile.

He was my gentle giant.

“It’s about your sister. Kelly.” I watched his face for any sort of reaction. He kept his face blank. He was good at that. “She’s still leaving a message every week. Five years now. Every single week, a new message.” I took another deep breath. “I think I should get in touch on your behalf.”

I looked at Mum and Dad, watching Mark in return. He slowly stood up. “Please excuse me for a moment,” he said softly.

“Mark?” I asked.

He leaned down and kissed me. “I’m not angry, sweetheart. I’m past anger. Well past it. I just want to think about it. Just give me a few minutes.”

“Okay.”

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

He never left the room without saying he loves me. Once he was out the back door, Mum glanced at me, keeping her opinion to herself but she knew this could be opening up old wounds, or even be dangerous to him. But I was left thinking things had changed, at least with Kelly. And maybe it would be a chance for them to talk and perhaps even find out what happened.

He returned with a bottle of beer for himself and Dad, a bottle of wine already open for Mum and I. Resuming his seat, he took a swig of beer, staring off into the distance for another couple of minutes. None of us pushed him for a response. Then… he nodded. “Okay, send her a brief message. Let her know who you are. Ask what she wants.”

“I’ll start a conversation with her once I see her online. Anything you want to know?”

“Not particularly. But if she’s serious, then I can only suggest a face to face. Not here. Not Sydney. No way in hell I’m going back there.”

“Brisbane?”

“Works for me. But that’s later. First, see how serious she is. You’re a good judge of character. I… I just can’t do it myself.”

“Is it okay if I get in touch soon?”

“Like a Band-Aid. Nice and quick.”

I waited until the next evening to see if she would appear online. When the little symbol turned green. I opened up a chat window and stared to type.

MarkS: Hello, Kelly.

KelSam: Mark! Oh my god, I never thought…

M: It’s not Mark, Kelly. This is Catherine, Cathy. I’m his wife.

K: Mark’s married? Oh… Hello, Cathy. So I can only assume you know who I am then?

M: I know you’re his sister. Mark doesn’t really do social media, but he left this page so people could contact him. I’ve watched and let him now every so often how often you message him. He finally agreed to make contact as he’s wondering why you keep messaging. He assumes he made his feelings clear.

He’d gone into minute detail about exactly what happened that day at the house, what he’d said, what he’d done, what was said to him in return. He admitted, the more time passed, the regret about what he said to his sister did bother him. He still had no feelings at all about the others, but had hinted that maybe, one day, he’d contact his sister.

M: Before I continue, Kelly, I must know one thing. It will be the thing that will result in this continuing or not. So you need to be honest. How much did you know about what happened?

K: Honestly, not a lot. But there’s a caveat to that. I could never tell him because my parents threatened to completely cut me off if I did. But, please, I wanted to tell him. I never approved of what happened. And after he disappeared, things fell apart. I hate my parents for what they did to him. I always loved him the most.

M: Do you know where his daughter is?

K: If I did, it would definitely have gone on his wall, Cathy. But they never told me all the details and I’ve never been able to really figure it out since.

I sat back and it sounded sincere, but the written word is different to hearing the tone of a voice. But what she was saying matched what she’d been leaving on his wall for the past five years.

M: Kelly, I’ve got to be honest. What your family did, what his friends did, it destroyed him as a man, a father, a human being. He was damned near suicidal for months. The only thing that got him through it was the hope of seeing his daughter, my parents, and then me.

K: Suicidal?

She added a crying emoji. In fact, all different sorts of crying emoji’s. I could certainly understand the impact hearing that.

M: Yes, that’s what everyone there drove him to. So while I’m sitting here wanting to believe you, I need to really be convinced of your sorrow but also your love. So we need to talk. I need to hear it in your voice. Mark won’t want to talk yet. Not a chance. Getting him to agree to me messaging you was a big deal.

K: But he did agree! So that means there’s a chance, right?

M: There is a chance but my parents and I fiercely protect him. He’s been through enough as it is. What I’m going to do is leave my phone number here. Please call me tomorrow night. As I said, Mark won’t want to talk yet but I’m willing to listen, offer an olive branch. Convince me, and I’ll ask my husband if he’s willing to talk.

K: I’m glad he’s found happiness, Cathy. Thank you for looking after him. And loving him.

M: Your brother is a good man, and he loves me just as much in return. Here’s my number – ********** – Please call around 7pm and we’ll have a chat about things.

K: Of course I’ll call. I really want to hear his voice again. And seeing him… I’ve thought about it for five years. But thank you, Cathy, for giving me a chance. I’ve just put the number in my phone. I’ll call tomorrow night. I’ll log off now, otherwise I’m just going to ask endless questions. One thing though. Please tell him I still love him. I miss my brother.

M: I’ll let him know, Kelly. Speak to you tomorrow.

In bed that night, Mark was happily lying back while I was riding his lovely thick cock. He definitely enjoyed it when I was pregnant as my usual B-cup breasts got larger. Not to say he didn’t love my petite body. His pet name for me was usually ‘sweetheart, ‘sweet petite’ or, if he was in a particular mood, ‘sweetie petitiee’. My husband could be rather silly at times, but once he’d come out of his shell, he proved to have a daft but sweet sense of humour.

For me, he would always be ‘gentle giant’, simply ‘gg’, or ‘honeybun’. The first time I called him ‘honey’ while making love, he damn near froze up on me. I knew why without him having to say a word. I recovered quickly and whispered ‘Fuck me, honeybun’ into his ear. It eased the tension as he laughed before he carried on making love to his fiancée.

But he loved running hands over my curves as I carried our children. Definitely focused attention on my breasts. Missionary was already difficult. I’d loved riding him from the first time, particularly as I enjoyed some rather powerful orgasms. The further along the pregnancy, doggy style was the best. That just gave him a chance to fuck me nice and hard while grabbing my larger breasts at the same time. Considering I was beyond horny half the time, we certainly made plenty of noise.

Once we’d both enjoyed an orgasm, I spooned back against him as always, his hand on my belly, my hand resting on his. “Your sister is going to call me tomorrow night,” I said.

“No worries,” he said, sounding rather relaxed. Best time to mention anything like this is after he’d cum in me. He’s much more agreeable. He knew, of course. After a blowjob and swallowed? I could ask for a diamond ring and he’d probably agree. Though I’d blow him and swallow just to see him smile down at me. I’m still absolutely smitten by my husband.

I could see it was on his mind at breakfast the next morning. Parents knew it too but they didn’t ask. Before he left with my father, he kissed me, said that he loved me, and assured me all was okay. He wouldn’t listen in, but he’d be interested to hear about it afterwards. Whatever I said, he’d believe and we’d go from there.

I’ll admit to some nerves the closer the time approached. I hoped I wasn’t opening Pandora’s box. Mark admitted he was as happy as he could reminder despite the fact someone was still missing, but he’d parked that fact in his mind somewhere else. He focused on the here and now, and hoped for the future. Nothing could be done about the past now.

At 7pm on the dot, my phone rang. I didn’t recognise the number but I knew who it would be. Answering the call, I wasn’t surprised to hear a nervous hello. When she heard my voice in return, she started to cry. In that moment, I felt sympathy for her because I just had a feeling she wasn’t lying. She loved her brother. Missed her brother. And felt guilty about what happened. I waited for her to calm down before asking some general questions about life, letting her just get used to talking to me before I got down to business.

“Tell me about that day, Kelly. The day he came to the house.”

I heard her take a deep breath. “I’d never seen Mark so angry before. The fury in his eyes as he walked into the backyard to face down my parents.”

“My parents? Interesting term.”

“Oh, they are no longer his, Cathy. I know he would feel nothing for them now. And his picture is no longer in the house. Dad still regrets not going through with his threat to charge him. But… well, the threat that lingered. Mark scared the shit out of him. You know about that?”

“I do. Mark is a gentle man, but there seems to be one or two people that rile him so he just explodes.”

She cleared her throat. “We all knew about it, Cathy. He was a regular visitor. His name was Tony. Never learned his last name. Sally and him were having an affair from pretty much the moment they met. Parents organised it all. And because Mark had little to do with my parents, generally staying at home with Katie while Sally visited, he simply didn’t have a clue. Whenever Mark did come along, Tony was a visitor but was wise enough to keep his distance.

Anyway, the day in question. Mark came strolling in but he was like a coiled spring. And when Dad confirmed what happened, Mark just lost it. Dropped Dad with a cracking hook. I’ll be honest, it wasn’t a surprise. I think Mark had been looking to smack around his old man for years by then. The only reason Mum didn’t get a slap is that he’d never raise a hand in the direction of a woman. I knew he’d have decked Brian if given the chance, but my oldest brother is a pussy. Add to that, Mark had smacked him around often enough that Brian was just scared of him.

But it all came out that night. Mark saw the family for what they are. And… he called me a worthless whore…”

“He regrets that, Kelly. Hand on heart, he does.”

“But I deserved it. I was involved. Unwillingly, but I was involved. I never told him, too worried about being cut off, having everything handed to me in my life taken away. I had my part to play in watching my brother’s life destroyed by vindictive parents, a cruel fiancée, and a horrible man that she took off with. I never would have believed she’d take Katie, but I knew my parents never really approved of Sally. This was their way of getting rid of her, they never really bothered with Katie, and then it was almost like… I don’t know, getting even with Mark for doing what he wanted with his life.”

“Jesus, your parents sound horrible, Kelly.”

“I hate them now,” she whispered, “They drove him away. And I helped…”

Kelly started to weep again. I gave her a few minutes to calm down. “What happened afterwards?”

“Word slowly but surely got out about what happened. Took a while, but I helped with that, to ease a guilty conscience. Spread rumours about what they did to my brother. Once it was noticed that Mark had just plain disappeared, people put two and two together. No Mark. No Sally. No Katie. Dad barely held onto his job once his firm heard about what they did. Mum’s practice is teetering on bankruptcy as all her old patients refused to be treated by a woman who’d treat her son like that. Brian’s gone through three divorces now. We make sure each wife hears the truth about the sort of man they are with.”

“And you, Kelly? How are you?”

