The Road Home

by Palmer, Fiona

  It was her first time and she had three thousand head of sheep to feed, so it took her nearly all day. She was still getting used to where the paddock gates were. After lunch, she got disorientated and had to drive around before she could remember where she’d driven into the paddock. No wonder it was taking her so much longer than Noah to do a simple thing like feeding sheep. At least by doing this over and over all day she was becoming much more familiar with it and getting used to how much grain needed to go out for each mob of sheep.

  At four o’clock in the afternoon, Lara noticed the ute was driving awkwardly. ‘Something funny’s going on here, boys,’ she said to the dogs as she braked slowly. ‘What do you think’s up?’ She left the ute running with the aircon on for the dogs and walked around it. ‘Oh, shit.’ The back left tyre was as flat as a sheet of steel. A chunk of rubber was hanging out and it looked like she’d driven over something.

  ‘Just what I need.’ She looked around: nothing but bare paddocks shimmering with a heat haze; the shed was miles away. ‘Damn it.’ She threw her arms up in anger, and resisted the urge to stamp her feet like a two-year-old.

  ‘Okay.’ She put her hands on her hips. ‘Calm down and think. I’ve changed tyres before.’ When I was a kid, though, she thought as the self-doubt began to invade her mind.

  ‘No, I can do this.’ She walked to the back of the ute and looked under the tray. ‘One spare tyre? Check.’ Then she searched in the toolbox and found the wheel spanner. A chunky jack sat in the corner of the tray, so she picked that up too. ‘Bloody hell,’ she cursed at its weight.

  It took her half an hour just to get the spare tyre off its holder. When she finally managed to jack up the ute, she tried to take the nuts off but the whole tyre turned. That’s when she remembered that the tyre had to be on the ground to undo the nuts. Frustrated, she sat in the ute for a few minutes to cool off. She wasn’t used to having sweat drip off her like she was taking a shower. Ugh! Her clothes were damp too, making her even more uncomfortable. And to make things worse, a warm afternoon breeze had picked up and was blowing dust into her eyes with each gust.

  ‘You dogs have got it good.’ She glared at them as they sat, puffing, in the cool air. She looked at the temperature gauge, which was getting high. ‘Hmm, maybe a few more minutes and then I’ll turn it off.’

  With a groan, she evacuated the cool ute and faced the flat tyre again. She connected the wheel spanner and attempted to undo a nut. It wouldn’t budge. She tried them all, with the same result. Lara took a deep breath and pushed so hard that she worried about bursting a blood vessel. Anger bubbled away as she realised the nuts would never move.

  ‘How the hell am I going to run a farm when I can’t even change a bloody tyre!’ She kicked the wheel in frustration but the wheel spanner connected with her shin, and pain shot up her leg like fire ants under her skin.

  ‘Oh, for God’s sake!’ She ripped off the spanner and threw it down with as much force as possible. It didn’t make her feel any better. Instead she burst into tears and crumpled to the ground.

  After allowing herself to wallow in self-pity for a while, she wiped away the last of her tears, rubbed the bruising lump on her shin one last time and forced herself to stand. The heat was still uncomfortable and she risked a glance at the bright sun. Even the sheep had wandered towards whatever trees they could find for shade relief. What she wouldn’t kill for a cool breeze.

  ‘There has to be another way,’ she said, then wondered whether talking to yourself was what country people did so they didn’t feel so alone. Or maybe it truly was a sign of madness. Right at this moment, she didn’t doubt that. She leant over the tray and fossicked around in the toolbox. There had to be something she could use. Her fingers curled around a two-foot bit of metal tube.

  She slid it over one end of the cross-shaped wheel spanner and pushed. With the extended lever, the nut gradually began to budge. She would have jumped up and squealed if she’d had the energy. The next nut wasn’t as obliging but she tried using her foot and her body weight on the tube.

  ‘Yeah, baby. Take that.’

  Soon she had pulled off the flat tyre, put the new one on and tightened the nuts back up before chucking the flat on the back of the ute. Her arms were just about screaming in agony by the time she’d finished. She rubbed them as she got back into the ute. Both dogs glanced at her and continued to pant.

  ‘Fat lot of help you two are. Next time it’s your turn to change the tyre and I get to sit in the ute.’

