Riding the Storm

by Heather Graves

  If this was intended as a put-down, Ryan didn’t react, merely gesturing for his uncle to come inside. He knew he should say ‘Nice to see you’ or ‘Welcome to North Queensland’ but somehow the words stuck in his throat and wouldn’t be said.

  ‘Joanne,’ Robert greeted his sister-in-law, pretending not to notice when she flinched from his kiss on her cheek, causing her little Italian greyhound at her feet to jump up and down, going into a frenzy of barking. ‘And lovely as ever.’

  This was plainly untrue. Since her husband’s death, Joanne had diminished. Always slender, she was now almost skeletal and paler than usual with purple circles beneath her eyes. But even when the little dog had been pacified and Robert invited inside, Ryan didn’t feel able to show much enthusiasm.

  The atmosphere during supper, seated around the kitchen table, was no better, serving only to accentuate the awkwardness they were all feeling. Joanne had provided a simple meal of roast chicken served with a generous amount of Ryan’s home-grown vegetables. After demanding a beer to go with it, Robert ate ravenously without thanking or complimenting his hostess. He sat back and belched loudly when he was done.

  Ignoring his uncle’s rudeness and wanting answers to the questions seething in his mind, Ryan brought up the subject of the horsebox as soon as he could.

  ‘Well, Nunc,’ he said, doing his best to sound like a hayseed and well aware that his uncle would find such a nickname offensive. ‘Why trail an empty horsebox all this way? You fixin’ to buy yourself a couple of horses on the way home? ’Scuse me but I thought you already had the best horses down south?’

  ‘You’re playing with me, Ryan.’ Robert gave a thin smile, rocking back in his chair. ‘You know very well that I’ve come to take Hunter’s Moon off your hands.’

  ‘Good!’ Joanne broke in before Ryan could object. ‘The sooner that vicious animal leaves, the better. I can’t even stand to look at him – knowing that he’s responsible for Peter’s death.’

  ‘Oh, Mum, we don’t know that.’ Weary of this old argument, Ryan felt bound to contradict her. ‘Tommy’s not in the least bit vicious. I saw what happened myself the first time – something scared him, moving under the water. I don’t know what happened the second time. Melia didn’t get there in time to see.’

  ‘An unfortunate accident. These things happen,’ Robert said smoothly, not wanting them to stray off the point. ‘Ill-tempered or not, I’m still interested in that horse.’

  ‘Forget it. He’s not bad-tempered and definitely not for sale.’

  ‘Let me finish.’ Robert flushed, unused to being so rudely interrupted. Most people listened politely to whatever he had to say. ‘I know Pete paid over the odds for him but I’m prepared to give you a small profit to take him off your hands.’

  ‘In your dreams, Nunc. If that’s why you’re here, you’ve wasted your time. I’ll say it again in case you missed it the first time – our horses are not for sale.’

  ‘Surely that’s for your mother to decide.’ Robert turned to Joanne smiling, confident of her support.

  ‘No.’ Ryan hesitated, not wanting to speak of Joanne’s condition and his father’s intention to leave him in charge of his stables and horses. ‘Mum doesn’t understand horses so Dad was going to leave them to me.’

  ‘Was going to?’ Robert seized on this loophole. ‘So you don’t have this in writing? Peter hasn’t made a will setting out his wishes and confirming them?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ For a moment, Ryan felt less than assured. ‘Dad was still young. He wasn’t expecting to—’

  ‘To die? Of course not. Who does? We like to think we have all the time in the world. So let me be clear on this. If Pete didn’t make a will, leaving you in charge of the stables, these business decisions remain with Joanne – who has already said she would like me to take Hunter’s Moon.’ He finished, clapping his hands together in triumph.

  ‘Mum!’ Ryan stared at his mother in desperation, willing her to take his side. ‘Dad thought of Tommy as our investment in the future. He’d want us to keep him. You know that.’

  ‘The horse that you think was responsible for his death?’ Robert’s tone was soft but insistent.

  ‘I don’t know – I don’t know.’ Confused, Joanne looked from one to the other of the two faces staring at her so intently, quite unable to decide.

  ‘Don’t stress on it, sweetheart.’ Robert patted her hand until she snatched it away. His tone was placating but to Ryan it sounded like the hiss of a snake. ‘You think about it overnight and we’ll talk about it after the funeral.’