“I’ve lived with the guilt for five years, Cathy. Every day, I wish I could go back and warn him what was going on. But I was too selfish, too self-involved. We had been close when growing up. I knew what he thought but I felt he never judged me, accepted me for who I was. But when he glared at me with such hate in his eyes and called me a worthless whore. I didn’t hate him for it. I should have done, but after what he’d just heard, I never blamed him. I looked at myself in the mirror and hated my reflection. Slowly but surely, I pulled away from the family.”

“When did you last see them?”

“I haven’t seen my parents in two years. I haven’t seen Brian in longer than that. Dad’s parents actually fucking approved of what they did! Haven’t seen them since that evening. Mum’s parents? Different story… at least when they were alive.”

“They’re dead?”

“They watched from a distance as their family was torn apart. I doubt Mark would know they both passed within a year of each other, three years ago now. Nanna always hoped she’d see him one last time, but always understood why he just left. All they wanted to know is that he was happy.”

“He’s happy, Kelly. I make sure of that, as do his children, whether born or not.”

“You’re… pregnant?” she whispered.

“Six months. We have a two-year-old son, and expect a daughter.” She started to cry again. I couldn’t blame her. She’d missed out on a lot of his life. “Kelly,” I said softly, “This is going to take time. I’m not sure Mark will want to talk over the phone. He’s already said, if he were to ever agree, it would be face to face.”

“Where are you living?”

“He doesn’t want that information divulged. But obviously not in Sydney. He hasn’t been back since the day he left.”

“I get the occasional message from old friends, asking if I’ve heard from him. I always say no.”

“Keep saying that. He wants nothing to do with them.”

“I heard his closest friends were all aware. Let’s just say the guys he used to play rugby league with got wind of what happened to him and the betrayal. Fists might have been thrown on a night out more than once. They just want to know he’s safe and sound.”

“Let them know that he’s happy. Only those not involved or unaware though. I’ve got the names of those he would rather see burn in hell than speak to again.”

“Cathy, I’ll do anything to see my brother again. I don’t care what I need to do, what I have to prove, I just want to… hug him and say how sorry I am. I know after five years; it might not mean much.”

“It would mean the world, Kelly.”

Over the next two months, Kelly and I spoke a couple of times a week. She was eager to know what Mark was up to, and after confirming with him that I could give a little more detail, I let her know we lived on a farm. That excited and also didn’t surprise her. “Mark always loved working outdoors, with his hands. My parents always thought that sort of work beneath them, our family name.”

I messaged her quickly when I was in hospital, ready to give birth. To be honest, Kelly was now desperate to meet Mark. She’d figured out, to a point, where he likely was, though didn’t ask after that first conversation. She was taking a soft approach. Mark still hadn’t talked to her, but he did pass on messages. He knew it was awkward for me, and he apologised each and every time, but I also understood what he’d gone through, what he was still going through.

“I need to trust her, Cathy,” he said softly, holding me one night just before I ended up in hospital to give birth to our second child, “I’m getting there, I really am. But… She was involved. I still can’t be sure.”

I kissed his forehead and assured him I didn’t mind. I liked talking to his sister.

After I’d given birth to our daughter, christening her Michelle Catherine Smith, I remained in hospital for only a couple of days before I was released. Two children born and both pregnancies had been a breeze, to be honest. I already noticed how Mark doted on our daughter, the whispered promises that he’d never leave her. Watching him just gaze down at her, I couldn’t help cry silently, as I knew the hidden pain he still kept deep inside. All he needed now was Katie home and all would be well.

Three months after I returned home, I asked Mark to join me at the kitchen table. I must have used a certain tone as he almost meekly sat down. It was so adorable, I couldn’t help chuckle as he returned that smile I loved seeing form, lighting up those blue eyes. I took his hand and looking into them. “Invite your sister north,” I said.

“Okay,” he replied immediately. I must have looked surprised, as he laughed. “I think it’s time, sweetheart. We drive to Brisbane from here, she flies up from Sydney. We’ll meet her at the airport and go from there. Make a weekend of it.”

“You’re sure?”

He squeezed my hand. “It’s time.”

*****

Mark

I still hadn’t spoken to Kelly after all this time. I did feel guilty about it, but I heard the conversations Cathy shared with my sister and they seemed to be getting on well. There was certainly a friendship formed, and I did listen in occasionally, Cathy putting it on speaker so I could hear my sister’s voice. I was aware of the situation back in Sydney, of everything that happened after I’d gone

Cathy and Kelly organised everything between them. I figured driving would be a pain in the arse. We could fly from Longreach to Brisbane, so at least we wouldn’t have to drive, getting into Brisbane before Kelly would arrive at the same terminal. Ely and Bill asked if we’d be bringing her back. I said we’d meet first in Brisbane, see how things went, then I might finally let her know where I was living now.

Once we agreed a date, I organised flights. I knew taking a new-born on a plane could sometimes provoke emotions but I figured the plane from Longreach wouldn’t exactly be full. Cathy and Kelly continued to chat until the Friday before we were meeting. I was listening in as usual when Kelly signed off.

“I love you, Mark.”

I cleared my throat. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Kelly.”

I heard the sob immediately, Cathy taking my hand. “I look forward to meeting you tomorrow,” she added.

“Me too,” my sister whispered, “I’ve got to go.”

I was feeling that nervous that night, so once the children were fast asleep, Cathy helped me relax by taking my cock in her mouth, returning the favour on her as I loved going down on my wife, before she straddled my lap, put my hands to her hips, and told me to hold on.

I love my wife. And I certainly loved watching her enjoy more than a couple of orgasms while riding me. But there was a good reason, apart from the fact we wanted to be intimate. She knew some fun with her helped me relax. Cuddling into my side once she simply had enough, and happy that I’d left more than one load inside her, she whispered, “It’ll be okay, Mark. I promise.”

I carried my daughter while holding the hand of my sun when boarding the plane. Cathy knew I hated being separated from her when I was at work. Every time I entered the house, I’d kiss my wife, hug my son, then cuddle my daughter. I was thankful that I worked on the farm so that I would rarely miss a day. Still did head out occasionally for a couple of nights to check things, but that was rare. Bill had one of the other lads do it more often than not nowadays.

We landed in Brisbane mid-morning. I’d never been to Brisbane before so it was a novelty for me. Cathy had been there a few times so she’d be taking the lead once Kelly arrived. My son, Matthew, had been very well behaved during the flight. Michelle had slept the entire time, held against my body. I glanced to see Cathy glancing at me the entire time, our baby against my chest, son sleeping against my side.

“You want more?” she asked me.

“If you do, then yes, I do too,” I replied, feeling the grin, “But what about the farm?”

“Mark, you’re more than capable of running it with Dad. I love looking after you and my children. Once they’re all grown, I’ll get back into it. Or… we do something else.”

“What would Mum and Dad think?”

“It will pass to me, to us, soon enough. You realise he’s already done that, right?” I nodded. Her brother, Chris, wasn’t interested in the farm, and had already been told. He didn’t mind. “Dad is getting close to packing it in. Farming is tough. He wouldn’t blame us for selling up and heading east for a more comfortable life.”

“You sure?”

“I’m just thinking, Mark. You’re not the only deep thinker around here.”

I chuckled, kissing her softly on the lips. “I love you to the moon and back,” I whispered.

“Only the moon?” she joked.

“Sun?”

“Better.”

We waited in the arrivals for Kelly’s plane to be appear as having arrived. Once it did, we headed towards the door where she appeared through. Cathy took Michelle from me, holding Matthew by the hand, as we waited for her to appear. The screen stated the bags from the flight were now being unloaded. That’s when the nerves hit, feeling Cathy’s hand in mine. “It’s okay,” she whispered.

“I don’t know how to react,” I whispered.

“My advice?” I nodded. “Give your sister a hug. Then cry together.”

I snorted. By my wife always gave me good advice. I’d likely listen to it. A few people walked through the sliding doors before Kelly appeared. She looked around twice before she slowly looked in my direction. She looked good. A little paler than I remembered. Her blonde hair was still very… blonde. Blue eyes like mine. Still short. Still slim.

She walked towards us ever so slowly, her bottom lip beginning to tremble. I felt Cathy’s hand on my back, guiding me towards her in return. She stopped barely a pace before me, looking up at me. Her eyes showed me her nerves. She was almost shaking with nerves and I think fear. When I lifted my hand, she flinched, and that made me feel guilty, until I ran it around the back of her head. My other hand went to her back as I pulled her tight to me.

The first sob that escaped her resulted in near silence around us. My shirt was soon wet with her tears, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. No point trying to say anything at first. She was too busy crying. I felt hot tears running down my cheeks at the same time. I should never have said what I said. I should have known, out of all of them, my sister wouldn’t have done what happened willingly. She wasn’t quite the victim like I was, but I knew what her family was like.

She eventually leaned back, using my thumbs to clear her cheeks, leaning down to kiss her forehead. That provoked my sobs, hugging her tightly again. “I’m so sorry,” she sobbed. I shushed her for now. I knew how sorry she already was. We would talk later. For now, I kissed the top of her head again and tightened my hold. It was in that moment, I admitted that I had missed her too.

When she’d calmed down, I leaned back again as she looked up at me, a crooked grin forming. “You look good, Mark. A lot more tanned.”

“Are you okay?”

“No. No, I’m not. But right now, this minute… yes…”

Wrapping an arm around her waist, I turned to my wife. “Kelly, please meet Catherine, though she prefers Cathy. My wife. We’ve been married three years and change. Next to her is my little man, Matthew. He’s two. And she holding Michelle, our daughter. She’s approaching four months.”

Cathy handed me Michelle before hugging my sister. Kelly started crying again. Cathy needed a little weep too. They knew each other well despite only talking on the phone. Then my sister got down on a knee and introduced herself to my son. He looked up at me, a little unsure about who this strange woman was. I nodded and smiled before he hugged her. Kelly cried again as she hugged in him in return.

