Family Farm

by Palmer, Fiona

  James had returned and was standing beside Will, water dripping from his shorts. Both men were looking rather strange.

  ‘What’s up with you two?’ she asked, as she gathered her hair back into a ponytail and placed her hands on her hips. ‘Anyone would think you’d never seen a girl in bathers before.’

  Will was the first to find his voice. ‘We just forgot you were a girl.’ Glancing at James, he gave him a wink before the two of them lunged towards her.

  ‘No you don’t,’ she squealed, jumping backwards.

  But it was too late. Two sets of strong arms rounded her up. Will locked his arms under her armpits, while James lifted up her legs and they carried her into the water. She sprayed profanities and kicked at them, but to no avail. Tom barked madly at their ankles trying to defend his boss.

  ‘Put me down, ya mongrels,’ Izzy yelled.

  ‘Okay,’ they replied, before ditching her into the dam.

  The cold water engulfed her olive skin, bringing out goosebumps on impact. Not to be outdone, she reached down under the water and grabbed a handful of slimy mud in each hand. As she stood up, she let fire. ‘Take that!’

  A pile of sloppy, lumpy mud slid down James’s arm, while the other one got Will on the chest, leaving brown splatter marks on his square shoulders.

  They tore off after her and a huge water fight erupted between all three. No one could see a thing for the flying water. The commotion sent Tom into a frenzy on the bank, as he barked loudly at them all.

  ‘Truce,’ Izzy yelled out, half choking on the water running down her face. When they eventually calmed down, Izzy waded out and grabbed the three chemical drums that were sitting on the bank. She couldn’t help noticing both of them watching her. It was a weird feeling – she wasn’t used to a lot of male attention. She still felt like one of the boys and found it hard to think of herself as something worth looking at. Being the centre of attention was Claire’s thing, not hers.

  ‘Not bad,’ teased Will.

  ‘Yeah, I’d give you a ten out of ten,’ said James, wolf whistling.

  ‘Bugger off,’ Izzy said and pitched a drum at each of them as she jumped back into the water with her own.

  ‘Hey, I’ve got a great joke. Did you hear about the guy who lost his left arm and leg in a car crash?’ said James. ‘He’s all right now,’ he finished.

  Will smiled. ‘Ha ha. I’ve got a better one. What’s the difference between an oral and a rectal thermometer?’

  Izzy and James both shrugged.

  ‘The taste,’ Will answered.

  ‘Oh, lovely. I s’pose you’d know,’ Izzy said, laughing. Will splashed her, the sexual tension between them well and truly forgotten for now.

  ‘Here, I’ve got a good one. What do Star Trek and toilet paper have in common?’ James waited until they both shook their heads before giving them the answer. ‘They both circle Uranus looking for black holes.’

  Izzy rolled her eyes. ‘James, you need better jokes. Where’d you get them from anyway?’

  ‘My Ralph magazine!’ he replied boastfully.

  Eventually they settled down and floated in silence as they thought of more jokes. Izzy had both arms over the plastic drum with her head resting between them and her legs dangled below in the cold, dark water. Every now and then the drum would slip out from under her arms and she’d have to drag it back to her chest and throw her arms around it again.

  ‘Well, I’ve racked my brain and can’t remember any more,’ said James. ‘I think I’ll get out – I’m turning into a prune. Unlike you two, my skin doesn’t handle the sun very well. The last thing I need before I head back to college is sunburn.’

  Izzy and Will watched James climb out of the dam.

  ‘Come on, I’ll race you to the other side,’ Izzy said to Will, before ditching her floating drum and breaking into a mad freestyle, trying to get a head start.

  Will didn’t waste any time. Letting go of his drum, he swam after her. Just before Izzy was about to beat him to the other side, he reached out and grabbed hold of one of her ankles. Quickly, he dragged her back towards him, almost swimming over the top of her. Izzy turned over and tried to grab him around his waist, preventing him from passing her. They struggled together in a whitewash of dam water before Will was momentarily distracted by the brushing of her breasts on his chest. Her bikini did nothing to hide her erect nipples caused by the cold water. Will lost his hold on Izzy and she was able to push him underwater.

