Outback Ghost

by Rachael Johns

  ‘Bye, son.’

  Huffing out a breath, Adam threw his phone into the middle of his bed and scrounged around in his wardrobe for clean clothes. He tugged on jocks, socks, a pair of work shorts and pulled an already buttoned RB Stellars shirt over his fuzzy head. If he were tired due to a night between Stella’s sheets that would be one thing but none of the tension inside him had been eased from their near-miss last night. As much as logic told him it would be better to keep his distance from the cottage guests, every bone in his body wanted to go and see Stella now. He wanted to see her and talk to her but couldn’t work out whether he should be apologising for over-stepping boundaries or asking if she’d be up for a holiday fling.

  ‘Geez, listen to yourself.’ Adam’s thought repulsed even himself. Stella had a child to think about. It wasn’t just a case of two consenting adults scratching an itch. And maybe he was getting carried away anyway. He’d been the one to instigate the not-quite kiss. If Heidi hadn’t interrupted, Stella might have pushed him away. Maybe he should just pretend it had never happened. Because it hadn’t. Not really.

  He retrieved his phone and was halfway to the kitchen to sort breakfast when it started ringing again. Stupid hope sparked in his heart as he glanced at the caller ID, but it was extinguished when he saw the number belonged to one of his workers. No doubt Patrick was already in the paddock and wondering why the hell Adam hadn’t started work yet.

  ‘Hi Patrick,’ he said upon answering, ‘sorry I’m running late. Just gonna have some toast, then I’ll be there.’

  ‘Adam,’ Patrick’s voice was firm. ‘That’s not why I’m calling. I’m in Perth.’

  ‘Huh?’

  ‘Yeah, I’m really sorry but our dad had a heart attack late last night and the docs aren’t sure whether he’s going to pull through or not. Connor and I are waiting for a flight home.’

  ‘Shit.’ Adam leaned back against the wall. ‘I’m sorry, mate.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Patrick sounded as if he were only just managing to hold it all together. ‘I hate to leave you in the lurch but we won’t be able to finish harvest. Mum needs us back home.’

  ‘It’s fine,’ Adam lied. ‘I’ll cope and you need to be with your family. I hope your dad pulls through.’

  ‘Thanks boss.’

  Adam had barely disconnected the call before a four-letter word spurted from his lips. His fists bunched at his side and he felt an uncharacteristic urge to hurl them into the wall behind him. So much for telling his dad he’d be finished harvesting by Christmas. If he had to stop harvesting each time he had a load to take to the bins, he’d either have to cope on even less sleep than he currently was or he’d be going till New Year. If his head had been sore five minutes ago, it positively throbbed now.

  He could do a ring around and see if anyone knew of a worker still in need of a job – even one man would be better than none – but he didn’t like his chances of finding help at this late stage of the task. If only his dad wasn’t just about to step onto a ship, he could ring him and beg, but even if he were willing, Adam didn’t think bringing him back to the farm when he’d only just left was a good idea.

  Maybe the only solution was for him to stop feeling sorry for himself. This wasn’t the end of the world. So what if he took longer to harvest the crop than planned? At least this way he’d be too busy working to worry about the Stella issue. He’d barely have time to shower and change his jocks, never mind make visits he wasn’t sure he should be making.

  With that thought Adam headed into the kitchen to make himself the kind of mammoth breakfast that would hopefully last him most of the day.

  Stella couldn’t believe it had been two days since her near-kiss with Adam. One the one hand it seemed like so much longer, but at the same time the memory of his lips so close to hers was already so ingrained in her mind and on constant replay that it made her feel like it had only just happened. Her lips were dry from licking them, from torturing herself with fantasies of what could have happened if the kiss had been allowed to go ahead. She’d lost her appetite and even found herself doodling his name while she’d been on the phone to her friend Joanna last night.

  Pathetic. She was almost twenty-seven, not seventeen.

  And the worst of it was she’d hung around the farm, staying close to the cottage in the stupid hope he’d come see her again. He hadn’t and she hated not knowing whether he was avoiding her on purpose. She’d achieved exactly stuff-all on her edits during this time and Heidi had spent her days playing tea parties with Lily-Blue.