After the introductions, Kelly turned back to me, looking to her older brother for guidance. “You’re staying in the same hotel as us. I organised everything except your flight. Two nights. Already got the hire car in the car park outside. We’ll check in, settle, then we’ll head out and talk.” She hugged me tightly again. Caressing the back of her head, I whispered, “It’s okay, Kelly. I’ve heard everything. But we still need to talk.”

“I know,” she whispered.

“But… I know it wasn’t you. In my heart, I know it wasn’t you. You were the only one I ever actually liked in that family. Took a long time to let the anger subside.” I lifted her chin so she met my eyes. “I’m sorry for calling you that. I know I owe that apology.”

“You calling me that opened my eyes, Mark. It was cruel, but it was necessary too. If you thought that about me…”

We loaded up in the hire car, and once I had the sat nav set up, I drove us towards the hotel. Wasn’t anything fancy, though with the savings I still retained, it wasn’t cheap either. Kelly had her own room next to mine. My son was very well behaved, despite being a two-year-old. Cathy fed Michelle before I knocked on Kelly’s door, asking if she was ready to head out for dinner.

Pushing the pram along, Cathy had her hand around my left arm. I glanced at Kelly and used my eyes. Wrapping her hand around my right arm, she needed to wipe her cheeks again. I stopped and kissed her cheek. “It’s okay,” I whispered.

“You should hate me…”

“All I want to hear is your truth, Kelly. From the horse’s mouth.”

We went with something nice and simple. Pizza. A little Italian restaurant, not one of the chains. Michelle was awake and making plenty of noise. My son tried to misbehave. All it took was a look from his father for him to quiet down. Then I ruffled his hair, called him a good boy. Made him smile and he happily coloured in the paper he’d been given.

Once dinner arrived, all of us sticking to non-alcoholic beverages, Kelly told me everything she remembered. Some of it I already knew. She described Tony. What he looked like. How he acted. He was older than Sally and I by at least twenty years. And there was no doubt he’d been selected by her parents. “He bought Sally’s love,” she said, “Gave her all sorts of gifts. Mostly signs of how rich he was. Add to that my parents were in her ear constantly about how pathetic you were. I couldn’t believe it, Mark. They were doing everything they could to split you up.”

“Why?” was the only question I had.

“You pissed them off by doing your own thing. That’s what I think anyway. Never really had an explanation from them. Heard snippets and rumours, but they… hated the fact you threw their apparent ‘gifts’ back in their face. The fact you wanted to be your own man, find your own way in the world. Not like Brian, still suckling at the family teat.”

“And you?”

Kelly looked away and down. Resting a hand on her shoulder, she looked my way. “I’m alone, Mark. I don’t see any of them from the family. Most of my friends abandoned me one they got wind of what happened. It was a scandal, Mark. A proper scandal.”

I took a deep breath. “Do you know where my daughter is?”

She almost started to cry, so I pulled her close and hugged her again. That was the answer. She didn’t know. If she did, I knew she would have told me immediately. “I’ve tried,” she sobbed, “I’ve done everything I could to find out. But they haven’t let slip once in five years. Brian definitely knows, but I haven’t talked to him in years.” Then she laughed. “They knew you hired someone to watch them. He wasn’t that good.”

“Crap,” I muttered.

“Police interviewed us more than once about what happened. Mum and Dad flatly denied being involved in your daughter being taken. Admits Sally was cheating on you and that he’s aware she left the country with Tony and your daughter.” She chuckled again. “He hates you, Mark. I mean properly detests you.”

“I barely care that he exists, Kelly. He’s no longer my concern. What about Cheryl?”

“I think she has a twinge of regret. She did give birth to you, after all. But she’s not stupid. She knows the relationship is dead.”

“Brian?”

“Hates your guts. Not sure who hates you more, him or Dad.”

“And you?” I asked softly.

“I missed my big brother. We always got along so well, Mark, even after you left home. I understood why, though I’ll be honest, I also thought you were stupid to do it at the time. Your life could have been so much easier, but now that I’m older, I understand why you needed to do it. I respect it now.” I heard and felt her sigh. “I’ve felt nothing but guilt for five years. I should have had the courage of my convictions, told you what was happening. But Dad and Brian threatened me. Throw me out on the street, cut me off completely, take away everything they’d given me. Dad buttered me up by buying me things. I’ve done a lot of growing in five years, Mark. I’m not the same women I was then.”

I sighed myself, stroking my sister’s back, doing the same to my wife, feeling her cuddle into my side. “Any idea where she might be?” I wondered.

“I can only take a guess. Tony’s accent… I couldn’t pick it, but I don’t think he was a Yank. I reckon if they went anywhere, they’re in Europe. But I don’t think he was English. If he was, he had a fairly plain accent. Thing is, I don’t think Mum and Dad have ever been overseas to see Katie. They ever come across as grandparents who’d give a shit? It was done for maximum pain and hurt against you.”

“I don’t think they ever gave a shit about anyone but themselves. And I had the PI I hired watch Sally’s parents. He eventually bit the bullet and asked if they’d heard from her. They told him she’d disappeared without a word, and that they had no idea we’d split up. From what I’ve learned, sounds just like that…” I didn’t say ‘bitch’ with my son present.

“Do you believe them?” she wondered.

“They always liked me. Yeah, I’d believe them, particularly as he eventually told them I’d hired him. Once he did, they apparently had plenty to say. Most of it wasn’t useful, but I certainly grinned as he relayed certain messages. I eventually called, just to say my goodbyes to them. They wished me well and hoped I’d find my daughter one day.”

Returning to the hotel, Cathy and I put the kid to bed before she said I should talk to my sister for longer. With two kids in the room, nookie was out of the question anyway. She saw the look in my eyes and giggled. “Wait until we get home, then my husband will see his wife on her knees.”

“Ever tell you how much I love you?”

“I’m sure you tell me half a dozen times a day, Mark.”

“I think I’ll have to up that rate.”

“Go talk to your sister. She needs her big brother.” She hugged me tightly. “Can I make one suggestion?”

“Of course.”

“Invite her to the farm.”

“Okay.” I know my quick reply surprised her as she leaned back. But the smile… “I believe every word, sweetheart. My sister didn’t lie to me. I have to look it in a certain way to see it like that, but it was more… keeping a secret rather than a lie. I’m going to allow myself to trust her. If she breaks that, she loses me forever. It’s that simple.”

That earned a soft kiss on my lips. “Definitely getting on my knees when we get home. Once the kids are asleep anyway.”

“I assume, after that, it’s on your back with my face between your legs.”

“God yes, Mark. Though only if I get that thick cock in me afterwards.”

“We’re getting you pregnant again quickly, aren’t we?”

“Give me a couple of months to get my body back, then yes, definitely.”

Heading downstairs to the hotel bar first, I bought a bottle of wine and a couple of beers before returning upstairs to Kelly’s room. Knocking on the door, she was wearing a dressing gown, bare feet and legs, looking rather cute, to be honest. Lifting the wine, her face lit up as she opened the door for me to enter.

Sitting back together on her bed, she leaned against me as we sipped on our drinks and just spent time catching up with each other. I told her everything and that led to plenty more tears. I held nothing back. She wanted to know. She needed to know the turmoil I’d been through. More than once, she just needed me to hold her as she sobbed. I won’t say it felt good to tell her, but she insisted I tell her everything. By the time I was finished, it was after midnight. We were both utterly exhausted

Getting off the bed, she slid under the blankets as I sat back down on the edge. “Tomorrow, we’ll just enjoy each other’s company. No more about the past. Okay? That’s done and dusted. Nothing more to share.”

“I don’t want to go back,” she admitted, “I want to stay closer.”

“Small steps, Kelly, but I love hearing the fact you’d rather be closer to me.”

“I love you.”

I leaned down and kissed her forehead. “I love you too.” She needed another long hug after that. “The fact I felt guilty told me that I at least felt something,” I whispered as I held her, “I thought I felt nothing from your messages. But it was a lie I told myself. I tried to bury all my feelings, but that shit just doesn’t work. The fact you messaged every week, Kelly. Every damned week. That alone proves what I mean to you. And I can open my heart to you in return.”

“No wonder she married you.”

“She fell in love with a broken man, Kelly. She helped put me back together.”

When we returned to the airport on Monday at lunchtime, it was all well and truly water under the bridge. Kelly was already talking about packing up and moving, but before that, she had an invitation to come see us at the farm first so she could meet our parents. When I called them Mum and Dad, she understood why.

Within the next three months, Kelly was flying into Longreach Airport. We’d told Ely and Bill all about it. Cathy and I had told them about the first meeting in Brisbane, and they wanted to speak to Kelly too. Soon, the conversations were taking place online with web cameras, and I was saddened that Kelly was by herself while the four of us gathered to speak to her. But Ely and Bill thought she was wonderful and couldn’t wait to meet her.

Being a tiny airport, it took all of five minutes for Kelly to get off the plane before she appeared near the carousel to pick up her bag. She dropped everything upon seeing me, the hug as tight as it was before, though this time she was too busy giggling as I easily lifted her up. Picking up her bag, I did ask if she’d packed a kitchen sink. “You’re here for a week, not a year,” I muttered with humour.

“I’m a woman, Mark. I pack for any and all occasions.”

Slipping into the passenger seat of my ute, she quickly learned what the outback truly looked like, glancing at her every so often to watch her reaction. Blue sky as far as the eye could see. Nothing but farmland. The heat wasn’t too high being the time of year, but the sun still shone brightly. At least I could have the windows down.

Pulling into the driveway, Kelly gasped at the size of the homestead, chuckling away as I explained that going from that to the edge of the northern boundary would take hours. Cathy, Ely and Bill appeared through the front door after I tooted the horn, Cathy hugging her tightly before introductions were made.

Kelly was family within five minutes. Far as Bill was concerned, he had adopted another daughter.

Kelly loved the time on the farm for the week. She could spend a few hours working on her laptop but she joined Cathy, Bill and I outside every day. She had a little experience riding horses, so we did head out one afternoon to ride, showing her the thousands of sheep we had, the cattle even further away as they grazed, being fattened up. Cathy organised a dinner in Longreach on the Friday night to meet some of our friends, Ely and Bill leaping at the chance to babysit. They offered nearly every weekend so Cathy and I could enjoy at least one night of peace.