  ‘Yes, yes. After the funeral,’ Joanne murmured. ‘Oh, my poor Peter.’ And she bent her head to hide the fat tears spilling over and rolling down her cheeks. Tinka growled softly, blaming Robert for being the cause of her sorrow.

  Ryan stood up, making no attempt to conceal his contempt for his uncle. ‘Don’t worry, Mum. This man isn’t here because he has any feelings for Dad or for you. He’s come here for one reason only – to get his grasping fingers on Hunter’s Moon.’

  Robert stood up and flushed an even deeper shade of red, making Joanne look up at him in alarm.

  ‘Please stop. Aren’t things bad enough already?’ she said in a voice thick with tears. ‘I can’t bear these arguments and fights.’

  ‘Sorry, Joanne.’ Robert was first to relax and apologize. ‘But your son tries my patience. I came here to offer a reasonable solution to your predicament, only to have it thrown back in my face.’

  ‘There is no predicament. We were quite all right until you came,’ Ryan shot back at him.

  ‘Your son is a hothead.’ Robert ignored him, speaking to Joanne. ‘But if he’ll shake hands and reconsider my generous offer, I’m willing to overlook his rudeness – this time.’ Robert held out his hand.

  ‘There.’ Joanne ventured a watery smile, waiting for her son to accept it and apologize. Instead, he moved away from the table, close to tears himself and shaking his head.

  ‘You might fool my mum, Uncle Robert. She thinks well of everyone.’ He ground out the words, almost too breathless with emotion to speak. ‘But you certainly don’t fool me. I’m going to see to the horses.’

  He didn’t speak to his uncle again, although the three of them travelled to the crematorium in the funeral director’s car behind the hearse. The driver didn’t seem to think it odd that nobody spoke. Joanne wept silently the whole time and wouldn’t be comforted, huge tears rolling down her face. She mopped them with a handful of sodden tissues.

  There were more people in the tiny chapel than Ryan expected. In death, it seemed that Peter Lanigan enjoyed even more popularity than when he was alive. Joanne paused in the entrance, daunted by the sight of so many people until Ryan took her gently by the hand, encouraging her towards the pew set aside for them. A minister they didn’t know, engaged by the funeral directors, performed a brief Anglican service. Joanne was all right until the moment came for Peter’s coffin to disappear into the furnace when she stood up and cried out.

  ‘Oh, my poor Peter. I can’t bear this. No. No.’ And, sobbing hysterically, she would have run towards it if Ryan hadn’t caught her, holding her back. Overcome by a fresh storm of tears, she collapsed into his embrace.

  Afterwards, finding it impossible to talk to the sobbing Joanne or her son, people spoke to Robert, offering him their condolences instead. Urbane and dry-eyed, he shook the hands of those who were well dressed, inviting them to join him for a drink at the pub. Ryan wanted only to get his mother safely home. With the funeral over, he was hoping that Robert would take the hint and leave. If he never set eyes on his uncle again, it would be too soon.

  After seeing his mother home and tucked up in bed with a pill to help her sleep, he decided to call on his father’s solicitor, hoping that somehow Peter had found the time to make provision for him to take charge of the stables and horses. He had to wait a while as he had no appointment but, aware of the lad’s history, Mr Anderson made a time in his busy schedule
to see him. When he heard what Ryan wanted, he shook his head.

  ‘I’m so sorry, Ryan. I wish I had better news for you. Unfortunately, a lot of people put off making these arrangements until it’s too late. I’m afraid your father was one of them.’

  ‘So Mum is still—’

  ‘The executor of his original will. I’m afraid so. Yes.’

  ‘But can’t you talk to Dr Richards – I’m sure she’d be able to put you straight on the long-term effects of Mum’s condition.’

  ‘Yes but these things always take time,’ the man said gently, in sympathy with the boy’s grief. ‘And now – now that your father’s gone – why does it seem so important to act on all this immediately?’

  Realizing the man couldn’t help him and too tired to explain further, Ryan stood up and sighed. ‘Thank you, Mr Anderson. I won’t take up any more of your time.’

  ‘I’m sorry.’ The man stood up to show him to the door. ‘I wish I could have been of more help.’

  In spite of his nephew’s hostile attitude, Robert stayed one more night.