  No matter how much Stella told herself that her daughter’s companion was merely a figment of her imagination, she couldn’t relax about the ‘friendship’.

  ‘Sweetheart.’ She stood in the doorway to the lounge room, waiting for Heidi to look up. Her favourite tea set was laid out on the rug and the stray cat sat purring beside her. Heidi didn’t stir, instead she pretended to pour something from a pink plastic teapot into a pink plastic cup and put it down across from her.

  ‘Drink, Lily-Blue,’ she ordered, staring at the vacant spot across the rug. The skin on the back of Stella’s neck tingled.

  ‘Heidi,’ she tried again. ‘Come outside with me and get some fresh air while we decide what to do today. I’ve brought your favourite book to read.’

  ‘Okay, Mummy,’ Heidi said in the kind of tone that sounded like she were merely humouring her mother.

  When they got onto the veranda, Stella sat in the love seat and patted the spot beside her. Heidi climbed up to join her and Stella breathed a sigh of relief that she hadn’t said Lily-Blue was already sitting there or something. She smiled at Heidi, drew her into her side and then opened My Cat, The Silliest Cat In The World.

  Stella began, barely having to look at the pages she’d read so many times before. Heidi laughed in all the usual places and Stella smiled, reminding herself that this was why they’d come away – so they had more time to enjoy simple pleasures together. Halfway through the story her perfect little bubble popped. Her hand froze in the action of turning a page as music started inside the house. She tightened her arm around Heidi, her breath catching in her throat as she listened to someone banging on the piano keys.

  ‘Lily-Blue practising scales,’ Heidi said, jolting Stella’s thoughts.

  What the hell? Heidi had never had a music lesson in her life. How the heck did she know about scales? Something snapped inside of Stella as the piano notes continued to sound.

  ‘Stay there!’ she ordered and then leapt to her feet, dropping the book on the decking in her haste. Running into the house, she almost tripped on the slight step at the front door but didn’t let that halt her mission. She charged into the lounge room, her heart thundering as she glared towards the piano. The music had stopped but Whiskers sat preening himself on the music stool. Had she been imagining the pattern of notes?

  She narrowed her eyes at the cat. ‘Were you playing Kitten on the Keys?’

  Whiskers turned away from Stella, lifted her other paw and went back to cleaning her face. Trying to catch her breath, Stella smiled in relief at the simple explanation. But, even as she did so, she felt a slight shift of air and a bitter cold swept over her. She felt as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice right over her head. For someone who didn’t believe in ghosts, she couldn’t deny this cottage had her spooked.

  How was she supposed to have a relaxing holiday and get her edits done at night when she was so freaked out? And if there was a ghost, who was to say it didn’t have sinister plans for Heidi?

  There was only one thing for it.

  Stella rushed into her bedroom, grabbed the suitcase out from under the bed and threw it on top. She and Heidi hadn’t brought a lot of stuff. It wouldn’t take a long time to pack. If she worked quickly, they could be gone within an hour. She threw open the wooden wardrobe doors and began tearing out her clothes and throwing them, hangers and all, into the case.

  ‘Mummy. What about book?’ Her arms full of underwear, Stella looked
up to see Heidi standing in the bedroom doorway holding up her picture book. She frowned at her mum when she noticed the suitcase. ‘What you doing?’

  Stella couldn’t find any words. She dumped the bras and knickers on top of the suitcase and knelt down next to Heidi. ‘I thought maybe we should go home for Christmas,’ she said eventually.

  Heidi’s frown turned to a scowl. ‘No!’

  ‘No?’ Stella’s head went back at the uncharacteristic display of protest from her little girl.

  ‘Yes. No.’ She threw the book on the floor and crossed her arms over her chest.

  ‘But we forgot our Christmas tree.’

  Heidi thought about this a moment. ‘We come back?’

  Stella shook her head, a pain stabbing her chest at the thought of not seeing Adam again.

  ‘Not going.’ Heidi sat down in the doorway as if planting her bottom on the floor would seal the deal. ‘Don’t need tree.’

