Rosalee Station

by Magro, Mandy

  ‘Hey! What about me?’ Brad said with a smile, happy that Jack had taken the news so well.

  ‘You’re my left-hand man, then!’ replied Sarah with a giggle.

  Jack turned to Brad, worry creasing his brows. ‘You take care of my little girl out there, Brad.’

  Brad shuffled his feet nervously, Jack’s firm stare putting the wind up him. ‘Of course I will, Mr Clarke. She’ll be my number-one priority.’

  Jack nodded his head. ‘Glad to hear that.’

  Sarah smiled meekly at Brad when he looked in her direction. She couldn’t say a word. Jack was just being a protective father.

  Brad decided to go and find Daniel, and Sarah sat with her mum and dad on the verandah a little while longer. The view of the farm from there was glorious. Sarah was going to miss her home, but her dream was within reach now and nothing was going to stop her from achieving it. She smiled to herself and felt like the luckiest woman in the world.

  Chapter Three

  THE night was warm and a soft breeze blew through the open window of Sarah’s bedroom, cooling her down a fraction. She sat down on the edge of her bed and pulled on her favourite leather boots. She’d bought them over in Nashville and kept them for special occasions; tonight was definitely one of them.

  She gave herself the once-over in the mirror and was content with what she saw. She’d even put on a bit of make-up. She was normally an au naturel girl but tonight she wanted to make a bit more of an effort. Her jeans hugged her lean curves and her red top showed a hint of cleavage. Her blonde hair was out in full force, with disorganised curls framing her face. Sarah never had to blow-dry her hair - she just tipped her head upside down, threw in some mousse, scrunched, flicked her head back, and the curls fell about in wild abandonment.

  Sarah thought back to last year when she and Lily flew over to Las Vegas for the massive Professional Bull Riders event at the Mandalay Bay Hotel. Sarah was so excited about going that she had barely slept a wink for the three nights before her flight. It was eye-popping to see the extremes the organisers went to, endeavouring to create the perfect scene inside the luxurious hotel. They moved in hundreds of tonnes of dirt to fill the auditorium and the show they put on was one Sarah and Lily would never forget. There was a big tribute to the late Chris LeDoux before the beginning of the first day of events, and Sarah had to wipe tears from her eyes as she watched. Chris LeDoux had been a champion bull rider himself and an awesome country music legend. Her Land Cruiser bumper proudly wore a sticker she had bought from the PBR that read Save a horse, ride a cowboy! in honour of the fantastic song by Big & Rich.

  Sarah heard a noise and turned to see Lily come running into her bedroom with her arms outstretched, ready for a hug. ‘Happy birthday, lovely! I’m so excited about tonight. We’re going to have a ball!’

  Sarah stood on her toes to give Lily a welcoming hug and kiss. Lily was nearly six feet tall, with long dark hair, a body most women would kill for and a smile that made even the most confident of men stutter. She had petite features with caramel-brown eyes, and she knew how to work them to get what she wanted. Lily’s favourite line to over-eager men was ‘Good cowgirls keep their calves together.’ He’d have to be one hell of a special guy to win Lily Wright’s heart, that was for sure.

  Earlier that afternoon Daniel had casually asked Sarah if Lily was coming along tonight. Sarah knew from the way he acted around Lily that he had liked her for years now, but Lily had never really showed much of an interest in him in that way. She seemed to treat him more like a brother than a lover. Sarah thought it best to keep out of it, not wanting to ruin any friendships if things went pear-shaped between Lily and Daniel.

  Very occasionally Sarah would notice a little glint in Lily’s eyes when she was talking about Daniel but it always vanished just as fast as it had arrived. Lily had never spoken to Sarah about Daniel in any other way other than as a mate but Sarah knew her best friend, and she was sure Lily liked Daniel just as much as Daniel liked her. Sarah secretly hoped Daniel would get over his nerves and ask Lily out one of these days. She reckoned Lily would surprise herself by saying yes.

  You had to hand it to her, though. Lily played hard to get and was no easy catch for any man, even if she was interested.

  ‘So how are ya? What’s happening? Where’s Brad?’ Lily asked. Sarah laughed. Lily was so keyed up about tonight she was beside herself.

  ‘He’s already headed over to the rodeo grounds with Daniel. He thought Danny boy might need some support out the back of the chutes. I think they all just wanted a bit of guy time to celebrate without us girls.’

