Puppy Pie (14 page)

‘Try a cold shower then!' she calls back as she hurries through the kitchen's screen door. Just then, a truck pulls up. ‘Tell me you're early, Ted,' she pleads. ‘Just made a fresh pot of coffee to wake Harry up. He's in the shower and I'm going to get the eggs.'

‘I'm early!' he calls after her, yawning.

As she returns with half a dozen eggs, Ted asks. ‘Are the kids up? We need all hands on deck today, I'm afraid.'

‘They will be,' she says running out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Entering their bedrooms, she shakes Lucy, Tom and Jake awake. ‘Ted's here. He's taking you all. Quickly, get dressed. You can eat breakfast on the way.' She dashes back to the kitchen, takes out four bread rolls and starts putting bacon, egg, lettuce and tomato in each one.

‘What's up?' Helen asks, shoving rolls in brown paper bags.

‘Mrs Sprogg,' Ted says looking daggers. ‘She and her cronies have stirred up the farmers. Because of them, we need everyone working to get everything done before anything else goes wrong. Rain's expected in two weeks so everything's got to be done by then. And I'm afraid you're only going to get about half the CWA women today.'

‘Oh no,' Helen bleats. ‘Don't tell me they believed Norah Sprogg.'

‘Not so much that,' Ted sighs. ‘It's just that we need them to help with the baling. We thought the harvesting was the biggest job but now we think we need to speed up the other end as well. So, you and Gull and Shirley will be working flat out getting the food ready with a few of the other ladies, like Doris. Shirley spent most of last night on the phone rallying the troops. I even had to get my own dinner,' he says sounding a bit put out.

‘Ted! I'm surprised you knew how, seeing how well Shirley looks after you.'

‘I do my bit too, you know,' he says pompously. ‘Why, I took her out for dinner last year. And it wasn't even her birthday.'

‘One night off in 364! Not bad going, Ted.'

‘Don't want to spoil her too much,' he grins. ‘Now, where are Harry and the gang? Not gone back to bed, I hope.' He wanders out of the kitchen looking for Harry.

Just then, the four of them walk in, with Gull trailing behind. ‘May as well get up seeing everybody else is,' she says yawning.

‘A paper bag for everybody,' Helen says as she hands out the breakfasts. ‘Off you go.' Quietly, they file out. She calls after them, ‘Bet you'll be pleased to get back to school after these holidays.' Gull is standing at the screen door. ‘Breakfast before any chores,' Helen says to her. ‘And,' she adds looking at the kitchen clock, ‘before my next nap. Oh, if only I knew what's sending me to sleep. And make it stop.'

Gull laughs. ‘Maybe that's what the hemp is doing.'

‘What?'

‘Being sent to sleep. That's why it falls over. You “fall” asleep, don't you?' she adds.

Helen looks at her curiously. ‘That's odd.'

‘What is?'

‘What you said just now. In some strange way, that makes sense to me.'

‘A bit like those dreams you have?'

‘Yes, it's a bit like that. They make perfect sense while I'm dreaming them. It's only when I wake up that they seem, er, well, like a dream. Gull, do me a favour.'

‘Yeah, sure.'

‘Write down what you just said in that book you're keeping on what I say or dream because I think what you said is really important. And one day, when this nightmare is over, we'll look at it and say, “Of course. Why didn't we see it before now?”' Gull quickly finds the book and runs back to the kitchen.

‘I hope so,' Gull says when she returns. ‘In the meantime, it's breakfast time, isn't it?' she asks hopefully.

Helen laughs and nods. ‘While you're eating, I'll start on the chores,' Helen smiles. ‘I've eaten, and the sooner the chores are done, the sooner you can work on your “secret project”.'

Gull blushes.
Don't want to tell them yet,
she thinks,
until it's completely ready and successful.

Just before 7.30am, two carloads of CWA women arrive, loaded up with supplies. Gull and Helen are already stacking baskets with sandwiches, cakes, fruit and bottles of water. Shortly after, Shirley arrives, and making lunches speeds up.

The next three days roll into each other as the women gather each morning at the Folly while the four Hepplewhites are whisked away to work on the farms. At night, they all fall into bed exhausted with Harry falling asleep earlier and earlier.

