Right As Rain (5 page)

Louise was about to pull on her boots again when she heard a vehicle. Shielding her eyes with her hand she watched as their battered tray-top ute pulled up at the back gate. She could see Mackenna behind the wheel and Lyle beside her. They were laughing together. Louise sucked in a deep breath and went back inside the house. The screen door snapped shut behind her and she closed the wooden door firmly to keep out the heat. She should have known Mackenna would take him off to look at something as soon as her back was turned. Those two were thick as thieves again already, even though she'd worked hard to discourage it.

Thankfully there were plenty of jobs outside to keep Mackenna busy, but she and Lyle had spent an hour or so yesterday afternoon at the computer going over the stock logbook. Louise had encouraged Patrick to join them and he'd been quite involved until Mackenna had teased him about not knowing a wether from a ram. Louise had put her foot down then and made them stop. Lyle needed a rest and she'd sent Mackenna into town for groceries.

Louise gathered up the pile of mail and frowned as she discovered one of Lyle's pills had rolled underneath. It was so important he take them all, and at the right time, but he seemed blasé about them. She knew one of them caused him headaches, but rather a headache than be dead. She sat the pill back in the dish and busied herself at the sink. The breakfast dishes had been stacked in the dishwasher but the pots and pans remained.

The back door opened and the sound of her husband and daughter in conversation drifted in. She shoved the frying pan under the frothy water. It wasn't that she didn't want them to have a close relationship, but for them it wasn't the usual father-daughter bond. They had the farm in common and over the last few years Mackenna had become more and more involved in the decision-making – as if the farm was as much hers as her parents. She forgot she had a brother and he had rights to the property. He was the male, after all.

“I'll do those, Mum.”

Louise kept scrubbing. “I've nearly finished.”

“Patrick rang,” Lyle said. “The roofing contractor's turned up and it's all go.”

“I wondered where you were.” Louise didn't look back. She was still nursing her anger and fright from Lyle's disappearance. She'd heard all the activity at the old house as she'd walked down the track and back but she hadn't given the place more than a glance. Too many other things to think about.

“I wanted to have a look so Mackenna drove me down.”

“Just as well,” Louise said. “You know you're not allowed to drive for a few days.”

“Really?” Mackenna sounded surprised. “Why, Dad?”

Louise spun around and glared at the two of them. “He's had a heart attack and just had a second angiogram and another stent put in. I know from the outside there's little to show for it but he has to be careful.”

“Steady up, Lou.”

Lyle smiled but she could see how tired he was. She softened her voice.

“You should go back to bed,” she said. “I'll bring you a cup of tea and the pill you forgot to take.” She nodded towards the table. The three of them stood staring at the little dish with the coloured pill.

The phone rang, breaking the tension.

“Get that will you, Mackenna?” Louise galvanised into action again. “Lyle, I really think you should rest.”

“I'll be in the lounge,” he said.

She watched him amble from the room as Mackenna picked up the phone.

“Oh yes, Hugh.” Mackenna's voice was warm.

Lyle paused to listen then caught Louise's eye. His shoulders slumped and he ambled off.

Mackenna chatted to her old schoolfriend and Louise turned back to the sink. She felt a wave of remorse. It was as if she was his warden rather than his wife, but Lyle was his own worst enemy. Used to being fit and in control of every situation, he was not so good at taking care of himself. He'd never had to with Louise by his side, and now her job of homemaker and wife had been burdened with that of carer. She didn't like how it had changed her.

“Hugh's following up on the worm test.” Mackenna hung up the phone as Louise pulled off her rubber gloves.

“Is that what your father wanted?”

A puzzled look crossed Mackenna's face. “He always has in the past.”

“That's fine. It's just that Patrick has to learn these things.”

Louise began to lay out a tray with the newspaper and a cup of tea.

“Why?”

Mackenna's question made her look up at her daughter. She hadn't moved from her spot beside the phone.

“Why what?”

“Why would Patrick want to learn about worms in sheep poo now when he's never been the slightest bit interested before?”

Louise smothered the urge to defend her son. “He's grown up. Had some time away like you did. It's changed him.”

“It was good he could come home to help out.”

“You could explain things to him. If he'd understood why the test was necessary ...”

“I don't blame him.” Mackenna chuckled. “Who would want to know about worms if you didn't have to? He doesn't need it with his marketing work.”

“What do you think of Cam?” Louise changed the subject. No need for Mackenna to think Patrick was doing any more than helping out at this stage.

“I've only just met him.”

“There weren't many applicants. He's from Victoria and he's worked on farms before. That was a bonus.”

“Hmmm.” Mackenna was staring out the window.

“Don't you like him?”

“Well, I wouldn't say that. He's just a bit sure of himself. Comes into the house like he owns it.”

“He's not here very often. Mostly he stays in town. It will be easier once the old place is finished.”

There was a pause before Mackenna replied.

“I wish there was some other way,” she said. “I had a different idea for that house.”

She turned back from the window and folded her arms. Louise could see there was going to be trouble. If only Mackenna had stayed away one more week like she'd planned. The house would have been finished enough for Cam to be in it and Patrick would have had another week of learning the ropes.

“Don't go pushing your father. He needs time to recover.”

“I understand that Mum, and I haven't said much at all. It's just . . . disappointing.”

“Disappointing isn't a word I'd use for a heart attack.”

“I didn't mean . . .”

“For once this isn't about you, Mackenna.” Louise put some dry biscuits on the tray beside the tea and the pill dish. “We've all got to pull together. That means involving Patrick and taking on extra help.”

Mackenna fiddled with her ponytail. Louise could see the hurt on her face.

“There's plenty of room for you in the house.” She spoke gently this time. “You don't need the old place and it's perfect for Cam.”

