The Wildwood Sisters (15 page)

Nervous excitement filled her as she pulled on her jeans and then began brushing her teeth. She was going to revisit some of her and Scarlet's childhood places today and she couldn't wait—knowing it would make her feel close to her sister. Mapping Wildwood Acres out in her mind, she thought about her movements for the day, hoping to God she didn't get lost seeing as she hadn't ventured around the countryside here for years. First she was going to head down to the back of the property, to the caves, and then work her way back to the hunter's shack, stopping off in between the two places for lunch and a swim at the bottom dam where she and Scarlet used to have loads of fun.

Come on, Reni, I'll race ya! Last one in has to do the other's washing for a month.

You're on. Oh my God, sis, are you taking your bra and knickers off too?

Yup, why not? Get those clothes off, Reni, and let yourself feel free for once!

You really are crazy…

I might be, but crazy people have way more fun!

Renee smiled as she recalled the first time Scarlet dared her to skinny dip at fourteen—and then how it had become a tradition. It was such good old-fashioned country fun. They would both strip off and run squealing to the dam's edge before diving beneath the goosebump-enticing water, the risk of being caught making it much more exciting. Now she thought of it, who in the heck was going to catch them out in the sticks anyway? She shook her head, laughing, the workings of a teenage mind something an adult would never understand.

The thought of female company made her feel homesick for Melbourne. It would have been nice to have some girly company for the day, but she had no-one to ask. It made her miss Tia even more than she already was. They'd sent the occasional text, but hadn't spoken since the day she arrived. Tia had let her know that Kat was doing fine and also filled her in on the comings and goings of the odd guy in her apartment block that they both swore was involved in something shady, but it wasn't the same as having a good old chinwag. If only Tia could jump on a plane and come visit for a weekend, but it wasn't that easy with her high-pressure job at the hospital. She made a mental note to call her tonight.

Spitting her toothpaste down the plughole, and then rinsing her mouth out with cheek-blasting Listerine, Renee tugged on her favourite t-shirt and sat down on the end of the bed to pull on her socks. She found it hard to believe she'd been back almost a week. Having been confined to the station other than during her and Pa's nightly visits to the hospital, it felt more like a month. Even though she was enjoying being back home, she was also feeling lonely and she found herself missing her social life and the independence she had in Melbourne. She was hoping to get back in touch with Hayley Gregory, her best friend from high school, but still hadn't gathered enough courage to call her, afraid she'd get the same cold welcome she'd had from Dylan.

She really had to bite the bullet and call—it would be good to catch up for old times' sake. Maybe she could organise a night out at the pub, as long as it didn't send Pa into a worried panic. Renee rolled her eyes. She loved how protective Pa was of her, and understood his reasons completely, but the complete loss of her usual adult freedom was making her feel a little like a teenager again.

Grabbing her loaded backpack from the floor, Renee threw it over her shoulder and headed outside, keen to get the day started. She just had to drop a basket of goodies down to Mick, and then she'd be on her merry way. Jumping on the four-wheeler parked out the front, she revved it to life and skidded off down the dirt track, a cloud of dust trailing in her wake, grinning broadly while the wind whipped her ponytail around her face. Coming a close second to horse riding, she loved being on a motorbike, especially a four-wheeler, although Mick's accident had certainly made her very aware of what could go wrong on them.

Passing the machinery shed and then the stables, she turned down the track that led to Mick's cottage, slowing down to admire the horses grazing in their paddocks along the way. She loved the saying that horses made the landscape more beautiful—it was so very true. With their grace, strength and amazing spirit, horses were such beautiful creatures, and ones that would be your friend for life if treated properly. It angered her beyond words when people mistreated them, some individuals believing that a heavy hand was the way to train a horse. In her experience, it was actually the opposite, and she admired anyone who trained a horse with the love and respect they deserved. From memory, Dylan had a magical way with horses—not once did she ever see him raise his hand to one when they were teenagers. Just another damn thing she loved about him.

