Queen of the Road

by Tricia Stringer

  ‘Alice?’

  There was no reply. He went further into the room and called again, but she didn’t respond. He approached her bedroom door cautiously. He didn’t want to go in there but he needed to make sure she was okay.

  ‘Alice?’ he called again and tapped on the door.

  The house was silent. He was beginning to get worried. He peered around the door: the room was empty and her bed was unmade. Coop retraced his steps. He checked his room and the bathroom, then went outside again. Perhaps Joan had taken her somewhere. He couldn’t imagine the circumstances under which Alice would allow that – unless, of course, she’d taken a turn for the worse – but there seemed to be no other explanation.

  Frantically he cast his eyes across the backyard and over the paddocks. Rusty was still lying at the garage door and Jilly wasn’t far from him. She stood up as Coop hurried along the verandah towards her and gave another short bark. Coop continued on to the garage and Rusty rose to his feet.

  ‘Where’s Alice?’ Coop asked the motley pair. He was really worried now. Joan would have left a note if they were leaving the property. He looked towards the sheds in the distance. Surely Alice wouldn’t have gone that far. The chook yard was closer – maybe there, he thought. He began to walk in that direction when Jilly barked again. He turned to look at her and noticed someone sitting in Alice’s car.

  He moved to the driver’s door and leaned down. It was Alice. Her head was back with her eyes closed and her mouth open. He leaned in closer and heard her gentle snoring and noticed the light rise and fall of her chest.

  ‘Alice?’ he said softly and tapped on the door.

  Her eyes flew open. He could see that she didn’t know where she was for a moment. ‘Coop. You’re home already.’

  ‘What are you doing out here? Where’s Joan?’

  ‘Home, I suppose. I didn’t need her prying into my business today.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I’ve been over to visit Phil Cameron.’

  ‘How?’

  ‘In my car of course. I don’t sleep here just for the fun of it, you know.’

  ‘Alice, you’re not supposed to drive.’

  ‘It’s an automatic. All you have to do is steer.’

  Coop shook his head. ‘What were you doing at the Camerons’?’

  ‘Getting my sheep back.’

  ‘What?’

  Alice opened the door and slowly shifted her feet to the ground. ‘Can you give me a hand to get inside? You can make me a cup of tea and I’ll tell you all about it.’

  Coop shook his head again and put an arm out to support Alice. Between him and her walking stick, she made it inside and carefully into a chair. While he made tea she recounted her conversation with Phil Cameron. Annabel had been there too, apparently. Alice said they offered her a cup of tea, which she accepted, then she asked for her sheep back.

  Coop looked at her. ‘You asked, just like that? I mean, I’m not a hundred percent sure they’re your sheep …’

  ‘Oh, they’re mine all right,’ said Alice, tapping a finger on the table. ‘I said it was good of Phil to look after a few of my stray Dohne crosses but that I was sure he didn’t want them hanging around his place any longer.’ She chuckled. ‘Phil nearly choked on his tea. Didn’t have any of my mongrels on his property, he said. But then he looked at Annabel. She admitted there were some of my sheep in their holding pens. Phil went off his rocker. She made it sound as if she’d only just found them, that she was going to return them as soon as she had the time. I didn’t say I knew otherwise. Just thanked them for the tea and said I expect them back this afternoon.’ Alice grinned.

  Coop was impressed by her gall. ‘Why would Annabel do it?’

  ‘She’s always had a chip on her shoulder, that one: second-child syndrome. Anything her brother did she wanted to do better, right from an early age. They were both spoilt brats but I thought they’d settled a bit after their teen years. She went off to study genetics – did well, apparently. Phil says she’s been looking at land in the district. Maybe she thought my little mothers would be a new beginning for her. She’d want different stock to Paul. And with her education, she’d know the advantage of breeding with Dohnes. It’s a wonder she didn’t make off with the ram.’

  ‘I can’t believe you just drove over there and asked for them back.’

  Alice eyeballed him. Coop shook his head and the phone rang. He picked it up and Angela’s voice echoed down the line.

  ‘Coop?’