Mackenna opened her mouth but the ringing of the phone cut her off.

“Get that will you, love. Drives me crazy ringing all day.”

Louise picked up the tray to carry in to Lyle. Behind her she heard her daughter answer the phone. She felt bad about not telling Mackenna the truth. She loved her daughter but she would be taken care of. Louise would make sure of that. There was money put aside. Getting Patrick up to speed was her main concern now – after Lyle of course.

Hugh stepped out of the four-wheel drive and Mackenna rushed forward. She threw her arms around her old friend and hugged him close. He was tense beneath her arms and there was a slight pause before he responded.

“How are you, Mack?” He pushed his hat onto his head.

“I'm fine.” She moved back a pace. They were a similar height and she looked directly into his pale blue eyes. The wariness was still there even after all this time and his face had a gaunt look.

“I was surprised to hear from you.” Hugh turned away and fiddled with something in the cab before he finally shut the door and turned back to her. “The way Patrick spoke I thought you were away from the place for a lot longer.”

“This has been a week of surprises. You're just one more person I didn't expect to see either but I'm glad you're here.”

“I'm between jobs so I said I'd fill in while Ted's away.”

“Oh.” Mackenna tried not to sound disappointed. Hugh had been gone from the district several years but he was a great mate and she missed him. She'd hoped he may have returned for good.

“You and my mother make a good pair. Each time I come back she wants me to stay.” He smiled but his lips barely turned up. “Nothing's changed, Mack. There's nothing for me here.”

Mackenna slipped her arm through his and they started walking towards the sheep yards. “Ag consultants are always in demand.”

Hugh stopped and Mackenna pulled up beside him.

“You know that's not what I mean.”

She did know and there was no point in dredging up the past, but she had hoped time would mend some broken bridges. She nudged him with her shoulder. “Come on Mr Ag Consultant. Come and check out these rams. When I left they were in peak condition but with Dad sick and Patrick in charge something's gone astray.”

They moved off again.

“I must admit I was surprised to get the call from Patch about the drench.”

“That could have been a stuff-up.” Mackenna flicked a stone with her boot.

“I feel a bit responsible. I thought Ted had done the preliminaries.”

“Patrick doesn't understand the importance of getting the right drench.”

“I never thought he was interested in the farm?”

“He's not.” This time Mackenna stopped and turned to look at Hugh. “At least he wasn't. I've been away, Dad's had heart trouble, Mum's acting weird, and they've employed a working man along with bringing Patrick home. We've even got sheep dropping lambs that shouldn't be born for another month. It's as if I've stepped back into someone else's life.”

“I know what that's like.”

“I know,” she said gently, “but this isn't quite the same.”

“No.” He grimaced and they started walking again. “This property has improved heaps since the old days.”

“Before I came back to work here, you mean.”

“Mum says you've had a lot to do with it. Says you should have been born a boy.”

Mackenna ignored Mary McDonald's sexist comment. There were still those around the district who thought a woman's place was in the farmhouse, not out on the farm. Mackenna was glad her father wasn't one of them. “Dad was set in his ways, doing things as he'd always done, but I've worked really hard studying up best practice and he's been gradually seeing things my way. Changing nearly exclusively to Corriedales was a big shift. We're making improvements in our returns already.”

“It's a big job for –”

Mackenna pulled her arm from his. “Now don't you go sounding like your mother, Hugh McDonald. I'm more than capable of doing what needs to be done around here.”

“Settle, Mack.” They'd reached the pen that enclosed the rams and he put a foot on the bottom rail. “I was going to say it's a big job for two. Didn't you buy Murphy's place?”

Mackenna nodded.

“So, you've increased your land and stock and taken on a sheep stud that requires more hands-on practices. I also hear you've started selling direct to a local restaurant.”

Mackenna studied her friend. His mother certainly had filled him in.

“It just seems to me that taking on a working man makes sense,” he continued, “if you want to manage such a large investment well.”

“I know. Dad and I had discussed hiring someone a few times before I went away. I would like to have been consulted, that's all.”

“And when I think about it, I can understand why they called Patrick home. Your parents needed help in a hurry and Patch isn't totally useless, even if he can't tell one sheep from another.”

He chuckled and Mackenna was pleased to see his face light up, even if it was at her brother's expense.

“We usually drench pre-lambing, but I've got a paddock of ewes dropping full-term lambs a month early. They only started a few days ago, while Dad was having his last angio. I don't think Patrick even realised.”

“It can happen,” Hugh said. “Is it possible last year's lambs were left with their mothers longer than usual?”

Mackenna thought back. “I don't think . . .” Then she remembered. “Shearing was delayed. We were busy. Dad was helping the neighbours and I was late shifting them, but the lambs would only have been four months.”

“Old enough with these fellas.”

Mackenna's mouth dropped open and Hugh laughed.

“The little devils,” she said then laughed with him. “At least that explains it.”

She threw an arm around his shoulder and squeezed.

“I'm so glad you're here, old buddy. Things make sense when you're around.”

He removed her arm and climbed up on the railing. “Just don't get used to it,” he said and dropped to the other side.

She followed him over. Hugh used to be so bright and full of fun. Mackenna's and Carol's parents were always happy to let them go to parties if Hugh was with them. He was meant to be the responsible, older brother influence. Little did their parents know what the three of them got up to. Mackenna watched him now as he inspected the rams. Not for the first time, she wished she could turn back the hands of time.

“What are you two doing?”

Lost in thought she jumped at the sharp tone of her brother's voice. She spun around to see Patrick on the other side of the railings, wiping his hands on a rag. His face was purple as a beetroot.

“Where did you come from?” she said.

“Hello, Patrick,” Hugh murmured and turned back to the rams.