On Friday Lisa went to the hospital by taxi, having arranged for Duke to pick her up at the hospital. She began her 10-hour day at 7:00 and actually finished at 4:45. That gave her time to grab a coffee and a sandwich after having a shower to be waiting, fresh and relaxed, when Duke arrived a few minutes after 5:00. He was of the ute and holding out his hand for her overnight bag before she got to him.
They'd called out hi and now stood awkwardly.
"I think we should kiss, what with being phone sex lovers," he said almost solemnly.
She replied yes she agreed but look less than sure of herself.
Duke broke the impasse by putting down the bag, stepping forward and grabbing her. Lisa moaned and threw her arms round his neck and kissed him hungrily.
They pulled away and Duke grinned. "That was touch and go for a few seconds?"
"I'm not sure what it was. I had a tough day and had a sudden dip in confidence I guess."
"Well hop in and say hi to Misty my cat."
"You travel with a cat?"
"Doesn't everyone?"
"What?"
He sighed and said sorry. "You must be tired. My comment about everyone travelling with a cat was a joke."
"Oh dear, sorry. I'll be a dead loss tonight."
"You'll be okay. You'll be boosted by a group of great people. You'll have the best part of two hours' sleep as we travel."
"Unfortunately I can't sleep in a moving vehicle."
Misty accepted Lisa and jumped on to Lisa's lap in the absence of an invitation. Lisa began stroking under Misty's chin. The cat began purring, Lisa said Misty was lovely and yawned and was asleep within a mile of leaving the hospital.
Duke drove fast and reached Thompson in a few minutes under two hours and was pleased his passenger had been asleep rather than gripping her seatbelt in panic when he'd overtaken vehicles and other vehicles headed towards them on the fairly narrow two land secondary road... all being, in Duke's opinion, a safe distance away. Although the street lights were on it was still twilight when they arrived.
"Wake up Lisa," he called.
"I haven't been asleep."
She looked out, straightening her hair and said, "Where are we?"
"This is my house just to the left of us, the unlit one."
"Good gracious, I've been asleep."
Duke grinned.
"Come in and have a look around and then I'll deliver you and your bag over to Gina's where you can freshen up and settle. You should have a shower."
"I had one just before I left Dubbo."
"Another one will freshen you up."
"Okay I will if Mrs De Vito invites me to do that."
Duke sighed. He wondered if she argued with her medical tutors and seniors at the hospital. She would probably call it debating or expressing a different opinion. This babe needed to learn how to relax. He called the De Vito's house and Lisa answered the phone.
"Hi it's Duke. Could you tell your mom we have just arrived and I'll bring Dr Fulton over in a few minutes? She could do with a big soak in the bath if you guys are not on water rationing but if you are a shower will do."
"Is your new girlfriend a real doctor?"
"Yes she works at the base hospital in Dubbo. He name is also Lisa."
"What? Oh I must tell mum. Bye."
Lisa glared at Duke. "You are making me feel I'm imposing asking Mrs De Vito to prepare a bath for me. And they may be on restricted water supply."
"Toughen up Lisa. My neighbours and I know how to talk to each other and if we want something we ask... we don't dither around like city bunnies. Although it's summer and we are into a Big Dry, the town water mightn't be on rationing because they commissioned a new reservoir at the start of last winter."
There was a knock and a girl of around eight in a white party dress entered.
"Oh you are so beautiful. Mom sent me over to fetch you Dr Fulton. We can't believe a doctor will be staying with us. Mom is running the bath and has found some bath salts she got for Xmas a couple of years ago. Please take my hand Dr Fulton."
Duke grinned. "This is Lisa De Vito. Gina and Carlo also have an older son called Marco."
"Oh Lisa we share the same name."
"I know. Mr Caine told me on the phone a few minutes ago. I'm so excited. It makes me feel famous."
"Take your bag with you Lisa. We can look through this house in the morning."
"The house looks stunning Duke, much better than I expected."
A couple of minutes after feeding Misty, Duke took a call.
"Hi, it's Dave Bateman. I was hoping you'd arrived. Any chance of your popping round now? It's fairly urgent. Brandy's parents are here from Orange and are itching to return home."
Mystified, Duke said okay. He'd be there in a couple of minutes.
Dave introduced Duke to Brandy's parents and after Brandy kissed him she took him in to see the new baby, who was asleep.
"What's the reason for this drama?" he said.
Brandy squeezed Duke's hand and looking flushed said, "It's best I leave the words to Dave."
Dave handed Duke a beer and his in-laws declined to have their wine glasses topped up. They appeared tense. Brandy added mineral water to her glass and Duke noticed her hands were shaking.