Family Farm (15 page)

Leaving her swag unrolled, she moved to the side of the tray. Like an arthritic old man she climbed slowly over the side of the ute, which was usually a swift, graceful movement on her behalf. After a long guzzle from her water bottle she clambered in behind the steering wheel, resting her head on it for a few seconds while Tom jumped in over her to his side of the ute. She closed the door as quietly as she could, but it still rang in her ears. She fired up the motor and headed back home.

Izzy rested back against the tray of the Land Cruiser and crossed her arms as she waited for James to arrive. She’d invited him over for a feed of gilgies, or yabbies as everyone called them now. She ran her hand down her cargo shorts, felt the bump of her mobile in her pocket. It was on hand in case Mum rang. James had messaged her earlier, letting her know he was on his way, though she still wasn’t convinced he’d turn up given the state of him last night. At that thought, she noticed a trail of dust along the main road and could now see him turning up the driveway. His rusty old ute eventually rolled to a stop just metres from her. Lifting her arm, she gave a quick wave of greeting as James got out of the car. She inhaled deeply. His blond hair was now cropped short in an army-style crew cut.

‘Love your new do, James,’ she said with a slight chuckle.

James ran both his hands over his nearly naked head, trying to get used to the feel of the spiky short hairs. After the initial shock, Izzy had to admit it suited him. It made his face more masculine, more visible, especially with his freckly skin.

‘Yes, the gang decided it was time to get rid of it last night, while I was still passed out. Mind you, I should be glad it wasn’t an eyebrow or worse.’ James moved his head around in elegant poses. ‘What do you reckon, eh? I think they used a number one. I guess that’ll teach me. I feel naked!’ The sunlight picked up red gingery flecks in his hair.

‘Don’t worry. It suits you, but I hope you’ve been wearing a hat or you’ll end up with a burnt scone.’

James touched his head.

Izzy reached into the Land Cruiser and fished around on the seat. She pulled out an old wide-brimmed hat that looked like the sheep had trampled it to death and threw it at him.

‘Here, use this. It’ll go nicely with your thongs,’ she said, motioning to his white and black thongs, which were worn through on the heels.

‘Hey, I hope you’re not picking on my double pluggers. These are my favourites!’

They both climbed into the Land Cruiser and Tom jumped in with them, not bothering to get on the back because he knew he was a special dog who rode up front.

‘This is Tom. He’s my chaperone. You make any move and he’ll take your arm off, fair dinkum.’

‘Sure, I believe you,’ James said mockingly as he rubbed Tom behind his ears, turning the already placid dog to putty in his hands. Flicking the hat back on his head again for the umpteenth time, he said, ‘You know, I think it’s my colour.’

‘James, I don’t even think that’s a colour. It’s more dirt and grease. Personally, I think pink would suit you. You know, bring out your feminine side.’ Izzy laughed, as farm boys rarely had a soft side. Even if they did, they would never let anyone know. James took off the hat and threw it at her as they drove off down the track towards the dam.

‘You’ll keep.’ James began fiddling with his hands nervously. ‘Hey, Izzy, about last night. I’m sorry if I came on a bit strong. I hope I wasn’t too much of a prick. I get that way with a few drinks under my belt. Well, so I’ve been told.’

Izzy grinned. She could see how uncomfortable he was so she put him out of his misery. ‘It’s all right. I didn’t take it to heart. You’re not the first bloke and I’m sure you won’t be the last.’

‘I was a bit worried I’d overstepped the mark. The look in Will’s eye was serious. I was drunk but even I can remember that.’

‘Yeah, well, don’t worry about him. He had no business stepping in. I don’t know where he gets off thinking he can just invite himself into my life.’ Izzy gripped the steering wheel so tight her knuckles whitened.

James shrugged. ‘He was just being a gentleman and looking out for you.’

Izzy didn’t reply. She was sure being a gentleman was the last thing on Will’s mind. ‘It’s gonna be another warm one,’ she said, changing the subject.

They joshed about until they reached the first dam where Izzy drove the ute up the hard, dry embankment and parked at the top. Gathering some buckets out of the back of the ute, they carefully descended the slippery bank to the murky water and set the buckets down.

‘The water’s quite low, but we should still get a good feed. I’ve had the nets in for a while,’ Izzy explained.

