Family Farm

by Palmer, Fiona

  ‘Keep ya tits on. What I mean is you don’t grow up that close to someone and not notice things. I think you’ll find she won’t be shocked. I mean, you’ve been living together for a while now. She would put things together.’ Izzy could tell he was worried. ‘Just carry on as normal and when you feel the time is right, sit down and have a chat with her.’

  ‘What if she hasn’t guessed and she goes ape shit?’

  Izzy smiled. ‘What if she doesn’t? All I can say is be thankful you still have a sister.’

  Blake smiled and rested his hand on her shoulder fondly. ‘You know it’s strange talking about it here. In Perth it doesn’t bother me, but out here … it’s like I’m in a different world. I feel like I have two lives, like I’m two different people.’

  ‘And that’s not going to change until you can start combining the two.’ Izzy wiped the sweat from her forehead. ‘Come on. Let’s get these points changed. I don’t want to be in the bad books with the boss.’

  Blake laughed. ‘Yeah, well, I don’t want to get too much done, just in case he expects it to be like this all the time.’

  ‘Slack arse!’

  By late afternoon, the sun was sinking fast, causing long grey shadows to crawl along the land and off the nearby sheds. A cool breeze picked up, bringing with it the soft rustle of the gum leaves and the flapping of loose tin on the old shed next door.

  When Alan brought the truck back, the five-in-one bin sat parked in its spot. He came and stood by Izzy, who’d been working on it. His large hands rested on his hips.

  ‘What are you doing, and where’s the tractor … and Blake for that matter?’ Alan asked rather gruffly.

  Izzy smiled, grease smudged on her brow and all over her hands. ‘He’s taken it down to the bottom paddock, ready for tomorrow.’ She felt like laughing at the look on his face. ‘We ended up having to change most of the points. He told me this motor had been playing up, so I said I’d take a look at it while he made a start in the paddock.’

  ‘Oh.’

  Izzy pointed her greasy finger at the outdated motor. ‘I think I found the problem. I replaced a seal and cleaned it. I’ve just about got it back together to see how it goes.’

  Alan watched her quietly as she went about putting the small motor back together. He didn’t miss anything. He could tell from her technique that this wasn’t her first time working on motors. She held a screwdriver with precision and instinctively reached for the right parts without looking. Alan hadn’t seen a girl so keen or so knowledgeable. He knew of girls who liked to help move sheep and drive a tractor every now and then, but he could tell Izzy was well beyond that. He smiled, thinking what a handy wife she’d make for Blake. She could have kids and drive the header.

  Putting down the spanner, Izzy wiped her hands on a rag and gave the rope a pull. The motor screamed into life, then soon settled down to a constant, normal rhythmic thudding. Izzy raised her eyebrows at Alan as if asking him what he thought.

  ‘Music to my ears,’ he shouted over the motor.

  Izzy turned it off and began to put away the tools she’d used.

  ‘Izzy.’ When he had her full attention, he continued, ‘The job’s yours.’ He saw the puzzled look on her face and laughed. ‘I know the week’s not up – hell, the day’s not even up – but you’ve shown more nous than half the blokes I’ve had working for me over the years. And I want to apologise because it wasn’t fair putting you on a trial. I’m man enough to admit that I didn’t think a girl would be capable. So, I’m sorry.’ Alan held out his hand.

  Izzy grinned and shook it. ‘Thank you. I appreciate it.’

  ‘I’m just bloody impressed with what you’ve achieved today. You might give Blake something to aspire to, and I might actually get some work done around here!’

  Izzy laughed as she watched Alan head to his truck.

  Turning back, he yelled out, ‘There’s a beer fridge near the table. Help yourself before you head home. I’ll see you in the morning.’

  With a quick wave he left, leaving Izzy in high spirits. Grabbing a beer, she made her way back to Blake’s place. As she walked, she breathed in the fresh evening air that swirled around her. Galahs squawked overhead in the trees and a bunch of them eating spilt grain nearby flew away. Despite feeling so happy, there was still a deep longing to be home on her own land, and closer to Will.

  29

  THE rest of the week flew by as Izzy got used to the MacDougalls’ routines and machinery. By Saturday night, she was ready to have a good time.

  ‘Simone, get out of the bathroom. We need to use it too.’ Blake banged on the door once again.

