Grand Parade (Show Time Fever Book 1)

by Lilliana Rose

  Jackson waited patiently with her, not interfering or grumbling at how long she was taking. She was glad he was there. I’ll go buy him a beer as a ‘thank you’ after I’ve turned in the photos.

  Tiredness swept over her and she sighed putting down her camera. “I think that’s enough.” She pulled out her phone and checked the time. It was close to 3 pm, and if she didn’t get over to the office and explain why she was so late, then she could kiss this job goodbye before even really starting it.

  “I’ve got to get to the office.” She pulled out the sim card and slipped it into her jeans pocket, then packed her camera away in the case she’d been carrying over her shoulder. “Want to come, Kristie? We can all go for a beer afterwards.”

  “Good idea.” Kristie closed the gate to the small metal pen that held her stud ram.

  Megan hoped the photos she’d taken were going to be enough to make up for missing the Grand Parade.

  “Works for me,” said Jackson. “I’m ready for a beer too.”

  “Come on then. This way.” The work office at the grounds was about the only place Megan could really find. She quickly led them to the building, because she wanted to sit down, sip a beer, and get to know Jackson a little more. And of course catch up with Kristie.

  “Whoa, slow down.” Jackson reached for her arm and gently pulled her back. “You have to be careful you know, with that bump on your head. You’ve been overdoing it.”

  Megan snorted. “This is not overdoing it.”

  “Megan, I think he’s right,” interjected Kristie.

  Megan sighed. She’d missed the deadline, and that’s all she cared about right now, trying to fix that up. The busy crowds became more difficult to weave through and Megan reluctantly slowed down.

  She looked between Jackson and Kristie, who both wore the same concerned look. Jackson didn’t know her, so she was willing to dismiss what he said, in her usual stubborn way, and Kristie she hadn’t seen much in the last few years. Megan had to admit that her head pained her with lightning strong aches, and her legs had started to jelly up. She didn’t want anything to happen that would cause them any more concern. “I am fine.”

  “Good, but I just want to make sure.” Jackson had a tone to his voice that Megan found difficult to argue with. She would’ve told other guys where to go. Underneath all her bravado, she didn’t want Jackson to go anywhere, unless it was with her and it involved a comfy bed.

  “Thank you.” Megan forced herself to mutter the words politely. He’d more than made up for Bruce’s kick by spending time with her. And she could only guess the jobs he hadn’t done because he’d been with her.

  She kept her focus on walking, ignoring the building ache in her head, and the twisting sensation in her belly. A cold sweat began to break out all over her body.

  “You look really white, Megan.” Kristie walked on one side of her, and Jackson on the other.

  Megan couldn’t answer in fear that it would push her over the edge and she would either vomit, or collapse and she didn’t want either to happen. Not trusting herself to speak, and focusing on turning in the photos, she pushed on the office door, which had been set up in the show at the back of the grandstand.

  “Megan, where have you … ?” Helen, the editor’s mouth gaped open and her demeanor changed from annoyance to concern. She hastily got up from behind her desk. “What happened?”

  “Just a little bump.” Megan waved her hand trying to dismiss the concern. She reached into her pocked and pulled out the sim card. “I’ve got some photos. Unfortunately I missed most of the Grand Parade, but I’ve tried to make it up.”

  “She was at the first-aid room,” Jackson said, who stood very close behind her.

  Cold sweat slid down Megan’s back, and she stepped away from him, suddenly not wanting to be near anyone.

  “Megan, you should’ve let me know. I’d have excused you.”

  Megan shrugged her shoulders. “Have a look. I know it’s late for Monday, but there might be some photos you can use in Tuesday’s edition.” She held out the sim card. Helen took it.

  Megan felt like she’d unloaded herself of a huge burden. Her knees buckled. Stars flashed at the edge of her vision. Darkness eased around her in a strangely comforting way and she allowed herself to be taken by it.