  ‘Fantastic! That means we can have some girl time! So, how’s your day been, birthday girl?’ Lily asked as she sat down on the end of Sarah’s bed.

  ‘I have so much to tell you!’ Sarah shrieked, radiating happiness. ‘I just don’t know what to tell you first. It’s been such an amazing day. The family and Brad all put in and bought me a horse for my birthday. He’s a gorgeous gelding with such a nice nature. I took him for a ride today and he rode beautifully. I know we’re gonna be the best of mates. I’ll be taking him on my big adventure out to the station.’ Sarah deliberately threw in the last sentence, not knowing how else to tell her best mate that she’d be leaving Mareeba in a week’s time.

  ‘Whoa. Wait a second. What station?’ Confusion was written all over Lily’s face.

  Sarah looked down at the floor, not wanting to meet Lily’s eyes. ‘Brad’s offered me a job out on Rosalee as station cook. I’d be crazy not to go. You know it’s always been my dream – and now I have my chance. I’ll miss you though, Lily,’ Sarah said sadly, finally looking up at Lily.

  ‘Wow. You have had an interesting day, my friend. Of course you should go to the station. I’m going to miss you, though. Heaps! You’re my bestest buddy, Sarah! I’m gonna be lost here in Mareeba without you.’

  ‘Nah, it’s not like I’m moving to another country, and I’ll only be gone for four months, I reckon. You won’t even have time to miss me before I’m back, annoying the crap out of ya!’ Sarah said, relieved Lily had taken it so well. ‘Let’s hit the road – I’m dying for a drink. We’ll catch a lift with Mum and Dad so we can have a few and not worry about parking. I’m not going to leave my Cruiser at the rodeo after what happened last year. Cost me 500 bucks to fix the dint in the back after that moron reversed into it.’

  Sarah loved her Toyota Land Cruiser. It basically ran on the smell of an oily rag. She’d bought it for a steal off one of her granddad’s mates down the local pub. She and her granddad had spent hours working on it, and even though that was six years ago now, Sarah couldn’t begin to think of parting with it after all the blood, sweat and tears her granddad had put into it.

  The girls headed down the stairs chattering breathlessly about the day’s events, both giving Harry a quick scratch on the way past. He purred in delight. ‘Wish I was a cat sometimes,’ Lily said, laughing.

  The rodeo grounds were jam-packed. To see so much life in such a quiet country town was brilliant. It gave Sarah a buzz just being there. Jack drove into the carpark and the girls giggled in the back seat as a man with the belly the size of a wine barrel directed them, with the seriousness of a doctor about to embark on a life-saving procedure, to the next parking space. He then shoved a mouthful of a sausage roll in his mouth and smiled to Maggie and Jack in the front, his teeth showing bits of pastry as he casually tried to pull his jeans up at the same time.

  ‘Gee whiz. He’s a charmer!’ Lily said, laughing. They all chuckled along with her.

  Sarah and Lily were itching to get over to the back of the chutes. The area was always pumping with testosterone-fuelled men, bulls and dust, with the smell of horses, cattle and leather wafting in the air. Only hardcore men could handle bull riding and their sex appeal was undeniable. The back of the chutes was a country girl’s fantasy made into reality.

  Sarah loved watching bull riding, whether on the telly or live in the centre ring, where you could
practically smell the anticipation of the crowd. She had seen her share of bad injuries over the years too, which the riders took in their stride, all of them knowing full well the dangers.

  ‘Thanks for the lift, Dad. We’re going to grab some tucker before going over to see how the guys are doing, so I’ll catch you and Mum a bit later,’ Sarah said as she and Lily took off in the direction of the goings-on before Jack or Maggie had time to answer them. Even from the edges of the car park Sarah could hear the announcer’s booming, elated voice, with a country twang, letting the spectators know what events were coming up. The girls stopped at the main entrance to check out the last of the Beaut Ute Muster. The judges were picking out the Best Feral Ute, and Sarah and Lily had to have a laugh at the owner’s expense when they saw the state of the winning ute. It was a mass of dings and dents from past bush bashing, with a stub where the antennae used to be, stickers from every rodeo and B&S imaginable, a patchwork of panel colours from previous repairs, a bull bar that had seen better days and the remnants of mud from at least a decade of filth. The girls watched as the winner took his trophy before they hurried on to the chutes.