  ‘Yeah, all right. Hold ya flippin’ horses,’ came her reply.

  A minute later Simone opened the door, her hair neatly styled up on top of her head and her face glowing with fresh make-up. ‘He’s just as bad as I am,’ she said as she walked to her bedroom, passing Izzy on the way. ‘God knows why a bloke needs to take so long.’

  Izzy laughed. Watching their banter made her wonder what life would be like if she still had her sister around.

  Simone popped her head back out of her room. ‘Are you getting ready?’ she asked, scrutinising what Izzy was wearing.

  She ran a hand over her jeans and pulled some fluff off her long-sleeved fitted shirt. ‘I am ready. I’ll have you know these are my good jeans.’ She saw the disapproval in Simone’s eyes. ‘What’s it matter anyway? It’ll be that bloody cold we’ll all end up with jackets on!’

  ‘You’re all class, Izzy. Me – well, I’m out to impress.’ Simone strutted out of her room wearing tight jeans and a gorgeous silver top with thin straps.

  ‘So, is this for anyone in particular?’

  Simone shook her head far too quickly. ‘No, it’s just in case. You never know when Mr Right might pop up.’ With flushed cheeks she disappeared into her room again.

  Izzy had been ready for a while. She’d been looking forward to the party all week. It was a great way to meet some of the locals and to help her forget things for the night.

  Blake came waltzing out of the bathroom looking very handsome in jeans and a white open-necked shirt.

  Izzy joined him in the small lounge room and sat down in an old rocker recliner with worn brown vinyl armrests.

  Blake stood in front of her while he did up his cuffs. ‘You know, Dad can’t stop praising you and talking about how quickly you found that oil leak yesterday. He reckons you saved a shitload of hydraulic oil. Not to mention the damage it could have done.’

  Izzy shrugged as she rocked gently. ‘It’s not that big a deal.’

  ‘He doesn’t think so. If you keep this up, he’ll end up turfing me off the farm and handing it to you.’

  ‘Yeah well, I like your dad. At least he acknowledges me and what I can do. It’s more than I can say for my old man. Maybe we could swap farms. I’ll work here and you can go help my dad.’ Izzy thought of Bill and pictured him back at Gumlea stuck in his wheelchair, gazing helplessly out the window. ‘I wonder how he’s coping. Will must be helping him, unless he’s hired a worker.’ Izzy’s voice faded away.

  Blake squatted down, put his hands on her knees, and waited until she stopped rocking. ‘If you’re worried about him or the farm, why don’t you give him a call, or your mum? She must be beside herself wondering where you are.’

  Izzy shook her head defiantly. ‘No, no, no. It’s too soon. I don’t want him to know how much I miss the place or how much he hurt me.’

  ‘Sure. But why not call Will then?’ Blake said, giving her a devious smile.

  ‘No! How could I call him? I wouldn’t know what to say.’

  ‘Well, maybe you should think about it.’ Blake stood up and held out his hand. ‘Come on. Let’s go. If Simo’s not ready by now, we’ll just leave without her.’

  Simone yelled from her bedroom. ‘I heard that. I’m just getting my jacket.’

  Blake picked up the large esky full of drinks and headed to the door with Izzy, who paused to
grab her jacket from the kitchen bench.

  Simone heard the front door slam and came running from her room. ‘Wait. I’m comin’, I’m comin’.’

  Blake got into his Hilux and started it up as Izzy and Simone both squished into the passenger seat. They sat in silence, all deep in thought.

  Darkness had fallen early and it brought with it cold, moist air and the smell of freshly turned dirt from the paddock next to the house. Izzy loved that about seeding time – driving the tractor through the night, stopping for a break and being engulfed with the smell of the earth. It was a heavenly scent, one of nature’s purest, and she always felt grateful to experience it. People in the city missed out on so much. The smells from restaurants and takeaway shops and pollution would never have that effect on her.

  Blake interrupted her train of thought. ‘I can’t wait to introduce you to Mickey, Izzy. He’s a top bloke and I know you’ll like him. Then there’s the rest of the guys from town, not to mention Mickey’s brother Jacko.’

  ‘You’ll like Mickey. He’s the oldest of four – two sisters and Jacko,’ Simone added. ‘He’s down to earth, like you.’