  ‘Did you find Claudia?’ he asked.

  ‘Yes, she’s fine.’

  He let out a sigh. ‘Did Janice say why she took her?’

  ‘She’s crazy and stupid and …’ Her voice broke into a sob.

  ‘Are you okay?’

  Angela sighed. ‘I just need some sleep. My phone’s nearly flat and I don’t know where the other charger is. I’ll give you my landline but I won’t be back at the flat till later.’

  He wrote the number on the pad next to the mobile number Alice had scribbled the day before. Then he noticed another message written in Alice’s scrawl. ‘Ring Jeff.’

  ‘Coop? Are you still there?’

  He returned his focus to Angela. ‘Yes.’

  ‘Did you make it okay with the gear for the pub?’

  ‘Yes, but … you took a big risk with that job.’

  She was silent.

  ‘Clifford was chasing you down, you know.’

  ‘Bloody hell. He didn’t bellow at you as well, did …’ she trailed off.

  Coop pressed the phone to his ear. ‘Angela?’

  She was gone.

  ‘Everything okay?’ Alice asked.

  ‘I think so. Her phone must’ve gone flat, but she has Claudia back.’ He looked at the note by the phone. ‘Did Jeff ring?’

  ‘Your stepfather? Yes, he rang last night.’

  Coop gaped. He couldn’t remember ever telling Alice that Jeff was his stepfather.

  ‘Coop, will you sit down a minute?’

  He stayed standing, not sure what he wanted to do.

  ‘I know you’ve got a million things going on in that head of yours,’ she said, ‘and I respect your privacy. You know I don’t like busybodies myself, but there’s a difference between stickybeaks and friends.’ She used her stick to tap the chair in front of him. ‘Please sit down. I need to tell you something.’

  Coop held her gaze a minute. Then he did as she asked. He liked Alice, and he trusted her. She wouldn’t pry unnecessarily.

  ‘I spoke to Jeff for quite a while. He sounds like a good bloke.’

  ‘He is,’ said Coop. ‘If it wasn’t for him … well, I don’t know where I’d be.’

  ‘I’m sure you’d have sorted yourself out, but it was good you had someone to support you through testing times.’

  Coop wondered how much Jeff had told Alice but her face gave nothing away.

  ‘Anyway,’ she continued, ‘he said your mum’s out of hospital and on the mend again.’

  He sighed. That was good news, he supposed, but then, it’d only be a matter of time before she was back there again.

  ‘Coop, I hope it wasn’t because of me that you didn’t visit her.’

  ‘No,’ he said.

  ‘Do you like it here?’

  He frowned at her change of tack. ‘Yes …’

  ‘I’m not too tough an old bag to work for?’

  ‘No.’

  Alice studied him closely. ‘I wonder if you’d tell me if I was.’ Then she leaned in towards him.

  Coop could see that she was nearly at the end of how much she could do today. Her face was pale and her eyes looked tired but she kept talking.

  ‘I gather some tough things have happened in your life but that doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to happiness. You may think I’m saying this for selfish reasons, and maybe I am, but you don’t have to keep moving on. If you like it here, stay. I’m always going to need help and one day … Well, who knows? I don’t have
anyone to pass this place on to. Maybe we could work something out.’

  ‘Hang on, Alice …’ He shook his head. Where was this coming from? ‘You’re going to get fit again.’

  ‘Too right I am,’ she said. ‘But no one lives forever. I’m just being practical.’

  Coop considered her proposal. They were silent for some time.

  ‘Well, think about it anyway,’ Alice said eventually. ‘I reckon there’s more folk than me who’d be pleased if you stayed.’

  At that moment, both dogs barked and a vehicle was heard in the distance.

  ‘Ah, good,’ said Alice, pulling her tired face into a cheeky smile. ‘I expect that’ll be my sheep.’

  Chapter 51

  Angela flopped onto the old couch and allowed herself a moment’s rest. Her Melbourne flat was bigger than the one in Munirilla, but now that she looked around, it definitely felt smaller, probably because of the stacks of boxes and piles of bags. She was glad she was letting it go.