  When he surfaced, Izzy was already sitting on the bank. She was trying to catch her breath slowly so she’d look like she’d been there for ages. As he climbed out, Will looked down at his chest, half expecting to see burn marks from the contact with Izzy’s nipples. He knew he was going to struggle to keep his eyes diverted.

  ‘Not fair. You cheated,’ said Will, lying down beside her on the bank. Don’t look, he kept telling himself.

  ‘Oh, and you didn’t.’ Izzy had just about regained her breath. She glanced at Will. ‘Come on, then – a rematch, with no cheating this time.’

  Together they dived in and swam back to the other side where James was waiting.

  Will climbed out from the muddy water and put his hand out for Izzy who was just behind him. She used his arm to help steady her through the slippery mud.

  After drying herself, Izzy grabbed a packet of Barbecue Shapes from the ute and handed them around before sitting down with her towel wrapped around her. Tom settled in the shade next to her chair. James had his large black Bundy bear towel over his head and shoulders to shield him from the sun. He slightly resembled a nun, Izzy thought to herself.

  Will leant back, putting his hands behind his head and looking relaxed. ‘This is the life. Now, I just need me a beer wench to bring me my icy-cold beer,’ he said, glancing sideways at Izzy. ‘Seeing as there are none around, you’ll have to do, kiddo.’

  ‘Hey, that sounds great. I’ve never had a beer wench before. Can I get one too?’ James chimed in.

  ‘James!’ exclaimed Izzy, acting shocked. ‘See what you’ve done, Will?’ She waved a finger at him. ‘You have corrupted a nice young man. Don’t you go turning him into a butthead like you.’

  James lost it, laughing, and Will just chuckled.

  Izzy watched Will through her sunnies as he chatted away, unaware of her gaze. This bloke, who she’d known her whole life, was now the only mate she really had out here. She was beginning to appreciate his friendship, more than he probably knew. And she wasn’t going to enlighten him either. She just didn’t think Will needed to know how much she’d come to like him and enjoy his company. Besides, his head would probably swell to the size of a large watermelon and ruin his handsome face.

  15

  A SLIGHT breeze started to pick up, moving about the hot air. It was nearly five-thirty in the afternoon and Izzy had just finished welding a bracket for the new bench she’d made for the workshop. She wiped the sweat off her brow with the bottom of her shirt and then bent backwards with her hands on her hips, stretching her aching back. The breeze felt wonderful against her hot skin, even if it was only slight. After washing her hands in an old basin at the side of the shed, she decided it was beer o’clock. It had been a hard day of work, plus it was Friday and she’d earned it. It was hard to believe another week had flown by. James had left town, along with most of the other bin crew, and nearly all the farmers had finished harvest. She’d found plenty of things to do around the farm to keep her busy enough and she hoped her dad would be impressed with her bench.

  ‘What do you think, Tom? She’s a ripper, even if I do say so myself.’ Heading for the beer fridge in the corner of the workshop, she pulled out a six-pack. ‘What say we find some company, eh, boy? Tom had already guessed her intentions and was heading to the ute.

  It didn’t take long for Izzy to get through the back tracks and reach Will’s quaint house. She pulled up next to his ute. Good, he was home. Grabbing the beers, she headed down the rocky path and up to the old veranda
h.

  ‘Oi. What ya doing?’ Will’s voice caught her by surprise.

  ‘Hey, great minds think alike,’ she said as she spotted him sitting on a brown sofa out the front. ‘Want some company?’ The sofa looked as if puppies had chewed on it – the armrests were stripped back to the foam filling and wooden frame. Beside it, a pair of boots sat neatly placed, limp black socks hanging out the top. Will was still in his dirty work clothes, lounging in the seat with a nearly empty beer in his hand.

  ‘Mind if I sit?’ Izzy asked, holding out a beer.

  ‘Sure thing.’ Will took the fresh coldie she offered, which had beads of moisture running down the glass neck. ‘I haven’t seen you around for the whole week, Izzy. Busy running a farm, are you? I’m glad you made time for a beer.’ Will raised his stubbie and smiled.