  Sarah felt exhilarated as she and Lily wandered through the sideshow alley on the way to the chutes. Their conversation was drowned out by the screams of adrenaline junkies being thrown about in the air by the huge mechanical arms of the rides. Others were crashing about like loonies in the dodgem cars, with country music pumping out of speakers at ten thousand decibels. It always amazed Sarah how much people put their trust into the safety of the topsy-turvy rides. She honestly would rather get on the back of a bull.

  Sarah felt her belly rumble and her mouth water as the smells of the rodeo food wafted in the air, teasing her tastebuds. There were stuffed potatoes, pizzas, massive ribs drenched in thick syrupy sauces, burgers, hot chips, fairy floss, dagwood dogs, waffles filled with fresh cream, pancakes draped in generous lashings of cream and strawberries, and even a stall advertising deep-fried cheesecake. Sarah loved cheesecake but she thought the deep-fried bit was going overboard. Only one way to find out, she told herself, making a mental note to get a piece later on.

  ‘Hey, Sarah, I have to grab a dagwood dog on the way past. I can never come to a rodeo and not tuck into one. Do you want one, mate?’ Lily asked.

  ‘Yeah, count me in. Make sure you get heaps of dead horse on it for me.’

  ‘That’s the best way to eat them, hey, dripping in tomato sauce! I’ll be back in two secs,’ Lily said, dashing off.

  Sarah stood off to the side to wait for Lily, watching the enormous crowds wandering about. The action in the centre ring caught her eye, and she walked over to see what was going on. The grandstands were packed to the brim with people young and old, their eyes glued to the action. The steer-wrestling was sending oohs and ahhs soaring from the spectators’ lips. Sarah liked the name ‘bulldogging’ better than steer-wrestling; it had a rebellious ring to it, signifying the strength and guts it took to be part of the sport. As Sarah watched, a horse-mounted rider pursued a steer before diving from the horse and landing in the perfect position to wrestle the steer to the dusty ground by its horns. It was all over in less than ten seconds. The announcer’s voice dominated the loudspeakers once again, advising of a quick dinner break as the water truck came out to hose down the grounds before the bull-riding competition. The people who were regulars at the rodeo took cover as the jets at the back of the truck showered them with water, a commonplace lark on the part of the driver. The poor buggers who were new to the Mareeba Rodeo got an uninvited light hose-down, creating echoing laughter in the stands.

  ‘Sarah Clarke!’ Sarah heard someone yell. She looked around and saw Johnny Marsh’s big round face coming in her direction. He was swaying slightly – probably from the amount of alcohol he had already thrown back at the bar.

  ‘Hey, Johnny. How are ya, mate?’ Sarah asked, smiling at her fellow workmate, the paddock manager of the farm.

  ‘I’m well on the way to being as crissed as a picket, but enjoying every second of the journey, my friend!’ Johnny said with a slight slur, his face glowing a shade of red.

  ‘There are still a lot of hours left to party tonight, and I wanna have a birthday drink with you later on so pace yourself, mate. Otherwise you might find yourself in the same predicament as last year – asleep near the campfire by eight o’clock with no eyebrows and bright-red lipstick all over your face!’ Sarah grinned as she remembered. She had nearly wet herself from laughing when Johnny had walked into the bar for breakfast the next morning, unaware of what a fright he looked. Thank God Johnny had a great sense of humour.

  ‘Oh, don’t remind me,’ he smirked, stumbling slightly to the left, then to the right, trying his hardest to stand still in a poor attempt to act sober. Sarah giggled at his antics. He tapped his head as he spoke again. ‘But don’t you worry your pretty little head ’bout me, mate. I’ll be there with bells on later to have a drink and a boogie with you. The band is going to be awesome. Wish Dan luck for me, hey? I heard he’s drawn Devil’s Grin. I reckon he’s gonna need all the luck he can, riding that crazyarsed beast.’ Johnny chuckled as he wandered off towards the bar area, unaware of the effect his words were having on Sarah. ‘I’ll catch you later on, mate!’ he called over his shoulder.

  Sarah couldn’t answer him. Daniel had more balls than a game of Keno when it came to riding bulls, but with Devil’s Grin that didn’t make a bit of difference.

  Lily arrived with two dagwood dogs dripping a sea of tomato sauce.

