Without You I Have Nothing (40 page)

_{The sound of heavy
footsteps on the verandah interrupted further conversation as Eric swung the
leather clad Elizabeth into his arms and carried her down the steps. As he held
her there in his arms at the foot of the stairs, he kissed her and put her
gently on her feet. Peter’s chest swelled with pleasure at seeing the flame of
quiet passion light their faces.}

_{“Peter, for how long
have you hired these bikes?  But the gear that goes with them is - well
exquisite.”  The practical mother had more questions. “Why, Peter, why?”}

_{“Very soon I will
explain everything. However, this is neither the time nor the place. The
scooters and the bikes are permanent residents here. I saw the two mini bikes
in the shed the other day and thought this could be a fun thing for all of us.}

_{“Andrew, teach your
Mum how to start and stop - remember it’s automatic. Also teach her how to fall
off but as she’s been around horses she’ll already know how, and with this
thing she hasn’t as far to fall.”}

_{Laughing at the
shocked look on Elizabeth’s face, Peter turned to Eric.}

_{“Are you okay, Eric?”}

_{A few wobbles and
Elizabeth was off down the ten-mile long driveway with Eric not far behind.}

_{The dogs, which had
gathered to check on all the excitement, tore off in chase.}

_{Jennifer needed no
instruction and gunned her bike into action with Andrew in close pursuit.}

_{Standing quietly and
smiling happily, Peter watched the clouds of dust as they receded into the
distance. He was pleased that he’d been able to give the family such pleasure. So
engaged was he in his thoughts he didn’t notice Jennifer riding back towards
him.}

_{Pulling to a halt
with a doughnut slide, Jennifer covered him in dust and the broad smile on her
face showed how much pleasure she was getting. “Come on slow poke. Can’t you
ride?  I’ll go slowly for you and pick you up when you fall off.”}

_{“I’ll be careful and
try not to fall off,” Peter grinned. “I don’t want more cracked ribs.”}

_{Peter tightened his
kidney belt, started the engine and took off. On one wheel, he flew down the
drive, leaving a perplexed Jennifer in his wake. Seeing an irrigation mound to
the side of the drive he headed for it, throwing the bike into the air before
skidding to a stop. Grinning, he waited for Jennifer.}

_{“Peter, you’re
incredible. You don’t say you can ride horses. You just do it. You don’t say
you can ride a motor bike, yet you take off on one wheel and jump the bike as
if you are born to it but, oh dear, how I love you.”}

_{Jennifer didn’t blush
as she made the admission. “Now travel slowly as we’ll have to see what Mum and
Dad are doing.”}

_{There was no sight of
the scooters and Jennifer was becoming a little anxious until they noticed
Andrew hurtling across a paddock, obviously enjoying himself.}

_{Andrew, too busy
giving orders to tease, shouted to them.}

_{“Come on!  The oldies
and the dogs are down at the dam. They’ve reverted to teenager behavior so we’d
better get there quickly before Dad starts bellowing to the heavens like a
Mallee Scrub Bull.”}

_{In a single cloud of
dust, the three bikes stormed into the distance until Jennifer slowed to
negotiate a muddy patch. Not so Andrew, who flew through, splattering mud
across her and her bike. Jennifer immediately gave chase and Peter was amused
to see her lift one foot to push her brother hard in the bum so that he almost
lost control.}

_{Peter realized that
the little money that he had spent had brought the family pleasure and grinned,
but only for a moment. The act of indulging in a simple pleasure was playing
its usual trick on him, leading him to think of his own condition. Sighing
sadly, he wished that his parents were there too. That would make things
marvelous.}

_{Shaking his mind
clear of such sad thoughts, he joined the others on the earthen wall of the dam
where two of the dogs had taken up position on the pillion seats of the two
scooters as if it were their divine right to travel there.}

_{Eric was standing
with his arm around his wife whose head was against his chest. Obviously, they
were extremely happy with their ride.}

_{Overhead, two
completely differently colored flocks of birds whirled around and around,
dipping low to almost touch the water before rising high above the trees. The
pink and grey cloud of galahs was silent as they flew, but not so the
sulfur-crested cockatoos that shrieked and screamed their displeasure at the
interruption to their afternoon drink. Finally, realizing that the humans posed
no threat, they swooped down to land, glaring balefully at the trespassers.}

_{In pairs, the galahs
gracefully made their way to the water’s edge, but not the cockatoos that
noisily brawled and argued before beginning their pigeon-toed strut. Even then,
they noisily shrieked and screamed their annoyance to each other before
wheeling away to the distant gum trees.}

_{A small mob of grey
bush kangaroos, hard to detect in the long feathery grasses around the dam,
hopped down the far bank.}

_{Jennifer could hardly
suppress her amusement as the joeys tumbled out of pouches to begin a rough and
tumble game of kickboxing while their mothers, curious, stared at the visitors
before dipping their heads down to quench their thirst as they decided they
were safe.}

_{At last, satisfied,
the flyers called their young back to the security of their pouches and lazily
ambled away in long, slow hops, disappearing back into the grass.}

_{A lone rabbit darted
across the dirt track, its grey body mostly hidden but its white tail like a
target before it too disappeared into the long grass.}

_{Hearing a loud
splash, Peter turned to see Andrew lying in the water with Jennifer, hands on
hips, laughing on the bank.}

_{“Serves you right for
splashing me,” she spluttered, rushing to her bike and racing off with Andrew
in close pursuit.}

_{“They’re as bad as
they ever were,” commented Eric. “They haven’t grown up at all.”}

_{Sitting down on the
grass and pulling Elizabeth onto his lap, he sighed. “Come on Peter, don’t rush
off after them. Let yourself rest while brother and sister relive their
childhood. Besides, we would like to talk with you alone.”}