  Flopping down beside him, Izzy cracked open her own beer. Tom went off sniffing about, frolicking in and out of the scrub bush next to the house, hunting out something long since dead. Izzy took a drink as she idly watched him. ‘Oh, now that feels much better.’ Her body began to relax.

  ‘What have you been up to? You look like you had a fight with a grease gun,’ said Will. He pressed his finger to the marks on her forehead and cheek. ‘It’s a good look, kiddo.’

  Izzy bent over and tried to wipe it off with the bottom of her shirt, then realised that was where the grease had come from in the first place. She gave up caring, leant back and took another swig of her beer. ‘Well, at least you know I’ve been working,’ she said, smiling.

  Will drained the remaining mouthful from his warm beer and cracked open the cold one.

  ‘Cheers,’ they said simultaneously, over the sound of clinking glass.

  ‘Ahh, that’s nice. So what you been doing today?’ Will asked.

  ‘Just servicing the ute and welding up a new workbench for the workshop, plus a few other running repairs. You?’ She stared straight ahead at the view that opened up before them. The evening sun on the wheat stubble made the stalks look golden, and the heat haze blurred the horizon. His place was nestled in such a beautiful spot. He was almost halfway between her house and his parents’ house. She wondered if they ever came over for tea, or how often he went to theirs.

  ‘Yeah, a bit here and there. Not as much as you, by the sound of it. It’s been warm enough.’

  ‘I was nearly gonna give you a ring and see if you wanted to come over for a swim. But by the time I was free, I couldn’t be bothered.’

  ‘Oh gee, thanks,’ Will laughed easily.

  They sat in quiet companionship for a moment, enjoying the tranquillity.

  Will took a mouthful of his beer before speaking. ‘So, you’re a bit of a welder, then? You know, I’m building a new trailer for the diesel tank and I could do with a bit of help from a handy welder.’ He turned expectantly to Izzy and waited for her reply.

  She didn’t need to think about it. ‘Sure,’ she replied enthusiastically. ‘Just give me the nod when you want me.’

  Will raised his eyebrows at her.

  Izzy knew what he was thinking and shook her head. ‘Get your mind out of the gutter,’ she laughed.

  ‘All right. I’ll let you know when I need you,’ said Will. ‘I’m actually taking the weekend off. Well, sort of. Have to go to Perth to pick up a part and thought I’d visit your old man and see how he’s doing. Do you want to catch a ride? It’d be nice to have some company.’

  Izzy scratched her arm before she answered. ‘You know, I might just take you up on that. I talk to Mum nearly every second night but it would be nice to actually see Dad again. His progress is so slow.’ She looked at him seriously. ‘Thanks, Will. I appreciate that. When are you planning to head off?’

  He raised his shoulders in a shrug. ‘Was thinking about seven tomorrow morning. We’ll stay the night at our city flat, if that’s okay with you?’

  ‘Yep. No probs,’ she replied as Tom came padding up to her for a pat. ‘I’ll feed up the animals early and I’ll be waiting. Sorry, Tom. You can’t come this time either,’ she added.

  ‘Tom’s very loyal. I can see how much he loves you.’ Will tapped his knee and Tom moved his chin across to his leg for a pat.

  ‘I don’t know what I’d do without him. He’s been my best mate for a long time. What about you? Do you have a dog?’

  ‘I used to have Tess, a border collie, but she was more of a farm dog, and when I moved into this house two years ago she stayed behind at the folks’ place as they have the big dog yards. I’ve been thinking of getting another dog. It can be lonely here. I just seem to sleep, eat and farm most of the time. Have a few people over for drinks every now and then but I’ve lost touch with most of my old friends.’ A sadness came over Will’s face. ‘There was Shane. You remember him?’

  Izzy nodded.

  ‘His old man died from bowel cancer and he sold the farm and moved to Busselton with his fiancée. His heart just wasn’t in farming, plus Anne was a city girl.’

  ‘Yeah, Mum told me about all that. What a shame. So you’ve been in this house two years, hey? I remember coming home from school and you’d already left. What did you do then, if you don’t mind me asking?’

  Will raised his shoulders as if to say ‘whatever’. ‘I worked from farm to farm and did a few shearing runs. But no matter what I did, I still couldn’t get Claire out of my thoughts. After a year I realised that I’d never forget and that running away wouldn’t help. So I came home, and I’ve been happier for it. Your dad has a lot to do with that.’

