took Wes about an hour to travel to Ben Bullen Hills from the Tindarra Valley, every second day.
‘Yeah, his place looks so sad and rundown now, since Catherine died,’ said Will quietly. ‘Remember how happy she was when you painted the old verandah yellow? I didn’t know they made paint that bright.’
Maggie chuckled and Will could see her eyes twinkling with the memory of her old and dearest friend. ‘Yes, I remember. I got the bloke in Narree to mix it specially. She wanted the same colour as the daffodils you and Wes planted under the old crab-apple trees. Said it would brighten her days whether it was summer, winter or when she was just plain sick and tired.’ Maggie’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. ‘I’m glad they came to us at Tindarra, Will. It was a good compromise. They would have been so alone up at Ben Bullen Hills, and Tindarra was closer to the doctor.’
‘Yeah. I have to say I really enjoy having another bloke in the valley too, someone to yarn with and crack a beer. I’ve learned a lot from old Wes, he’s a real man of the bush.’
Maggie nodded and shrugged her chequered shirt in closer to her body, swiping at her eyes surreptitiously with the rough edge. Will pretended he didn’t see, choosing to look towards the fire instead.
‘Well, William, I’ll be going. I was just taking myself off to bed. Needed to use the loos but they’re closed. I had to squat next to a log instead. Far too much information for a young bloke like you, I know.’ Maggie was grinning again now. ‘I heard Wes as I was on the way back to camp. Just wanted to come over and check he was okay.’
Will had once wondered if Aunty Maggie and old Wes would ever get their shit together and marry each other. They spent so much time arguing over this and that during their daily cuppa ritual, they were practically hitched already. Perhaps they still felt married to their late partners.
Maggie was talking, but Will only caught the end of it.
‘. . . I have to look after my neighbours, you know,’ she finished.
‘What about me? I’m your neighbour too.’
‘I reckon you’re capable of doing that yourself. And if you aren’t, I’m sure a certain niece of mine might be able to help you out.’ It was Maggie’s turn for a stir.
Will could feel heat suffusing his face.
Maggie went on, oblivious. ‘That’s if she’s here, of course. I forgot to ask Frank and Francine if Bella was home yet. She’s with Patty, isn’t she?’ She stopped. ‘Why, William, I do believe you’re blushing.’ Maggie smiled, a smug look patterned on her sweetheart face, her grey bun of hair flopping sideways as she leaned forward and patted him on the shoulder. ‘Goodnight, William. You take care.’ She waggled her fingers and strode off, a cuddly bear decked out in a lady’s chequered bush coat.
Will shook his head. What had he told her when he came home from up north that gave that one away? How much did Maggie know ? No, he corrected himself. How much had Maggie guessed ?
Will took a look at his watch. It was a good hour since Macca had gone to find the beer tent and get some more rum. Suddenly a bloke he didn’t know appeared at his side.
‘Where’s your can, mate? Your drinking hand’s empty.’
‘A mate’s gone to get me one, but I don’t know where he’s bloody well disappeared to.’
‘Here, have this one on me.’ The bloke raised a matching black can in salute. ‘Here’s cheers, mate, the next round’s on you.’ He wandered off to the other side of the fire before Will could thank him.
Will could hear snatches of conversation about some girlie drinking match going on in a tent somewhere. Patty would have enjoyed that, he thought with a rueful grin. He wondered again when she and her mate were due home from Queensland. He’d really hoped they’d be here but he hadn’t seen Patty’s ute around. It stood out like a neon light – bright fire-engine red with the ‘Pat Me Tuffet’ bug
‘Yeah, his place looks so sad and rundown now, since Catherine died,’ said Will quietly. ‘Remember how happy she was when you painted the old verandah yellow? I didn’t know they made paint that bright.’
Maggie chuckled and Will could see her eyes twinkling with the memory of her old and dearest friend. ‘Yes, I remember. I got the bloke in Narree to mix it specially. She wanted the same colour as the daffodils you and Wes planted under the old crab-apple trees. Said it would brighten her days whether it was summer, winter or when she was just plain sick and tired.’ Maggie’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. ‘I’m glad they came to us at Tindarra, Will. It was a good compromise. They would have been so alone up at Ben Bullen Hills, and Tindarra was closer to the doctor.’
‘Yeah. I have to say I really enjoy having another bloke in the valley too, someone to yarn with and crack a beer. I’ve learned a lot from old Wes, he’s a real man of the bush.’
Maggie nodded and shrugged her chequered shirt in closer to her body, swiping at her eyes surreptitiously with the rough edge. Will pretended he didn’t see, choosing to look towards the fire instead.
‘Well, William, I’ll be going. I was just taking myself off to bed. Needed to use the loos but they’re closed. I had to squat next to a log instead. Far too much information for a young bloke like you, I know.’ Maggie was grinning again now. ‘I heard Wes as I was on the way back to camp. Just wanted to come over and check he was okay.’
Will had once wondered if Aunty Maggie and old Wes would ever get their shit together and marry each other. They spent so much time arguing over this and that during their daily cuppa ritual, they were practically hitched already. Perhaps they still felt married to their late partners.
Maggie was talking, but Will only caught the end of it.
‘. . . I have to look after my neighbours, you know,’ she finished.
‘What about me? I’m your neighbour too.’
‘I reckon you’re capable of doing that yourself. And if you aren’t, I’m sure a certain niece of mine might be able to help you out.’ It was Maggie’s turn for a stir.
Will could feel heat suffusing his face.
Maggie went on, oblivious. ‘That’s if she’s here, of course. I forgot to ask Frank and Francine if Bella was home yet. She’s with Patty, isn’t she?’ She stopped. ‘Why, William, I do believe you’re blushing.’ Maggie smiled, a smug look patterned on her sweetheart face, her grey bun of hair flopping sideways as she leaned forward and patted him on the shoulder. ‘Goodnight, William. You take care.’ She waggled her fingers and strode off, a cuddly bear decked out in a lady’s chequered bush coat.
Will shook his head. What had he told her when he came home from up north that gave that one away? How much did Maggie know ? No, he corrected himself. How much had Maggie guessed ?
Will took a look at his watch. It was a good hour since Macca had gone to find the beer tent and get some more rum. Suddenly a bloke he didn’t know appeared at his side.
‘Where’s your can, mate? Your drinking hand’s empty.’
‘A mate’s gone to get me one, but I don’t know where he’s bloody well disappeared to.’
‘Here, have this one on me.’ The bloke raised a matching black can in salute. ‘Here’s cheers, mate, the next round’s on you.’ He wandered off to the other side of the fire before Will could thank him.
Will could hear snatches of conversation about some girlie drinking match going on in a tent somewhere. Patty would have enjoyed that, he thought with a rueful grin. He wondered again when she and her mate were due home from Queensland. He’d really hoped they’d be here but he hadn’t seen Patty’s ute around. It stood out like a neon light – bright fire-engine red with the ‘Pat Me Tuffet’ bug
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