The ute ground to a halt. Josh lost his grip and slammed into the back of the cabin. The two passengers’ heads snapped around to stare at him through the window. He smiled at them. But Dad hadn’t noticed – he was already out of the vehicle, heading for the house. The RFDS people followed him, disappearing inside.

Josh hopped down from the ute, then stopped to think. He decided to stay outside. He didn’t want to get in the way. The RFDS people knew what they were doing. And they had Dad and Aunty Karen to help. Besides, he didn’t want to accidentally see any part of this. After all, there would be blood, wouldn’t there? There was always blood in these situations. He shook his head clear of the images. He really didn’t want to think about it.

He paced about in the chilly night air until he was too tired. Sitting down on the porch, he knew that he should go to bed. But he didn’t want to. Not until he knew that Mum was okay. So he sat there and eventually nodded off.

‘What in the world are you doing out here?’

Josh woke with a start, the voice cutting through his confused dreams. It was Aunty Karen, her head poking through an open window.

‘Oh,’ he said, still slightly dazed. ‘I didn’t want to be in the way.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous.’ Aunty Karen shook her head. ‘Get inside.’

Josh got to his feet and came into the homestead.

‘Right.’ Aunty Karen had her hands on her hips and a determined look on her face. ‘How about helping?’

‘What?’ Josh gulped as he looked down the corridor to his parents’ bedroom. ‘Um … I’m not sure I …’

‘Don’t worry, I’m not going to make you go in there.’ She was smiling now. ‘But you can help by getting into the kitchen and making some tea. Your dad could probably do with a cup. I know I certainly could.’

Tea! That was Aunty Karen’s solution to everything. There was not a problem large enough that could not be solved with a good cup of tea. Not teabags, mind you. She wouldn’t touch those with a ten-foot pole. Proper tea was made in a pot with loose leaves.

‘I can do that,’ said Josh, relieved.

‘Good boy.’ Aunty Karen headed back down the corridor. ‘Just sing out when you’re done,’ she called over her shoulder, ‘so you don’t have to come in here.’ Then she disappeared into the bedroom.

Josh heard the murmur of voices and then a groan of pain from his mother.

He quickly scurried off to the kitchen, not wanting to hear anything else, and put the kettle on. He got the teapot and the loose leaf tea from the back of the pantry, a proper china cup for Aunty Karen and a ‘World’s Greatest Farmer’ mug for Dad. Then he got a couple of ordinary cups in case the RFDS people wanted some.

He carefully spooned the leaves into the pot and added the hot water (not boiling) just like Aunty Karen had taught him. He waited exactly three minutes and then poured.

Taking the mug and china cup, he walked out into the corridor.

He stopped, listening. There was a strange sound. He wasn’t sure what it was at first.

Was it …? A baby crying? Croaky. Weak.

Josh smiled. He was a big brother at last. Twelve years was a long time to wait. Not that a baby would be all that much fun at first. They pooed and vomited and cried a lot. But they eventually got bigger and more fun. It wouldn’t be too long before he had someone to play with … and boss around.

That’s what big brothers are supposed to do, thought Josh.

He continued a little further down the corridor.

The cry was cut short, replaced by urgent, anxious voices and the sound of frantic movement.

Josh froze. His heart skipped a beat. What’s going on? he wondered.

He stood and waited, tea in hand, listening intently for some clue as to what was happening. A combination of the chilly night air through the window his aunt had left open and his own worry made him shiver. He wasn’t sure how long he waited there. It could have been mere minutes, but it might have been a lot longer. His sense of time had disappeared, replaced by fear.

The bedroom door burst open and Aunty Karen came rushing out. She went straight for the storage closet, retrieved a small travel bag and disappeared into the room.

Josh stepped back and leaned on the wall, legs feeling weak, and held his breath.

Dad came stumbling out of the room, weighed down by something in his arms.

That’s Mum! Josh realised.

Mum looked like she was awake, arms around her husband’s neck, face buried in his shoulder. She was sobbing. Josh suppressed the urge to run to her. He would just be in the way.

Aunty Karen was following, carrying the bag, which looked like it had been hurriedly stuffed with clothes. They rushed past, paying him no attention.

Dad kicked the screen door open. The bang as it hit the old weatherboards made Josh jump. Tea sloshed onto the floor. He edged down the corridor to the open window and peered out.

Dad carried Mum into the ute and then waited by the door. Aunty Karen put the bag on the back of the ute.

Moments later the RFDS people came rushing out of the bedroom and down the corridor. The woman carried a bundle, some sort of mask with tubes pressed against it. They hurried out to the ute and squeezed in. Dad jumped into the driver’s seat and the vehicle roared to life, the noise cutting through the silent night.

The wheels spun in the dirt and the ute took off into the dark at top speed. Josh continued to stare into the night as Aunty Karen came back inside.

‘Let me have those,’ she said, taking the mug and cup.

‘What’s going on?’ Josh’s voice was barely more than a frightened whisper.

‘Well,’ began Aunty Karen with a long sigh, ‘baby’s arrived a little early.’ She paused, staring at the tea. ‘And his lungs aren’t too good. He’s having trouble breathing.’ She paused again. ‘So they’re taking him and your mum to hospital.’

‘Is Mum okay?’ asked Josh.

‘Oh, yes.’ Aunty Karen was still staring at the cup and mug. ‘She’ll be fine. This tea is cold. I think I’ll make some more.’ She wandered off in the direction of the kitchen. ‘You should go to bed.’

But Josh didn’t want to. He wanted to wait up for Dad.

He went outside and sat down on the porch. He brought his knees up to his chest and hugged them. His heart was pounding and he was shivering more than ever. But he stayed where he was.

And waited.