‘I can see you’re tired.’
‘I’m fine. Now what did you want with your father?’
Dave shook his head. His mother was stubborn and he knew he wasn’t going to win with her. ‘I had some ideas,’ he said. ‘Thought I’d run them past him.’
‘Oh, Dave,’ his mother groaned. ‘Can it wait until after the wedding? I don’t want any more issues. Please?’
‘But I’m not going to cause any more issues,’ he answered, frowning. ‘I’m going to solve them.’
‘That’s what you think. Come on!’
‘I’m joking, Mum! I promise.’ He decided to file his ideas for the moment, not wanting to upset her. ‘I’ve finished drenching all the sheep. I just wanted to know if he’d prefer me to put them into a different paddock.’
‘We always need to change the paddock after they’ve been drenched. You know that.’
Mother’s and son’s eyes caught and they looked at each other for a moment.
‘I know,’ Dave finally said, turning towards the voice of his father. ‘I just wasn’t sure which one.’
‘Where did they come from? The hill paddock?’
‘No, these are the three-year-old yellow tags from the valley paddock.’
‘Right. They can go into the one against the eastern boundary. I’ve got to go into town and pick up some oil, so wait until I go before moving them down the road, okay? Otherwise you’ll hold me up.’
‘Probably too hot to shift them now anyway. I’ll wait until this evening.’
‘Better to get them out and on water again,’ Sam said, looking hard at Dave.
‘Sure,’ he answered amiably. ‘I’ll wait until you’ve gone then.’ He tapped his fingers against his legs to keep himself from saying anything more.
‘Do you need something in town, love?’ Sam turned to his wife and gave her a smile.
‘Not that I can think of.’ She ran her hands through her short greying hair. ‘Nope,’ she said again. ‘I think I’m organised. Thanks, though, darling.’
Dave noticed the beads of sweat were back on her brow and she looked pale. He looked across at his dad, wondering if he’d noticed. It didn’t appear that he had.
‘What’ve you been doing today?’ Dave asked, wondering if he should mention that his mum looked unwell.
Sam picked up his wallet from the kitchen bench and put it in his shirt pocket. ‘I’ve nearly finished the budget for next year,’ he answered.
‘Can I have a look?’ Dave asked.
‘We’ll talk about it after the wedding,’ he snapped, as if it were nothing to do with Dave.
‘Right.’ The silence in the room was heavy. Seeing his mum begin to look upset, he quickly said, ‘We’re going to organise a few beers with the cricket team boys if you want to come along, Dad. Jacko was keen to give Dean a bit of send-off into married life. Tonight at the club.’
‘It’s Tuesday.’ Sam drew his heavy eyebrows together in his classic look of disapproval.
‘We thought it’d be better than trying to do something on the Friday night before a Saturday wedding.’
‘Whose we?’
‘Jack Gatton has been organising it. Not a big do, just a couple of beers and snacks. Knowing Jacko, it’ll be pies from the bakery!’
‘I’ll see if I can get away.’
Dave nodded, understanding his father would probably prefer to be sitting in his study, sipping whiskey and watching the cricket. ‘I’ll let you know the time when Jacko tells me. How long before I can head off with the sheep?’
‘I’m leaving now. I won’t need lunch today, love.’ He strode out of the kitchen and, a few moments later, the ute door slammed and they heard the engine start.
‘Mum are you okay? You’re looking a bit pale.’
‘Love, I’m fine,’ she answered.
‘Best go shift the sheep, then,’ Dave said after a pause. Then, sticking his finger in the mixing bowl again and only just avoiding the wooden spoon coming down on his knuckles, he gave Carlene a mischievous grin and walked out.
Chapter 4
The beer glasses clinked in a ‘cheers’ gesture as Adam stood before the crowd of men. ‘And we wish you all the best for your life to come,’ he said, looking towards his older brother.
‘Hear, hear!’ the rest of the group bellowed, raising their glasses.
The club rooms were full of the cricket team and a few other farmers who didn’t play, plus a couple of the farm businessmen around town.
Dave leaned back against the wall and watched Dean work the room, talking to everyone—he had his father’s outward charm and could talk to anyone and make them laugh. But, inside their family situation, Dave knew how different he was, just like his father. He wondered if Dean would be the same with Mandy. Or did she just see the charisma?
His glance slid across to his father who was deep in conversation with Malcolm Nutt. He let out a loud laugh and slapped Malcolm on the back, nodding in agreement with whatever had just been said.
‘G’day, Dave,’ Mark Loxton said from next to him.
‘Mark, how goes things?’ Dave asked above the chatter.
The bank manager, who was also the team’s main spin bowler, smiled and indicated towards the crowd. ‘Great do. Jacko did a good job of organising it so quickly.’
‘He’s the man if you want anything social to happen! Busy at work?’
Mark took a sip of his drink. ‘Yeah, you know what January is like. Gearing up for all the reviews. At least this year has been kind to most of you farmers. I don’t like it when I have to put the hard word on people for repayments and, at the same time, I know there isn’t any chance of them being able to make them.’ He sighed deeply. ‘That is the part I really hate about my job.’
‘I can’t see that being a lot of fun,’ Dave agreed. ‘Must be hard when you’re so involved in the community.’ He knew Mark was not only on the cricket team, but played tennis every Wednesday