Cathy must have organised as my sister was introduced to one of her friends who I knew was single, fellow named Jim. I knew him well and he was a top bloke. They were hitting it off within half an hour, and by the end of the night, my sister was absolutely smitten. I gave my wife a glance as the pair were busy talking as we were getting ready to go. “You organised that,” I whispered.

“She’s said she wants to move closer,” she whispered back, “I figured I’d give her another reason apart from her handsome brother.”

Jim then kissed my sister, and the look on her face once they broke apart suggested my sister was going to be a regular visitor from now on. Or, she would be until she chose to move closer. After bidding her farewell on the Sunday as she flew back to Sydney via Brisbane, I stopped back at the RSL, running into Jim. He was awkward to begin with.

“So… your sister, Mark…”

“What about her?” I asked, keeping my tone flat. I was going to have fun with him.

“She’s single, yeah?”

“She wouldn’t have kissed you otherwise, Jim.” I met his eyes. “You have ideas about dating my sister, Jim?”

He looked even more awkward, more than one of the guys having a chuckle. “Well… yeah… she’s cute…”

“You think my sister is cute, Jim?”

He met my eyes and grinned. “Yeah, Mark. Never met a girl like her before.”

“She give you her number?” He slapped his forehead, which caused even more laughter. I sighed. “Give me your phone then. Jesus wept, have you not tried to organise a date with a girl before?” He almost dropped it when taking it from his pocket. Inputting her number, I handed it back. “Jim, you break her heart, I’ll bury you on our farm.”

“Yeah, Mark. Of course. Yeah…”

He hurried outside, definitely trying to call her straight away. I looked around the room before we all burst into laughter. He walked back inside half an hour, that sort of smile on his face that suggested a promise of something more.

*****

Eight years later…

Mark

I glanced at my watch. “Kids, if you think I’m going to leave without you just because you’re dawdling, you’ve learned very quickly I will just carry you to the ute if need be.”

Michelle was the first to appear at the top of the stairs, walking down the stairs, looking as adorable as she did every single day. A younger version of her mother in many respects. Ricky was next, two years younger than his sister, his school bag enormous on his back. Matthew was last, taking his time as usual. Ten years old and already causing mischief. I knew why. He preferred to stay on the farm and watch Dad hard at work, dreams of being a cowboy. Cathy appeared with our three-year-old, Samantha. Only our youngest remained at home, though she’d be sent to pre-school in a year or so.

We wouldn’t have any more kids. After our fourth, I had the old snip, snip. My wife insisted I was far too potent so made sure I was tested every six months. “You just look at me sometimes and I’m left wondering if I’ll get pregnant again,” she joked more than once.

Buckled in tightly, I drove them to the same primary school as they were all in different year groups. Kelly was there to greet me as always with her two kids. She’d moved to Longreach six months after meeting Jim. She was pregnant within six months, married within another three months. It was a whirlwind romance, but she’d fallen in love, Jim as devoted to her as I was to my wife. Kelly loved the life of the outback, loved her husband even more, pleased she could do most of her work online. Once a month, she flew to Brisbane for meetings, but other than that, she remained close to the family. Our family. Those back in Sydney? She’d cut contact entirely.

A last meeting with the family had been on my behalf, one final attempt as to finding out where my daughter was. I felt that I’d exhausted every other option. Police? Nothing. And I’d tried more than once, both state and federal forces. Private investigators? Nothing. Searching the internet? Nothing. Courts couldn’t or wouldn’t do a damned thing. But I’d never given up on hope. Or a miracle. I still trawled online, posting her picture everywhere I could think. I received the occasional message, but it always came to nought.

John and Cheryl refused to say a word. Neither of us was surprised by that. Instead, they figured out why she was asking and they told her to leave, never to return. She told them to fuck off and that she was disgusted and ashamed to come from the same family as them, making sure she called them John and Cheryl when finally telling them what she really thought. I enjoyed hearing that story every so often.

Ely and Bill were now Ma and Pa to Kelly, while she called Jim’s parents Mum and Dad. They adored Kelly just as much.

Returning to the farm to start work, I wandered inside to find Cathy on the phone, amused when she heard me walk in and she hung up immediately. I chuckled when she started to blush. “What’s going on?” I wondered.

“Secret,” she said.

“Secret eh? The sort of secret I’ll get out of you with a tickle?”

“Don’t even think about it!”

I walked towards her as she stood up and ran outside. I laughed, jogging after her. Bill watched us, chuckling away. She didn’t go too far, eventually walking towards me, a look in her eyes suggesting I definitely don’t tickle her. “Not even a little one?” She cocked an eyebrow, almost daring me to do it.

So I hugged her tightly. “Trust me,” she whispered.

“Always. Is it a good secret?”

“Of course.”

I gave it some thought. “Well, it is my birthday soon. Is it to do with that?”

“Maybe.”

“I’ll take that as a yes. You know I don’t ask for much. A day with the family and friends is all I want. Maybe a few beers and a big juicy steak.”

“Well, I think I can deliver on that, at least.”

Cathy picked up the kids as I was busy at work alongside her father. He was muttering about retiring soon, though I’d heard that for the past five years. I knew he didn’t want to drop dead working, but I knew walking away was going to be difficult. What interested me is that he wasn’t pressuring Cathy and I to take over. He insinuated more than once about selling the entire place, splitting the money from the sale, so we could live comfortably elsewhere. “Always wanted to retire by the ocean,” he said, “I’ve only seen it once in my life.”

At least he and Ely did have their own little cottage, graciously giving Cathy and I the farmstead to raise our family. Bill and I had gone over the plans of the cottage as I insisted we didn’t leave them with a small space. Ely told me more often than not that all they needed was a small place for privacy, and she was right. They spent most of their time in the homestead anyway.

Sitting back on the veranda, sipping at beers, Bill asked, “If I were to sell up entirely, give you and Cathy a considerable lump sum of cash, what would you do?”

I looked at the label of the beer before gazing out into the distance. “I really don’t know, Dad. It would depend on what Cathy wants, to be honest. You asked her about this?”

“I have. She’d stay at home until Samantha was at school, then she’d look for part time work. She’d take the kids to school, pick them up, look for something that meant she could work from home otherwise. She was thinking you might like to return to what you were doing before.”

“She has dropped a hint or two but I didn’t know how serious she was being.”

“Probably put my foot in it now.”

“Nah, it’s alright, Dad. Not sure Kelly would be too chuffed if she moved here only for us to leave a few years later. Guess it would depend on Jim though.”

“He’s smarter than he gives himself credit for. And there’s always manual work available.” He sipped at his beer. “Just the musings of an old man, son. Don’t worry about it too much.”

“Have you had offers?”

“Nah, I won’t know until I put the land up for sale. Once I do, though, offers will flood in, and if they’re desperate, they’ll be offering thousands per hectare. Largest cattle station in Australia, down in South Australia, was priced at around $16 million a couple of years back. We’ll be looking at a cool few million for this if we found the right buyer.”

In bed that night, Cathy spooning back into me after we’d made love once the kids were asleep, I mentioned the conversation I’d had with him. It wasn’t the first time he’d mentioned selling up. “He’s getting tired,” she whispered, “And I get the feeling he doesn’t want to put all the responsibility on our shoulders.”

Caressing her flat stomach, as she’d regained her figure rather quickly after Samantha, I asked, “What do you think?”

“I love living here but part of me thinks a slightly easier life with our kids… Not a major city, but a coastal town would be lovely. Like Dad said, somewhere near the ocean. The kids would certainly love it.” She turned and snuggled into me. “These are just thoughts, Mark. Dad won’t sell anytime soon. He’s just getting thoughtful in his old age, and he also wants to look after his family.”

I figured there was no point worrying about it for now. “So what’s the secret?” I asked.

“You’ll find out soon enough.” She kissed me softly. “I love you.”

“I love you.”

We made love again before drifting off to sleep. Even after four kids, I think we rarely went two days without being intimate. But it wasn’t always about just sex. It’s not difficult to show how much your wife means to you. The smallest tokens and gestures of affection generally mean the most. We’d been married over a decade now and our relationship was stronger than ever. All we had to do was watch Ely and Bill to see how easy it could if we continued working at it.

Still, I did wonder what she had organised for my birthday. It wasn’t a big landmark. I knew my fortieth would be a big deal, but that was still a couple of years away. Once I felt my wife drift off to sleep, I kissed her forehead, watching a smile appear even when asleep, before I put it out of my mind. We didn’t keep secrets except when absolutely necessary. Birthday?

Yeah, I’d let her have this one.

My birthday thankfully fell on a Sunday, woken up early in the morning by soft, wet lips around my cock, lifting the sheets to see my wife hard at work. Throwing them back, I happily watched her until I asked her to move, happily watching my cock slide inside her before she leaned forward to kiss me. Rolling her over onto her back, she gave me a look. “You have plans, oh husband of mine?”

“Shame I shoot blanks. Knocking you up again on my birthday sounds like a fine idea!”

She laughed out loud. “No more, Mark!” She grabbed the back of my head, gently kissing me, “Though I do love the idea of you blasting inside me sometime soon.”

“Ever told you how much I love you?”

“At least half a dozen times a day.”

“Still only that? I was sure I upped the quota.”

“I said at least, Mark.”

We managed to finish before our kids invaded the bedroom. Thankfully, all they did was walk in to wake us up, say they were hungry, before they wandered out, Samantha stopping at the doorway, suggesting the room smelled funny. Soon as she disappeared, we burst into laughter.

Being the birthday boy, it was a full English for breakfast, Ely and Cathy getting everything prepared. The kids enjoyed toast and a juice before happily heading off to watch cartoons, the adults enjoying at least a little silence as we ate our own. Samantha ended up sitting on daddy’s lap as he ate, occasionally wanting a small spoonful of baked beans.