  Izzy could see the red glow of the bonfire as they followed the narrow gravel road into the farm. They swung past the farmhouse and headed towards a clearing in front of one of their machinery sheds. Light danced off the tin shed, which helped illuminate the area. Utes were parked around the bonfire a safe distance away, and dark shadowed bodies stood before the red arching flames. Izzy reckoned there were about twenty people or more.

  ‘That’s a ripper bonfire. They must’ve been stockpiling it for ages,’ Simone said, bouncing on her seat.

  Blake parked and they climbed out and headed to the fire with stubbies in hand.

  Smoke was thick in the air. A couple of large gum trees near the shed towered over them. They gave the feeling that something was watching, lurking in the dark. Izzy watched the flames rise up and paused for a moment, transfixed by the twirling smoke.

  ‘What’s up?’ Simone asked, when she noticed Izzy had stopped walking.

  ‘Izzy?’ Blake rested his hand on her shoulder. ‘You okay?’

  ‘What’s the problem?’ asked Simone.

  Assuming Izzy was remembering the header fire, Blake told Simone about Bill’s accident, and saw Simone’s eyes bulge in shock. ‘He’s okay, but still badly burnt,’ he explained.

  ‘Will you be all right?’ Simone asked Izzy tenderly.

  ‘Thanks, I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me.’ She didn’t want to tell them that she hadn’t been thinking of her dad. Instead she’d been remembering the sight of Will’s face through the flames at the bin party night. The events of that night had been the first telltale sign she had feelings for Will, not that she’d admitted it then. But that kiss had been something else. Her knees had lost all strength and her body had quivered. She’d been trying to savour the picture of him while it was still clear. With the memory lost, Izzy asked, ‘Did anyone think to bring marshmallows?’

  Blake laughed. ‘No. Simo would have just eaten them all.’

  ‘Hey, Macca, Simo. Over here,’ someone shouted from over by the fire.

  Blake and Simone grabbed an arm each and led Izzy over. ‘Come on. That’s Mickey.’

  They approached a well-built man who was a fraction shorter than Izzy. He wore a blue beanie and had short black stubble across his narrow jaw. His black pearl eyes reflected the red flames dancing in front of him.

  ‘Mickey, this is Izzy, our new recruit,’ Blake said.

  Izzy held out her hand. ‘Nice to meet you, Mickey. I’ve heard a lot about you.’

  Mickey laughed. ‘Good things, I hope. One never knows with Blake. Simo I’d probably trust.’

  ‘What do you mean probably?’ Simone asked defensively.

  Mickey gave her a cheeky smile before introducing Izzy to one of his sisters, Julie, who was short and solid and had a smile that made you want to hug her, and his brother, Jacko. Jacko was stocky and strong, like a roo dog – all solid and muscle.

  ‘Gee, is the whole football club here too?’ Blake asked.

  Mickey shrugged. ‘Who knows? Jules did most of the ringing around. I’m just here to make sure things don’t get out of hand.’

  Talk soon turned to the weather and farming, Izzy’s favourite topics of conversation. She instantly liked Mickey. The way he greeted her as an equal and spoke to her about farming instead of assuming she wouldn’t be interested. His eye contact was strong but kind. Simone was right – he seemed much older than twenty-five. Blake was the same age and appeared younger by comparison.

  ‘So, Izzy, what do you think about GM crops? Are you for or against?’ asked Mickey, shooting a question straight at her.

  ‘Personally, I’m against genetically modified anything. Yes, it has its bonuses, like herbicide-resistant plants and crops, but I just can’t get past the fact that you’re messing with Mother Nature. It’s like playing God. Who knows what outcomes or side effects there will be that can’t be foreseen.’ Mickey scratched his forehead, moving his beanie back and forth as he listened intently. ‘Why? What’s your take?’

  Mickey smiled. ‘I’m totally with you on this one. I know there have been trials of GM canola in Victoria and New South Wales, but I don’t want it on my farm or even in WA.’

  Jacko stood next to his brother and nodded his head. His shoulders resembled a length of four by two but the smile on his face was that of a cheeky twenty-year-old. ‘Farming’s turning to shit, unless you’ve got the big bucks to make it work. And there’s not many of us that well-off. I think I’ll stick to shearing,’ said Jacko.