  Jackson saw Megan fall almost in slow motion. He’d been watching her closely for the past thirty minutes while her behavior changed. Subtly, but he could see it. She’d seemed more forgetful, more tired, and a little uneasy on her feet. He rushed forward, hands outstretched. He reached her in time to catch her before she fell on the floor, saving her from possibly hitting her head again on the desk.

  “Oh my God, Megan!” Kristie’s voice rose to a near scream.

  Helen gasped.

  He pulled Megan close into his body, straining his arm muscles to stop the falling motion and to hold on to her. She was a dead weight in his arms, but he held her easy enough and gently lowered her to the ground, moving her handbag and camera bag from her shoulder. This weighs a ton.

  “Ring for an ambulance.” Jackson was glad to see Kristie didn’t need to be told twice. She had her phone out, pressing buttons even though she looked pale. The news boss looked worse, but both women kept their heads, doing the right thing. The sight relieved Jackson because it meant he could attend Megan. His first aid training came into effect straight away and he checked her airways before moving her into the position on her side.

  “There’s a protocol to follow to get an ambulance on the showground.” Helen picked up the phone on her desk and dialed. “I’ll let them know we need them here.”

  Jackson crouched down next to Megan. She was one stubborn girl. He was more concerned for her than wanting to lecture her for not listening to him. He understood why she didn’t want to go to the hospital. And it wasn’t until, after he’d spent some time with Megan that he started to pick up anomalies in her conduct.

  Working on the farm with animals had given him a skill, which translated to human behavior. He seemed to be able to predict when a cow was going to break from the herd and stop it, or when his older sister was going to cry, but that wasn’t always hard to foretell.

  He heard the women talking on their phones, coordinating on getting the ambulance here. He stroked Megan’s dark hair from her face. It had come undone during the day giving her a more relaxed earthy look instead of so neat and rigid. He kept away from the nasty looking bump on her forehead, not wanting to inflict any further pain on her. You are a stubborn shit. His thought was edged with affection.

  Even only after meeting Megan for such a short time, this girl had his attention, which went beyond feeling guilty at what Bruce had done to her. Initially, it had been part of the reason he’d agreed to spend time with her. That was quickly replaced by wanting to actually get to know her and by an attraction to this sassy girl, who didn’t take no for an answer. And one that still wanted to keep working after taking a kick in the head. She was his sort of woman.

  “Hmmmm.” A soft noise escaped Megan’s lips.

  “Relax, you’re safe.” He spoke softly close to her ear.

  Her lashes fluttered and she opened her eyes. She still looked dazed. “Where am I? What happened? Oh crap!” She moved trying to sit up.

  “Stay lying down. I don’t want to have to catch you again, I wasn’t any good at cricket.”

  Megan smiled, laughed softly, then stopped. “Argh, it hurts.” She rested on her back and put a hand over her eyes. “It’s bright in here.”

  “Here.” Jackson lifted her head, so he could rest it on his thigh.

  “Thanks.” She kept her eyes closed. “I’ll be better in a minute.”

  He clenched his jaw. He didn’t want to be the one to say otherwise. There was no way he was about to let her go off now unless it was in an ambulance on the way to hospital. “Head injuries are serious. You need to be careful.”

  She sighed. Her head pressed a little heavier on his le
g. “I’m tired.”

  “Ambulance is on its way,” said Kristie.

  “Good. Thanks.” Jackson braced himself ready for Megan’s reaction.

  “I’m fine.” Megan’s words lacked any fight much to his relief.

  “I’ll ring her dad.” Kristie rummaged through Megan’s bag for her phone.

  “Good idea.” Jackson kept still so he didn’t disturb Megan.

  “No need to bother him.” Megan’s words slurred slightly.

  Jackson hated this part. The waiting for the ambulance to come. What to say, or not to say, kept him silent. He stroked her arm gently, reassuring her the best way he knew how.

  “He’s on his way,” said Kristie, putting away the phone in Megan’s bag. “I’ll let him know what hospital when the ambulance gets here.”

  “I’ll wait outside to make sure they find us,” said Helen.