  She’d picked up her car from the truck depot that morning then worked at fever pace in spite of her tiredness. She tied up loose ends, got rid of all the junk and packed everything she could into boxes, even the bloody television. She’d paid enough for it already, she might as well keep it.

  She looked at her phone. It was at full battery again after she found her charger. She hadn’t rung Coop back yet. He’d done so much for her and she was grateful for it, but she didn’t like the disapproving tone in his voice when he’d told her about the Highway Hotel delivery and Clifford Berl.

  ‘Stupid Clifford Berl,’ she muttered.

  She looked at her phone again. It was nearly eight o’clock now and she was expecting her father any minute. He’d wanted to come earlier but she didn’t want to see him until Claudia was in bed. Today the two of them had enjoyed some precious mother-daughter time. While Angela sorted and packed, Claudia had talked nonstop, rediscovering old toys she hadn’t seen for ages.

  Angela looked at the stack of boxes again. Most of them were things to either give or throw away. After the events of the last few days, she realised that it was people that mattered most to her. She only intended to take a few things from their Melbourne existence to their permanent new life in Munirilla, or wherever they ended up. She wasn’t so sure her father would still be so happy to employ her after today, but she knew one thing for certain: she’d come to love the freedom of truck driving. There was no way she was going back to the office. She’d get a job driving for someone else if she had to. Maybe Berls would need another driver. She grinned at the thought.

  There was a knock at the door and she jumped up quickly. ‘Hello Dad,’ she said as she opened it.

  ‘Angel,’ he said warmly.

  She stiffened as he gave her a hug. ‘Do you want something to drink?’ she asked. ‘I haven’t packed the kettle yet.’

  ‘No thanks.’ He looked around. ‘You’re leaving for good?’

  ‘Yes,’ she said.

  ‘What are your plans?’

  ‘We’ll head back to Munirilla. I assume you still want me to do that job until you find a replacement?’

  He studied her a moment. ‘Look Angel, can we sit down? It’s been a long day for both of us.’ She sat beside him on the couch and he took her hands in his. ‘You’ve done a wonderful job with the South Australian leg. It’s brought in more business, we’re even getting offers for work out west. Ranger is busier than ever. I promised you a bonus and it’ll be with your next pay.’

  That was welcome news. ‘Thanks,’ she said. Between all the sorting and packing, Angela had made a new plan to cut back on her debts – hopefully one that would work this time. It was embarrassing to have to accept a loan from Coop. She never wanted to be in that situation again.

  ‘I was hoping you’d want to keep doing the Munirilla run,’ he said.

  She gave him a tentative smile. ‘I’d like to but …’

  ‘And you must take Claudia with you, of course.’

  ‘Of course.’ Angela was relieved he wasn’t here to argue that point.

  ‘You’re her mother. She should be with you.’

  ‘And what will you do about Janice?’

  ‘Janice?’

  ‘You can’t ignore what she did, Dad.’

  ‘She was only doing what she thought was right. Even though it was a little … misguided.’

  ‘Misguided?’ Angela snatched her hands out of his. ‘Dad, I nearly rang the police. Janice abducted Claudia.’

  ‘Come on, Angel, don’t be so melodramatic.’

  Angela gritted her teeth. Where had she heard that word before?

  ‘Janice has been going through a rough patch. We need to cut her some slack.’

  ‘A rough patch!’ Angela jumped to her feet. ‘You think driving all the way to Adelaide and stealing Claudia from me is something a sane person would do?’

  ‘I know it must have been terrible for you,’ he said soothingly. ‘But there’s something you have to understand. She can’t have children of her own.’

  Angela wasn’t sure how that was relevant or that it excused anything.

  Her father continued. ‘She never wanted any when we first got married and that suited me fine. I already had three great kids. But in the last year she’s decided she wants a child of our own and … well, it seems her body clock has ticked out. It’s too late.’

  Hearing this, things were finally beginning to make sense. Janice’s interest in Claudia, her attempts to make Angela look like a bad parent. ‘So she thought she could take mine?’

  ‘Of course not. But she missed Claudia terribly.’

