Down Outback Roads

by Alissa Callen

  Ewan stripped down to his boxers and dived into the pool. The autumn chill of the water numbed him. He’d swim until all he could feel was the desperate need for another breath and the burn of his taxed muscles. He came up for air. Tish stood on the sandstone pool edge, a white nightdress on, her hands on her hips and determination in her eyes.

  ‘Okay, you. Out. No more swimming.’

  Ewan blinked. He’d never known Tish to be so cross or so stern. She always stayed calm, even when three-year-old Braye had repainted his bedroom door forest-green.

  ‘Tish, what’s going on?’ he asked as he climbed out of the pool and wiped his face with the towel hanging on the fence before wrapping it around his waist.

  ‘I’m not standing by while you swim yourself into a shadow again.’

  ‘I’m fine.’

  ‘No, you’re not.’ Tish’s voice rose. ‘You’re missing Kree, and she hasn’t even left yet.’

  ‘Tish –’

  ‘All that talk tonight about Kree’s old west collection and her returning home and you just copped it on your stubborn chin. You’re not going to ask her to stay, are you?’ Tears shone in Tish’s eyes. ‘I can’t let Fergus wreck any more lives.’ She moved to the poolside table under the sensor light and sat in the closest chair as though her legs wouldn’t support her anymore. ‘Come, sit with me, I’ve something to tell you.’

  Ewan did as she asked. Unease pressed in on him like the night’s cold air.

  She pushed her fair hair off her face and drew a deep breath. ‘Have you ever wondered why Fergus was so adamant he had to go to town that night?’

  ‘He wanted to drink with his mates.’

  ‘Exactly.’ She hesitated. ‘But it wasn’t only his mates he’d meet in there.’

  Ewan’s sleep-deprived brain struggled to follow the bread-crumb trail Tish left. ‘Was it out-of-towners? I know he liked to think of himself as a bit of a bad boy. Please tell me he wasn’t involved in stock or fuel theft?’

  ‘No. He wasn’t.’ Despite her affirmation, Tish’s voice remained small.

  ‘Okay. So who did he meet?’

  ‘It was just … one person. And it was a … she.’

  ‘Bloody hell.’ Shock held him still and then he covered Tish’s unsteady hand with his own. ‘I’m so sorry.’

  ‘I told him that night we were over. He didn’t believe me. He said he’d break it off with the girl in town and everything would be like it was when we were first married.’ Sadness turned the corners of her mouth down. ‘He’d said that before.’

  ‘God, Tish, I had no idea any of this was going on.’

  ‘I hid it well. At first I blamed myself for the affair. I thought I hadn’t been a good enough wife, that I’d neglected him because of the boys. But you know what? I’ve realised everyone has a choice and it was his choice to betray us. Just like it was his decision to go to town and get drunk that night. He could have driven himself in, broken off the affair, and come home.’ She placed her hand on top of his hand, which still covered hers. ‘But he didn’t and he dragged you into his mess, even though you didn’t know it.’

  ‘He loved you, Tish. His last words, when I pulled him from the ute wreck, were to look after you and the boys.’

  Tish’s lids flittered as she blinked back tears. ‘I know that’s what he said. That’s one of the reasons I haven’t ever mentioned the affair. I didn’t want to tarnish your memory of him.’

  Tish slipped her hands from his and twisted them into a tight ball in her lap.

  ‘Tish,’ Ewan said gently. ‘What was the other reason you didn’t tell me?

  Tish closed her eyes.

  ‘What other lives did he wreck?’ Ewan continued. ‘The girl who he was seeing?’

  Tish slowly nodded.

  ‘She must be a local.’

  Another nod.

  Ewan thought hard. Everybody knew everyone else’s business in Glenalla, so Fergus would have had to come into contact with the woman on a regular basis in a normal setting to not arouse suspicion. He didn’t visit the grocery store, or the vet, or the old coffee shop, the only place he ever went in town was the … pub.

  His breathing stalled.

  ‘Hell. Not Jordy? It couldn’t have been Bill’s Jordy?’

  Tish’s eyes remained closed but the tremble of her pale lips gave him his answer.

  Ewan’s gut churned. No wonder Tish and Jordy avoided each other. No wonder Bill wasn’t a Fergus fan. Ewan’s hands gripped the hard edge of the table.