  At the shed, Lara unhitched the sheep feeder and felt quite proud that she’d mastered this part. As she walked back to the ute she saw a loose nut on the tyre she’d just changed.

  ‘Oh, shit.’

  She reached down and found she could turn two by hand. Now, that wasn’t supposed to happen. For a second time she got the wheel spanner out, retightened the nuts and made sure she used all her strength to do them up. She hated to think what might have happened if the wheel had come off.

  By this stage it was well and truly drinks time. She parked at the shed and the dogs barged past her as she headed to the beer fridge. She took a brown milk crate to the edge of the shed, just like her dad had always done so he could watch the sunset. Dippa lay down next to her foot and she scratched his head.

  From the mouth of the shed, she could see out over the nearest paddock, which fell back towards the horizon. Lara couldn’t remember the last time she’d watched a sunset, let alone from this spot in the shed. It would have been when she was a kid, with her dad. Her heart ached for her parents; she wished they were beside her watching this one. She hoped they were still watching sunsets, together, wherever they were.

  The deep golden glow spread across the land, the trunks and leaves of the trees shimmering like they were tipped in gold. Lara could feel a coolness in the breeze as the shadows stretched across the dry earth like ghostly figures.

  ‘Now, this is living,’ she said softly and sipped her beer, her horrid misadventure with the flat tyre forgotten. She could hear the pink and grey galahs squawking in the nearby tree, as the wind rippled through its branches.

  16

  LARA was up earlier than the roosters. She had eaten and was collecting things she’d need for this morning’s job of fencing.

  ‘Mobile charged? Check. Sunscreen? Check. Water bottle? Check. Oh, and a roll of loo paper!’ When she had all these items together, she headed outside into the early morning light.

  In the top paddock she reached for her notebook and checked her scribbles from her time with Noah. Take the wire off the back, get the tools out, put gloves on. She did the simple stuff first.

  Luckily for her, Noah had already got the fence posts in and lined up, so all she had to do was put the new wire on. It sounded simple enough, but she had a hell of a time rolling out the wire by hand. Three applications of sunscreen later, she was really feeling the heat bearing down on her. Her arms and hands were sore from tying the wire and she could feel the blisters building near her thumbs.

  ‘It’s getting too hot to keep this up. I’ll finish the rest tomorrow morning,’ Lara said to the dogs, who were sitting in the shade of the ute. Judging by the expressions on their faces, they weren’t going to disagree.

  Back at the house, after washing her hands and popping a few blisters, Lara made herself a sandwich. At about one o’clock she called Noah at the house.

  ‘Hello?’

  ‘Ah, I knew I’d catch you slacking off.’ Lara laughed into the phone.

  ‘Hey, sis. I’ll have you know I’ve been working hard. Just in for lunch. So how’s things? Still got all your limbs?’

  ‘Yeah, and a couple of blisters to boot. Been fencing since four and I’m dead on my feet.’

  She heard Noah snigger down the line. ‘Ya wuss. So, you getting the hang of it all?’ he asked.

  ‘I think so. Got the sheep-feeding part sussed and I’ve got water a few times and that’s the next job on my list today.’

  ‘Great. If
you’re that keen, the fence near the valley paddock needs doing too,’ he laughed.

  ‘Yeah, right. Think I’ll pass for now. Hey, I’ve got Mel coming to stay in March.’

  ‘Oh, dear. You’re not turning the place into a farmstay, are you?’

  ‘Relax. The last thing I need now is a sideline business, that’s for sure.’

  Noah laughed.

  ‘Don’t worry,’ Lara continued. ‘I’m going to start on the books soon. If there’s a way to save money, I’ll find it,’ she boasted.

  The phone went silent on the other end for a few seconds. ‘You don’t need to worry about that, Lara. Just concentrate on seeding. The farm’s coming back, thanks to the sheep,’ he said flatly.

  Noah’s comment struck Lara as odd. But he probably just had his head full of Brunamar stuff and was no longer worrying about Erindale.

  ‘Hey, guess what?’ Lara said. ‘I’m going to the pub for dinner tonight.’

  ‘I see,’ Noah replied, his voice brighter. ‘Alone?’