  What about presents? Stella thought. If she played the I-forgot-the-presents card would Heidi succumb? But even as she thought this she realised how absolutely ridiculous she was being. Heidi loved it here – she loved the cottage, the farm, the people she’d met, everything. And so did she. They’d spent more time outdoors in the fresh air in the past week than she had in the past year. Wasn’t that why Stella had scrimped and saved? To give her daughter the experience of living in the country.

  Not wanting to upset Heidi, she fought the urge to let her aching head fall into her hands, instead taking a deep breath. ‘Okay, darling, if that’s what you want, we’ll stay. But let’s go into the café and get some lunch.’

  Although Stella planned to follow through on her promise to Heidi, a few hours away from the cottage was necessary for her sanity right now.

  ‘Deal.’ Heidi held out her hand for a handshake and Stella couldn’t help but laugh as she took it.

  Chapter Ten

  ‘If it isn’t my new favourite people.’ Frankie beamed as Stella and Heidi approached the café’s counter and leaned over to hug them. ‘I’m glad you two turned up, I was about to send out a search party.’

  Heidi giggled and Stella smiled. ‘It’s only been a few days.’

  ‘Days schmays.’ Frankie waved a hand in front of her face. ‘I don’t have much excitement in my life.’

  A week ago Stella would have said the same about herself but since landing in Bunyip Bay there’d been a few surprising twists. ‘Well, we’re here now,’ she said. ‘If you’ve got time for a break, we’d love you to sit with us.’ Secretly she hoped she could ask Frankie a few Burton-family questions without raising her suspicions as to why she was so curious. Frankie would assume Stella’s interest was down to feelings for Adam and no doubt be excited by the fact. Stella didn’t need that kind of encouragement.

  Frankie wiped her hands against her apron and winked. ‘Let me fill your order and it’s a deal. What can I get you?’

  ‘Chips, please.’ Heidi bounced on the spot excitedly. ‘And milkshake too.’

  ‘My kind of girl.’ Frankie winked, her eyes sparkling. ‘What flavour?’

  ‘Chocolate.’

  ‘Of course.’ Frankie scribbled on her pad, then looked to Stella. ‘And you?’

  ‘I’m torn,’ she admitted as she gazed at the array of gourmet delights staring back at her from the display cabinet. ‘I loved the quiche I had last time but if all your dishes are that good I want to taste them all.’

  ‘Let me surprise you,’ Frankie suggested.

  ‘Okay. Why not?’ She paid for their lunch and then found a table in the corner. As was Heidi’s habit, she dug into Stella’s bag, retrieved her crayons and colouring-in book and got busy straightaway. The young waiter brought over Heidi’s chips and their drinks almost immediately and after about five minutes Frankie put some sort of gourmet burger in front of Stella.

  ‘You won’t get a better BLAT than that anywhere,’ she promised.

  ‘Blat?’ Stella asked, her tastebuds already offering up their babies for a bite of what looked to be bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato toasted between thick, crusty bread.

  Frankie confirmed her suspicions but before Stella could utter a word of thanks, she’d turned on her heels and whirled back to the kitchen. Her energy rivalled that of a sugar-hyped child. Stella stole one of Heidi’s chips and then got stuck into her BLAT, thinking about what she and Heidi should do next. If she kept her busy for the afternoon, maybe she’d forget the tea party she’d been having and Stella could get through the evening without suffering another case of the heebie-jeebies.

  The scraping of the chair beside her jolted her out of her thoughts. Frankie sat down with a coffee and two mammoth plastic containers. Stella frowned at them while finishing her mouthful.

  ‘Can you take these over to Adam when you head back?’ she asked, tapping the side of the top container.

  Stella swallowed. Just the thought of approaching Adam after the way they’d left things the other night made her palms sweat. She put down her food and wiped her hands against her shorts. ‘Um…’

  Seemingly unaware of Stella’s discomfort, Frankie explained, ‘You’ve no doubt heard the pickle he’s in and I’m scared he’ll forget or not bother to feed himself and run himself into the ground. Even if Auntie Esther does make the effort, her cooking is so horrid she’ll probably poison the poor guy.’

  ‘Has something happened? I haven’t seen Adam since the barbecue.’ Not strictly true but close enough.