  ‘Mikey,’ he said, his voice a pained rasp. ‘Is Mikey Fergus’s son?’

  Tish’s green eyes opened and he saw unmitigated despair. ‘He is. The timing was right but I wasn’t sure because of the red hair, but when you see the boys together, the resemblance is unmistakable.’

  ‘Just as well Fergus isn’t here right now because –’ Ewan stopped as words failed him. His spoilt and self-absorbed brother had left behind a trail of destruction inconceivable in its enormity.

  ‘And I drove him in that night,’ Ewan finally managed through gritted teeth.

  Tish nodded but stayed silent.

  ‘Mikey’s growing up without a dad. Jordy and Bill are working around-the-clock to make ends meet and to provide a future for him.’

  ‘I know. Be angry. Let out your grief. Put your guilt to rest. You didn’t rob Fergus of life, his death was an accident, but he’s robbed you of yours. And still is.’ Her hands unclasped to take hold of his. ‘Live the life a decent man like you deserves. Don’t let Fergus and his selfish choices wreck your chance for happiness. Don’t let Kree leave without telling her what she means to you. Love Kree, Ewan. Let her in.’

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  Ewan awoke to the warbling of a magpie and a single thought. There was something he could do for Kree in return for all she’d done for himself and his family. He could tell her the truth.

  What had he been thinking, wanting there to be no promises to break between them? No promises didn’t guarantee no hurt. The time for damage control and indulging his guilt was over. He needed to tell her he loved her, even if he ended up having his heart broken, and even if she still ended up on a plane to Colorado. He had to heed Tish’s desperate words. He had to let Kree in.

  Filled with resolve, he showered and headed to the kitchen. He’d grab a coffee-to-go and race to Berridale to catch Kree before she and Seth left to set up for the tourist centre opening that night. As he checked he had the correct lid to his insulated stainless steel travel mug, Tish popped her head around the kitchen doorway.

  ‘I’m going to pick the daisies for the tables before it gets too hot. The boys are in the sandpit.’ Her blonde head disappeared and then reappeared. ‘Oh, and Kree called to say she and Seth were already on their way to Glenalla and that Seth will help you with the murals, not Trav, as he can’t get into town until this afternoon.’

  Ewan made his coffee, collected a clean shirt, jeans and dress boots, and then, instead of heading to Berridale turned his mural-loaded ute towards Glenalla.

  When Ewan pulled up in the shade outside the front of the Calf and Cow, the tourist centre was already a colourful hive of activity. Jordy and Fred Webb were stringing fairy lights in the trees. Beth stood at the open coach house door directing traffic as an army of helpers moved boxes in and out of the building. He scanned the crowd, but there was no sign of Kree and Seth. No doubt they were running errands. He exited the ute and stepped into the pub.

  ‘That’s what I call perfect timing,’ Bill said, lugging a trestle table from a back room. ‘There’s another nineteen of these to go across the road.’

  Mikey raced past Bill, his brown eyes shining. Ewan lifted him up in the air and then held him close for longer than he usually did.

  Ewan’s throat tightened. How could he not have noticed Mikey’s resemblance to the boys before? Sure, Mikey’s red hair, freckles and pale skin were different to Braye and Darby’s darker colouring, but now he could see the same cleft in their li
ttle chins and the same shaped smile.

  He put Mikey gently on the ground. ‘Darby and Braye will be in soon and can’t wait to play. Darby asked if you are bringing your tyrannosaurus rex over, as he’s bringing his box of dinosaurs.’

  ‘Yep,’ Mikey said with a happy jump before he bolted through the side door to their private living quarters.

  Ewan glanced at Bill, who’d lowered the table to the floorboards and was now staring at him. He’d never seen Bill look so old or so tired.

  ‘You know,’ Bill said, voice thick.

  Ewan nodded and walked over to him. ‘Yes, Tish told me. I’m so sorry, Bill.’ Even after having the night to digest Tish’s bombshell he couldn’t prevent anger from rasping in his voice. ‘If I had any idea of what Fergus was up to –’ Ewan stopped.

  He didn’t need to finish his sentence, the hard glitter in Bill’s gaze let him know they shared the exact same thoughts of what Fergus deserved.