  ‘If you like having your feet stuck up sheep arses and standing in their shit all day, then good for you, Jacko.’ Blake raised his beer in a salute. ‘Someone’s gotta breed the sheep for you to shear and it might as well be me.’

  ‘Good to know you’ll keep me in work, MacDougall,’ Jacko added cheekily. Izzy noticed Simone yawn before sculling her drink.

  The temperature began to drop and everyone gradually moved closer to the fire. People were wrapped in bulky jackets and beanies, with one hand holding their drink and the other hovering towards the heat.

  Simone had wandered off, bored of farm talk, and made her way around the fire catching up with friends. Blake and Izzy just stayed in the one spot, warming rotisserie-style by the flames.

  Blake had his arm around Izzy’s shoulder. It worked wonders in keeping the girls away, especially Kelly – plus it had the added advantage of keeping them warm. Blake was telling Izzy what a special friend Mickey had always been to him. His breath turned to fog in the cold night air. ‘There was this one time when Dad got a new ute and I wasn’t allowed to drive it. I was only ten at the time. Anyway, Dad was away so I took it for a test drive to check the sheep. I ended up getting bogged and it was Mickey who borrowed his dad’s ute to help. It took us half the day to get it out and to clean the mud off. We laughed about it for ages. Mickey’s always been the one bailing me out of trouble. He has a strong right hook too.’

  Izzy studied Blake’s attractive face closely. His eyebrows were full but not too bushy, and his jaw was strong with a faint dimple in his chin. Looking at his strong features made her want to touch his face and run her hand through his perfect soft hair. ‘Yeah, I liked him straight off,’ Izzy said, then paused in thought for a second, wondering if she dared ask the question on her mind. She decided to bite the bullet. ‘Have you ever liked him as more than a mate?’ she asked curiously. Mickey was good-looking and obviously a really popular guy.

  Blake looked into Izzy’s eyes. ‘I can’t believe how well you read me,’ he said, then continued slowly. ‘I did, long ago. There was a time when I found it hard to be around him, when I’d get insanely jealous of the girls who liked him. But I soon figured out that I had to get over it. The hardest thing was keeping it a secret. It took a lot of effort, let me tell you.’

  The light from the fire flickered over his face. Izzy could
only guess how difficult it must have been for him, especially with no one to share his feelings with. She leaned in and gave him a hug. Resting her head on his shoulder, she couldn’t help but feel tormented. Having a firm, male body to hold made her think of Will and how much she longed for his touch.

  ‘Hey, you two, get a room,’ shouted Jacko as he staggered towards them.

  ‘Piss off,’ said Blake, laughing.

  Jacko, unlike his brother, was a real shit-stirrer. He had the same black eyes and dark hair as Mickey, but a devilish look to his face.

  ‘So, what’s it like working for Blake?’ Jacko asked Izzy, curiously.

  Izzy smiled. ‘Great. I can’t wait to learn some more about the stud, though.’

  Jacko looked at her oddly, then back at Blake. ‘That’s one weird chick you found, mate, but I bet she looks better in a work singlet than you do. If you get sick of working with Macca, you can always come and work for us.’

  Blake looked at him sternly, then tried to change the subject. ‘Our Jacko’s a bit of a gun shearer, when he’s not out pissing his talent away.’

  ‘Hey, I’m still young and I’m enjoying it while I can. So, Izzy, if you want a real good time, you just call me. I’m right down the road.’

  Blake put his hand on Jacko’s chest and pushed him backwards gently. ‘Piss off. This one’s mine,’ he said, trying to sound tough without laughing. Jacko gave them a thumbs up and headed over to a crowd of young girls.

  Izzy just smiled and shook her head.

  The night went quickly. The black sky was twinkling with stars and the moon was only a sliver. The air had cooled and become crisper. Even the fire had died down, and you could see over to the other side.

  ‘Yo, bro. Hooow’s it haaanging?’ slurred Simone as she tottered up to them.

  ‘Simo, you look plastered. How ’bout you take it easy?’ said Blake, shaking his head.

  Simone saluted. ‘Suuurre thing, boss.’ She tried to give him a wink but it looked more like she was constipated.

  ‘Hey, Mickey. I’ve got a booone to pick with yooou,’ she yelled out before heading off in his direction.