Page 11 of Queenslander
“Sorry again about that,” the young woman said.
“No worries.”
“I’m afraid to ask,” Reg said. “Mattie here is going to stay with her the first week. I assume you’ll give her a test run. If it isn’t a good fit, no worries. No harm in trying.”
Nev addressed the younger man. “Keen to work, too? Plenty needs doing. I’ll pay you.”
Reg left in the black truck.
Nev and the Madonna siblings, half-siblings by the look of it, walked toward the horse barn. She addressed the young woman. “What do you want to be called?”
“Ron.” Long vowel, rhymed with gone. Odd name for a girl.
“What’s that short for?”
Ron raised an eyebrow.
Nev went out on a limb, hoped it didn’t break. “Pronouns?”
The young man laughed loudly. He seemed like a nong.
Ron didn’t appear to mind. “She. What about you?”
“Same. How old’s the baby?”
“She’s twenty-two months.”
“Reckon she’s cute. When was the last time you saw her?”
“Thursday.”
Visitation, then, baby in foster care or with the ex.
“How did you know she had a baby?” the brother asked.
Nev ignored him. “Pictures?”
Ron took out her phone, showed pictures of a toddler with curly black hair and dark eyes. The family resemblance was strong.
“Cute kid. Looks like you.”
“Thanks.”
“What does she like?” Nev asked.
“Music, animals...”
“Delightful.”
“She is,” the girl agreed.
“You have kids?” the older brother asked. Nev had already forgotten his name.
She shook her head. “Never married.”
“You don’t have to be married to have a kid.”
“True. Never had time for it.”