  ‘But what’s done is done,’ Bill said gruffly, ‘and Mikey’s such a great kid. I can’t ever imagine life without him.’

  Ewan nodded. ‘I just wish I’d known. You and Jordy did it tough over the drought and I could have helped.’

  ‘I know you would have but you’ve had Tish and the twins to worry about.’

  ‘I still would have helped. Tell Jordy I spoke with our lawyer on the drive in this morning, and Mikey will be included in my will. And please also have her email her bank account details and I’ll set up regular payments to help with his expenses.’

  ‘You know you don’t have to do this?’

  ‘I want to, Bill. He’s my nephew.’

  Bill’s stiff shoulders loosened and he moved forward to clasp Ewan’s hand in a heartfelt shake. ‘And if he grows up half as decent as his uncle, he’ll be a good man.’

  Mikey’s boots pounded on the hallway floor before he appeared with a large green tyrannosaurus rex in his small hand. ‘Found him.’

  ‘I wish you hadn’t,’ Ewan said with a grin. ‘Look at those teeth.’

  Mikey roared and waved the dinosaur towards him.

  Ewan chuckled, then nodded at Bill before reaching for the trestle table. ‘Mikey, how about you and your very scary friend hold the door open for me?’

  As Ewan returned from adding the final table to the stack lying near the visitor centre entrance, Seth and Kree arrived. Beth and a group of older ladies made a beeline for Kree. She flashed Ewan a quick smile and gave a hasty wave as Beth ushered her inside the tourist centre.

  Seth came to stand by his side. ‘I must be here for my pretty face. No one wants to drag me away.’

  Ewan slapped his back. ‘Which means, lucky you, you’re stuck helping me with the mural. Unless you’d rather polish teacups instead of using power tools, in which case you’d better head inside, too.’

  Seth shuddered. ‘Power tools trump teacups any day. Lead the way.’

  With an enthusiastic Seth wielding a noisy drill, Ewan set about attaching the mural panels to the corrugated tin shed flanking the park. But as much as the mural came together, his plans for talking to Kree were falling apart. Constantly besieged by locals asking where items needed to go, or who simply wanted a chat, she was never alone. As Seth tightened the last screw holding the mural in place, Ewan caught the scent of vanilla. He turned to see Kree, arms folded across her red-and-white checked shirt, frowning at the bushranger scene.

  ‘It looks fantastic,’ he said as he approached.

  ‘Are you sure? It actually looked different in your shed.’

  ‘It looks more than fine and that stage coach is particularly impressive.’

  She laughed and unfolded her arms. ‘I thought you said you weren’t biased about the bit you painted.’

  ‘I lied.’ He paused to pluck a small yellow leaf from her loose hair. ‘You’ve been on your feet since you’ve arrived. How about you collect the hot water urns from Mrs Butler’s with me? We won’t be more than half-an-hour.’

  She sighed. ‘I wish I could, but Tish is five minutes away and I said I’d help her with the flowers.’

  ‘Okay. Then how about you ride with me while I move my ute back around in front of the pub? It will take two minutes. Promise.’

  Seth looked up from where he placed the cordless drill into its case. ‘I’d go now, sis, before that woman who has just arrived with the enormous straw hat and even more enormous voice sees you.’

  They both turned to see Mrs Jessop bearing down on them like a ship in full sail.

  As one, they moved towards the ute and, as predicted, it took precisely two minutes to repark the now empty ute in front of the pub. Ewan killed the engine and fought the nerves side-stepping his self-control.

  He unclipped his seat belt and faced her.

  ‘Kree,’ he said quietly, ‘I need to talk to you, but first, there’s something I’d rather you heard from me than anyone else. Mikey is Fergus’s son.’

  Her mouth fell open as her eyes searched his. ‘No way.’

  ‘I wish it wasn’t true, but it is.’

  ‘Poor Tish, and poor Jordy.’

  ‘I know. That brother of mine has a lot to answer for. He went into town the night he died to break it off with Jordy, but he didn’t. That same night, Jordy told him she was pregnant. He made her promise not to tell anyone, especially her father and me, until he’d worked out what to do.’

  ‘What a secret to keep.’ Compassion threaded her words. ‘How old was Jordy? She couldn’t have been much over eighteen?’