Joining the kids in the living room, Ely and Bill walked in with a couple of presents for me, Cathy doing the same thing. I hadn’t asked for nor expected anything, though I knew I’d always get a few small gifts. I simply appreciated the thought, thanking them as always. Cathy settled down next to me, snuggling into my side, my two daughters next to me, just wanting to be close to their daddy on his big day.

“Kelly is on her way,” Cathy reported after her phone buzzed.

“Looking forward to a big steak?” Bill asked.

“Size of a dunny seat?” I wondered.

The adults laughed. He was about to say something when he cleared his throat. “Hmm, better watch my language. Yeah, we’ve got a couple of big ones to chew on later.”

Cathy eventually moved, kissing my cheek as she disappeared, finding a daughter to either side rather quickly now that mummy had moved. Michelle was reading a book; Samantha was watching cartoons while cuddling into my side. I sat content with life, Ely and Bill glancing my way every so often, looking just as happy as I am. I knew what they were thinking, comparing the man who had appeared on their doorstep over a decade ago to the man they could see now.

“Mark, Kelly is here,” Cathy announced from the door.

Getting up, the kids stayed where they were as I walked to the front door. Cathy stood in front of it, turning to kiss me deeply before she opened it. Walking outside as the doors to the ute opened, Kelly getting out of the drivers’ side, the two kids joining her to either side. There was also another young woman getting out of the passenger seat…

I felt my legs go from underneath me as I collapsed to my knees, watching as she ran towards me, barely able to see as my vision blurred. I heard her scream only one word before she hugged me tightly as I just broke like a dam, the years of anguish and grief pouring out, hearing her repeat the same word plus a few more.

“I love you so much, daddy,” she said ever so softly.

*****

Katie

I was five years old when Sally Samuels took me away from my father. At the time, I didn’t quite understand what was happening. The last time I spoke to daddy on the phone, he had told me he would see me on Friday. I knew the days of the week. It was Wednesday night when I spoke to him. He said he missed me, that he loved me, and we’d got to the park on the weekend.

That obviously never happened. Sally lied. I didn’t understand at the time. We left our home on the Thursday night, staying at a hotel near the airport. When I asked what was going on, Sally told me we were going to surprise daddy by flying to see him. The chance to see daddy first and surprise him? I was ever so excited.

Little did I know that Sally would practically drug me for the next three days so I slept the entire time. I figured out later, finding the tickets we’d flown out on, that we’d flown from Sydney to London Heathrow via Hong Kong. I slept nearly the entire way. It was only arriving in London that I woke up. I knew something was wrong. Even a five-year-old girl can figure out something isn’t right. Sally was next to me, and I recognised the man next to her, though I didn’t know his name.

“Where’s daddy?” I asked as we waited in line. Sally just shushed me. I asked again and again as I knew something was wrong. When I started to cry, she tried to palm me off onto the strange man. I didn’t like that at all. I made sure I wailed.

I ended up in the back of a taxi alongside them. I noticed Sally was snuggled into him, kissing him. Kissing someone who wasn’t daddy. “Where’s daddy?” I asked.

“I’ll explain it when we get home,” Sally replied.

Home? We weren’t home. We were in some strange place I didn’t recognise. Home was the apartment where daddy was. The taxi stopped, Sally grabbing me and almost dragging me out. Nothing looked familiar. It was also cold. “Where are we?” I asked.

“We live here now. This is our new home.”

“What about daddy?”

She leaned down and made me face her. “He doesn’t love you. He never loved you. Mummy loves you. And Tony here will be your new daddy and love you too.”

Liar. I might have been five years old, but we’re good judges of character at that age. I didn’t like Tony just from looking at his face, into his eyes. They were dishonest. And Sally was lying. She’d lied to me before. She’d lied to daddy even more. She lied all the time. Kids smell bullshit quite well. We’re not as gullible as people like to believe. “Daddy loves me,” I whispered.

She grabbed me by the shoulders. “We live here now. We are your family. You’ll learn to love Tony as your new daddy. Your old daddy was pathetic. He was nothing like your new daddy. He’s going to give us everything we want and desire. You’ll see soon enough. Now, do you want to see your new home?”

“No. I want to see daddy.”

Sally just groaned and dragged me up the stairs into the house.

I didn’t like my new room. It was cold. My clothes and toys were the same, but it lacked the warmth of the apartment. Sally insisted I called Tony daddy. I flatly refused straight away. “You’ll never be my daddy,” I spat within a week.

Sally spanked me for that. It wasn’t the first time. Wouldn’t be the last either.

I was sent to a new school. I didn’t like many of my classmates. The teachers were mean. And they insisted on calling me Belinda, not Katie. “No, my name is Katherine Samuels,” I said, “Daddy calls me Katie.”

The teacher looked confused. “I’m sorry, that’s not what I have on my roll form. You’re here as Belinda Thompson.”

Sally explained to me that night that she had changed my name for my safety. I had no idea what she meant, but there was a whispered conversation between Sally, the teacher and the principal. They sat me down and told me my name was Belinda. I was no longer Katie.

If I knew the phrase at that age, I’d have told them to fuck off. “My name is Katie!” I said, stamping my foot.

“She’ll soon learn otherwise,” Sally said. I didn’t like her tone. I learned why when we got home. Sally and whoever else could call me whatever they liked. I was Katie. I made sure I wrote that name down anywhere I could, so I’d never forget.

After six months, Sally gave up on me calling Tony any title to do with fatherhood. He was either ‘you’, ‘him’ or just ‘Tony’. I was sent to bed without dinner at least a couple of times a week for disrespect, but I didn’t care. I learned later they were trying to manipulate me. Sally said at least once a day that daddy didn’t love me, he’d forgotten about me, that he’d moved on and didn’t care about me.

She lied. Every single day, she lied. I never called her that, not at that age. Every time, I just retorted with, “Daddy loves me.” Sally hated that, the fact I never believed her.

Things changed when she fell pregnant when I was eight years old. Once their son was born, I wasn’t forgotten but I was a reminder of my father. When a daughter followed two years later, I was just the oldest child in the house. They fed me. Clothed me. Made sure I went to school. But Tony withdrew all affection. At ten years old, I was pleased he wanted nothing to do with me. Sally… She had given up trying to manipulate me. I asked about my father at least three times a week. I knew it pissed off Tony, as I made sure to do it in front of him, though he never dared raised a hand in my direction. Started shouting at me, and I heard a few arguments. I remember distinctly one argument they had when I was approaching my eleventh birthday.

“Just send her back to fucking Australia then!” Tony shouted.

“She’s my daughter. I’m not sending her back to that loser.”

“Sort the little cunt out, otherwise I’ll do it. She’s ten years old and I get less respect from her than muppets I have to deal with at work.”

“My daughter is not a cunt, Tony. Don’t you dare call her that!” There was a pause. “Maybe we should just send her to that boarding school, honey?” she said softly, “Will that make you happy?”

“I’m not wasting all that money on her. Sort her out, Sally. I’m tired of it.”

I smiled to myself from my position at the top of the stairs. I was getting to him. Good.

The day I turned thirteen years old, I skipped downstairs for breakfast. “Tony,” I muttered. He grunted something in return. “Morning, Sally,” I said happily.

“What did you call me?”

I gestured. “That’s Tony.” I gestured again. “And you’re Sally.”

“I am your mother! You will call me by that title!”

I snorted. “Yeah, and what a great one you’ve turned out to be. So, the normal question. Where’s my father, Sally?”

She slapped me. Fucking hell, it stung like anything. My eyes watered, I staggered slightly at the hit. I felt even Tony was taken aback by it, the rustle of the newspaper. “You little bitch,” Sally whispered, “All we’ve done is tried to provide you with a better life…”

I rubbed my cheek with the back of my hand. “Where’s. My. Daddy?” I asked softly, “You think I haven’t figured it out, Sally. You know that thing called the internet? I know what you did. You stole me away from him.”

“That’s it, no birthday anything for you. You don’t deserve it. You don’t deserve anything, you ungrateful little cow.”

“Fuck you.”

I grinned at the shock that appeared on her face. I’d known that word for a few years now, just waiting for the right time to use it. I heard the chair scrape behind, Tony standing up and stepping forward. I turned towards him, hoping nothing but hatred appeared in my eyes. “Put a hand on me, Tony, and I go straight to CPS.” I started to cry, going into great graphic detail about what Tony apparently did. It was an impressively disgusting performance. Even I shuddered at what I described.

Tony’s face went white, staggering back at my words as he sat down. He knew I’d do it too. All lies of my own, as I hadn’t let him even hug me in years, but it was to make a point.

“You evil little bitch,” Sally whispered.

I turned around. “Just like my mother, it seems. This is the way it will be, Sally. I won’t be sent to boarding school. I remember that conversation. Did you know I heard that?” Her face went even whiter than what it was. She’d lost her tan over the years. “You send me there; I say your husband is the sort of man that wouldn’t last long in jail once they hear what he’s in for. I will remain here until I’m done with school, then I’m leaving to find my father. I can promise you that.”

“I should have left you there,” Sally whispered. For the first time I could remember, she looked utterly defeated.

“Yes, you should have. I’ve never forgotten, and I’ll never forgive you.” I turned back to Tony. He leaned away from me. “Do anything that stops me from getting back home, Tony, I go straight to CPS. I’ll got into all the graphic detail necessary to see you behind bars, and I’ll ensure my dear old mother will be joining you.”

I thought he was going to be sick. I was thirteen years old and I felt like I had both of them over a barrel. What Sally didn’t realise is that I’d learned how to a manipulative bitch from the best of them.

My own mother. Bless her, it was the one thing she did right.

I kept a diary from the moment I could write properly. When I had my own computer, I kept an online diary, a letter to my father almost every day. Now that I was old enough, I recognised Sally and Tony leaving me out of things. Left behind when they went out for the day with the other two kids. I didn’t care. They fed me, clothed me, Tony smart enough to keep giving me pocket money. It all went into a bank account.

