Arms Wide Open

by Donna Jay

“Scared you’ll puke again?” Julie teased, secretly pleased Yvonne didn’t want to go on any rides. They weren’t really her thing either.

  “I’m fifty.” Yvonne scoffed. “My nerves of steel went rusty a long time ago.”

  “You make yourself sound like a broken down old horse.”

  “Speaking of horses, hurry up. Show jumping starts in…” Yvonne looked at her watch. “Now.”

  In hindsight, they should’ve left home earlier, but Julie hadn’t anticipated the long queues. The last time she’d been to the show had been over thirty years ago.

  Finally, she stepped up to the ticket booth. A woman who appeared to be in her fifties, who would rather be anywhere but in a wooden hut that smelt like a sweatbox, barely bothered to look at them. “How many?”

  “Two, please.”

  “Adults or children?” Her voice was mechanical.

  “Adults,” Julie stated the obvious.

  The woman tore two stubs off a roll and handed them over. “Next.”

  After stepping through the turnstile, Julie waited for Yvonne while she sent a quick text to Brenda. “I told her we’re about ten minutes away.”

  “Sweet, let’s go.” Julie slid her hand into Yvonne’s and held tight. The crowd was so thick she didn’t want to lose her as they ducked in and out of people.

  To their left, the Super Loop started its climb and shot around the circle. Squeals of fear and laughter filled the air.

  “Bugger that,” Julie said.

  “That’s one ride I’ve never been on.” Yvonne watched the car zoom around the big loop.

  It was a ride Julie would never go on again. The memory of being suspended upside down when the operator stopped it mid-circle sent a shudder through her body.

  No matter how much her fifteen-year-old brain told her she was safe, when her backside lifted off the seat and her thighs hit the safety bar, she’d been certain she was about to plummet to her death. Headfirst.

  The sound of carnival workers calling to customers competed with the whir of rides.

  A woman called to them from a stall. “Come on, ladies, have a go.” She pointed to the wall behind her full of teddy bears and balloons. “Everyone wins a prize.”

  Yvonne jumped aside, making room for two little kids eager to toss ping-pong balls down the mouths of mechanical clowns.

  “Want to try your luck?” Yvonne asked with a cheeky smile. She knew very well Julie hated clowns.

  “Sure,” Julie lied. “But we’re already late to meet Brenda.”

  Finally, they were through the throng of people queuing for rides and waiting their turn at sideshows.

  The unmistakable scent of cattle, hay, and manure brought back memories of days spent on her cousin’s farm.

  “Over there.” Yvonne pointed to a makeshift grandstand. “She said she saved us a seat, second stand along, top row.”

  They made their way past pens full of sheep, bulls being led in circles by their proud charges, and numerous horse floats.

  As they neared, Julie felt surprisingly calm. But then what did she expect? It wasn’t a date, they were meeting a potential friend.

  The first thing Julie spotted was the wide-brimmed straw hat Brenda had worn in the veggie barn. “There she is.” She pointed.

  Squinting, Yvonne shielded her eyes. “Where?”

  “Big hat. Big smile.”

  Brenda seemed to spot them at the same time as they spotted her. She stood, swirling her arm in a circle like she could lasso them in.

  “You sure that’s her?” Yvonne asked.

  “Positive. Why?”

  “She looks…radiant.”

  “I think the word you’re searching for is gorgeous.” Julie looped an arm through Yvonne’s and half walked, half dragged her to a beaming Brenda.

  By the time they got to the stands, Brenda was waiting for them at the bottom.

  “Hi!” She threw her arms around Julie like they were long lost friends. “It’s good to see you.” She broke the embrace and hugged Yvonne. “You too.”

  Feeling cheeky, Julie gyrated her hips while Brenda’s back was to her. Yvonne shot her a warning look in return.

  “Follow me. Bonnie and Boy are up next.”

  Yvonne quirked an eyebrow at Julie. “Bonny-boy? Interesting name for a horse.”

  “Come on.” Brenda raced to the top seats and they followed. “Sit.” She patted the bench on either side of her.

  Once they sat, Yvonne on Brenda’s left, Julie on her right, Brenda leaned toward Yvonne. “Bonnie’s my friends name, and, yes, she named her horse Boy.”