  ‘She wasn’t. She also didn’t have a mother to talk to and she knew Bill didn’t approve of Fergus, even before any of this happened. So, she hid her pregnancy. One night the pub didn’t open and the next day drinks were on Bill as he’d become a grandfather. He mightn’t have known about Mikey, but he loved his tiny red-haired grandson from the day he was born.’

  ‘And Mikey now has an uncle to love him, as well as two half-brothers who already think the world of him,’ she said softly.

  Ewan followed Kree’s gaze out the windscreen to where Tish’s dusty grey family wagon pulled up across the road.

  ‘Yes, he sure does.’

  ‘So how does Tish feel about all of this?’

  ‘I guess she’s had years to come to terms with the poor choices Fergus made, and while I don’t think she and Jordy will ever be friends, Mikey isn’t to blame. She knows he’s a good kid, and I’ve no doubt the boys will see more of him now than they have in the past.’

  Kree nodded and reached for the door handle. ‘Thanks for letting me know. If I see Jordy and Tish in an awkward situation, I can help them out.’ She paused, her eyes curious and questioning. ‘What else did you want to talk about?’

  Across the road he saw Tish struggling with two boxes filled with white daisies. Worry pinched her face and the right box wobbled then slipped. He was out of the ute even before the cumbersome box fell onto the footpath.

  ‘Nothing. It can wait,’ he said with a resigned smile as together they sped towards Tish and the strewn flowers.

  ‘I now declare the Glenalla visitor centre open.’

  Kree cut the thick red ribbon Darby and Braye stretched in front of the coach house door. As the red silk fell to the floor, a cheer arose from the crowd assembled in the park. Kree handed Mrs Jessop the scissors and stepped to the side as her voice boomed.

  ‘The speeches and formal part of the evening are now over. Dinner will soon be served. So sit back, relax and have fun.’ She waved a hand towards Kree. ‘One last cheer for Kree – who, it turns out, is one of us – for the spectacular mural and for putting Glenalla on the tourist map.’

  The crowd’s cheer rose and Kree smiled at the sea of faces, hoping her deer-in-the headlight look wasn’t too obvious. She’d rather be behind a canvas, painting, than the centre of attention in a crowd who’d already overwhelmed her with their thanks and gratitude. The tray-back of Seth’s ute was home to containers of lamingtons and heady bouquets of fresh flowers. There also were three j
ars of vegemite, which she’d be leaving at Tish’s for the boys.

  Music blared from the jukebox Bill had brought over from the pub. Kree said a silent thank you as the crowd’s attention faded. Couples headed to the makeshift dance floor in the middle of the park while young boys sprinted to the play equipment. A group of girls in pretty party dresses stood beneath the fairy-light-festooned trees, while on the long tables tea candles glinted in small glass jars.

  Kree slipped through the coach house door. She’d steal five minutes of quiet and check on Beth’s friend, Hallie, to see how the catering was coming along.

  Kree made her way out the back coach house door to where Hallie had parked her custom-made catering trailer, complete with cool room and ovens. A delicious-smelling aroma caused Kree’s stomach to rumble. She and Seth had eaten a quick breakfast before leaving Berridale to visit their grandparents’ graves. Beth had then pressed a sandwich into her hands well after lunch time, while she’d been busy putting Tish’s small vases of white daisies on the tables.

  Auburn-haired Hallie looked up from where she was sprinkling small dinner boxes with fragrant chopped parsley. ‘Here. You look like you need this.’ She picked up the closest box, slid in a spoon, and passed it to Kree. She then pulled over a spare stool. ‘Take a seat. This is the best spot in the house.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Kree sat. She brushed a crease out of the skirt of the teal dress Tish had brought from Sydney that Kree had quickly slipped on in a room in the pub. The muted noise of the jukebox played a song she knew and she tapped her sandalled feet to the music while she ate. Around her, Hallie and her young helpers prepared more of the dinner boxes.

  Broad shoulders, dressed in a green-striped shirt, briefly blocked the light streaming through the open door.

  ‘So, this is where you’re hiding?’ Ewan said as he strode over, a pair of amber beer bottles in his hands.

  The two girls helping Hallie stopped what they were doing, their eyes round. Ewan gave them a quick smile and nodded at Hallie. ‘Mission accomplished.’