Pulling up in front of the workers' quarters, Dylan was pushed to the back of Renee's mind as she broke into fits of laughter at the sight before her. Mick was out on his front porch, trying to chase off several clucking chickens while wobbling precariously on his crutches. The swear words flying from his lips would have made an old-fashioned mother shove a bar of soap in his mouth. It was absolute chaos, chickens running in all directions, two of the feathered foes making a mad dash for freedom by escaping between Mick's legs and into his cottage.

‘Oi, you little bastards! Get outta my house! If you even think about crapping on anything in there you're gonna be my roast dinner tonight!' He went to disappear through the cottage door.

‘Are you in need of some help there, Mick?' Renee called out as she got off the bike. He hadn't even realised she was there he was so preoccupied.

Sticking his head back out, Mick grinned his notoriously mischievous grin. ‘Hey there, Reni, didn't see you there… I wouldn't say no. The bloody mongrels are shitting all over my porch and I'm sick of having to hose it off every day. I'll give them bloody something to shit their dacks about if they don't bugger off—I got me a big gun in here which I'd be more than happy to introduce to them too.'

Racing over to give Mick a hand before he fell over and hurt himself more, Renee busied herself shooing the chooks off Mick's kitchen bench and out the back door. Mick wobbled after them as best he could, cursing when his crutches hampered him. In a flurry of feathers, the chickens joined their partners in crime out on the back lawn and took off down the dirt track and into the old shed across the track—and well out of harm's way.

‘I'd be bloody running too, if I were you lot!' Mick shouted out after them.

‘You tell 'em, Mick!' Job done, Renee pointed to the basket, still chuckling at the hullabaloo. ‘I brought you some corned beef and mustard pickle sandwiches, and some sponge cake I made last night. Thought you might be in some need of some more good old-fashioned tucker.'

Mick smiled while rubbing his rotund belly, clearly having forgotten to put his false teeth in. ‘You're a star, Renee, just like your dear old nan. Pearl always makes sure I'm fed up to me eyeballs too.' Shaking his head, he sighed. ‘So sad the poor old bugger's holed up in that hospital. She'd be going insane, and driving the hospital staff equally insane while she's at it.' He chuckled with the thought. ‘I just thank God she's gonna be okay.'

Renee nodded, her smile fading. ‘Bloody oath, I couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to her. I'm really looking forward to her coming home next week, so I can have some girly chitchat. All this blokey stuff is fun, but a gal needs another gal to liven her spirits at times.'

‘Yeah, you women have this weird thing about yas that only other women can understand. That's why I never got married.' Mick smiled a gummy smile. ‘She's a tough old broad, your nan. So don't worry, she'll be right.' Nicking a strawberry off the top of the sponge, Mick threw it in his mouth, then realised he had no teeth in. ‘Shit. Hang five, I just gotta find me chompers. I think I left them on the coffee table.'

Renee chuckled at him as he wandered back inside, returning with his teeth now in his mouth.

He tried to suck his plump stomach in. ‘Look at me—I'd fade away to a shadow without you around.'

Renee giggled. With his little ears and bald head he reminded her a bit of a gummy bear. ‘Yeah right, I reckon you're pretty capable of looking after yourself after all these years as a bachelor, Mick.'

‘True, but a man gets sick of opening cans of baked beans and spaghetti after a while.' He gave her a cheeky wink.

‘Oh come on, I've tasted your lamb roasts and that famous beef and dumpling stew you cook in the camp oven—you're a man who knows how to cook.'

‘You got me there, I suppose.' Sitting down on his camp chair, Mick broke off a bit of the sponge and shoved it in his mouth, grinning. ‘Now that there is marrying material. When are you going to get yourself a husband you can cook for, Reni?'

‘Oh don't start on me again, Mick. You've been asking me that question since I was about fifteen.' Giggling, Renee shook her finger at him, mimicking a girl from the hood with an over-pronounced headshake. ‘I'll get me a husband when I'm good and ready. I got to find a decent man first, and one I could bloody put up with for the rest of my life.'

‘Well, there's plenty of them round these parts. You just got to know where to look.'

‘I wouldn't know where to start.'

