The Sunburnt Country

by Palmer, Fiona

  ‘Call me and tell me what’s happening, okay?’

  He shrugged. ‘Nah, that’s what Nae’s for,’ he said, joking.

  She whacked his arm but then held him tight again. ‘You’ll watch over my workshop, yeah?’

  ‘Always,’ he said with a wink. ‘Go on, piss off. It’s too hot out here. And if you’re waiting for waterworks, it ain’t gonna happen.’

  ‘You know you love me,’ she said, laughing.

  Starting her ute, she waved goodbye and then headed away from the farm, watching her family in the rear-vision mirror until the dust engulfed their figures.

  Now she had just one last stop to make.

  Pulling up outside Renae’s house, she honked her horn. It would probably upset old Mr Woodland but Mrs Albertson, on the other side, was as deaf as a doorknob.

  Renae appeared on her little front verandah wearing a yellow dress and a forlorn expression. Leaving her ute running to keep the air-con going, Jonny ran up the steps to her best friend.

  ‘Hey ya, mate. I wish I didn’t have to say goodbye.’

  Renae attempted a grin. ‘Me too. Now who will I have to talk to?’ She played with a bit of her hair, trying to keep her smile in place instead of surrendering to the looming tears.

  ‘Come on, you’ll be so busy with Zac. You two lovebirds haven’t been apart all week.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ said Renae. ‘I should have spent more time with you.’

  ‘It’s all good, Nae Nae. But shit, I’m gonna miss you. Thank God for phones.’ She reached over and hugged her best friend.

  ‘Look after yourself, keep an eye on Ryan, watch out for all those guys, don’t eat anything that looks suss, make sure you wear proper PJs in case you get caught out.’

  Jonny pulled back but kept a hand on her shoulder. ‘Anything else, Mum?’

  Renae bit her lower lip. ‘No, just call me . . . lots.’ Nae pulled Jonny close with a big sigh.

  ‘All right. I better get going. Miss you already.’

  ‘Give Coop a big kiss from me,’ Renae yelled as Jonny headed back to her ute at a jog. She honked the horn a few more times for good measure. If she was going to upset Mr Woodland, she may as well do it properly.

  Even Renae’s garden was wilting in this heat. The leaves on her shrubs looked crispy on the ends and her small patch of lawn was yellow, which was saying a lot considering her lawn was normally lush.

  Jonny seemed to notice everything as she drove out of town. The bank with its ‘Open’ sign, but no Daniel. Gabby sweeping out the front of her shop, the butcher’s shop back in full swing with Jean stepping out of it, her arms full of goods wrapped in butcher’s paper.

  All too soon the buildings and homes had gone, replaced by dry open paddocks without any sheep in view. She glanced in the rear-vision mirror as Bundara disappeared from view. With a deep breath, she told herself to get a grip. She’d be back before she knew it.

  It only took her around three hours to get to the mine, which was near the larger town of Katanning. She was impressed with the wide road entry and the set-up that looked like it had been there for years. Driving her ute along the road she felt like she didn’t belong and wasn’t supposed to be here. Her pulse soared as her anxiety about the unknown increased. Yes, she was totally out of her comfort zone. Big white buildings lined the side of the road, only they weren’t really buildings, they were cheap, transportable dongas. One had an ‘Office’ sign out the front. This must be the one Ryan was talking about. She slowed and parked out the front next to some mining utes with yellow stripes and big aerials on them.

  Inside the office there were lots of little rooms off from the main one where a big long desk was set up.

  ‘Um, hi, I’m new here,’ Jonny said to the girl behind the desk. The girl was wearing long and long, which seemed odd for an office job. But when your work was in the middle of not much, with dust and flies for company, it probably didn’t matter.

  ‘Yes, you’re Jonelle, right?’

  Jonny nodded.

  ‘Okay, follow me.’

  The girl took her out the door behind her desk. It led to a storage room, a big one. There were hardhats, glasses, uniforms, safety stickers and signs, workboots and forms.

  ‘Here you go. These are yours in the size you ordered.’

  Jonny took the bundle of blue and orange clothes and the new hardhat, balanced them with one arm and grabbed the box of new boots with the other.