  Ryan needed to stock up on provisions for the stables and wanted to see Mike, who would be going to Melbourne soon, but he didn’t want to leave his mother alone with his uncle. The man was quite capable of going into her bedroom and shaking her awake.

  Trying to wait him out, Robert didn’t set off until noon but finally he realized Joanne wasn’t going to get up and was forced to leave without seeing her and completing the deal on the horse. Once again, Ryan avoided his uncle’s handshake although Robert insisted on having the last word.

  ‘This isn’t the last you’ll hear of me, boy. One way or another, I always get what I want.’

  Ryan smiled, refusing to be intimidated by his uncle’s words, and heaved a sigh of relief as he watched Robert leave, the empty horsebox bouncing behind him.

  ‘Has he really gone?’ Joanne asked, before venturing from her room.

  ‘Yeah,’ Ryan said. ‘We finally wore him down. I don’t think he’ll be back.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘Will you be OK for an hour or two, Mum? I need to call at the store and order more feed for the horses. Then I want to drop in on Mike. He’s leaving to start his training in Melbourne soon.’

  ‘Of course I’ll be all right – now Robert has gone. It’ll be nice to have the house to myself for once. I can catch up on my soap – haven’t seen it for days.’

  ‘Nothing will have happened. It never does. I’ve got my phone so just call if you need anything.’

  Joanne smiled. ‘I’m OK. Go and spend a bit of time with Mike.’

  As always when he visited the home of Mike’s parents, Ryan was reminded of the contrast between the mansion with its Olympic-sized pool and bowling-green lawns and his own more traditional rustic Queensland home. Mike’s father was on his way out but he took the time to clap Ryan on the shoulder and once more offer his sympathies.

  ‘Don’t be a stranger, Ryan. Always welcome here – you know that.’

  Mike was also pleased to see him although he couldn’t understand his friend’s reluctance to help him deliver another boat.

  ‘Come on, you made excuses last time and missed out on that trip to Whitsundays. This time I won’t take no for an answer.’

  ‘Mike, I’d love to but I can’t. Mum’s not in a good place – she’s still pretty fragile—’

  ‘I know but you still need some time for yourself. After all she’s a grown-up, isn’t she?’

  ‘Not always.’

  ‘What does that mean?’

  Ryan hesitated, wondering if it would be disloyal to tell. ‘Hell, you’re going to be a doctor – you might as well know.’ And putting it as simply as he could, he told his friend about his mother’s worsening condition.

  ‘I had no idea or I wouldn’t have said what I did.’ Mike was considerably chastened and shocked by this news. ‘Are you sure there’s nothing they can do?’

  ‘Just treat the symptoms as they show up. That’s what Dad said. We could have managed together for some time but I’m afraid that sooner rather than later, she’ll have to go into care. That’s why it’s now more important than ever for me to turn Tommy into a successful racehorse. We’re going to need more than my veggie patch can provide.’

  ‘But you’re only the same age as me. You don’t even have a trainer’s licence—’

  ‘Not yet. I’ll have to make it my business to get one as soon as I can.’ Ryan sighed, knowing how hard it would be to plead his cause to the conservative racing authorities. ‘But enough about me and my troubles. How are you? What happened about that girl and the baby?’

  Mike grinned. ‘Oh, that’s old news. Either she wasn’t pregnant or she lost it, so I’m off the hook.’

  ‘And is she all right?’

  ‘I suppose so.’ Mike shrugged. ‘I’m done with her, like I told you.’

  Ryan stared at his friend, stunned by his lack of compassion. There were times when Mike could be quite insensitive; he could only hope he would use this sense of detachment to make himself a better surgeon, which was his ultimate goal. ‘I should go,’ he said, glancing at his watch. ‘It’ll be dark soon and I don’t want to leave Mum alone after nightfall.’

  ‘You can’t put your life on hold forever. You might be looking for a safe pozzy for her sooner rather than later, bro.’

  ‘Just don’t tell anyone, right? Not even your father.’

  ‘I never tell him anything.’ Mike grinned and saluted. ‘Your secret is safe with me.’

  Ryan drove home with a lot to think about. He felt a jolt of fear when he saw that the sun had gone down and there were no lights on in the house. He burst through the back door to find his mother sitting at the kitchen table, staring at nothing.

  ‘Mum, what’s wrong? What happened? Why are you sitting in the dark?’