Mick raised his eyebrows. ‘I reckon I know. There's a Studs and Fuds ball on over at the showgrounds this weekend. The CWA women cater for dinner inside the hall, and outside they set a stage up on a semi-trailer for the band and everyone dances on the grass in front of it. There're a few bonfires scattered around the place too, to sit around if you feel like chillaxing. It'll be a top night. You should go if your pa will let you out of his sight.'

Renee sat down beside him, excited by the prospect of a night out, especially one where she could dance out under the stars—she hadn't done that since she was a teenager. ‘Hmm, sounds like fun. But I have to ask, what the hell is a Studs and Fuds ball?'

Mick looked at her with one eyebrow raised almost to his hairline, like she was from another planet. ‘Really? You've never heard of one? What have you been doing all these years in the big smoke?' He grabbed another piece of the cake and stuffed it in his mouth. ‘The studs are all you youngsters, and the fuds are all the old fuddy-duddies.' He gave her a nudge with his elbow, a cheeky grin curling his lips. ‘I'm still trying to figure out which one I am—a fud or a stud. I like to think I still got it in me to impress the ladies, but I must admit I like hanging out in the hall with all the other fuds for the night. Dancing's just not my thing anymore.' He wriggled his eyebrows, chuckling as he tried to flex his flabby arms. ‘Maybe I can score me a fuddy-duddy hey.' He shrugged. ‘But all jokes aside, the age differences make for a really good night.'

‘Oh Mick, I reckon you're definitely still a stud.' Renee laughed, shaking her head at his wicked sense of humour. She stared out over the eastern paddocks, bubbles of anticipation filling her. ‘A Stud and Fuds ball, hey? Sounds like it could be loads of fun.'

Mick grinned proudly. ‘Yup, we sure know how to have a decent hoedown out here in the sticks. The one last year was a hoot. I remember a couple of the local lads being covered in tar and chicken feathers by the end of the night. How in the hell that came about I haven't a clue, but it was bloody hilarious!' Mick pointed to his cast. ‘Not sure if I'll be able to make it too easily with this bloody thing on though—driving's a bit of a challenge.'

Renee clapped her hands together excitedly. ‘I'll make you a deal, Mick. If you tell Pa you're going to chaperone me, I'll drive you there
and
I'll get you back home the next morning, once I've slept off the few drinks I'll be having of course. I reckon Pa will relax about me going if you're there to keep an eye on me. I don't want to have him up worrying about me all night.'

‘It's a bloody deal.' Mick held out his hand, grinning like he'd just won the lottery, and Renee shook it. ‘But don't get up to too much mischief or your pa will kick my butt.'

‘My days of mischief are long gone, Mick, so you'll have no worries about that.'

‘Oh come on now, you're still a spring chicken.' Mick waved his hands in the air. ‘That city lifestyle has made you old and boring—where's your sense of adventure?'

Without warning, Mick's words hit home. Yes, she had a very active social life in Melbourne, but if she was going to be brutally honest with herself, she was never truly at ease in the classy restaurants and bars—never feeling as though she could really let her hair down and have fun like she used to with Scarlet leading the way. Being back here gave her the opportunity to regain that old piece of herself once again, and even though she no longer had Scarlet to encourage her, she was eager to give it a damn good try on her own. ‘You know what, Mick? You're right. I need to get out and have some fun, and that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to stop worrying, catch up with old friends and dance until the sun comes up.'

Mick gave her the thumbs up, his toothless grin almost comical. ‘That's the spirit, Reni!'

Standing, Renee gave him a quick hug. ‘Thanks for the pep talk. I got to head off, but I might pop back in later. Enjoy your basket of treats.'

‘Oh, I will, trust me,' Mick replied appreciatively, and then pointed to her bulging backpack on the back of the bike. ‘Where you heading for the day anyway? Looks like you've packed enough for a week.'

Hesitating, Renee considered whether to let Mick in on her plans. Pa hadn't asked her where she was going today when she'd said she was going to go for a bit of a mosey around, so she avoided having to tell him, but she wasn't going to outright lie when directly asked. ‘Umm, I reckon I might head down the back, check out the caves and the old hunter's shack for old times' sakes, and have a swim at the bottom dam in between.'