James studied his companion’s long sleek legs and swift motion as she pulled the first net in. The muscles, obvious in her olive arms, rose to the occasion as she forced the net quickly through the muddy water so the yabbies couldn’t escape. Free from the water, she held the net at arm’s length to keep her boots from getting wet. She guided it over one of the buckets while James tipped it on its side and shook the yabbies free. Once the last yabby was out Izzy wrapped the rope around the net, threw it onto the bank and bent down to help James collect the ones that had missed the bucket.

‘These aren’t a bad size, Izzy. Some nice big claws on them too,’ said James, carefully picking up another yabby and popping it into the bucket.

‘Hmm, yummy! Throw back the ones with eggs and any smaller than this.’

Izzy picked up one that was a fraction longer than her finger and gently threw it back into the dam.

‘God, I haven’t eaten a yabby in years. Just shows how long I’ve been away from our farm.’ James was at Muresk, an agricultural uni that was about four hundred kilometres away. It was popular with a lot of students from farming backgrounds, who went and did undergraduate courses in Agribusiness and Farm Management.

‘How’s Muresk going, anyway? What are you studying for?’ she asked curiously.

‘My plan is to become a farm advisor, if all goes well.’

Izzy’s soft voice teased him. ‘That’s if the B&S balls and drinking don’t get in the way.’ She threw him a look that said, ‘I know what you Muresk boys get up to.’

‘Yeah, something like that.’ He laughed. ‘I’m doing okay so far.’

A sad tone was clear in Izzy’s voice as she began to speak. ‘I would have loved to have gone to ag school but Dad wouldn’t let me.’ She took a deep breath. ‘He thought it wasn’t the place for me … for a girl.’ Izzy had had her heart set on going to the Narrogin Agricultural College, even for just Years Eleven and Twelve, but Bill had prevented her.

James shook his head in disbelief. ‘But lots of girls go. Shit, he’s not one of them real olden-days blokes, is he? That’s gotta suck,’ he said when Izzy nodded solemnly.

‘Yeah, tell me about it. That’s why I went over east. I got firsthand work experience for a couple of years. It was great and I got paid instead of having to pay schooling fees. The best thing was Dad couldn’t stop me.’

‘That sounds like the way to do it. Here, I’ll pull this one.’ James reached down, plucked up the rope, and began to pull the net in.

It didn’t feel like it took long to pull up all the nets, but as they were heading for the Land Cruiser James pointed to the sunset.

‘Wow, time’s just flown.’ James held Izzy’s shoulder and twisted her around to face the setting sun. ‘Izzy, stop and appreciate what’s in your own backyard. It just doesn’t get any better than this, does it? You miss so much of this when you’re in the city.’

‘Don’t worry. Sometimes you forget to appreciate it out here too. It’s nice to have people around to remind you how lucky we are.’

James left his hand on her shoulder and they stood there in silence, watching the orange haze drop from the immense blue sky, as if someone was pulling down a blind very slowly. There was not a cloud in sight and they could see the horizon, all three hundred and sixty degrees of it. It was like being in a snow dome, but with a giant glowing fireball instead of the snow.

She was just about to say something when James leant over so slowly that she saw his baby-blue eyes clearly and almost could have counted the freckles scattered over his nose and cheeks. She knew what was coming but surprise stopped her from moving. His lips were dry, probably from all the drinking last night, as they pressed against hers. There was no spark and neither of them opened their mouths. James pulled away slowly to see her reaction. ‘Sorry, I just saw an opportunity and I took it. Hope you don’t mind.’

Izzy screwed up her face. She hated moments like these. ‘Sorry, James. You’re a top bloke but … it’s just I’m in a bad spot right now and I don’t have the time or the headspace to have a relationship. So much is going on here and you’ll be going back to Muresk when it starts up. I just don’t think it would work. I don’t want to stuff you around. I hope you understand.’ She could hear herself rambling.

James started laughing. ‘It’s cool. I thought I was pushing my luck, anyway. Oh well, can’t blame a bloke for trying. Don’t get too many opportunities like these.’ He gave her a gentle shove.

Izzy could tell it didn’t bother him that seriously and breathed a sigh of relief. Jerking her head, she motioned in the direction of the ute. ‘Come on. We’d better go and cook these suckers. The copper will need stoking by now, too.’

The last of the sun dipped below the horizon as they drove off towards the house in the afterglow.

Izzy walked to the end of the verandah towards the barbecue area with some containers and newspapers balanced neatly in her arms. She laid the items on the outside table while James stoked the fire under a large rusty copper washtub.