  ‘Robert,’ she whispered. ‘Robert came back.’

  ‘Oh, shit. Of course he did. Why didn’t I think of that?’ Ryan was so incensed, he didn’t realize he was shouting.

  ‘Don’t yell at me, Ryan. You know it upsets me.’

  ‘Sorry, sorry.’ He sat down beside his mother, taking her hands. ‘Just tell me – why did he come back? What did he want?’

  ‘What he wanted all along. To take Tommy.’ She pushed a fat envelope towards him. ‘He had the money all ready and paid me in cash. I haven’t counted it but there seems to be an awful lot—’

  ‘Oh, Mum. Why didn’t you call me? I’d have come home.’

  ‘I don’t know. He was so kind to me, so sympathetic – not how he was with you. He said he could see I needed the money to fix up the house.’

  Ryan closed his eyes. His uncle had been clever. He had picked on the very thing closest to Joanne’s heart. ‘And Tommy’s papers – did he take them, too?’ He glanced at his father’s desk, hating the thought of his uncle rummaging through it to find them. ‘And how long ago did he leave?’ He held out his hand for the envelope when she would have snatched it away. ‘No, Mum, give it to me. I might catch up with him yet.’

  ‘Ryan, it’s too late. It’s done. You’ll only argue with him and make him angry again.’

  ‘He hasn’t seen angry yet. Taking advantage of a grieving woman who isn’t—’

  ‘Quite right in the head? Oh, don’t worry – I know what people say about me.’

  ‘Oh, Mum.’ Ryan picked up the envelope and tucked it into his jacket. Sometimes he wished she didn’t have these moments of perception. ‘Just tell me how long? How long ago did he leave?’

  ‘I don’t know. Two hours. Maybe three.’

  ‘Well, he can’t travel fast with a horse in a box. I could catch up with him yet.’

  ‘Now, Ryan, please. Don’t do anything foolish.’

  ‘Don’t worry. If he’s three hours ahead of me, I’ll have plenty of time to calm down.’

  Driving as fast as he could and sometimes over the speed limits, Ryan kept an eye out for police cars as he lane-hopped, dodging in and out of the traffic
on the highway. Even at night it wasn’t long before he spotted his uncle’s distinctive trailer with Lanigan’s Melbourne in flashy luminous letters on the back and sides. Although he was well past Cairns, he hadn’t covered nearly as much ground as Ryan expected. Fuelled by anger and frustration, he drove in front of Robert quite dangerously, forcing him to stop at the side of the road. Robert jumped out of his car and ran towards him, equally angry.

  ‘What’s the matter with you, boy, forcing me off the road at night. You tryin’ to get us both killed?’

  ‘Here’s your filthy money.’ Ryan flung the envelope at Robert’s feet. ‘Now give me the horse you stole.’

  ‘How? You figurin’ on tyin’ him to the back of your car an’ makin’ him trot home?’ Robert mocked his nephew, ignoring the packet lying on the road between them. ‘I haven’t stolen anything. I paid for that animal fair an’ square. Best get back home to your momma, son. I don’t think she does too well on her own.’

  But Ryan wasn’t listening, already running to the horsebox to check on Tommy. Even before he opened it, he knew there would be no horse inside.

  ‘Where is he? What have you done with—’ he started to say.

  Robert laughed shortly. ‘Think I’m a fool, boy? I knew you’d be hot on my trail soon as you found me out. You’re too late. I sent Hunter’s Moon off in luxury not half an hour ago. Look up an’ you’ll probably see the lights of that silver bird right there in the sky. My man’s goin’ to meet him at the airport. Hunter’s Moon will be home and hosed long before I get there.’

  ‘You – you bastard,’ Ryan said, realizing his uncle had outsmarted and beaten him.

  ‘Yeah, well. I’ve been called worse.’ He pointed to the packet of money, lying on the ground. ‘Better pick that up, boy. Your momma’s goin’ to need it. I won’t say I’m hopin’ to see you any time soon.’ So saying, he gave a mocking salute, climbed back into his vehicle and drove away, leaving Ryan in a cloud of dust at the side of the road. Ryan picked up the discarded envelope and brushed the soil from it, watching him go. Back in his car, for the first time he unfastened the envelope, looked at the money and counted it. His uncle had given them the exact amount his father had paid for Hunter’s Moon.