  “Oh,” was all Yvonne said.

  Julie wished she could see her face, but she didn’t want to be rude and peer around Brenda.

  Although she hadn’t expected to be separated from Yvonne, having Brenda sitting between them wasn’t unwelcome either. She smelled like liniment and popcorn.

  Julie leaned back, hands behind her on the rough wooden bench. A second later, Yvonne’s hand connected with hers.

  Her heart jackhammered when Brenda gave her a small smile. Had their hands brushed against her lower back? She didn’t think so, but somehow Brenda knew she was in the middle of their embrace.

  A loud voice boomed over the speaker, “Next out, we have Bonnie-Leigh riding Boy.”

  “Oh my God. I’m so excited and so bloody nervous.” Brenda rubbed her hands together, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “If they win this round, they go through to the finals.”

  Silence descended like an axe. A woman dressed in jodhpurs, black riding boots, black hat, and a smart red jacket entered the show-ring. Boy was a dapple-grey, groomed to perfection; his mane and tail plaited.

  He pranced on the spot, eager to get going. Bonnie-Leigh nudged his sides and they were off. As they neared the first jump, Julie’s heart was in her throat. She breathed a sigh of relief when Boy cleared it with ease.

  “The next one’s a killer,” Brenda said, eyes straight ahead, elbows on her knees.

  “He’ll make it,” Yvonne said with conviction.

  Julie squeezed their joined hands, linked behind Brenda’s back. Their grip tightened as Bonnie-Leigh steered Boy toward the next jump.

  His muscles rippled as he launched into the air, clearing the jump with his front hoofs. Julie was about to cheer him on when his hind leg clipped the top rail. She stared in stunned silence.

  The red and white beam lurched forward, rocked backward, tottered forward, and, finally, settled in place.

  The entire crowd exhaled at once.

  “That was close.” Brenda fiddled with a charm on her necklace, swinging it back and forth.

  Five minutes later, they crossed the finished line, an elated Bonnie standing in the stirrups waving to the crowd.

  Brenda stood, swinging her fist about her head. “Whoop, whoop. Way to go, Bonn.”

  People in the front bleachers turned to look at her.

  “Sorry.” She apologised to the smiling faces.

  Julie pulled her hand out of Yvonne’s, narrowly avoiding them being squashed when Brenda sat back down.

  “Now you know why Josh wouldn’t come with me today. Outbursts like that embarrass the crap out of him.”

  “Were you a soccer mum?” Yvonne asked, surprising Julie.

  Brenda took the question in her stride. “No, I was a softball mum.”

  “Really?” Julie asked. She loved the sport. “Your son played softball?”

  “Sure did.” An alluring smile spread across Brenda’s face. “He only complained when I dated a couple of his teammate’s mums.”

  “At once?” Yvonne asked.

  “You’re cute.” Brenda patted the tip of Yvonne’s nose. “No, not at once, but I’m game if you are?” She shot her a playful wink before bounding to the bottom of the makeshift stand.

  Julie looked at a gobsmacked Yvonne. “You coming?”

  “I think I might be.” She shook her head. “I mean yeah, sure.”

  Smiling, Julie held o
ut a hand. Yvonne took it and they made their way to the ground at a more sedate pace than Brenda.

  “Come and meet Bonnie.”

  “Won’t that be awkward?” Julie asked.

  “Not at all. I told her I asked my friends along to help me cheer her on.”

  “Is that what we are? Friends?” Yvonne asked as they strolled toward a horse float.

  “I’d like to think so,” Brenda answered, walking backward. “Or I can tell her I picked up a few strays. Either way, she wouldn’t be surprised.”

  They barely knew Brenda, but Julie didn’t doubt what she said was true. Like the night they met her at the pub, Brenda had an aura surrounding her that drew people to her like a magnet.

  “So, how many strays do you have?” Yvonne asked.

  “Two shop cats, one of whom I suspect is pregnant.” Her eyes lit up. “Want a kitten for Christmas?”

  “I’d love one.” Julie held up a finger before Yvonne could protest. “But Ginger would have something to say about that.”

  “Ginger?” Brenda pointed and they all veered left at a row of horse floats.

