Page 120 of Queenslander
Nonna beckoned Ronnie into the kitchen. “Offer her something to drink.”
Ronnie stuck her head out the open door. “Booze?”
Nev tossed ice on the lawn, then handed her the empty glass.
When she handed the glass back full, her friend looked guilty. “I have to tell you something. Promise you won’t be angry.”
Ronnie grinned. “What’d you do? Buy another tractor? More cute animals at auction that we don’t need?”
“No, but good guess. Maude dug up dirt on me.”
“No…!” Ronnie smacked her forehead. “You didn’t give her money, did you? Please tell me you didn’t. What did she dig up on you?”
“DUIs from years ago.”
“That all? How much did you give her? You got played.”
“I didn’t give her anything.”
“Now she thinks she owns you.”
“She doesn’t. She can’t make me do anything I don’t want to do. She can’t control you, either. Any leverage she had over you evaporated in that courtroom.”
Ronnie was still trying to process that. It hadn’t sunk in yet. “Don’t ever let anyone blackmail you. I’m the last person who will judge you. We’re a team. I’ve got your back.”
Nev sipped the rum and coke. “Same.”
39
JOHNSON
The following day, Ronnie’s phone rang while she was under the large Kubota changing the oil. Incoming call from unknown number. Assuming it was Nev calling to tell her that she had lost her phone again, Ronnie jammed the phone between her ear and shoulder. “Oi.”
“Hiya Ronnie, it’s Taylor, how ya goin’?” Nev’s kid sister who had just graduated from the University of Auckland.
“Hiya, good to hear from you.” Ronnie stood up and wiped her hands on a dirty rag.
“Congratulations! I heard you guys got Rainbow back! She’s your daughter, now, officially?”
“Yeah. Thanks. I’m really happy.”
“Did you have a party to celebrate?”
“Yeah. How are things with you?”
“This is the best. You two are such good mums. Listen. I need you to do something for me.”
“What?”
“Nev’s refusing to get the testing done to see whether she has the gene our mum had. I need you to help me pressure her.”
“What?”
“You know, the breast cancer gene. I thought she told you.”
“No, she didn’t.” She could already tell Nev wouldn’t get the test. “Would it change anything?”
“They can do preventative things.”
