by Scot Gardner
‘Again?’ Nathaniel said.
‘We had a bit of a scrap the other day,’ I said.
‘A fight?’
‘Yep,’ Katie said. ‘Beat the crap out of her, I did.’
‘Who beat the crap out of who?’ I sneered.
She got to her feet. ‘Who bled all over the place?’
‘Really?’ Nathaniel squeaked.
‘Oh, bleeding is nothing,’ I said, standing. ‘Who was crying like a little baby?’
Jacob started a slow clap. ‘Fight . . . fight . . . fight . . .’
She was playing, I was almost sure of it, but then the shadowy glow on her face made me doubt it for a moment.
‘Nathaniel!’ a voice said. It was barely more than a growl from beyond the firelight. We’d all heard it, clear as anything. The hair prickled on my neck. The boys got to their feet.
‘Grandad?’ Nathaniel said. He squinted into the shadows and a form appeared.
It was Les Senior. He stood there with his fists on his hips and I couldn’t have felt more frightened if he was a zombie from hell come to suck my brains out.
‘Party’s over,’ he said. ‘Get on the bike. You’re coming home.’
‘But . . .’ Nathaniel said.
‘NOW!’
We jumped. Les Carrington Senior knew how to shatter silence. Nathaniel and Jacob began collecting their gear.
‘As for you two harlots, get back to your side of the fence and stay there. You’re trespassing. Get!’
Katie grabbed her swag. She ran and stumbled towards the fence.
‘Sorry,’ Nathaniel whispered. ‘I’m so sorry, Avril. I really am.’
A switch flicked. One minute I was so scared I wanted to run with Katie and never come back, the next I could see the old man as the bully he was. All of a sudden my fear turned to rage. A bright, hot fire fuelled by the tinder-dry piles of unfairness and cruelty I’d collected. I turned, but I didn’t run. I strode right up to the man and shouted in his face.
‘Why don’t you get over it! Whatever your problem is, it has nothing to do with us. Nothing! Should lock you and Hoppy in a room. Make you sort it out once and for all.’
‘You have no idea what you’re talking about,’ Les snarled.
‘You got that right. Nobody does. It’s such a big secret. Why don’t you tell us? Come on; tell us now what this stupid fight is all about. Right now!’
My head exploded. I was on my knees before I realised he’d slapped me. Open hand, right across the cheek. For a moment I was deaf and blind with the shock of it. It hurt, but not as much as being hit by Katie. My skin burned. I got to my feet, holding my face. The old man was huffing, eyes wide and teeth bared. He didn’t seem scary at all then. He seemed pathetic.
I heard feet running on the hollow soil then Nathaniel was at my side with his hand on my back. ‘Avril? You okay?’
I nodded.
‘What the hell was that?’ he shouted at his grandfather. He’d found his own fire.
‘Stay out of it,’ Les fumed. ‘Get on the bike.’
Nathaniel didn’t move.
‘Now!’
Still he stood, his fingers hot on my shoulderblade. He looked at me then we both looked at the old man. Les’s jaw muscles clenched. The battle that raged between our eyes in the seconds that followed was much bigger than a slap in the face. In the end it was Les who stormed off. I held my breath. An engine revved hard and wheels choked on gravel, then the night closed around us.
‘Are you okay?’ Nathaniel asked again.
‘Yeah,’ I said, as I drew away.
‘I . . . I’m really . . . I don’t know what to say.’
‘How come we didn’t hear him coming?’
‘I don’t know. He was in his town car. The Corolla hardly makes a sound. Are you sure you’re okay?’
‘Now what?’ Jacob said. He was perched with their gear on the back of the four-wheeler.
‘I’ll be fine,’ I said to Nathaniel. I just needed to curl up somewhere and lick my wounds. ‘You’d better go.’
He was quiet for a long time. ‘I’d better,’ he said, defeated.
‘No,’ I said. ‘I didn’t mean it like that. I want you to stay. I really do. I just don’t want to get you into any more trouble than I already have. Maybe a sleepover was pushing it.’
I thought about how angry my mum would be.