  ‘You’re in twenty-eight, follow the road on your right and you’ll come to the camp. The canteen’s to the left, the biggest building, and your room is nearby. You’ll find it,’ she said, as if she’d repeated those exact words ten times today already.

  ‘Um, okay, thanks.’

  ‘In the morning you need to go to induction. All personnel catch the bus from camp to the mine and you’ll need to get off at the first stop before the mine. You’ll spend a few days there learning site rules and regulations. You’ll also get your security swipe card and photo ID done. On your last day of induction you will go on the guided tour of the pit and to the workshops and you’ll meet your maintenance foreman and team leader. Be ready for the bus tomorrow by five-fifteen as it leaves at five-thirty.’

  Jonny felt like she’d been dismissed as the girl went back to her chair and started flicking through the papers on her desk.

  ‘Bye,’ Jonny said, stumbling out the door with her parcels.

  After shoving all the stuff into her already crowded ute, she headed down the road, veering to the right and following the smaller road to the camp site. She passed a big dusty bus, the one she might have to catch tomorrow.

  It was hard to miss the portable dongas, which stood out in the patchy scrub. Nearby was the main building, which she guessed was the mess area. She parked her ute and got out to find her donga. There was a miner in the standard blue and orange longs with reflective stripes on his way to the mess hall. It wasn’t until he lifted his sunglasses that she realised it was Ryan.

  ‘Coop,’ she squealed, throwing her arms around him.

  Ryan laughed. ‘I can’t believe you’re really here.’

  ‘Gotta do what you gotta do, right?’

  Ryan showed Jonny to her room while they tried to catch up on any news they might have missed.

  ‘Have you heard from Dan at all?’ he asked.

  Jonny shrugged. ‘I don’t expect to.’

  ‘Good. You did the right thing.’

  She gave Ryan a contemplative look. ‘I just wish things could be different,’ she said, as she opened the door to her new digs.

  ‘Hey, I’m the king of wishing things could be different.’

  ‘Oh, yeah, sorry.’ Jonny reminded herself that she didn’t have it bad, things could always be worse. ‘Hey, this place isn’t so bad,’ she said. Her room was small but it was clean and she had her own ensuite, which was better than she’d expected.

  ‘They’re all new. Not many people been in ’em yet.’

  Ryan helped her unload the rest of her stuff then sat in her room and watched her pack it all away.

  ‘Oi, don’t eat all of them,’ Jonny said sternly, after Ryan had reached for another biscuit. ‘At this rate we’ll have none left tomorrow.’

  Ryan offered the cookie to her, making her smile.

  ‘I’m real glad we can do this together, Coop. Don’t know how I would have gone on my own.’ Jonny sat down on the bed next to him. Her eyes came to rest on her new boots. She picked them up; they were heavy with steel caps.

  ‘You would have coped just fine. You’re stronger than you think.’

  She sure hoped so. She had a feeling she was going to need all the strength she had if she was going to get through the first few months in this place – and the first few months without Daniel.

  Chapter 38

  DAN arrived back at his mum’s house with a sense of excitement and familiarity, not the foreboding panic like last time. He noticed the little cement square beside the door with his and Cam’s
fingerprints on it, saved from the old driveway. How could he ever imagine his mum had stopped caring?

  He knocked once on the door before opening it a crack. ‘Hello?’

  The house was full of light, glowing with warmth. They were all seated around the kitchen table and his mum stood up when he entered and threw her arms around him. Dan wondered whether she was still surprised he’d come back or whether she was just catching up on what she’d missed out on. Either way, he enjoyed the hugs.

  ‘Derek,’ Dan said as he shook his hand. His mother’s husband was all smiles and genuinely happy to see him, even if a little wary. He was shorter than John and had a round belly that said just how much he enjoyed life and his wife’s cooking. He wasn’t as handsome as John, his hair was receding and his face more lined but he exuded warmth.

  ‘It’s nice to see you again, Daniel. We’re so pleased that you’re here. You have no idea how much your mother has missed you. Come, sit.’

  Derek pulled out a chair for Daniel before following Denise to the kitchen to help bring out the finger food, touching her lovingly as they went. Cam emerged from the kitchen behind them. Slightly shorter than Dan but with the same toned build, he was wearing jeans and a black Metallica T-shirt. He oozed gruffness.