I didn’t have many friends, only keeping those I could trust with the secrets of my life. Those closest called me Katie, not Belinda. Three knew the whole story and, soon enough, I was spending a night or two a week with them. Whether Sally noticed I was missing, I’m not sure. I have a feeling she didn’t care by the time I was fourteen. I got myself a job as soon as I was able, working the till at a fast-food joint, ensuring I continued to get good grades. That’s one thing Sally couldn’t complain about. Sally still went to those meetings. It was one of the few times she said anything positive to say to me. Tony barely spoke to me by then. I ignored his existence in return. It suited both of us just fine.

My siblings? Guess they were the innocent victims. I barely knew them, to be honest. Tony made sure I had next to nothing to do with them, while I kept to myself, and when I was older, I wasn’t home often enough to spend much time with them. No idea if Sally was manipulating them. Wouldn’t be a point really. I figured Tony was waiting until I turned eighteen so he could kick me out.

I had social media when growing up, but promised myself not to check to see if I could find my father until I was old enough. While I was fifteen, that’s when I started my search. The only problem was… I actually didn’t know his first name. He’d just been ‘Daddy’ to me. That meant I needed to find my paperwork. Mum kept it all in a box, so one day when they were out, I grabbed everything I needed, including my passport. Thankfully, there was enough time on it to get back to Australia when I was eighteen.

My father’s name was Mark. Mark Samuels.

And Sally had been a very naughty woman. I figured out quite quickly that my father wouldn’t have signed some of the forms his signature appeared on.

There were a lot of Mark Samuels on social media. The best place was Facebook, of course. I never found him in weeks of searching. “Must have set it to private,” I muttered. I’d asked Sally what exactly happened when she took me away from him. She told me it was none of my business. I could have made a big deal of it, but by that stage, it was better just to keep the tentative peace than have another argument. There’d been enough of them in the intervening years. She knew how much I hated her.

A couple of months before I turned sixteen, I finally thought of a way to find him. Don’t look for him. Look for relatives. I struggled to think of the others. I never knew the name of my father’s parents. I remembered Uncle Brian… I tried to look for him, but I stopped quickly. There was always something about him that I never liked. And I remembered how he was around him. My father didn’t like him.

“Auntie Kelly,” I whispered. She’d always been nice to me, and he had liked her.

I found her within a day. And that’s when I realised how much things had changed. He had changed his name to Mark Smith. On Kelly’s profile, it said she only had one brother. My hand was shaking as I moved the mouse to click on his name. And I wept as soon as his profile appeared.

The picture was of my father and I. We were both looking into the camera smiling. I couldn’t quite remember the day, being so long ago, but he took me to the park every weekend. I could see trees behind. The photo was probably taken by one of the other mother’s. I remembered how they all looked at my father at the time. I remembered seeing him blush from time to time. No doubt they hit on him.

Then I checked his profile. ‘Father to five children. Katie…”

I couldn’t read anything after that. But I looked at the pictures. He had married, he had four other children. It looked like he lived in the outback, on a farm. Kelly looked like she was living near him too. There was no sign of other family I remembered. Maybe… they didn’t talk anymore? Maybe they were involved in taking me from him?

What made me cry were the messages. Each and every birthday, mine and his, he wrote me a message, pouring his heart out, each and every time. I had to know more, clicking onto the picture of his wife, Cathy Smith. ‘Mother to five children, one unfortunately missing, but I love her just as much from everything I’ve been told. I can’t wait to meet her one day.’

My father had married a good woman. Better than Sally. They looked happy, in love, devoted to each other. The look in their eyes matched the love in all the photos of my father and I.

I’d had a plan since I was thirteen. It was time to adjust the plan. Sally and Tony had ripped my heart out by taking my father from me. It was time for some revenge. Albeit juvenile revenge, but I’d read a lot, seen movies. Even in my adolescent mind, I could think of a way to get my own back.

I desperately wanted to contact him, but I didn’t want to do it online. After so long, it wasn’t right. And it wasn’t time. I’d see him soon enough. I promised myself I’d tell him everything once I found him. I knew his wife and sister would help me in the future.

Now it was time for revenge. Served cold.

I woke up the next morning, heading to the bathroom to splash cold water in my face. I looked in the mirror and faked looking sad and pathetic. Slowly going downstairs, Sally and Tony looked up from the table in surprise. “Can I join you for breakfast please?” I whispered. I’d rarely eaten breakfast with them for two years.

Sally took a moment before she stood up and grabbed me a plate, placing some bacon and eggs on it before placing it in the empty spot, getting me a knife and fork. She sat down and watched me. I shuffled across and sat down. “Thank you, Mum,” I whispered.

“What was that?” she asked softly. Even Tony’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Thank you, Mum.”

I noticed Tony’s surprise again. The two kids didn’t really notice. I ate quietly, ensuring I looked as downcast as possible. There was a little conversation. Once I finished, I waited until they were finished before rising with them. I took my plate to the sink and washed it. Sally watched me. Approaching her, she was curious, no doubt wondering what was going on.

When I went to hug her, she froze. But as soon as I squeezed her, I felt her arms around me. “I’ll see you after school, Mum.”

When I got home from work, Sally was sitting by herself in the living room. I sat next to her on the couch, glancing to see her looking at me curiously again. Before she could ask a question, I forced myself to cry. I didn’t just cry. I wailed. I sobbed. I fell apart as she grabbed me tightly, rocking me as I sobbed. Holy shit, I was a good actress.

She didn’t ask what I was crying about, but I’m fairly sure she was smiling to herself. She knew I was searching online, she wasn’t stupid. And no doubt she would be putting two and two together. I doubt she looked for Mark Samuels, and she wouldn’t have found him. He would have blocked her anyway. But she stopped caring about him the day we’d left. So I would have gone looking, and the fact I was now sobbing in her arms perhaps confirmed her truth.

“I’m so sorry,” I cried, “I love you, Mummy.”

Hook. Line. Sinker. She lifted my chin and met my eyes. I’d perfected the look in the mirror at school. Shattered. Heartbroken. Desperate for love in return. She hugged me tightly, whispered she’d always loved me. It would take time to forgive but she understood, but I was her daughter, and she’d always love me.

I ate dinner with them that night. I had no idea if they knew what I did apart from go to school, so I told them. I worked a job after school and on the weekends. I was planning on going home but that was no longer happening. I couldn’t call Tony ‘dad’ but… I’d promised to respect him in his home. He had helped raise me since I was five. I shouldn’t take it for granted. I thanked him for everything and apologised for my behaviour.

It took time for them to believe me, but within a month, I had Sally totally convinced. She had her daughter back. Approaching my birthday, we were going out together when I had time off. I was invited to family events. Tony’s parents visited and met the ‘real’ me for the first time. I didn’t get too close to my siblings. I couldn’t hurt them for what I had planned, but I acted like a big sister, at least. Helped with their homework. Played games with them.

I knew Mum was convinced but Tony was always going to have doubts. I’d gotten used to snooping around and I heard another conversation a couple of months after my sixteenth.

“I’m just not sure about this new Belinda,” he said, “Over a decade of nothing from her. I know for a fact she hated my guts the entire time. And from thirteen, she hated you just as much. Then, just like a switch, she’s a well-behaved young woman.”

I heard my mother giggle. “Honey, don’t you see? She went snooping and found out about her loser father. He blocked me years ago so I don’t have a clue, but he’s probably drunk himself to death or something. She’s realised how alone she is in the world now if her father is no longer around. Or maybe he’s moved on, found another family, and simply forgotten about her. Who knows, and I’ll be honest, I don’t care. I have my daughter back. I can forgive her for everything because I see the love in her eyes for me again.”

“Are you sure she’s not manipulating us? I mean, I remember what she said. I’ve never forgotten that.”

“Honey, I know the wounds remain inside, but there was no missing the sorrow in those early weeks. She knows she did us wrong. She’s said sorry to me more than once for everything she did. And you’ve told me the same thing. She won’t call you dad. Step-parents are not called that anyway. But you have to admit she treats you like her father in every other way.”

He was silent a few seconds. “Wish she was like that from the start,” he muttered, hearing genuine sadness in his tone.

“We tore her away from her father. I underestimated the bond, and I’m sorry for that, honey. But don’t forget, while we were busy fucking at his parent’s house at least once a fortnight, he was doting on her, doing whatever it was they did while I wasn’t there. And don’t forget the visits you made to our dump of an apartment, fucking me in the same bed I shared with him. I knew he was suspicious but I never gave him cause to start asking too many questions. I made sure his focus was his daughter. I could lie to his face without a problem.”

The anger boiled in me hearing all that, but I swallowed it down. I figured out Sally had been having an affair. Just… not to that extent of disrespect.

“I still can’t believe his own parents set us up,” he said, hearing the smug tone in his voice. God, I hated the man. Acting like I was his daughter… I needed to throw up afterwards more than once. “Nor the fact his own brother was my best man at our wedding, and the fact his parents flew here to give you away.”

I vaguely remembered the wedding. I’d hated the entire day.

“I know for a fact they never approved of the relationship he had with me, or the fact I had a child, but considering you were their friend, it was a three for one deal. You get the hot young wife, I get the fabulous new life, and we all took what mattered most to him.”

I had to cover my mouth as I almost released a cry of anguish. How could they all be so cruel? I couldn’t tolerate anymore, quietly returning to my room. I cried on my bed the rest of the night. But it also renewed my determination. I doubled down on the love and affection. Constant hugs for Sally. I took to calling Tony ‘step-dad’. Kissed his cheek. Cuddled him. I’m sure he probably thought I was hitting on him, though I kept it innocent, simply ‘daddy and daughter time’.

Hook. Line. Sinker. By the time I was seventeen, they were putty in my paws. The affection he’d withdrawn now flew towards me in earnest. Sally doted on her beautiful oldest daughter, blossoming into a lovely, well-behaved young woman. Behind the closed door of my bedroom, I laughed to myself constantly. Sally thought she was manipulative. I was besting her at every turn. Tony now loved showing me off, buying me the fanciest gowns, taking me to garden parties. It was all fake. I was as fake as they were. Sally beamed. Tony told me he’d never been prouder.