  ‘Marge set it up with Trent. And don’t even think about laughing!’

  Too late. She could hear his laughter all the way from Esperance. ‘Ah, well, mixing it with the locals already, hey? You know what they say about new blood in town. If they get a sniff the new girl’s at the pub, all the single blokes will turn up,’ he teased. ‘But you can’t go wrong with Trent. You could combine properties.’ Noah was really cackling now.

  Lara was starting to regret her night out. ‘Very funny …’

  ‘Oh, before I go, Amanda says she’s going to email you some details about the wedding dinner, so you can see which option you like best.’ Noah dropped his voice to a whisper. ‘Pick the steak one, sis, please!’

  ‘No worries. Talk to you later. See ya, Noah.’

  ‘Bye, Larz.’

  By seven o’clock, Lara was feeling the worse for wear: a little burnt, exhausted, and not really like going out. But it was too late to cancel now. She heard a vehicle pulling up outside so she walked out in her red summer dress with modest heels. It was the pub, after all, and the only chance she’d have of dressing up. Trent was just getting out of his silver Land Cruiser, wearing denim shorts and a white T-shirt with black writing on the sleeves. He was certainly taller than she remembered and, as he got closer, she recognised his blue eyes. But his face had changed. He looked more manly, with a defined jaw and cheekbones. She was aware of his gaze checking her out as well.

  ‘Lara?’ he asked, running a hand over his crew-cut hair.

  ‘Sure is. How are you, Trent?’ She leant over and gave him a peck on the cheek.

  ‘Wow. You’re still gorgeous.’

  She laughed. ‘And you’re still a charmer.’

  He winked and motioned to the ute. ‘Let’s go, shall we?’

  As they headed into town they chatted about the old days, and Lara quizzed him on what the people from their primary school were all up to now.

  Trent noticed Lara’s sunburnt shoulders and cheeks.

  ‘I used plenty of sunscreen but my skin’s not used to being outdoors, I think.’

  ‘What were you doing?’

  Lara grimaced. ‘Fencing. And I have to finish it tomorrow.’

  ‘If you ever get stuck, don’t forget we’re just a few paddocks away. Don’t do anything that’s dangerous on your own, okay?’ Trent threw her a concerned look, which came across as sexy.

  ‘Duly noted. So how about you? Got yourself a lady?’

  Trent changed down a gear as they headed into town towards the pub. There were only three cars on the whole main street, and all the sidewalk signs and quad bikes usually out the front of the furniture shop were safely packed indoors. The furniture/bike shop was one of the combined businesses that resulted from a town with a small population. Lara’s favourite combo was the great little coffee shop in the hardware store.

  ‘No. The last one left me for a rich farmer.’ Trent laughed off any sign of pain. ‘You?’

  ‘Hmm, I’m just out of a relationship, and not really interested in another one, but I’m worried Marge has set me in her sights for you.’

  They both laughed, and Lara saw the glint of adoration in his eyes.

  ‘Don’t worry about my gran. She’s only trying to look out for me. She’s an amazing woman.’

  ‘I know. You’re very lucky to have her.’

  Trent pulled up outside the old brick pub and glanced at Lara with a warm smile. ‘If she starts to bother you, just let me know.’

  ‘It’s okay, Trent. It’ll be nice to have some company every now and then. Besides, she makes the best caramel slice I’ve ever tasted.’

  ‘Wait till you try her scones and carrot cake. Mention you love her food and she’ll be bringing you everything under the sun.’

  They entered the pub, into the smell of beer and hot chips. A small crowd was at the bar, not bad for a Friday night. Glasses of beer lined the top of the bar, along with small change. Heads turned to see who’d just walked in, and curious eyes inched over her. Conversations stopped briefly before starting up with enthusiasm, no doubt with her as the new subject. Lara and Trent found a table.

  ‘Beer?’

  ‘Yes, please. Noah had me drinking Hahn Super Dry. Actually, he left a carton, so I’m slowly getting used to it.’

  She placed her purse down and relaxed into her chair. Something about Trent put her at ease. He had a polite, gentle nature and was quite the gentleman, pulling out her chair, letting her order first. As the night wore on, Lara found she was thoroughly enjoying herself and even forgot about her sunburn. Trent was the perfect companion, with a wealth of knowledge on different topics.