  ‘Cam.’ Dan wanted to stretch out his hand but was scared of the frosty reception. ‘I’m really sorry about the other night. I want to make up for all the lost years. I never meant to abandon you. It was never my intention —’

  Cam stepped closer, making Dan falter. His body automatically braced itself as Cam’s hand came towards him. But then it paused, waiting for his hand to shake it.

  ‘I’ve been talking with Mum – it seems like we all have bridges to mend,’ said Cam, as Dan shook his hand wholeheartedly.

  ‘Thanks, Cam. It really means a lot to me to have you all back in my life. I’m so sorry —’

  ‘Don’t,’ said Cam stepping back and waving for him to sit. ‘The past is the past, we can’t change it. But we can change our futures.’ Cam glanced at Denise. His thick dark eyebrows creased. ‘Mum helped me understand why you never came back. I often thought of finding you myself, I wasn’t afraid of Dad. But I guess I was a little scared you wouldn’t want to see me either. So much time had passsed and we’ve all got our own lives. Time just passed so quickly.’

  ‘I know. But thank you – this, us together, really means a lot.’

  ‘Come now, we’ve all cleared the air. How about we make up for lost time?’ said Denise, with a smile.

  They say time really did heal some wounds and he knew it would help mend his family but did it also mean he could mend the wounds left from Jonelle? Sure he had been getting on with life these last few weeks but she was always there, in every heartbeat and in every thought. Even now, in his personal crisis, she was present. He could almost feel her strong grip holding his hand to settle his nerves. It didn’t help that the smell of grease seemed to follow him everywhere.

  Throughout dinner they talked, repairing broken ties and forging stronger ones.

  Cam talked excitedly about how he’d met Myree when she’d picked up the pliers he’d purposely dropped and about impending fatherhood. ‘I think we’re having a boy,’ he said proudly.

  ‘I can’t believe I’m going to be an uncle. It’s amazing.’ He swallowed hard.

  ‘I think it’s a girl. Myree is so tiny around the waist,’ said Denise. She was glowing, no doubt from having her boys together again. She was holding Derek’s hand, which was something he never saw his parents do. Not once did he remember seeing them snuggle on the couch or kiss each other lovingly.

  Dan wondered what his life would have been like if he’d stayed with his mum. Would he be working in a bank or doing something different, like Cam was? Would he have married? But then he never would have met Jonelle. Maybe life had gone this way for a reason. Maybe he was supposed to meet Jonelle. Did she miss him like he missed her? He regretted their fight. If only he’d gone back and held her in his arms one more time. But would it have helped or just made his aching worse?

  ‘Hey, Cam, do you remember the race car we built with Uncle Darryl?’ Dan asked, trying to distract himself from thoughts of Jonelle. ‘Or were you too young?’

  ‘Of course not. I still have it. That’s why we are having a boy. I have plans,’ he said, followed by a cheeky smile.

  ‘For real? Cool, I’d love to see it again one day.’

  Denise got up and started clearing away the empty plates and Derek helped, leaving the boys to chat.

  ‘Yeah? Come around anytime. You and I were always going to be V8 drivers, don’t you remember?’

  ‘Sure do. I miss it. Do you think we could go when the V8s come back to Perth?’ Dan asked with bated breath.

  ‘Well, a mate of mine races sprint cars at Kwinana Motorplex. He’s racing on the weekend. Do you want to go to that?’ Poor Cam looked as unsure as Dan felt. They were still skirting around each other, wary of being rejected.

  ‘Are you kidding? I would love to go.’ Dan couldn’t believe it. Cam was so settled, almost a husband and a father with a job he enjoyed. And where was Dan? Doing a job that didn’t excite him and pining after a woman who lived miles away in a drought-stricken remote town. How could the younger brother have everything together while Dan felt like his life was nowhere near perfect?

  ‘Brilliant.’ Cam’s smile was wide and genuine.

  Derek sat back down and Cam asked if he wanted to join them.

  ‘No, you kids go and have fun. I’ll be busy with my mum, anyway.’ Derek scratched the top of his receding hairline and Dan saw the worry lines along his brow.