  “My cat, he’s a big softie.”

  “And a big snob.” Julie grinned.

  “Here we are.”

  A woman grooming her horse glanced in their direction. She was short and slim with curly brown hair. When she spotted them, her small smile transformed into a huge grin. “We did it!”

  “You did.” The woman launched herself at Brenda and Brenda lifted her off the ground, spinning her in a circle.

  Yvonne nodded toward the magnificent dapple-grey. “I wonder if we’re allowed to pat him.”

  The suggestion made Julie take a step back. It’d been a long time since she’d been on a horse, and she didn’t recall them being so big. Boy was huge, solid muscle, and at least sixteen hands tall.

  Brenda finally put Bonnie-Leigh back on her feet and ushered them closer. “Come meet Bonnie.”

  “Hi.” Bonnie tucked a brush under her arm and extended a hand.

  Since Yvonne was closest, she took the proffered hand and introduced them both. “I’m Yvonne. This is my wife, Julie.”

  “Hi,” Julie said. “He’s beautiful.”

  “He is.” Bonnie patted his neck. “I’m so proud of him.” Her smile fell. “Shame Alex was too busy to be here today.”

  “Hey.” Brenda tossed some straw at her. “Don’t go getting like that. I was here, and so were my friends. We were rooting for you all the way.”

  Her smile returned. “Thanks, my little good luck charm. Honestly. You didn’t have to come all this way.”

  “Wild horses couldn’t keep me away.” Brenda waggled her eyebrows. “See what I did there?”

  Yvonne and Julie chuckled.

  “Is it okay if I pat him?” Yvonne looked like a star-struck teenager.

  “Absolutely. He loves attention. Don’t you, Boy?” She rubbed his forehead.

  Yvonne held her hand out, laughing when he snorted out a breath.

  “Ew, horse slobber,” Julie joked, trying to hide her discomfort.

  “Not a fan of horses?” Brenda sidled up next to her, while Yvonne and Bonnie fussed over Boy.

  “I used to be, but to paraphrase my wife, my nerves of steel have rusted with age.”

  “Come with me.” She took Julie by the hand as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do, and ironically, that’s exactly how it felt.

  “Talk to him.”

  Feeling silly, Julie did just that. “Hey, Boy. How does it feel having four women swooning over you? Living the dream?”

  With that, he whinnied and everyone burst out laughing.

  A short time later, Boy happily followed Bonnie up the ramp and into the horse float. With a final pat on his flank, she closed the door and bolted it.

  “Are you sure you’re going to be all right in big old Fielding all by yourself?”

  “Of course I will.” Brenda linked arms with Julie and Yvonne. “These girls are going to show me a good time.”

  We are? Just what kind of good time. Julie shelved the question for when they were alone.

  “Fielding has some good pubs, like the one where we met,” Yvonne said.

  “I thought you said you met them at the shop?” Bonnie narrowed her eyes suspiciously or was it playfully? Julie couldn’t be sure.

  Stepping out from between them, Brenda held out her hands as if weighing up her options. “Apples, oranges, who cares?”

  Her playful response made Julie smile. She took a step to her right and put an arm around Yvonne’s shoulders. They watched Brenda and Bonnie hug and say goodbye.

  “It was nice to meet you.” Bonnie waved then slid behind the wheel of her 4WD.

  Once she was out of sight, Brenda turned back to them. “Can I give you ladies a ride home?”

  Was she dismissing them? Julie’s heart sunk.

  “What?” Yvonne sounded as confused as Julie felt. “You just told her you’re going to show us a good time. Now you’re ditching us?”

  “Oh, feisty, I like it.” Her lip kicked up. “I don’t know about you two, but I could do with a shower before hitting the bars.”

  “Oh, good thinking.” Yvonne looked suitably contrite.

  As if her words alone had the ability to make a point, Julie felt sweat trickle down her neck at the same time as she became aware of her shirt sticking to her back.

  “Unless you have your car here, I’m offering you a ride home to freshen up.”

  Brenda pulled her hat off and shook out her hair. Honey-blonde tresses tumbled down her shoulders. Julie’s fingers itched. She wanted to run them through the tangled mess.

