Family Farm (21 page)

‘What do you think, Tom? She’s a ripper, even if I do say so myself.’ Heading for the beer fridge in the corner of the workshop, she pulled out a six-pack. ‘What say we find some company, eh, boy? Tom had already guessed her intentions and was heading to the ute.

It didn’t take long for Izzy to get through the back tracks and reach Will’s quaint house. She pulled up next to his ute. Good, he was home. Grabbing the beers, she headed down the rocky path and up to the old verandah.

‘Oi. What ya doing?’ Will’s voice caught her by surprise.

‘Hey, great minds think alike,’ she said as she spotted him sitting on a brown sofa out the front. ‘Want some company?’ The sofa looked as if puppies had chewed on it – the armrests were stripped back to the foam filling and wooden frame. Beside it, a pair of boots sat neatly placed, limp black socks hanging out the top. Will was still in his dirty work clothes, lounging in the seat with a nearly empty beer in his hand.

‘Mind if I sit?’ Izzy asked, holding out a beer.

‘Sure thing.’ Will took the fresh coldie she offered, which had beads of moisture running down the glass neck. ‘I haven’t seen you around for the whole week, Izzy. Busy running a farm, are you? I’m glad you made time for a beer.’ Will raised his stubbie and smiled.

Flopping down beside him, Izzy cracked open her own beer. Tom went off sniffing about, frolicking in and out of the scrub bush next to the house, hunting out something long since dead. Izzy took a drink as she idly watched him. ‘Oh, now that feels much better.’ Her body began to relax.

‘What have you been up to? You look like you had a fight with a grease gun,’ said Will. He pressed his finger to the marks on her forehead and cheek. ‘It’s a good look, kiddo.’

Izzy bent over and tried to wipe it off with the bottom of her shirt, then realised that was where the grease had come from in the first place. She gave up caring, leant back and took another swig of her beer. ‘Well, at least you know I’ve been working,’ she said, smiling.

Will drained the remaining mouthful from his warm beer and cracked open the cold one.

‘Cheers,’ they said simultaneously, over the sound of clinking glass.

‘Ahh, that’s nice. So what you been doing today?’ Will asked.

‘Just servicing the ute and welding up a new workbench for the workshop, plus a few other running repairs. You?’ She stared straight ahead at the view that opened up before them. The evening sun on the wheat stubble made the stalks look golden, and the heat haze blurred the horizon. His place was nestled in such a beautiful spot. He was almost halfway between her house and his parents’ house. She wondered if they ever came over for tea, or how often he went to theirs.

‘Yeah, a bit here and there. Not as much as you, by the sound of it. It’s been warm enough.’

‘I was nearly gonna give you a ring and see if you wanted to come over for a swim. But by the time I was free, I couldn’t be bothered.’

‘Oh gee, thanks,’ Will laughed easily.

They sat in quiet companionship for a moment, enjoying the tranquillity.

Will took a mouthful of his beer before speaking. ‘So, you’re a bit of a welder, then? You know, I’m building a new trailer for the diesel tank and I could do with a bit of help from a handy welder.’ He turned expectantly to Izzy and waited for her reply.

She didn’t need to think about it. ‘Sure,’ she replied enthusiastically. ‘Just give me the nod when you want me.’

Will raised his eyebrows at her.

Izzy knew what he was thinking and shook her head. ‘Get your mind out of the gutter,’ she laughed.

‘All right. I’ll let you know when I need you,’ said Will. ‘I’m actually taking the weekend off. Well, sort of. Have to go to Perth to pick up a part and thought I’d visit your old man and see how he’s doing. Do you want to catch a ride? It’d be nice to have some company.’

Izzy scratched her arm before she answered. ‘You know, I might just take you up on that. I talk to Mum nearly every second night but it would be nice to actually see Dad again. His progress is so slow.’ She looked at him seriously. ‘Thanks, Will. I appreciate that. When are you planning to head off?’

He raised his shoulders in a shrug. ‘Was thinking about seven tomorrow morning. We’ll stay the night at our city flat, if that’s okay with you?’

‘Yep. No probs,’ she replied as Tom came padding up to her for a pat. ‘I’ll feed up the animals early and I’ll be waiting. Sorry, Tom. You can’t come this time either,’ she added.

‘Tom’s very loyal. I can see how much he loves you.’ Will tapped his knee and Tom moved his chin across to his leg for a pat.