  ‘Is she all right?’ Dan asked. He liked Derek, he could see why his mum had married him. It was hard to dislike him when he made Denise so happy.

  ‘Yeah, she’s a tough old boot but she’s just upset about leaving her home. She needs care, people to keep an eye on her, and we both still work,’ he said, motioning to Denise.

  ‘You work, Mum?’ Denise had always been a stay-at-home mum. What work would she be doing now?

  ‘I help down at Derek’s workshop, taking calls, invoicing and whatnot,’ she said waving her hand.

  He turned to Derek. ‘Workshop?’

  ‘Yeah, just a car repair shop. I don’t work as much as I used to. Leave that for the younger ones, but I still keep them on track.’

  ‘You’re a mechanic?’

  ‘Afraid so. Why? You have a problem with mechanics?’ Derek asked with a teasing tone.

  ‘Not at all. I think it’s great.’ He was, in fact, in love with a mechanic after all. Only he’d realised far too late just how quickly Jonelle had snuck into his heart and made herself at home there. How do you stop loving someone? When he’d heard from Zac a day after he’d arrived back, he’d resisted the urge to quiz him about Jonelle. Besides, Zac had been so happy to tell him about his hook-up with Renae. He hadn’t heard from him since, which he guessed meant he was busy entertaining his new girlfriend. He didn’t expect them to stay in touch. In reality they were so far apart. But if he came to the city Dan would make sure to take Zac out, no matter how much time had passed.

  ‘Who would like dessert?’ asked Denise. ‘I made sticky date pudding.’

  Dan smiled. That had always been his favourite.

  *

  Dan spent the next week settling in to his new job, but the whole time he was distracted by his excitement for the forthcoming weekend. He was still nervous when he arrived at Cam’s house on Saturday. Had his brother changed his mind? Little fears played on Dan’s mind. But he shouldn’t have worried. Cam welcomed him into his home, showing him around and introducing him to Myree. ‘Your home is so nice, Myree,’ Dan said, as they stepped out the back into the yard. Their home was full of things they had collected over the years together and reminded him a little of the Baxters’ home. It was perfect to raise a family in. Cam even had a decent-sized backyard with a small shed filled with electrical stuff. ‘Myree doesn’t come in
here. Said she’d likely get electrocuted in this mess. As if,’ said Cam with a chuckle.

  Myree nudged Cam but she smiled sweetly. She looked tired, with bags under her eyes, and she must have noticed Dan studying her.

  ‘I’m suffering with the morning sickness still. I wish it would bugger off,’ she said.

  Cam gave her belly a tender rub. ‘He’s just a bit unsettled in there.’

  ‘She’s just being a pain,’ Myree fired back.

  ‘It’s gonna be a boy.’ Cam winked at her and kissed her lips. ‘All right, we better go, honey. I’ll see ya later. Call me if you need.’

  ‘Have a good night. So nice to finally meet Cam’s older brother,’ said Myree. ‘You obviously got all the looks,’ she said, teasing Cam.

  ‘Maybe, but he’s got the girl.’

  ‘Oh and a charmer —’

  ‘Let’s go before this gets any worse,’ said Cam, laughing as he grabbed Dan’s arm.

  On the drive to the speedway motorplex Dan studied Cameron. ‘You are very lucky, Cam. You’ve got it good.’

  Cam snuck in a sideways glance. ‘Yep, I think so. Even better now.’

  They shared a smile.

  The motorplex was huge and nothing like the speedway at Narrogin. One side had the speedway circle track and on the other side was the drag car strip. People were already flowing in, looking for the best spot to sit.

  Dan couldn’t help thinking about his own life in comparison to Cam’s. He was four years older than Cam and yet he had nothing in his life except a career. Did he want that? Right now he wanted what Cam had. His own family with the woman he loved and a warm home. He was so confused that he confessed as much to Cam after they were settled on the grass-covered steps off to one side of the racetrack.

  ‘I don’t know what my life’s about,’ he said, turning to Cam. ‘I don’t know if I like my job any more. Do you think that’s weird?’

  Cam glanced at him, a dark eyebrow raised in question, one eye slightly squinted like always. ‘Not really. Stuffed if I’d be wearing a suit every day,’ Cam teased. ‘Why don’t you quit if it’s not what you want?’