‘You’re right,’ he said.
He kissed my burning cheek as we parted. It was a tiny peck but my skin tingled all over again.
They shouted their goodbyes to Katie. She yelled back but her voice was muffled. That didn’t make sense until after they’d left. It took me a minute to find her, wedged under the fence again.
I sniggered into my hand.
‘Shut up,’ she whined. She was laughing and pretending to cry at the same time. ‘Help me!’
Katie didn’t want to go home. We lit a fire and rolled our swags out on our side of the fence. It was cool enough to climb under the canvas when we were done. Katie let out an enormous sigh that sounded both relieved and sad.
‘Sorry, Katie.’
‘Hey?’
‘Sorry for stuffing up your night. You guys were getting on so well.’
‘My night? What about your night? It wasn’t your fault. The attack of the grumpy grandpa probably only saved me from further disappointment.’
‘Don’t be like that,’ I said. ‘You’re a lovable, desirable hot chick.’
‘I know.’
I cackled. ‘Then why would it have been disappointing? Did Jacob’s size put you off?’
‘No, nothing like that.’
‘Then what?’
‘You know what they say about good-looking guys.’
‘What?’
‘That they’re either married or gay.’
‘Yeah?’
‘Yeah, well he wasn’t married, if you know what I mean.’
She sighed again and I knew what she meant but she wasn’t quite right. They’re not all gay or married.
CHAPTER 21
I woke when the sun was just a hint on the horizon. The birds were all fired up – it seemed everything with feathers and a voicebox was saying good morning to its mates and I could hear the faint booming of an emu coming from the bush block.
‘Morning,’ Katie whispered.
Her hair had turned into an unruly hat during the night. The sight of it made me want to laugh but I waved instead.
‘Sleep okay?’ she hissed.
I nodded.
She was quiet for a long time. I thought she’d gone back to sleep, but when I sat up to look at her face properly she smiled.
‘I know what I’m having for breakfast,’ she said.
‘Me too.’
‘Chocolate!’ we sang together.
Maybe it was the big lumps of sweet brown stuff for brekky or maybe it was the birdsong on that fragile morning but I felt invincible. I felt no urgency to pack and get going. Felt no burning fear of how Hoppy would react if he discovered we’d been caught cavorting with the enemy down by the creek. He’d have to talk to the enemy himself to get that sort of information. That was never going to happen.
We played horseback I-spy on the way home. I-spy with a chocolate-coated dose of stupidity.
‘I spy with my little eye something that begins with G.’
‘Grass?’
‘Well done. Your turn.’
‘Okay . . . umm . . . I spy with my little eye something that begins with G.’
‘Is it grass?’
‘Oh my god, you’re brilliant! Your go.’
‘Let me see. Hmm . . . I spy with my little eye something that begins with the letter G.’
‘Garage?’
‘Nope.’
‘G-string.’
‘I hope not.’
‘Is it . . . grass?’
‘Yay! Well done. Your turn.’
Naomi and Chooka were waiting by the yards in ambush. As I dismounted at the gate, they appeared
from behind the sheep ramp screaming war cries and pelting us with sheep poo.
‘Ah no, we’re all going to die,’ Katie sighed.
‘You are when Mum sees you,’ Chooka said.
‘Why?’
‘How’s your boyfriend?’ Naomi sang.
I swallowed hard. ‘What boyfriend?’
‘Nathaniel Carrington,’ Chooka said. He pretended to spew. ‘Hoppy said you were with him down by the creek.’
My stomach clenched.
‘What would Hoppy know?’ Katie asked.
At least I had one ally in this mess.
Mum had seen us arrive. She was striding along the drive and it seemed Chooka was right; she was ready to kill.
‘Chooka, Naomi, clear off,’ she said. ‘Now! Get going.’
They ran for cover.
Mum crossed her arms. ‘Did you meet up with the Carrington boy last night?’
‘I can explain.’
‘Just answer the question. Did you?’
I looked at Katie. I’d never seen her so frightened.
‘Yes,’ I said. ‘I did, but . . .’