  ‘So your ex really left you for a rich farmer?’

  ‘I know. Hard to believe someone could be so callous, but I think I always knew that about Lauren. Nothing was ever good enough. My ute wasn’t new enough. I was still living with my parents and didn’t have my own place so we started doing up the spare house on our back block and she wanted everything new, which I couldn’t afford. Before we even got a quarter of the way through the renovations, she’d met a rich farmer down south who had a shiny new HSV ute, the same red as your gorgeous dress.’ Trent rolled his eyes and shrugged. ‘How do I know? Because that’s what he picked up all her stuff in.’

  ‘Ouch.’

  ‘I’m just glad I didn’t spend all that money on renovations. We can’t help that we’ve had some bad years, and she wasn’t someone to stick around and try and help it work. No great loss, I guess.’

  Trent made light of it, but she sensed it had truly wounded him and deep down it was festering in the pain department. ‘Sounds a lot like my ex,’ she said, giving him a sympathetic smile.

  ‘Well, this is a rather boring topic. Are you any good at darts?’ he asked after their plates had been cleared away.

  ‘Not overly, but I’ll give anything a try. Just a word of warning – I’m a bit competitive.’

  ‘Don’t worry. So am I,’ he said, holding his hand behind her back and gently guiding her to the dart board.

  After three darts in the wall, Lara actually hit the dart board, and by her sixth attempt, she could even try to line numbers up.

  ‘See, you’re getting the hang of it. You must be a quick learner. Maybe even a bit of a natural.’

  He smiled, and she felt some of the tension from running the farm ease out. He saw her watching him.

  ‘What?’

  ‘Thanks for the dinner, Trent. I really think I needed this break. Maybe Marge knew it.’

  Trent clicked his tongue. ‘It wouldn’t surprise me. She’s one intuitive woman and she’s got many wise years under her belt.’ He toed the line and fired off his last dart. ‘She never liked Lauren from the get-go. After listening to her “I told you so’s”, now I listen to my gran,’ he said. ‘You ready for another drink?’

  She thought for a moment, then weakened. ‘Sure, one more and then you’d better get me home. I’ve got to try and finish the fencing to
morrow, remember?’

  He nodded and headed to the bar, while she lined up for another shot with her dart.

  ‘Not a bad shot,’ came a voice over her shoulder.

  Instantly her skin crawled. She turned to find a gangly sort of bloke with a greasy mop of hair and dark, almost black, eyes leering at her. He had what looked like a home-job tattoo on his hand, and his stained blue shorts, thongs and grotty shirt were also less than desirable.

  She raised her eyebrows and wondered what he wanted.

  ‘My name’s Aaron. I believe you’re Noah’s sister,’ he said, staring at her, then dropping his gaze to her chest.

  ‘Yes, that’s right.’

  Slowly, he raised his eyes to her face. ‘You any good at poker? I have a spot open, and we always try to encourage the ladies,’ he said, smirking.

  She shook her head, and feeling her hair graze her burns, she flinched with the sting.

  ‘Come on. You’ll love it. Noah did. Maybe you can try and win back what he owes me.’

  Lara frowned. ‘My brother? I think you have your wires crossed.’ She saw Trent heading back with their drinks, much to her relief. Aaron did too.

  ‘I’ll be seeing you,’ he said before slinking away. ‘But think about my offer.’

  She shivered and the hairs on her arms stood up.

  ‘You okay?’ Trent asked, reading the weird expression on her face.

  ‘Ugh, just some creepy guy.’

  ‘Yeah, that’s Aaron Snippet. He’s bad news.’

  ‘Hmm. He looks it.’

  ‘He came to the town over a year ago and does nothing but cause trouble.’ Trent handed over her glass. ‘So, another game? Give you a chance to try and beat me?’

  ‘I wouldn’t have signed up for this if I knew you were the local champion,’ she said, pointing to the board up on the wall listing the winners over the years.

  He laughed. ‘Guilty, sorry. If it helps, I think you have great potential. Would you like some pointers?’

  ‘Why not? I might beat you one of these days.’ Lara tucked her hair behind her ear as he pulled out her darts from the board.