It looked like they were going to be putting in more crop next year and scaling the sheep operation back. He drew in a sharp breath. His eyes followed the column down until he came to the wages section. Dean and Adam were listed there. They were getting two hundred dollars a week. Sam and Carlene were taking four hundred per week—that was understandable as it was their farm.
But Dave’s name wasn’t there.
He stared, unable to believe what he was seeing. Did his mum know about this or had Sam made the decision without talking to her? She wouldn’t have ever agreed with him. His gut told him that she didn’t know.
‘Bastard!’ he hissed.
‘What?’ Carlene stood at the door.
Unable to control his anger, Dave shot up. ‘Did you know about this?’ he asked in a low, measured voice. ‘Did you?’ He shook the book at her.
Carlene’s eyes widened. ‘What?’ she asked, her fear obvious. ‘Know about what?’
‘That I’m not here next year? I’m not in the wages column and he’s scaling the sheep operation back. He’s chucking me out! Did you know, Mum?’
‘No! I don’t know anything. I don’t know what you’re talking about. Chucking you out? Maybe the budget isn’t finished.’
‘Oh, it’s finished alright. And I’m not in it.’
‘No,’ Carlene whispered.
Dave saw as she swayed slightly and grabbed hold of the door, but was too angry to do anything.
‘Yes,’ Sam said, appearing next to her. Neither of them had heard him arrive.
Dave wanted to fly at him. ‘You bastard,’ he snarled. ‘Why? Why after everything I’ve improved?’
‘We can’t afford you. Simple economic decision.’
‘Sam!’ Carlene’s voice cut across them both.
‘Stay out this,’ Sam turned on her, his voice low and angry. ‘Just shut up.’
‘You’re just going to kick me out? Out of the family business—with nothing.’
‘Not nothing. You can take the ute and dog I bought you. But you need to be out of the shearers’ quarters by the end of January. I can’t afford to keep you here.’
‘Sam!’ Carlene gasped and grabbed at his arm. ‘No, you can’t…’
‘I can. This is my farm. I warned you.’ He pointed his finger at Dave. ‘Warned you not to interfere and you’ve kept poking your nose where it shouldn’t be. The quicker I’m rid of you, the better off we’ll be.’
Carlene let out a high-pitched wail and slumped to the floor, still crying.
Dave stared at him, black dots covering his vision. Blindly he pushed past both his parents and ran out into the darkness. He heard his mum calling to him, but he kept going. Running. Running away to where his chest didn’t hurt and he didn’t feel betrayed.
The wedding had gone ahead without him because, by morning, his ute had been packed and Jip clipped in the back. He didn’t have many possessions, so it hadn’t taken him long.
He’d driven aimlessly for three days, no idea where he was headed or what he was going to do.
When he eventually called his cousin Kate, Dave heard that his mother had fainted after he’d left. That was the only thing he regretted—not staying for her; not looking after her.
When he did stop, he wrote his mum a letter:
Dear Mum,
I hope you get this. I’m sending it via Georgie and Jack in case Dad tries to hide it from you. I’m sorry to have worried you, but I’m okay. At this stage I’m in the south of WA, but I’m not sure I’ll stay here long.
In fact, I really have no idea what I’m going to do, but I needed to write and say I love you and I’m sorry.
I’ll be in contact with an address later.
Love, Dave
He sealed the envelope and wrote his mother’s name on it and Georgie and Jack’s address. As he sat in the ute, he looked out across the vivid blue of the ocean from a beach in a place called Esperance. He’d never heard of it before, but it was pretty and he’d heard there was lots of work at seeding time.
Maybe he’d stay here for a while, or maybe he’d move on. Maybe one day he wouldn’t be so angry and he’d be able to go home. But not now.
Not for a long time.