By the fourth day, with the two extra Harvesters working on the smaller farms, Harry is unable to stay awake. When Ted arrives to pick up the four, Helen has given up. ‘He's still fast asleep, I'm afraid, Ted,' she says. ‘I just can't wake him.'

‘Let him sleep,' Ted smiles. ‘It's the worry that's knocking him.'

‘But everybody's worried,' Helen says.

‘But he still feels responsible for everyone. Anyway, I think I've got a replacement for him: no one's indispensable, they say.' Turning, Ted says, ‘Lucy Hepplewhite, I think you've grown at least a metre in the last couple of weeks. All this stress has stretched you. So, I'm appointing you deputy Harvester driver until the harvest is in.'

‘Really?' she squeals with excitement.

‘Really,' Ted grins.

‘Yippee!' Lucy yells. ‘I know I can do it.'

‘Of course you can. A quick refresher, and then you're away.'

‘Won't Dad be surprised!' she grins.

‘Ah, don't think we'll mention it to Harry quite yet,' Ted says carefully. ‘For the moment, we'll just keep it between you and me.'

‘And the thousands of people in the district,' Tom grins. ‘All except Dad.' The others laugh, just as thrilled as Lucy. ‘So, does this mean Dad's been replaced by the next generation?'

Ted laughs. ‘Only temporarily: I'm sure we'll find him something to do once he's wide-awake again. Come on you lot,' he says as they pile into the truck ready to drive off to work.

‘Hey Gull,' Tom calls out. She spins around. ‘I've put some curious company on your desk.'

‘Curious company?' Gull echoes.

Tom laughs just as Ted puts the truck into gear and roars off.

Curious herself Gull runs into the lounge room. Sitting on the desk, she sees a very large cage. Inching closer, Gull looks inside. A small, dainty white mouse is nibbling some cheese. ‘Now what am I supposed to do with you?' she says softly. ‘And are you really curious? Or is that your name?' She laughs out loud. ‘Knowing Tom, that's bound to be your name as well as your nature'.

While she's talking to the mouse, Gull hears Shirley's voice in the kitchen chatting to the usual gaggle of CWAs. Leaving the mouse for the moment, Gull ambles into the kitchen, almost falling over Useless in his quest for crumbs. As the clock creeps closer to eight, both Gull and Shirley secretly watch Helen as the other women bustle around them. Eight o'clock strikes and Helen yawns. Quickly, Shirley and Gull hustle her out of the kitchen and into the lounge room.

‘You're working that poor woman to death!' Doris calls out just before they close the lounge room door.

‘Not again,' Helen says frustrated as she settles into the armchair. ‘I thought, as Harry is asleep, I might stay …' she yawns. ‘Awake.' Then she falls asleep.

‘Back in a minute,' Shirley says. ‘Have to find something.' Rummaging around in various cupboards in the kitchen, Shirley then descends on the hall cupboard.

Wonder what she's looking for?
Gull thinks.

‘Ah ha!' Shirley says triumphantly re-entering the lounge room. ‘I'll just plug this in here,' she says fiddling under the desk. ‘Then turn it on here.' She goes out the door, down the hallway and turns on the same contraption. ‘Lovely,' she announces walking back into the room.

Without a word, Gull follows Shirley. ‘This,' she says, handing Gull a little white box, ‘is a portable baby monitor. You can be in another room and hear the baby crying. Helen used it with all the kids. I don't know why I didn't think of it before. This way, you can hear Helen and get on with whatever you want to do. Now you can raid the fridge whenever you like.'

‘Great,' Gull grins. ‘Do you mean I can take this with me wherever I go?'

‘Don't think it will work over at the big shed. But at least you can move around the house. Anyway, I'd better head back to the kitchen before I'm missed. And you can get back to your “secret computer business”.'

The day progresses as usual, except for Helen. By two o'clock instead of her usual 4pm, she's awake. Grateful for the company, Gull and she start on the usual day's chores together. In the kitchen, the CWA stalwarts are picking up their handbags before they troop out to their cars.

‘It's strange having everyone away during the holidays,' Helen sighs. ‘I like to have my brood around me. Sound like a clucky hen,' she laughs. ‘But I'm glad you're here,' she adds seriously.

‘I think you make a lovely mother hen,' Gull beams. ‘And I'm really happy to be part of your brood.'