  Izzy sat up, her attention fixed. ‘What do you mean?’

  Will leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, both his hands on his beer. ‘Well, I tried to talk to my dad about how I was feeling, even Mum, but they just didn’t get it. I hadn’t told them about the baby either. I didn’t think Mum could have kept it a secret for long, so I couldn’t talk about that. I still haven’t got around to mentioning it now. I don’t really see the point in disappointing them. Mum doesn’t need to know how close she came to having a grandchild, only to lose it. So, anyway, Bill became my sounding board. Don’t get me wrong, Izzy – my folks have been wonderful, letting me wander off to see Bill and lend a hand. They have plenty of help around the farm with Keith, so I’m really only needed during the busy times.’ Keith was their worker and had been on before harvest. He was in his late thirties and a hard worker. He was reliable, trustworthy and came with plenty of brains, which gave Will reassurance when he wasn’t around that things would be getting done.

  ‘Farming’s like that. So many have moved to the coast and only come back every month or so to keep the farm ticking over. I don’t know how they do it,’ said Izzy.

  ‘They probably don’t have sheep for a start. But we’re lucky that there’s plenty of money stashed away.’ Izzy nodded her head in agreement. Brian and Sandy weren’t tight-lipped when it came to their money – they’d tell people how much this ram cost and how much that truck cost. But no one complained because they supported the local sports clubs well with donations. ‘Dad’s not too upset that I’m not around much. He’s told me to go and run Gumlea full time, but I know you’re doing a great job by yourself.’

  ‘Oh, thanks, Will.’ Izzy slapped her hand on his thigh in appreciation. ‘You must take me around Tarramin one day. It’s been ages since I’ve been on your farm. Not since Claire used to dink me on the bike to go find you. I used to love riding around your canola crops and wished Dad would grow some on Gumlea. Some days I used to sneak over and walk into the sea of yellow and dream. I didn’t like the smell much, though.’

  ‘Yeah, canola smells foul, but it’s worth its weight in gold if you get a good crop. I reckon I’ve nearly talked Bill around to trying it soon. Get rid of his bloody Halberd wheat.’

  ‘Oh, come on, Will. Not his trusty Halberd! He loves that variety and it goes the deepest gold when it’s ripe. That’s one variety of wheat I can pick from the road. You know, growing canola is one of my plans for the place. I have th
is whole crop rotation worked out. I used to spend my quiet nights on Rob’s farm planning it all out. I could remember the soil types in each paddock and had selected the varieties of grain I’d grow to suit. I’d planned the fertiliser and the chemicals I’d spray. Right down to the machinery I’d buy first.’

  ‘True? Can I see it one day? It sounds impressive.’ He watched Izzy’s face glow from his comment and couldn’t help but feel a need to kiss her. She looked so adorable and innocent and her enthusiasm was infectious. His eyes were drawn to her lips as she spoke, and it took all his strength to resist.

  ‘I’d like that. One day I hope Dad is as interested.’

  Will glanced at Izzy’s empty beer for a distraction and raised his own. ‘Want another one?’

  ‘You betcha. Cheers.’

  An hour later, six empty stubbies stood upright on the verandah floor.

  Will stretched and then rubbed his belly. ‘Well, I don’t know about you but I’m starving. Did you want to stay for dinner?’

  ‘No, thanks. I’d best be off. Need to get organised for tomorrow before it gets too dark,’ she said, rising from the couch.

  ‘Yeah, it gets dark quickly, doesn’t it,’ said Will, as he reached in behind the door to flick on the verandah light. ‘Thanks for the beers, kiddo. It’s nice to sit and chat to you these days without you looking like you want to bite my head off.’

  Izzy’s cheeks flushed. She still felt terrible about the way she’d treated him.

  ‘It’s okay. I’m only yankin’ ya chain,’ he said.

  ‘Yes, it beats drinking with just Tom. Thanks for the company. I’ll catch you tomorrow at seven.’ Izzy walked down the step and towards the ute, raising her hand in half a wave. ‘C’mon, Tom.’