  ‘Dad, your wife tried to steal my child.’ Angela spoke slowly and clearly.

  ‘Don’t think too badly of her, Angel. She’s going to get some counselling. I’m sure many women go through this.’

  ‘They may well do, but they don’t go around abducting other people’s children. I know you love her, so your judgement is clouded on this, but I don’t want her anywhere near my daughter. Tomorrow Claudia and I are driving back to Munirilla. You will always be welcome to phone or visit, but not Janice.’

  Her heart ached for him as she saw the sadness in his eyes, but he’d made his choice a long time ago and there was no changing that. Janice had warned Angela not to make him choose between a wife and a daughter, but Janice wasn’t a parent – she didn’t understand the depth of Angela’s feelings for Claudia. Somehow, in her delusional state, Janice must have thought she could convince Angela to give her daughter up.

  Her father stood up. He rested his rough hand gently on her cheek, then dropped it back to his side. ‘I hope in time you’ll change your mind, but I understand. It’s probably best if we all keep to ourselves for a while.’

  ‘Goodbye Dad.’ She closed the door without watching him walk away, then sank to the couch and sobbed until the ring of her mobile made her stop. Kate’s name flashed on the screen.

  ‘Hi girlfriend,’ Kate said. ‘Long time no speak. Which part of the country are you in now?’

  ‘Melbourne,’ Angela replied, sniffing back a final sob, already feeling a whole lot better for hearing her best friend’s voice.

  ‘No way! Have you got time to catch up?’

  ‘Can you come to the flat?’

  ‘On my way.’

  Angela sat for a moment. Her life had taken some major turns recently but she was confident she was making the right choice to return to Munirilla. She took herself off to the bathroom to wash her face. A dose of Kate was just what she needed. A last catch-up before she left Melbourne for what she hoped would be a long time.

  Chapter 52

  Angela found a park near the hospital. They’d made it to Adelaide in good time and she was keen to pay Ken a visit before the next leg of their journey. She extracted Claudia, her bag of toys and the chocolates they’d brought for Ken, then locked the car.

  They’d managed to load quite a bit into the small vehicle for the drive from Melbourne. The rushed trip had done
her a favour. She had her own car now, which would make it much easier to get around back in Munirilla.

  ‘Can I carry the chocolates, please?’

  Claudia tugged at the package in Angela’s hand. Chocolates probably weren’t the best thing for someone who’d had a heart attack but she didn’t known what else to bring. Ken didn’t strike her as a flowers man. She handed the box to Claudia.

  ‘Now remember, Mr Harris might not be feeling very well, so we have to be very quiet.’

  ‘I will,’ the little girl said and began to skip.

  Angela had been watching her daughter like a hawk since they’d been reunited, but Claudia wasn’t showing any obvious signs of distress after the craziness of the last few days. Between Nigel’s duplicity and Janice’s treachery, Angela wanted to protect Claudia from any further complications as much as possible.

  Inside the hospital they were directed to Ken’s room. He was alone and welcomed Angela like a long-lost friend.

  ‘It’s so good of you to visit me.’

  ‘We can’t stay long,’ Angela said.

  ‘Why have you got your hands covered?’ Claudia had her nose level with his bed.

  ‘They got burnt,’ Ken said.

  ‘How will you eat your chocolates?’

  ‘I’m sure someone will help me.’

  Angela took the parcel and placed it amongst the cards and gifts on a ledge near the bed.

  ‘How is your heart?’ Claudia leaned closer. ‘Does it still have a tack in it?’

  Ken laughed. Angela guided her daughter to a seat with instructions to play with her toys. With Claudia suitably occupied Angela drew up another seat beside the bed.

  ‘It’s good to see you,’ Ken said.

  ‘You too.’ Angela smiled at him. ‘You gave everyone a bit of a fright.’

  ‘Not as much as I gave myself. I probably wouldn’t be here, and neither would my business, if those young lads hadn’t come along. I’m going to recommend them for bravery awards.’

  ‘So what happened?’

  ‘You haven’t heard?’

  ‘I’ve been away for a few days.’ Angela cast an eye in Claudia’s direction.