I learned as I grew up I didn’t like boys. I never told them about my private life. They respected that mostly. Sally would occasionally ask about boys, but I said I wasn’t interested. I wanted to focus on my studies while also working. I thought Tony would have told me to stop, but he appreciated the fact I was being responsible, but I suckered him in. He had so much money, he’d take my weekly wage slip and put the same amount in my bank account. I’d kiss his cheek and whisper ‘Thank you, step-daddy’ every single time.

I gagged internally every single time.

It was while waiting tables at a well-known national chain of restaurants that I met Jennifer. I was blonde, blue-eyed and still tanned as I made sure to keep my skin lovely and bronzed, Sally going so far as to book me time at a salon each month. Jennifer was a raven-hair, hazel-eyed, pale seductress and temptress. I fell in love with by our second date. The first time we kissed, I knew that was what I wanted.

I told her everything after two months of dating. She was shocked but not surprised. She came from a well to do family and knew what people were like. “My parents are arseholes,” she said, “I’m just lucky I’m an only child, so they have no choice but to dote on me. Can give them attitude but that’s cutting my nose off to spite my face.”

She called me Katie. There was no doubt we wanted to have sex, but I wanted to wait. She agreed to wait for me. What made me fall in love with her completely was what she told me three months before my eighteenth birthday once I confessed entirely what I was doing.

“I want to come with you.”

We organised everything over the next few months. I would turn eighteen before my father turned thirty-eight. I would have a gap of four months to organise everything. Being the now perfectly behaved, lovely daughter, Tony and Sally threw me an enormous birthday bash. Friends and family were invited. Thankfully no-one from Australia, but all of Tony’s family came along. Tony gazed upon me with pride. Whether the decade lingered in the back of his mind or not, I didn’t know. Sally doted on me more than the other two nowadays. Her first daughter was now a woman.

Jennifer was there that night and saw everything for the first time. Heading to the bathroom together as I needed a pee, she waited me by the basin. After washing my hands, I kissed her deeply. “You are quite the actress, Katie,” she whispered, “I’m almost concerned.”

“When I say I love you, I mean it with all my heart, Jen.”

“I know. They are totally clueless. It’s hilarious.”

Returning home that night, Tony and Sally hugged me tightly, whispering how much they loved me. Watching them go to bed, I kept the smile on my face until the door shut. It disappeared immediately as I stepped into my bedroom and got to work. I had things to get together.

First thing, an adult passport. That was easy to get from the Australian High Commission. We lived in London so it was a simple matter of hopping on the Underground. Had all the paperwork I needed and I had the passport delivered to my place of work instead of home.

Jennifer and I secretly married within a week and we worked on getting her a spousal visa. While that was being processed, I started to slowly move certain possessions out of my bedroom, just a small backpack each time, but with each passing day, the things I needed ended up at her small apartment she kept nearby. She’d moved out of home during our final year of school, basically kicked out by her mother but her father supported her by paying all the bills and giving her an allowance.

Then there was the final piece of the puzzle. I was at Jennifer’s place for the evening when I logged onto Facebook for the first time in months. I’d been ‘Belinda Thompson’ for years on the site. I made a new profile of ‘Katherine Samuels’, put up a recent photo, and contacted Kelly. She accepted my friend request immediately and immediately opened a messenger window.

I placed a call via the messenger app instead, putting on speaker phone so

“Hello, Kelly. It’s Katie.”

“Oh my god,” she whispered, “Is it you? Really you?”

“It’s Katherine Samuels. My father called me Katie. We used to live in Wentworthville. I can’t remember the address but I can remember it was a nice apartment. Always bright. We were on the bottom floor. My room was across from my parents. The walls were light blue. My so-called mother is Sally Samuels, though she’s now called Sally Thompson. Kelly… they took me from my father.” Jennifer took my hand, squeezing it. I wiped my cheeks. “Kelly, I want to come home. I want to see my father.”

“I’ve got to tell…”

“No! Not yet.”

“Katie, why? He’s desperate to see you. Hear from you.”

“It’s a long story and I’ll tell you. But you’ve got to trust me. I’ve been planning all of this since I was thirteen.” She gasped at that. “I’ve wanted to call every day, but I’ve had my reasons. Sally took me from my family, from my home. I’m only leaving once I’m satisfied I can get my own back. Please, let me do this the way I need to.”

“Are you okay?”

“Sally is a manipulative bitch. She’s mentally abused me for years. I’m sure some would think she’s turned me into a version of her. I haven’t. I’ve just done what I need to do to hurt her in return. I know that sounds horrible…”

“You were hurt just as much as your father.”

“Is… is he okay, Kelly?”

“He still loves you, Katie. He’s never given up hope. But he never learned where you were. He tried police. Private investigators. Trawled the internet. There was more than one false start, but it never went anywhere. But he’s hoped for thirteen years, Katie. He’s always believed he’d see you again, even if he was an old man, on his death bed.” That broke me, Jennifer holding me in her arms as I sobbed. “What’s your plan, Katie?”

I explained it. Kelly asked when I was planning on coming back “His birthday is in two weeks,” I said, “He’s turning thirty-eight. I want to surprise him.”

“Let me call his wife at least. She’ll want to know. You can trust her not to spill the beans.”

“If you’re sure.”

“They don’t like keeping secrets from him but this one will be worthwhile.”

“I’ve already booked flights. I’ll send you the details. I can get to Brisbane but, from there…”

“Once I have the details, I’ll organise flights to Longreach. That’s not a problem.”

“One last thing, Kelly. I’m married. To a woman. Her name is Jennifer.”

I gave Jennifer a gentle nudge. “Hiya,” she said. I glanced as I’d never heard her so shy. It wasn’t a surprise.

Kelly laughed. “Okay, now that is an English accent. G’day, Jennifer, I’m Kelly.”

“Nice to finally hear from someone back there. I can’t wait to meet the family, and in particular her father. I know everything, of course.”

“Well, as long as his daughter is happy, he’ll love meeting his daughter’s wife.”

The next week and a half dragged along. I continued faking being the loving daughter to both of them. I felt guilty about leaving the siblings, but that was the fault of the parents, not me. The night before I was planning to fly out, I had a backpack full of everything I needed waiting at Jennifer’s. I’d already sent a box full of the mementoes I wanted to keep. My bedroom still looked lived in otherwise. I didn’t want to give any sort of signal that I was going to leave.

“I’ve got the day off tomorrow, so I probably won’t see you tomorrow until dinner,” I said, “Wouldn’t mind a little lay-in. I’ve been working non-stop lately.”

“Of course, sweetie,” Sally said, “Take a day to yourself. Can’t remember the last time you were not busy. Maybe you should go treat yourself to something.”

I smiled at her. “Sure, Mum. Maybe a pedicure or something. I’m on my feet most of the day.”

“Offer to take a role at my company is still on the table, Belinda,” Tony said, smiling at me, “But I know you want to do your own thing too.”

“Maybe when I’m a little older. I’m thinking of doing a college course or two. Maybe that would help?”

“Good idea. I can open doors for you. If you get the certifications and work as hard as I know you do, you’ll certainly go far.”

“Thank you,” I said, blushing away.

I barely slept that night. Sally and Tony hugged me goodnight before they disappeared. I made sure I hugged Sally for a while, desperate to tell her what I planned to do the next day. But I let her go, said I loved her, watching the smile appear before she closed her own door. I was only taking a small bag the next day.

My alarm went off when I knew the house would be empty. Checking the coast was clear, I showered for the last time in the house, dressed, grabbed my backpack and performed one last check. I left behind all the presents given to me since I was fifteen and I’d ‘changed’. Walking downstairs, I placed my keys on the kitchen table. I didn’t leave a note. They didn’t deserve to hear anything from me.

I heard a beeped horn, heading out and closing the door behind me, Jennifer waiting in a taxi. “Our things are in the boot?” I asked, getting in beside her. She kissed my cheek and nodded. “Next stop London Heathrow then.”

I had an Australian passport. Jennifer had a British passport. I had taken her surname so I was Belinda Williams on my passport. The flight was via Singapore, and it was only during the descent into Brisbane that the nerves hit. More than nerves, Jennifer had to calm me down as I sobbed. I was now so close after so long.

My phone lit up as we were passing through immigration, message after message from Sally, wondering where I was. I could taste the fear as I’d just disappeared, no doubt thinking I’d been kidnapped or worse. Good, bitch will suffer for a while. I ignored them and focused on the border guard. They looked at mine first, then checked hers, the visa was correct, and apart from a couple of questions, we passed through, collected our luggage, and Kelly was there to meet us.

Tears all around as we hugged. “I remember you being so tiny,” she whispered. I had grown to five-eight though remained slim. Jennifer was five-ten, rather tall for a woman. Put her in heels and she was a goddess. Resting her hands on my shoulders, she looked me up and down. “Mark is…”

“Does he suspect anything?”

“Not a thing. Cathy is feeling incredibly guilty about keeping such a secret, but Mark will understand once everything is explained. Come on, our flight takes off in an hour.”

During the flight, I could see Kelly had a million and one questions but she kept it simple, asked about the flight and how Jennifer and I met. Landing in Longreach, Jennifer quickly learned how oppressive the heat could be. I hadn’t experienced anything like it in years myself, but she was soon in the toilets, changing into shorts and a cami, Kelly giggling about making sure she wore plenty of sunblock due to her pale skin. “We’ll get her tanned up soon enough,” Kelly said as we got on her car.

“I’ll make sure it’s all over,” I added. Kelly blushed. Jennifer gave me a look I knew well.

She didn’t take me back to her house, afraid her two children would give it away. Booking us into a hotel, we’d arrived a couple of days early to get over the jet-lag. “Get some sleep and we’ll head to the farm on Sunday. Katie, you’ll come with me. Jennifer, you’ll go with my husband. We’ll go in unison so you won’t miss too much.”

The night before I was due to see him, I couldn’t sit still. My stomach was in knots, spending half the time crying. Knowing I needed something to help calm me down, my wife and I made love for the first time. Having someone else give me an orgasm just made me cry even more for a little while before I remembered it was our first time together, and my first time with anyone. Noticing she was crying too, I understood when I met her eyes.