  ‘Here, Sarah, grab yours, would ya? I told the lady we wanted heaps of sauce and she’s deliberately put half a bloody bottle on, I reckon.’ Lily was too busy cleaning the sauce off her hands and arms to notice the look of shock on Sarah’s face.

  ‘Shit, Lily,’ Sarah said. ‘Daniel’s drawn Devil’s Grin!’

  ‘Don’t stress, sis,’ Daniel said, looking surprisingly calm. ‘I’m gonna be the first one to show that bull who the bloody boss is. You wait and see. I reckon I’ll give Devil’s Grin a good run for his money.’

  ‘That’s the spirit, Dan!’ Lily said as she slapped him on the back.

  Before Sarah could put her two bob in she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around to see her old mate Greg, his Johnny Cash smile on his face. He always reminded her of the Man in Black – same age, same looks. Sarah loved Johnny Cash. No, more than that – he was her country music god.

  Greg put his arm around Sarah’s shoulder.

  ‘Blondie, how are ya, mate? Brad’s told me that you’re off to Rosalee to be the cook. Good on ya, girl! I know Matt, the owner’s son out there – I buy stud bulls off him occasionally.

  They’re a top family, and from what I’ve heard, great to work for. I might see ya out there at some point.’

  ‘Good to see ya, Greg. It’s been a while, hey!’ Sarah said, giving him a huge smile. ‘Yeah, I can’t wait to get out there. I’ll woo them all with my fine country cooking. It’ll be great to get my butt in the saddle too and learn the ropes of mustering.’

  ‘You watch those boys out there, Sarah. They don’t see fine young women like you in their parts very much. Brad’ll have a bloody fight on his hands if he’s not careful.’ Greg had always been extra protective of Sarah, and she took it as a wonderful compliment that her mate cared about her so much.

  ‘Don’t worry, mate. I can look out for myself. I’m going next week, so that leaves me seven days, give or take, to get everything wound up here,’ said Sarah. ‘I got a beautiful chestnut stock horse for my birthday today, and I reckon I’ll take him too. He used to muster so he’ll be right at home on the station.’

  ‘Oh shit, I nearly forgot it was your birthday – blame the old age! Happy birthday, sweetheart. We’ll have to have a drink later.’ Greg gave Sarah a kiss on the cheek, then turned to open a gate, wiping his dusty hands on his threadbare jeans. ‘Glad to hear you’re happy with the new horse after losing Ned. He would’ve been a hard one to replace. You know me though; I�
�m more a cattle man myself. I reckon you never really know what a horse is thinking. At least with a bull you know what’s on his mind: getting your sorry arse if he’s in a bad mood and you’re in his way!’

  Greg started to push a few of the bulls along in the yards. One of the bulls thought twice about moving, but as soon as he saw Greg stomping towards him he changed his mind. Greg’s bulls had a respect for him that not many people could earn. It was a testament to how well he treated his animals. All the people who rallied against bull riding probably didn’t have a clue about how the animals were treated. If it wasn’t for men like Greg, most of the bulls used for rodeos would have their lives cut short at the meatworks.

  Sarah laughed. ‘You bloody galah, Greg! I’ll hold you to that drink. I might even be able to get you drunk enough to have a dance with me.’

  ‘I’ll embarrass you if I get out on the dance floor with you! I think I’m better off watching from the sidelines. Apparently I dance a bit like a drunken spider.’

  ‘Oh, come on now, Greg. I don’t believe that for a second. With a face like Johnny Cash, you gotta be able to dance.’

  Greg smiled shyly, blushing at Sarah’s comment. ‘Yeah, well, we’ll see. I gotta get going and get some work done here, or there’ll be no bulls for the riders to put their arses on.’

  ‘Rightio, Greg. Hey, before you run off, have you seen Brad about?’

  ‘Yeah, he’ll be back in a minute or two. He just went to grab us all some grub. I haven’t eaten a thing all day and I’m that hungry I could eat the – well, you know. I shouldn’t speak badly in front of a lady.’

  ‘I think I’ve heard it all before. You should know that by now, Greg. Can you let Brad know that Lily and I’ve gone to the grandstands to watch Daniel ride?’

  ‘No worries, mate.’ Greg’s reply was almost swallowed up by a cloud of red dust as the bulls kicked up a storm.