  “Can you let me know what the doctor says about Megan?” Jackson asked Kristie.

  “Sure, what’s your number?” Kristie took out her phone.

  Jackson promptly rattled off his number. He might never see Megan again, but at least he’d know that she was going to be all right.

  Two men in green overalls came in quickly but calmly, and walked straight to where Megan lay on the floor.

  “What’s happened here?” One knelt down and took out a blood pressure cuff. “Can you tell me exactly?”

  Jackson moved out of the way, resting Megan’s head gently on the floor and explained the events of the day. The emergency tech took her pulse, blood pressure, and flashed a light in her eyes.

  “Best we take her to the hospital, just to be sure,” The paramedic said, after his assessment. The ambulance officers shimmied Megan onto a stretcher.

  “I don’t need to go to hospital,” protested Megan. “Just home to sleep.”

  “You’ve got a nasty bump and you passed out. We don’t want things to get worse for you,” said the ambo man.

  “What hospital will you go to?” asked Kristie. “I need to tell her dad.”

  “Royal Adelaide.”

  Kristie followed behind the men. “Can I go in the ambulance with you?”

  “Of course.”

  Jackson stood back, out of the way. He touched Kristie’s arm and asked again. “You’ll let me know how she gets on?”

  Kristie nodded. “Of course.” She punched on her touch screen. “I’ve sent you a text so you have my number. Text me. All right?”

  Jackson felt his phone vibrate in his trousers’ pocket. “Thanks.”

  He watched uneasily as they settled Megan into the ambulance. She still looked pale and tired. Not worse than his sister had looked. He swallowed uneasily. She’ll be fine, he told himself. Jackson waited as if glued to the ground as the ambulance pulled away, moving slowly through the busy late afternoon crowd.

  Megan woke in darkness. She opened her eyes and saw a strange man crouching next to her, dressed in green overalls. There was a rocking motion that stirred her, and caused the fragmented pieces of her memory to move around in her mind. She groaned, trying to fit the bits back together. I’d given in the photos … then what?

  “We’re taking you to the hospital,” said the man. “You are fine right now, just a precaution.”

  “No, I don’t want to go.” It was the last place she wanted to be. She tried to sit up.

  “Lie back down, please.” Kristie put a hand on Megan’s shoulder. “I’ve called your dad and he’s going to meet us at hospital.”

  “No.” Megan’s mouth went dry. “Jackson?” She didn’t get to say thanks, or give him her number. Even in this state, he was a pleasant distraction.

  “He had to stay at the show, but he gave me his number so I can let him know how you are. He’s very concerned for you.”

  Hearing that gave her some comfort. Megan rested her head down on the firm pillow. She wanted to say something, but the words scrambled in her mind. She slipped back into unconsciousness.

  Megan lay on a bed in the emergency section. Curtains pulled on either side offered little privacy. “I don’t want to stay overnight.”

  “It’s not negotiable,” answered her dad firmly.

  Megan harrumphed and folded her arms across her chest. For the last hour or so, she’d been prodded and poked and asked the same questions about what day it was, her name, and she was over it. The smell of the antiseptics, the hint of vomit, turned her stomach.

  Kristie sat patiently on the end of the bed. Megan felt a twist of guilt tighten in her stomach. Her friend had abandoned an important show and her responsibilities with the sheep. She hadn’t complained once. Megan knew she was acting like a child. But, she couldn’t help it. She wanted to go home. The memories of being here last time, just over a year ago when her mum passed, pushed heavily on her aching mind.

  Megan’s vision blurred a little as the pulses in her head intensified and she held her breath. Bugger. She knew damn well she wasn’t up to going home, and as for fainting, she’d never passed out like that before. Her stomach flipped over. A sinking feeling grew inside of her, a cold sweat breaking out on her skin.

  “You need rest, and someone who knows what signs to look for,” said Kristie, placing her hand on Megan’s. “You need someone keeping an eye on you. It should only be overnight.”

  “I don’t like being here either,” said her dad softly.