“Your first time too?” She nodded, tears running down her cheeks, and we shared another kiss. “Sorry for making you wait so long. I honestly thought… we’ve discussed it but…”

She kissed me deeply first. “I knew you wanted to wait until you were home. And, Katie, you were definitely worth it. I love you so much.”

I snuggled into her that night, feeling her arms wrap around me. I finally managed to get some sleep. We made love again sometime during the night, this time without all the tears. We might have been inexperienced, but we learned what felt good rather quickly. On my back, feeling her fingers inside me, thumb gently massaging my clit, her lips around a nipple, she was bringing me off over and over again. I eventually passed out, hearing her giggle that should put me to sleep until morning.

She wasn’t wrong.

“Nervous?” Katie asked when picking me up Sunday morning.

“I’ve been waiting thirteen years for this moment.”

“So has your father.” She sighed. “He really did everything he thought possible, Katie. Many will probably say he could have done more, but… Unless he got on a plane himself and visited every…”

“Sally and Tony kidnapped me, Kelly. I was kidnapped, falsely imprisoned, add whatever else you can think of when a child is taken away from a parent.” I showed her my phone, all the unread messages. “She’s beside herself with worry now,” I said, giving her a look that made her understand, “Her perfect little daughter is about to show her that I was a very good learner.”

It was a half an hour drive to the farm where my father lived. Longreach and the surrounding area was completely different to London. The sky was enormous, mostly blue though a few clouds around. It was certainly rather warm. Farmland as far as the eye could see. Mostly brown and yellow, but there was a little green here and there. And lots and lots of sheep. Thousands if not millions of the little woollen things.

Pulling into the driveway, the homestead was rather large, with a smaller cottage next to it. Kelly called Cathy, letting her know we had arrived. A woman appeared in the doorway, getting a brief view of a gorgeous woman with brunette hair. “Okay, kids. Let’s go see the family.”

They were excited to see their cousins. Stepping out of the ute, a man appeared through the doorway, smiling at his sister and the children, before he looked in my direction. He took a step or two forward before I couldn’t contain myself.

“Daddy!” I screamed.

I watched him fall to his knees as I ran towards him, sliding along the dirt as I collided into his solid chest. His strong arms wrapped around me immediately, feeling and hearing his sobs as he squeezed me ever so tightly. But I didn’t care. I closed my eyes and felt happy for the first time in thirteen years.

I was home.

“I love you so much, daddy,” I whispered.

He couldn’t reply for a few minutes. I’d never heard a man cry like that. My cheeks were just as wet. “I love you just as much, munchkin,” he whispered, earning a giggle. That had been my name when growing up. He eventually leaned back, raising my sleeve to wipe his cheeks. “You’re… I’ve…”

“I’m home, daddy.” I kissed his cheek and hugged him tightly again. “I’m home.”

That set him off again, another tight squeeze. I closed my eyes and just enjoyed the sensation of being hugged by my father again. He eventually calmed down, but I would have happily stayed like that for hours. Clearing his throat, he gently caressed my cheek before covering my face in kisses, making me giggle. That nearly set him off again. “I’ve missed so much,” he whispered, “So, so much.”

“No, you haven’t. I made sure you didn’t.”

He stood up, helping me to my feet. Clearing his throat again, he glanced at his sister. “You found her?” Kelly pointed at Cathy. “You too?” Cathy was sobbing, my father hugging her tightly, saying ‘Thank you’ more times than I could count, before he did the same to his sister.

“She found us, Mark,” Kelly replied, “But we can explain it all later. I think you need to introduce some people.”

He took my hand, snuggling into his side immediately. “Katie, I’d like you to meet my wife, Cathy. Married over a decade now. These are our children, your brothers and sisters. Matthew, Michelle, Richard, though her likes Ricky, and Samantha. Kids, this is your sister, Katie.”

Samantha was just an adorable, precious little girl. Ricky was shy but very sweet. Michelle was a dead ringer for her mother, while Matthew was his father as a little man. I hugged each of them tightly before Cathy hugged me for at least ten minutes, unable to say a word until she said softly, “Welcome home, my long lost daughter.”

Taking my hand again, he introduced me to two more people. “Katie, this is my mother, Ely, and my father, Bill.” Noticing my glance, he shook his head. “It’s a long story. But these people have shown me more love in the time I’ve been here than twenty-five years back there.”

They hugged me tightly. “Welcome home, child,” Ely said. It was so heartfelt… While Bill hugged me, I noticed Ely hug my father and the fact he sobbed in her arms. I could see the absolute love and affection she had for him in return.

I understood immediately why he called them Mum and Dad.

My wife had arrived during all the introductions, staying back as the family reunited. Dad then noticed she was standing next to Jim next to his niece and nephew. “Who’s this?” he asked.

Gesturing to my wife, she walked towards me, taking my hand. I looked at my dad, and the smile was immediate. “Dad, I would like you to meet my wife, Jennifer. Jennifer, this my father, Mark Smith. He’s been waiting thirteen years for this moment, as long as I have.”

“My little girl is married?” he whispered, and I heard the heartache.

My wife and I hugged him tightly “Only so she could join me here, daddy. We’re going to do it properly here. With my real family.”

“What about yours, Jennifer?” he asked.

She snorted. “Don’t care about them. Arseholes, the lot of them.”

Dad laughed out loud. “Sounds like we have something in common then.” He let us both go and the smile seemed like it would never leave his face. “I guess we have a lot to talk about.”

“We do, daddy.” He smiled. Five years old, he’d always been daddy. Eighteen years old, he was still my daddy. “What do you prefer?”

“Whatever you want, Katie. All that matters is that you’re home again.”

“Then it’ll be both, depending on the situation. But I prefer daddy. I have thirteen years to catch up on.”

“Me too, munchkin. Me too.”

Jim and my father grabbed our things. There were plenty of rooms but I heard him ask Michelle if she was okay sharing with her little sister. She was a smart kid and knew why, and Samantha delighted at the idea of sharing a room with her older sister. There was only a single bed in the room, my father telling me to hold on, disappearing with Jim. Half an hour later, they returned with a double bed and mattress, just about managing to get it up the stairs and in the room.

“My daughter is here with her wife,” he said once everything was organised, “They’re obviously going to sleep together.”

Jennifer blushed brightly. I couldn’t help giggle. “My parents did the same thing when your father moved in with me,” Cathy explained.

“And this is your home,” Dad added, “For as long as you want it to be.”

I hugged him tightly. “Is forever okay?”

“What about your wife?”

“Please, you’ve already made such an impression, I’d rather live with you than my family or the arseholes she left behind in London.”

“London?”

“Oh… you…”

“I never figured it out,” he said softly, “No-one could ever find you.”

I leaned back and watched his face. “They changed my name,” I said sadly, taking the passport from my pocket. He took it and glanced at it. I heard the sigh. “Dad, she broke the law. I’ve got all the paperwork. They forged your signature on so much paperwork. I reckon it was your brother or father…” I noticed the anger flare momentarily. “I mean Brian and John. Sorry.”

“Not your fault, munchkin.” He looked again. “Thompson. So that was his last name?” I nodded. “The bitch married him?”

My turn to sigh. “Made me a flower girl and everything. I hated it. Your brother was his best man. Your parents visited to give her away.”

Cathy gasped. Dad just sighed again, passing the passport back. “I’m honestly not surprised anymore by anything I learn about those people.”

“There’s so much more, Dad. But it’s your birthday, and I have just the present to give you.”

He smiled. “Apart from you being here right now?”

“You’ll get your own back. So will I. I’ve played the waiting game long enough.”

*****

Mark

I couldn’t stop holding her hand. Hugging her. Smelling her freshly shampooed hair. Kissing her cheeks and forehead. Just gazing at her and feeling the emotions almost bubble over. The smile never left her face as she never left my side. I did whisper to Cathy that she was getting properly fucked that night as a thank you.

“Hope you’re not the only one,” my daughter whispered, glancing at her wife. I glanced at my daughter, who was blushing as she sipped at a glass of wine. “What?” she asked innocently.

“Got to remember you’re no longer that little girl.”

She immediately sat astride my lap, resting her head against my chest. “I will always be your little girl, daddy,” she whispered, “I made sure to bring everything that shows just how much I missed you the entire time. They’re only photos…”

“They’ll mean the world. I can use my imagination.”

“You were always there with me, daddy. In my heart.”

“Mine too, munchkin. It was this day which kept me going at times.” She gave me a look. She was smart enough to know what I meant. I kissed her cheek. “I’ll never tell you how bad. All you need to know is that you kept me alive. Every day, I woke up with one thought. I want to see my daughter again.”

We ate around mid-afternoon, the steak as large as Bill promised. I barely touched a drop of alcohol, wanting to savour every moment. Jennifer was gorgeous, little wonder my daughter had fallen in love with her. She also had a sharp tongue, wicked sense of humour, but she had moments when she was utterly adorable. And her love for my daughter was evident. The fact my daughter loved a woman? Didn’t care. My daughter was happy, her partner was wonderful, they were in love. That’s all a parent wants.

Conversation flowed easily for hours. Katie spent time playing with her brothers, sisters and cousins, no doubt saddened to have missed out on so much herself. Matthew was smitten by her. He now had an older sister, and he already worshipped her. In fact, my four children with Cathy fell in love with her by the time evening fell. Everyone did.

Once the sun set, the kids were sent to bed, at least those kids under eighteen anyway. The rest of us gathered in the living room, Kelly and Jim remaining as they’d stay with Mum and Dad for the evening. “Daddy,” Katie said, snuggling next to me, “We obviously have a lot to talk about, but there is just one thing I need to do tonight.”

“What’s that?”

“Communicate with the bitch.”

“How?” I asked carefully.

“I’ve got my laptop in my backpack. Your TV looks like one of those internet connected TV’s. Got a webcam. I want to see her face when I reveal the truth. All she knows is that I disappeared a few days ago. She’s been blowing up my phone ever since. Tony too.” She turned towards me, seeing the tears form. “I’m going to need therapy after all this, Dad,” she murmured, cuddling her to me, “I don’t like who I’ve needed to be to do all this. I’ve had to do some horrible things.”