‘I don’t know what I’d do without him. He’s been my best mate for a long time. What about you? Do you have a dog?’

‘I used to have Tess, a border collie, but she was more of a farm dog, and when I moved into this house two years ago she stayed behind at the folks’ place as they have the big dog yards. I’ve been thinking of getting another dog. It can be lonely here. I just seem to sleep, eat and farm most of the time. Have a few people over for drinks every now and then but I’ve lost touch with most of my old friends.’ A sadness came over Will’s face. ‘There was Shane. You remember him?’

Izzy nodded.

‘His old man died from bowel cancer and he sold the farm and moved to Busselton with his fiancée. His heart just wasn’t in farming, plus Anne was a city girl.’

‘Yeah, Mum told me about all that. What a shame. So you’ve been in this house two years, hey? I remember coming home from school and you’d already left. What did you do then, if you don’t mind me asking?’

Will raised his shoulders as if to say ‘whatever’. ‘I worked from farm to farm and did a few shearing runs. But no matter what I did, I still couldn’t get Claire out of my thoughts. After a year I realised that I’d never forget and that running away wouldn’t help. So I came home, and I’ve been happier for it. Your dad has a lot to do with that.’

Izzy sat up, her attention fixed. ‘What do you mean?’

Will leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, both his hands on his beer. ‘Well, I tried to talk to my dad about how I was feeling, even Mum, but they just didn’t get it. I hadn’t told them about the baby either. I didn’t think Mum could have kept it a secret for long, so I couldn’t talk about that. I still haven’t got around to mentioning it now. I don’t really see the point in disappointing them. Mum doesn’t need to know how close she came to having a grandchild, only to lose it. So, anyway, Bill became my sounding board. Don’t get me wrong, Izzy – my folks have been wonderful, letting me wander off to see Bill and lend a hand. They have plenty of help around the farm with Keith, so I’m really only needed during the busy times.’ Keith was their worker and had been on before harvest. He was in his late thirties and a hard worker. He was reliable, trustworthy and came with plenty of brains, which gave Will reassurance when he wasn’t around that things would be getting done.

‘Farming’s like that. So many have moved to the coast and only come back every month or so to keep the farm ticking over. I don’t know how they do it,’ said Izzy.

‘They probably don’t have sheep for a start. But we’re lucky that there’s plenty of money stashed away.’ Izzy nodded her head in agreement. Brian and Sandy weren’t tight-lipped when it came to their money – they’d tell people how much this ram cost and how much that truck cost. But no one complained because they supported the local sports clubs well with donations. ‘Dad’s not too upset that I’m not around much. He’s told me to go and run Gumlea full time, but I know you’re doing a great job by yourself.’

‘Oh, thanks, Will.’ Izzy slapped her hand on his thigh in appreciation. ‘You must take me around Tarramin one day. It’s been ages since I’ve been on your farm. Not since Claire used to dink me on the bike to go find you. I used to love riding around your canola crops and wished Dad would grow some on Gumlea. Some days I used to sneak over and walk into the sea of yellow and dream. I didn’t like the smell much, though.’

‘Yeah, canola smells foul, but it’s worth its weight in gold if you get a good crop. I reckon I’ve nearly talked Bill around to trying it soon. Get rid of his bloody Halberd wheat.’

‘Oh, come on, Will. Not his trusty Halberd! He loves that variety and it goes the deepest gold when it’s ripe. That’s one variety of wheat I can pick from the road. You know, growing canola is one of my plans for the place. I have this whole crop rotation worked out. I used to spend my quiet nights on Rob’s farm planning it all out. I could remember the soil types in each paddock and had selected the varieties of grain I’d grow to suit. I’d planned the fertiliser and the chemicals I’d spray. Right down to the machinery I’d buy first.’

‘True? Can I see it one day? It sounds impressive.’ He watched Izzy’s face glow from his comment and couldn’t help but feel a need to kiss her. She looked so adorable and innocent and her enthusiasm was infectious. His eyes were drawn to her lips as she spoke, and it took all his strength to resist.

‘I’d like that. One day I hope Dad is as interested.’

Will glanced at Izzy’s empty beer for a distraction and raised his own. ‘Want another one?’

‘You betcha. Cheers.’

An hour later, six empty stubbies stood upright on the verandah floor.

Will stretched and then rubbed his belly. ‘Well, I don’t know about you but I’m starving. Did you want to stay for dinner?’