_{A flash of anxiety
passed through Peter’s eyes.}

_{“We won’t embarrass
you,” Eric hastily added.}

_{Elizabeth had her own
queries. “You ride horses, you ride motor bikes, you can sing and you danced
with Jennifer with a practiced ease I haven’t seen since the last time I was at
the ballet. Now tell me you can shoot.”}

_{That last question
really surprised Peter.}

_{“Yes, I can shoot,
and before you ask, I’m an accomplished marksman. No shot guns though. Why that
question?”}

_{Revealing her
background as a rancher’s wife, Elizabeth continued. “There’s an infestation of
wild pigs in the top paddock and shooting seems the only way of getting rid of
them. They’re attacking the lambs and destroying the fences.”}

_{“Wait, I’ll be back
soon, so perhaps I can show you.”  Peter was on his bike and riding away before
Eric and Elizabeth could ask what he had in mind.}

_{In minutes, Peter
returned with a leather attaché case across his lap. He opened it and removed
the Mini-Uzi to which he attached a collapsible stock. The large machine pistol
had become a rifle.}

_{“This will stop any
pig. Perhaps you’d like a demonstration.”}

_{He rode to a gum tree
over one hundred yards away and leant a fallen branch against the trunk. On his
return, Eric and Elizabeth were amazed that he seemed to take very little time
in aiming before they heard the soft crack as Peter fired. The branch jumped a
little before falling to the ground in two pieces.}

_{Quietly, they watched
Peter lovingly remove the stock, folding it with care and returning everything
to the case.}

_{“I’m glad I haven’t
lost my ability,” he noted. “Removing the pigs will be no problem.”}

_{Secretly he was
relieved that his time in hospital hadn’t affected his aim. Now that he’d
satisfied Elizabeth’s curiosity about his shooting ability, Peter knew there
would be more questions to follow. At this stage, he wasn’t ready to deal with
them.}

_{“Now, no more questions,
please. I realize you are anxious to know this man who has come, unbidden, into
your daughter's life. You’ll have all your questions answered rather soon. I’ll
tell you of my life and my history - something I believe I owe you because of
my deep feelings for your daughter.”}

_{Further conversation
was impossible as brother and sister arrived back - dusty and breathless with
excitement.}

_{“Come on, you lot! 
You’re missing out on the fun,” called Jennifer.}

_{All five on their
transport once more, with two dogs sitting up behind master and mistress,
headed for a tour of the property.}

_{They negotiated the
cattle grids carefully and, as the ride progressed, Peter noted, with
satisfaction, how Elizabeth and Eric were growing in confidence. He realized
that there was no need to worry about the confidence of the other two. They
were back on bikes, reliving their childhood. He was content.}

_{It was dark as they
turned homewards, the beams of their headlights cutting a swathe through the
ground mist as it rolled down the valley.}

_{Lovingly they parked
their bikes and scooters in the machinery shed. Then the five happy riders
waddled over to the house in their riding boots, footwear totally unsuitable
for walking.}

_{Peter rushed to his
room, showered, changed and was in the kitchen heating the dishes before any of
the others appeared.}

_{Elizabeth demanded
that she set the table in the dining room but Peter stood firm, setting out the
kitchen table with the Chinese crockery and chopsticks he had earlier purchased.
To the side of each setting was a bottle of Tiger Beer and a glass - full to
the brim with ice.}

_{As soon as everyone
sat, Peter explained that he was waiter and that’s why he was dressed in sarong
with shirt and no footwear.}

_{Standing at the foot
of the table quietly he assumed control.}

_{“Tonight I will say
grace.”}

_{None of the family
showed surprise at his dress or when he said the grace in Malay.}

_{As Peter spoke the
words so unfamiliar to their ears, Elizabeth was surprised to see tears in his
eyes and patted his hand reassuringly as he placed a steaming bowl of Hot and
Sour Soup before her.}

_{When he had served
everyone, Peter lit red candles and switched off the bright electric lights
then took his seat with them at the table. Once the family had finished their
soup, he placed plate after plate of varying dishes on the table.}

_{The meal consisted of
everything from a complete steamed ginger fish - including its head and eyes -
to a roast duck with its head and beak prominently displayed. Crabs, fish,
prawns, duck and beef were there as well as Nasi Lemak (coconut rice) and Nasi
Goreng (fried rice).}

_{Eric was the first to
comment.}

_{“I can smell incense
burning and this meal - there’s enough for a team of shearers. Peter, are you
trying to fatten us?  Just as well, Jennifer taught us to use chopsticks. I
believe you once told her to learn or starve.”}

_{“Dad, you’re a
tattle-tale.”  Jennifer patted Peter’s hand as she leaned across to whisper in
his ear, “I love you.”}

_{Peter’s hand reached
across the back of her hair and he pulled her to him as he kissed her deeply.}

_{“My God,” Andrew’s
laughter interrupted them, “Peter, leave the girl alone and eat or you won’t
have the strength to deal with her.”}

_{Jennifer pulled a
face, poking out her tongue in a childish gesture at her brother.}

_{The meal completed,
Peter suggested that everyone refill their glass with ice from the bowl he had
placed in the middle of the table and then fill the glass with beer. As host,
he spun the duck’s head as he explained the Chinese custom.}

_{“The host spins the
duck’s head and the beak will point to one person who has to drain their glass
without removing it from their lips, while everyone else takes a sip and shouts
‘Yam Seng.’  This process is repeated until all the beer’s gone.”  He placed
five more bottles of Tiger in front of each person before spinning the duck’s
head once more. The beak pointed to him so he drained the glass while Jennifer
led the chorus of ‘Yam Seng’.}