tilted his beak at Leon and then stepped fearlessly out into the open less than ten feet from where they lay. The boys froze and covered their mouths with their hands, their little chests almost bursting with suppressed excitement.
The lyrebird lifted his brown, curved tail until it stood behind him like a fan, then shivered and shifted his feathers, until the upright display was to his satisfaction.
Only then did he strut and pivot in a stately dance to show them his glory.
When he opened his mouth the unexpected sound poured out. ‘Coo-ee.’ The notes from the lyrebird soared across the lake and bounced back at them. Strong and sure and perfectly mimicked on the boys earlier. ‘Coo-ee,’ the lyrebird trilled again, and he stared at them all as if he’d just given them a very important message. Then his tail fell and with regal disregard for politeness he disappeared back into the bush.
Tammy felt the air ease from her lungs, and the collective sigh almost lifted the paper napkins into the air. Jack whispered, ‘A lyrebird. Grandpa told me about them.’
‘It copied our call.’ Paulo, too, was whispering.
‘That’s what they do. They imitate noises,’ Tammy said quietly. ‘They can copy anything. Even a baby crying.’ She felt like crying herself it had been so magical. She sighed and somehow the load seemed a little lighter. ‘We’d better pack up.’
Leon stared at the bush, his mind strangely less cluttered by the past. But no doubt that was because the present had been so chaotic. The bird had looked at him, and of all the memories of this place he would take with him today, that bird, and these people spellbound by his dance and song, would remain with him.
It was time for the Bonmaritos to leave. They’d said goodbye to Ben and Misty and Louisa already.
The fierceness of Paulo’s hug surprised Tammy, as did her own in return. The lump in her throat grew as she hugged him back.
Paulo’s beautiful dark eyes, so like his father’s, so serious and young, seemed dreadfully in need of a mother. Her heart ached for him, and for Jack, and the loss of what could have been.
She tried to imagine how this quiet young boy felt, all he’d gone through, even worse than Jack because he’d been taken twice. She hugged him again. Paulo had to feel nervous.
She stroked his shoulder. ‘Your dad will mind you.’
‘Sì.’ He nodded, but the concern stayed in his eyes. ‘And who will keep you and Jack safe?’
‘We’ll be fine, honey.’ She hugged him for the last time. ‘Have a good flight and look after Grace and Aunt Emma for me.’
‘Until you come?’ He searched her face. ‘Jack wants to come.’
‘We’ll see.’ She glanced across to Leon, who seemed just as embroiled as she, with Jack. ‘I’ll think about it.’ Not on your life was she going anywhere near Leon Bonmarito. Hopefully by the time he came back to visit his brother she’d be over this infatuation that had rocked her nice tidy little world.
Jack returned to her side, looked at Paulo and shook hands and then threw shyness to the winds and hugged the other boy, who hugged him fiercely back.
‘You guys got over your mutual dislike, I see,’ she teased, and they broke apart, both pink-tinged in the neck.
‘He’s okay,’ Jack said gruffly.
‘Too rrright, mate,’ Paulo said with a stiff upper lip and a fine attempt at Aussie slang. His accent rolled the r’s and made them all laugh.
Then Leon stood beside her. So big and darkly handsome…and so ready to leave.
‘Arrivederci, Tamara.’ His arms came around her for a brief hug and he kissed her in the Italian fashion on both cheeks. Nowhere near her mouth.
It was as if they both knew it would hurt too much. With his head against her hair she heard him say, ‘Addio, amore mio.’
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