‘The copper’s raring to go, Iz. I only chucked a couple of small mallee roots on it and it’s just taken off.’

James lifted the lid off the copper while Izzy dropped the yabbies, still flapping their tails, into the big barrel of boiling hot water. Straightaway, the blue-green shells transformed into a light orange. They stood transfixed, watching the bubbling water slowly push the yabbies to the surface as they cooked.

A little while later they sat at the outside table with a few beers. Two plastic containers, which had hardly any yabby meat left in them, were in the middle. A growing pile of carcasses overflowed from the two scrap buckets and spilled onto the newspaper. Izzy had also made a sauce to dip the yabbies in – her mum’s recipe.

‘Here, Tom,’ said Izzy, throwing him a piece. He’d been waiting patiently at her side for any little scraps. ‘You like them too, don’t ya, mate? You know, I forgot how much fun this is,’ she said, turning to James. ‘It’s been a great day.’ She popped another one in her mouth and then sucked her sticky fingers clean. Now that she’d dismissed any idea of them getting together, she and James had relaxed considerably and were enjoying each other’s company. In a way it was a shame he had to leave the district and head back to uni, as Izzy felt they could become good mates. He even liked her taste in music and she applauded when he put Shannon Noll’s song ‘Lift’ on the portable CD player.

‘I know, but I’m just about full. I don’t know where you’re putting it all,’ scoffed James, gazing at Izzy’s trim figure. Empty shells lay scattered across the table in front of him as well as a few empty beer bottles.

‘You’re weak as piss. Don’t you know they breed us tough out here?’ She winked at him before continuing. ‘Oh well, more for me. I’m sure I can fit the last couple in.’

With a hint of amusement James watched Izzy lick her lips.

‘ ’Allo, ’allo. What’s going on here?’ A male voice interrupted them from out of the darkness, causing Izzy and James to jump. Will’s tall, athletic body appeared in the light from a small lamp that hung over the table. He casually lifted up the bottom of his blue polo shirt as he tucked his hand into the top pocket of his khaki cargo shorts. ‘I’m not interrupting anything, am I?’ he asked cautiously.

‘Bloody hell, Will. Where did you come from? Talk about scaring the shit out of us.’ Izzy took her hand away from her beating heart. Then she remembered last night’s kiss and felt her face flush with heat, but it passed quickly as the memory of Angela intruded.

Neither of them had heard Will pull up. Not surprising, as they’d been having such a good time and the CD player was now blaring out Jimmy Barnes.

James was the first to answer Will’s question. ‘No. We’ve finished our feast. I’d invite you to join us, but I’m afraid Miss Piggy here hasn’t left any.’ He turned to Izzy and laughed.

Izzy pointed to the pile of claws in front of James. ‘Well, I think you better join me in the sty, ’cos you ain’t any better.’ Her laughter was soft and genuine. She brushed her fingers on her shorts and shook her singlet to remove the little bits of yabby shell. They were both splattered with juices but she had to do a load of washing tomorrow anyway so it didn’t worry her.

Will raised his eyebrows and cleared his throat, which sounded rather dry. ‘Shall I come back another time? By the way, love your new hairdo, James – what’s left of it anyway.’

‘Hell, I’m lucky it wasn’t anything worse. Come on. You stay, Will. I’d better be heading off.’ James said as he checked his watch. ‘Yeah, I really must get going. It’s nearly eight and I need to catch up on some sleep after last night’s party. I have an early start tomorrow. Bloody Mondays. Boss has me blowing down the bin so I want to get most of it done before the heat of the day. That means a four or five o’clock start. Hopefully I can get out of bed then.’ He stood up and started to clear the table.

‘No, leave it, James,’ said Izzy. ‘I’ll get it. Besides, you need your beauty sleep. You know, it might even make your hair grow faster.’

‘You’re a cheeky bitch, Izzy Simpson, you know that? I have had nothing but shit from you all afternoon.’ He threw his stubbie holder at her, hitting her in the chest.

‘You know you love it. Come on, I’ll walk you out.’ Izzy came up alongside James and walked him towards his ute.

‘I’ll catch ya round, Will,’ James turned and called back over his shoulder.

‘No doubt. See ya, James.’ Will hung back for a moment before wandering off to his ute.

The crunching of James’s thongs echoed in the still night air as he and Izzy walked towards the shed. James turned to her once they reached his ute, leant over and kissed her on the lips, quite politely.