  “That would be lovely. You’re welcome to use our shower if you’d like to freshen up too,” Yvonne said.

  “Right now, that sounds like bliss. Luckily I packed a change of underwear. You never know when you might need them.” An alluring smile spread across her face again.

  What other tricks had she packed? The thought slammed into Julie out of nowhere. Reminding herself they were meeting as friends, going out for dinner and a drink, she pushed the thought aside.

  Chapter 26

  Bumper to bumper with cars, it took fifteen minutes just to exit Manfield Park.

  Halfway home, Yvonne pointed out the windscreen. “If you turn left at Manchester Street, we can stop at the liquor store and grab a bottle of wine.”

  “Or a dozen beer,” Julie piped up from the backseat of Brenda’s very comfortable Ford Falcon. The seats were soft as butter, and the smell of leather made her think of things she had no business thinking of. Thigh-high boots, corsets, paddles…

  Clearing her head of sexy thoughts intruding on her mind, Julie remembered they had no idea what Brenda liked to drink. The night they’d met she’d been sipping on water. But she’d had a cocktail or something first, hadn’t she?

  Once Brenda parked, Julie sat forward in her seat, gripping Yvonne’s headrest. “What’s your choice of poison?”

  “I like vodka cruisers.”

  “Sweet taste,” Julie said.

  “Very,” Brenda said, somehow managing to make the word sound like a caress.

  After retrieving her handbag off the floor, Yvonne bounded out of the car. “Be right back.”

  “I’m coming.” Julie was right behind her. They needed to talk.

  “I’ll be right here.” Brenda shot them a devilish grin.

  Yep, she was trouble with a capital T. One drink at home, then they would hit the bars, have a meal and go their separate ways.

  They’d agreed to meet as friends, get to know each other a little better, and that was it. If there was some harmless flirting along the way, so be it. That’s where it would end.

  The last thing Julie wanted to do was lead Brenda on. They were meeting Pamela tomorrow, for God’s sake.

  In the bottle store, Julie grabbed beer and vodka cruises from the chiller and met Yvonne back in the store, between two rows of wine.

  “I trust
you’re okay with Brenda coming back to our house?”

  “It would be too late now if I wasn’t, wouldn’t it?” Yvonne picked up a bottle of Shiraz.

  “Nah, we could sneak out the back and run home.”

  Rather than laugh, Yvonne looked appalled. “You’d do that to the poor woman?”

  “No.” Julie shook her head.

  “I like her,” Yvonne said.

  “Me too,” Julie agreed. “Where should we go for dinner?”

  “Let’s just see what happens?”

  “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

  “Depends. What do you think I’m saying?” The glint in her eyes told Julie all she needed to know. She was taken by Brenda, and as their guest, it was Brenda’s call.

  To be honest, Julie felt the same. If Brenda wanted to go to McDonald’s and grab takeaways, then that’s what they’d do. If she wanted to go to the pub, that was okay too.

  Back outside, Julie pulled Yvonne to a stop. “Look.”

  They took a minute to watch Brenda. Eyes closed, head tipped back, rocking from side to side in time to whatever she was listening to on the radio.

  “I hope we don’t give her a fright,” Yvonne whispered.

  “Could be fun,” Julie joked.

  She stared in disbelief when Brenda’s eyes popped open. A smile spread across her face. She knew damn well they were watching her.

  Five minutes later, Brenda parked in their driveway. Three doors clicked open and they all climbed out.

  “Nice digs.” Brenda stared at their two-bedroom stucco home, windowsills painted light blue.

  “We like it,” Yvonne said as she rounded the car.

  “Wait for it.” Julie stood beside Brenda.

  As predicted, Ginger came darting out from under a bush, running to his mumma.

  “There you are.” Yvonne’s face lit up. “Come meet Brenda.”

  “Well aren’t you a pretty boy.” Brenda bent down to pet him, scratching under his chin. He lapped up the attention, purring loudly.

  Julie pushed off the car. “You passed the test.”

  “What test?”

  “The pussy test.” Okay, that sounded wrong.

  “Good to know.” There went that damn alluring smile again.

  “I meant the Ginger test.” That didn’t sound much better, but Julie blundered on. “He’s not very sociable, but he seems to like you.”