  Megan’s eyes watered, the memory of losing her mum now full in her mind. She’d rushed here from uni. The message to come quickly from her dad unnerved her. There had been other messages like that before, and her mum had always pulled through. Not this time. She made it to her mum, but she’d already gone.

  The grief inside Megan rose on the edge of panic. She gasped for breath, not wanting to cry. She’d done more than enough crying. Now, it was time to live. Mum would’ve wanted that. And to meet a guy. She told her to do that, one afternoon when she had been studying while sitting on her mum’s hospital bed. Jackson’s image was a pleasant distraction for a moment. But, the emotion was too strong and a tear slipped down her check.

  Her dad pulled her into a tight protective hug. Megan could feel his own sob on her shoulder, but he held it together, his concern for her greater than his own.

  “I should’ve stayed with you today.” Megan muffled her voice against her dad’s shoulder. “This has been a terrible Father’s Day for you.”

  “No.” Her dad looked sternly at her. “You have to live your life and not worry about me.”

  Megan swallowed hard. “But I do worry.”

  “Just like I worry about you, which is why you are staying here.”

  Megan looked at her dad. He had tired lines under his eyes and she knew it was because of her. She didn’t have the energy to argue with him. Not now. Besides it was getting more difficult for her to think. There was one thought left, sitting here on the bed in a hospital gown.

  “Okay.” She paused. “Would you mind bringing back some clothes for me, clean ones that don’t stink like animals?”

  “Sure, tomorrow morning or maybe later tonight.” He kissed her on the top of her head.

  “And you don’t mind dropping off Kristie back to the show?” Megan glanced at her old school friend, who suppressed a yawn. “Thanks for coming with me.”

  “No worries. I wasn’t about to leave you. A lift would be great. I’ve got some last judging tomorrow morning because they were so slow today.”

  “All right,” said her dad. “I’d better go now, otherwise the nurses won’t let me back in.”

  “Thank you.” Megan smiled at them both, then rested on the pillow. Uncomfortable as it was, she felt her mind turn towards Jackson and how kind he’d been to her today. His features formed in her mind, his blond hair messy from wearing a hat, his caring blue eyes, and broad shoulders and strong-arms that she could imagine wrapping around her body now. I hope I haven’t ruined things with him. If only I can see him again.

  Chapter 5

  I
hope Megan will be all right. Jackson was pretty sure that she would be, but after the experience with his little sister, Janie, he found it difficult to remain positive. His past told him to be worried. He hadn’t for Janie and it didn’t work out then. I should’ve forced her to go to the hospital earlier. Of course, Megan didn’t look like the sort of girl who could be forced to do something that she didn’t want to do. It was part of the things that attracted him to her. Her smile, the way she tilted her head when thinking.

  His phone vibrated and he read the message from Kristie. ‘She’s staying for observation. Should be ok. Thanks for your help today.’

  He hastily texted a response, ‘no probs. ta.’

  He didn’t really know what else to say. It was sort of his fault she was there. He’d just spent the last three hours going over in his head how he could’ve kept Bruce on a tighter lead and then maybe this wouldn’t have happened. However, Megan had been so close. Add in someone bouncing a ball on a string nearby, this year’s show novelty that every kid bought, and Bruce suddenly spooked, knocking her down.

  There had been no way to avoid it. Other than having the area fenced off more, but Megan had jumped the gates. All for the perfect shot. He liked her sassiness, to get what she wanted.

  He turned off the tap and lifted the bucket of water, carrying it back to his cattle. He continued to fill the troughs. His parents were off talking to other breeders, and it was his job to make sure the cattle were fed and watered every morning and night for the duration of the show.

  He kept thinking about Megan as he worked. Water sloshed into the trough, in a tumbling motion like his thoughts. Will I get to see her again? Will she want to see me again? He didn’t detect any blame from her because of what Bruce had done, but he certainly had the pangs of guilt at regular intervals reminding him that it was his bull that did the damage. Do I want to see her again? He stood up. Pausing.