‘No, thanks. I’d best be off. Need to get organised for tomorrow before it gets too dark,’ she said, rising from the couch.

‘Yeah, it gets dark quickly, doesn’t it,’ said Will, as he reached in behind the door to flick on the verandah light. ‘Thanks for the beers, kiddo. It’s nice to sit and chat to you these days without you looking like you want to bite my head off.’

Izzy’s cheeks flushed. She still felt terrible about the way she’d treated him.

‘It’s okay. I’m only yankin’ ya chain,’ he said.

‘Yes, it beats drinking with just Tom. Thanks for the company. I’ll catch you tomorrow at seven.’ Izzy walked down the step and towards the ute, raising her hand in half a wave. ‘C’mon, Tom.’

TRUE to his word, Will picked up Izzy at seven on the dot. She was waiting by the gate in a pair of denim shorts, which made her legs look like they went on for miles. Her blue long-sleeved checked shirt was unbuttoned and tied at her waist, revealing a tight-fitting blue tank top. Izzy could take his breath away without even trying. Part of her beauty was that she wasn’t even aware of it. He’d seen enough girls who flaunted what they had, but not Izzy.

‘Is that all you’re bringing?’ Will said, watching her place her small black carry bag into the back of his ute. When she threw him a strange look, he explained, ‘Chicks usually need about ten bags for all their stuff, don’t they?’

Izzy gave him a quick wink. ‘I’m not your average chick.’

That’s for sure, Will thought to himself. He wasn’t used to someone like Izzy. He wasn’t bored listening to her talk – he enjoyed it. She wasn’t afraid to question his ideas or disagree with him. Or give him shit, for that matter. Her views on farming and her plans for Gumlea had made him want to think about his own. He knew his dad would pass the farm on to him when the time came, but he hadn’t thought much further than that. Izzy really had it all worked out. She just needed the land.

‘So what are your plans, William?’ Izzy asked as if reading his thoughts. ‘Are you happy to stay on farming or are you thinking of heading off like Shane?’

‘No, I’m a lover of the land. You couldn’t pay me to move to the city. But I’ve got it better than most. I feel sorry for the guys – and girls,’ he added quickly, ‘who have to sell up because they can’t afford to continue farming, no matter how much they love it. How I wish we could keep the district together. You remember how many people there used to be around when we were kids? I reckon it’s nearly halved.’

‘I know. I’ve noticed the difference just being away for a few years. I can’t believe Ray sold up. He loved his place. Me, I hope to live out my life here just like Aunt Betty. She and Jim are in no hurry to leave. She reckons she’d up and die if anyone tried to move her, and that Jim would perish without his little bits of farm work to keep him active.’

‘I’m with you on that one too. But you never know what each year will bring. If we get good years like this every now and then to keep us going, it’s okay. It’s those bad ones that keep coming more frequently that hurt. Like last year. We had the best start to the year. It rained perfectly and the crops took off and everyone started to think you beauty, but then one big frost came in and wiped out three-quarters of it. A whole year’s planning gone in one early morning. There were blokes cutting crops into hay just to get something for them. I have never seen so many bales of hay around. It broke my heart.’

Will’s comments seemed so genuine and compassionate and she appreciated his words. She realised the two of them were very similar in the way they thought and that he loved his patch of earth just as she did. Little things he said kept surprising her, and begrudgingly she admitted she was really beginning to like him.

As he drove, they chatted easily, and they made it to Corrigin before they knew it. Corrigin was famous for its Dog in a Ute Queue event, which had been held a few times. Izzy’s dad had gone to it with their old dog Joe. They stopped at the roadhouse, adorned with a ute on the roof, for a bacon-and-egg toasted sandwich. Will watched Izzy as they sat out the front eating. That was yet another thing that Will liked about Izzy – she wasn’t afraid to eat. ‘You put away just as much as I do,’ he exclaimed. ‘Where does it all go?’

‘Same place you put yours,’ she replied, oblivious to his admiring gaze.

When it was time to hit the road again, Izzy offered to drive but Will declined. She put on Shannon Noll’s new song to try and change his mind but it turned out he was also a fan. It was just before lunch when they arrived at the hospital without any fights erupting over the choice of music. Will never even complained when she put on her mixed CD of old Aussie rock songs from bands like Mental as Anything and Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls. He even had his finger tapping to the Choirboys’ ‘Run to Paradise’.