  Frankie sighed. ‘His workers’ dad fell ill and now Adam’s been left to finish the harvest all on his own. It’s not that he’s not capable but it’s a massive job for one person and he’ll waste half the days going back and forth to the CBH bins when he should be harvesting more grain.’

  Could that be why he hadn’t come to see her? He’d been running himself ragged with work instead. She bit her lip as a smile threatened to burst on her face. ‘That’s terrible,’ she managed. Because it was. She hated the idea of lovely, gorgeous Adam working so hard he didn’t have time to eat.

  ‘I know.’ Frankie nodded, leaned forward and lowered her voice. ‘Between you and me, I think that Uncle Dave is having some sort of crisis. I suppose he thinks it’s his turn after Esther’s been in meltdown for twenty years, but it’s not fair on Adam. I worry about him. He needs a good woman to look after him.’

  Stella took a big bite of her BLAT to stop from volunteering for the role. Such a task would go nicely with the other fantasies she’d been indulging in over the last couple of days. Yet, as she chewed, a thought struck her. She might not be able to help long term but…

  She finished her mouthful, then, ‘What exactly do his workers do?’

  ‘Oh bits and bobs. Drive the header and chaser bins, help cart the grain to the bins. Why?’

  ‘Do they use the farm truck or have one of their own?’

  ‘Adam’s truck as far as I know.’ Frankie’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. ‘Why? What are you thinking?’

  ‘I’ve got a bus licence,’ Stella said, ‘and it covers me for trucks up to a certain size. If it’s the truck I’m thinking of, I could drive it. I could help him.’ Thinking about spending all that time with Adam made her a little light-headed but that was no reason not to help the man, right?

  ‘Why do you have a bus licence?’

  Stella laughed at the expression on Frankie’s face. ‘Heidi and I belong to a group of parents with Down syndrome children who support each other through tough times. We also go on excursions together. One year the person who drives the bus wasn’t going to be available for a couple of months, so I decided to get my licence.’

  ‘Well, I never.’ Frankie bit her lip through a grin. ‘And you’d seriously help? What about Heidi?’

  ‘If Adam is happy with the arrangement, Heidi could spend some time with me in the truck and some in the header. She’s great in the car and…’

  ‘If she gets bored, we’ll send Simone’s girls over to look after her.’ Frankie formed
her hand into a fist and punched the air. ‘I’m so happy I could kiss you.’

  Again Stella had to bite her tongue. If grateful kissing was on the agenda, she’d rather Adam did the honours. ‘We’ll have fun, won’t we, chicken?’ she said, tweaking Heidi’s pigtail and trying not to think about kissing anyone.

  Adam had just finished loading the truck for the second time that day when he looked up to see Stella and Heidi approaching on foot. She was carrying some kind of container. He sucked in a breath at the sight of her in denim shorts, a black singlet and… Blundies? He shook his head, thinking he must be fantasising about her wearing farm boots. It would be all too easy to get lost in a fantasy of Stella becoming more to him than a guest on their farm. If he allowed himself to entertain the idea of getting married like his friends were starting to do, Stella would be perfect. Not only did she look hot in work boots, but she seemed to fit so well out here – the fact that the cottage hadn’t freaked her out like everyone else so far proved this. Maybe that’s because she’d grown up in the country. Mutton, who’d also noticed their approach, barked excitedly from the passenger seat.

  Ignoring the dog, Adam summoned a smile and a wave as they got closer. He hoped she couldn’t hear his heart thudding. It wasn’t like him to get so nervous around a woman because usually there wasn’t anything at stake, but he couldn’t get past the way they’d left things the other night. Did she want to kiss him? Or was she glad it hadn’t eventuated?

  ‘Hi,’ he managed, cringing at the way he sounded like a besotted schoolboy but happy he didn’t blurt out the questions that were in his head.

  ‘Hi.’ She smiled, stopping a metre or so in front of him as their eyes met in an agonising moment of awareness. He had no doubt Stella’s thoughts were almost identical to his and if it weren’t for Heidi, he’d likely not be able to resist pulling her into his arms and finishing what they’d started the other night.