‘Right. You’re under house arrest.’
‘What?’
‘You heard me. House arrest. You’re not to leave my sight until this thing is sorted.’
What was there to sort? I’d done the wrong thing and been caught. I felt like I’d been kicked in the guts. My eyes blurred with tears. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘You lied to me. There are consequences.’
‘I didn’t lie to you.’
‘You misled me, then.’
‘Yes, I did. I’m sorry. I really am, but I didn’t lie to you.’
She stopped. ‘It’s a bit hard to see the difference from here.’
‘I misled you. Maybe I should have said “Mum, I’m going down the creek with Katie to meet up with a couple of guys. Oh, and by the way one of them is a Carrington”? I’m sure you would have been okay with that.’
‘The fact that he’s a Carrington has nothing to do with it. You’re sixteen!’
‘Exactly. I can look after myself.’
She paused for thought, anger making her rigid. ‘Did you say there were a couple of guys?’
‘Yes,’ Katie said. ‘Nathaniel’s friend Jacob was there too.’
‘But we didn’t do anything,’ I said. ‘We were talking around the fire when Les Senior turned up and embarrassed himself and everybody else. He told the boys to go home and us to get off his property.’
She shook her head.
‘I’m sorry I went behind your back, Mum.’
She put her hands on her hips.
Katie moved uncomfortably in the saddle.
‘I’m sorry,’ I said again. ‘If it makes you feel any better, the night was a complete disaster.’
‘Yeah,’ Katie said. ‘Grumpy grandpa from next door hit her.’
‘He what?’
Katie swung her flat hand through the air. ‘Slapped her across the face.’
‘Les Senior slapped you? Are you all right?’
I nodded. ‘I’m fine.’
‘What brought that on?’
‘I asked him to tell us what the big fight was about.’
‘Asked him?’ Katie said. ‘You shouted right in his face. If it had been me I would have slapped you.’
Mum sucked air through her teeth. ‘I thought you would have learned by now to leave that stuff alone.’
‘Nope,’ Katie said. ‘She’s not that smart.’
‘That’s just it. I can’t. Not any more. It was fine while I hated everything about them. Fine when they were the enemy.’
Mum was thoughtful for a moment. The faintest twist of smile appeared on her lips. ‘What’s he like?’
‘Corrrr,’ Katie said, and blew on her fingers. ‘He’s only about as hot as they come. And so cool. Ha! Hot and cool! The perfect man.’
Mum was thoughtful for a moment. She nodded.
I felt I’d said too much and I blushed. Full body blush, inside and out. I walked Zeph into the yard and Charlie and Mum followed. I hooked Zeph’s reins over the top rail and Mum patted him on the bum as she stepped around.
‘I think I get the picture,’ she said, and hugged me. ‘Wish you’d stop growing up.’
My eyes started leaking and I clung to her. She rubbed my back and shushed me. I couldn’t really say for sure why I cried. I’d like to blame the chocolate – you know, coming down off a big sugar high – but I think there were a few other things that set me off. It was the whole idea of going behind Mum’s back, of being caught, of being brave enough to give Senior some lip, of being slapped for my courage, of remembering Nathaniel standing beside me and knowing that it wasn’t over yet.
CHAPTER 22
After I’d had my little cry, we packed the gear away and got cleaned up. After her shower and some food that didn’t come wrapped in silver foil, Katie asked if she could check her emails.
‘God, your internet is sooooo slow,’ she grizzled.
‘Welcome to the country,’ I said. I flopped on my bed, my wet hair cool on my neck.
The keyboard rattled like rain on a tin roof. The mouse clicked and scraped between rainstorms. I was almost asleep when she tugged on my sleeve.
‘Check this out,’ she whispered. ‘It’s for you.’
‘Me?’
Somebody with the Hotmail address monkeypunk99 had sent her an email, only the first words were Dear Avril (and Katie!) .
I looked at her, puzzled.
She shrugged. ‘It’s Nathaniel writing but it’s from Jacob’s Hotmail. I told him my address last night. He remembered. Obviously.’