Helen smiles back, and puts her arm around her as they walk back to the kitchen. Just then, the phone rings. ‘Yes, Mr Sprogg,' Helen says pleasantly. ‘I'll get him to ring you. Is it urgent? Yes,' she says slowly, as Gull stares into the fridge. ‘Joint signatories, that's right. Yes, I'm here if you want to come out now,' Helen replies shrugging.

Helen hangs up the phone. ‘That was the bank manager, what's his name,' she says, answering Gull's unspoken question. ‘He wants to drop by and see Harry or me. And no,' she says smiling cheekily at a silent Gull, ‘I don't know what it's about. Maybe he wants to extend our bank draft but I know we don't need it. And I know Harry doesn't want to go further into debt. So it'll be a firm “no” to drumming up more business for the Bank.'

Within half an hour, Gull hears a car pull up at the front door. ‘I'll get it,' Helen says as she takes off her apron and smooths her hair.

Eager to have another look at the bank manager, Gull slips out of the kitchen and around the side of the house just as Helen strolls to the front door.

He's still pretty colourless,
Gull thinks as she catches a glimpse of him before he disappears inside.

With the sun streaming in, it takes Helen's eyes a moment to adjust to the light. ‘Come in,' she says, shielding her eyes with her hands to cut down the glare. In front of her, she sees the vague outline of a pale man. Although the sun is hot, Helen shivers involuntarily. The bank manager steps into the cool hall without a word. He looks around him, taking in the large lounge room to his left, the stairs from the hallway reaching up, and other rooms running off to the right.

Helen hesitates, feeling uncomfortable and undecided all at once. ‘Er, would you like to sit in the lounge room?' she asks shyly, as the bank manager peers into the large room. He sees the restful lounge chairs, the computer, rows of books and the oversized coffee table in the middle of the room.

‘Looks very comfortable,' he murmurs appreciatively.

‘Er, yes, it is,' she says. A thought flashes into her mind:
this man wants our lounge room
! Helen jumps as if stung and shakes her head to erase the thought. She thinks to herself,
Don't be so silly. Why would he want our lounge room? What a strange thought!
However, the feeling persists. Pulling herself together, Helen says, ‘Or maybe we could go and sit in the kitchen. Would you like a cup of tea?'

‘Coffee sounds fine,' the bank manager says evenly. As he turns to follow Helen, he glances at the ancestral photos on the wall. ‘How nice to have pictures of your predecessors,' he intones hollowly. ‘I'll take a closer look on the way out.'

‘Of course,' Helen says as she hurries out to the kitchen and turns on the kettle. She leans heavily against the counter. The words, ‘Danger! Beware! Beware!' loop themselves around her. She hears the bank manager sit down lightly at the kitchen table behind her. Shakily, Helen takes down a jar of instant coffee from the shelf and adds a spoonful to a nearby mug. She puts milk and sugar on the table in front of him. Grabbing a glass, she pours water for herself. She pours the hot water into the mug and puts it on the table with some plain biscuits. She sags heavily in the chair opposite.

‘Now, Mr Sprogg,' Helen says trying to sound calm, ‘what can I do for you?'

Loitering on the other side of the kitchen door, Gull tries to eavesdrop.
If only he'd speak up
, she thinks to herself with her head against the door.
All I can hear are mumbles
. A minute later, and only too clearly, Gull hears Helen exclaim, ‘Oh! But Mr Sprogg, that's not the arrangement we had with the Bank before.'

Mumble.

‘Yes, that's right. With Mr Silver.'

Mumble.

‘Yes, I know you're the new bank manager.'

Mumble mumble.

‘Yes, I realise you can change previous arrangements. Er, change the policy.'

Mumble.

‘I see,' she says more slowly. ‘And how long do we have?'

A short mumble.

‘Until the end of this month? But that's only two weeks away,' Helen gasps.

Mumble. Mumble.

‘Right. Right. Alright, Mr, er, um, Sprocket, er, Sprogg.'

Gull hears the rustle of papers and the scrape of a chair as the bank manager stands up. She rushes back towards the lounge room.

Mumble.

Gull, frustrated that she still can't hear the bank manager, edges a little closer to the back of the lounge room door as he stands at the other end of the hall with Helen, near the kitchen.

‘It would be a great shame if you lost everything,' the bank manager says quietly. ‘But of course, it's not my fault you have an overdraft. After all, I'm just a humble servant of the Bank sent to bring bad tidings.'