I’m really sorry about last night. I love my grandad dearly but he can be the biggest idiot at times. You’ve probably worked that out by now.
Anyway, he blew his top when we got back home and called me some names, called you and your family some names and ended up in a shouting match with my mum and my grandma. Seems you were right, Avril, that your grandmother and mine were/are friends.
Grandad officially banned me from having any contact with you but Jacob and I have been thinking of ways to do it without him finding out. So we ‘lost’ one of our hand-held two-way radios while we were out this morning. It fell out of the tractor somewhere near the boundary fence I broke with the seeder. Remember? If you happen to read this and you happen to ‘find’ the two-way, I’ll be on channel 16 at 9.15 tonight. And the next night. And the night after that.
I’m sorry if this email and the two-way seem weird and desperate. Truth is, I am.
Love, Nathaniel Carrington.
The email made me read faster than I’d ever read before, stumbling over myself and having to reread things that should have made sense the first time round. There was one word that hit me like an axe in the forehead. I couldn’t take my eyes off it. ‘Love’ – a word my aunty would write on the bottom of her Christmas cards but from Nathaniel a word that meant something else completely. That one word swallowed the rest of the page.
‘Why do you think he signed his whole name?’ Katie whispered. ‘Don’t you think that sounds a bit formal?’
The word obviously didn’t cut Katie’s head open the way it did mine. I was still reading it and feeling I’d momentarily left my body when there was a knock at my bedroom door.
‘Hello?’
‘Can we use your computer?’ Chooka asked. ‘We need to look something up on the Internet.’
‘No!’ Katie grumbled. ‘We’re . . .’
‘Yep,’ I interrupted. ‘Come in, mate. We’re just finishing up.’
I clicked the window closed and dragged Katie out by her sleeve.
‘But . . .’ she said.
‘Come on, Katie. I think it’s time for your driving lesson.’
We stumbled through the kitchen and the coast was clear, but as soon as I touched the door the alarm went off. Alarm in the form of my mother.
‘Whoa, whoa, whoa. What’s going on here? Where do you think you�
��re off to? You’re under house arrest, remember?’
I nearly gave her the line about Katie’s driving lesson, but I was still stinging from the last time I sidestepped the truth with her. I whispered into her ear. ‘Nathaniel has stashed a walkie-talkie on the boundary fence. We’re going to pick it up.’
‘Well,’ she said, eyes aglow. ‘That’s all right then. Consider it parole. Be back before dark.’
I kissed her before I literally leapt out of my skin.
Katie stalled the ute seventeen times on the way out – she was counting, not me. The walkie-talkie wasn’t even hidden. It was hanging on the fencepost. Katie turned it on and we listened. I eventually found the guts to dial channel 16 and press the button.
‘Hello?’
Only static for a reply.
Katie only stalled nine times on the way home again. Huge improvement.
The ute shuddered to a halt beside the machinery shed. Katie laughed and complimented herself on the parking. I could see Nan taking clothes off the line and she could see me.
‘Did you get it?’ she yelled.
‘Pardon?’
‘Did you get the radio you were looking for?’
I ran to show her. ‘It’s supposed to be a secret.’
‘Nothing stays secret for very long around here,’ she said.
‘Except if Hoppy’s involved,’ I said.
She chuckled. ‘Oh, I don’t know about that. He came home last night and was straight on the phone to the Carringtons. Couldn’t keep that secret. Hadn’t phoned them in forty years and you were the reason he broke.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well your little rendezvous wasn’t a secret when he’d finished. I’m surprised your ears aren’t still burning.’
‘Hoppy phoned Les Carrington?’
‘Hard to believe, I know, but you heard me right. Apparently the thought of his only granddaughter camping with Les’s grandson was enough to blow his fuse.’
I sat on the grass beside the basket of clean laundry. ‘What’s that got to do with him? Why does he have to make such a circus out of it?’
Nan glanced around. ‘Your grandfather and Les were mates. They grew up together, and worked together and went to war together. They came back from the war and selected property together. Unfortunately, when they fell in love, they fell in love with the same woman.’
