Family Farm (44 page)

Izzy nodded, waited and watched as it dawned on Simone. She couldn’t keep the smile off her face.

‘It’s Mickey! Mickey’s the father? I slept with Mickey? Oh my God.’ Her hand clapped over her open mouth.

Izzy began to laugh but when she saw Simone glare at her, she explained. ‘I’m sorry. It’s just that here you are saying how nice it is that you and Mickey are taking things slow. That you’ve only just kissed when in fact you’ve already slept with the bloke. I just find that quite funny and ironic. Don’t you think?’

Simone’s eyes smiled and laughter escaped her mouth. ‘You’re so right. God, what an idiot I’ve been.’ Her laughter died down as she thought about it further. ‘You know what’s worse? He knew, the bastard. This whole time he knew he’d slept with me and that I didn’t remember it.’

‘Not entirely. He wasn’t sure. He thought you might have wanted to forget it happened, and he was embarrassed. Give the guy a break. He’s really likes you.’

‘Really? You think so?’ She smiled at Izzy. ‘Do you think he’ll mind about the baby?’

‘I don’t know about that, but you’ll have time to tell him tomorrow night. I’ve invited him around for tea. He should be here by six. Oh, and he thinks it’s because you’re going to tell Blake about the two of you.’

‘Oh, thanks. Nice one, Izzy,’ said Simone sarcastically.

‘Well, you may as well kill two birds with one stone, hey. Don’t worry. It’ll be fine.’

‘Says you sitting on the other side of the fence.’

‘So, do you think you’ll keep the baby?’

‘Hell, yeah. I do now. Just knowing it’s Mickey’s makes me want it even more.’ Simone rubbed her belly tenderly.

Izzy felt excited about the prospect of a little baby on the way. ‘I’m thrilled for you, Simo. I’m a bit disappointed it wasn’t Reggie’s, but them’s the breaks, I guess.’

Simone screwed up her nose.

‘You know, I’ve been at heaps of births so if you need any help.’

‘Have you?’

‘Yep. Hundreds of baby lambs have been born under my watchful eye.’

Simone picked up her pillow and threw it at her. ‘Hey, you can feel free to change a nappy or two. Bloody hell, do I really know what I’m getting myself into?’

‘Settle down. You still have eight months left. There’s plenty of time. Take it easy, eh. I’ll get on the Net later and order you a few books to read. Hey, your mum’s going to scream for joy when she finds out.’

‘Oh, Mum’ll be stoked, but first I’ve gotta get past telling Mickey. I’m terrified even thinking about it.’

‘Just get a good night’s sleep and worry about it tomorrow.’ Izzy yawned and rubbed her eyes. ‘I don’t know about you, but I’m absolutely buggered. Were there any leftovers?’

‘Oh, yeah. It’s in the casserole pot in the oven.’

‘Cool, thanks,’ said Izzy, closing the door behind her and walking to the kitchen.

Fifteen minutes later, she flopped into bed. Tired as she was, her mind didn’t let her nod off for another hour or so. When she finally fell asleep, dreams of Simone holding a baby changed into images of Claire with a tiny newborn and Will standing behind her. Then Claire turned into Izzy and she saw herself smiling up at Will with their baby in her arms.

‘HEY, Mickey. Come in, mate,’ said Blake as he greeted him at the front door.

‘Did Izzy tell you she’d invited me for dinner?’ Mickey asked cautiously.

‘She sure did. Great idea, too. We haven’t had you over for bloody ages. It’s been right rude of us.’

‘That’s all right. Here, I hope you like it,’ said Mickey, handing Blake a bottle of red wine.

‘Cheers. Come on in. The girls are in the games room.’

‘Righto.’ Mickey headed down to the other end of the house. The room had been added on years ago, just before Blake’s parents decided to build a new house. Mickey and Blake had spent a lot of time in it playing pool when they were younger. As he walked in Izzy and Simone stopped talking.

‘G’day, Mickey. How’s things?’ Izzy asked.

‘Not too bad. Looking forward to the sale next week. I have my eye on a few good rams already. Oh, wanna hear something funny? Jacko has a girl.’

Simone spluttered, ‘No way!’

‘For real? Who?’ asked Izzy.

‘You remember those two girls from the pub? Well, the one with the long red hair and cute freckles – her name was Kate, I think. She’s setting up a hairdressing salon in town.’

‘Wow.’

‘Oh my God,’ the girls exclaimed together.

‘Yeah, she’s Larry Dwyer’s niece from Morawa. Jacko’s smitten, and get this – she’s making him wait.’

‘Well, that’d be a first for Jacko. No wonder she’s caught his eye,’ said Izzy. ‘So, Mickey, do you want a beer?’

‘I actually brought some wine. Do you both want a glass?’

Izzy glanced at Simone, who went to say yes, then changed her mind. ‘I’m right for the moment, thanks anyway.’

‘Well I’ll have some. How about I get us some glasses,’ Izzy said. As she left the room she caught a glimpse of them having a hug and a kiss hello, and she couldn’t help but feel very lonely.

Heading to the kitchen, Izzy had two motives. One was to keep Blake sidetracked for a fair while, and two was to get him to open up.

‘Hey, look. Mickey brought us some wine for dinner. Should go great with the roast you made,’ said Blake as Izzy approached.

Izzy examined the bottle. ‘Yeah. I’m just gonna pour us a glass. You want one?’

‘Please, that’s nice stuff. From down south too.’

‘Oh, you’re a wine connoisseur now?’

Blake flicked her with a tea towel. ‘So, do you need any help with this complicated meal?’

Izzy looked over the kitchen. The beans and corn were cooking on the stovetop and the rest was in the oven, waiting to be served. She just had the gravy to make.

‘Christ, Izzy. There’s hardly any mess. Maybe you should cook more,’ Blake teased.

Izzy and Blake both jumped when they heard Mickey yell, ‘What?’

‘What’s going on?’ said Blake intrigued. ‘I might just run some nibblies down while you’re finishing up.’

‘Actually, before you do that, I wanted to have a word,’ she said.

Blake leant back against the kitchen cupboard. ‘I’m all ears.’

Izzy took a deep breath. She had to make sure she tackled this next bit right. ‘You know, tonight would be a great time to tell Simone and Mickey about yourself.’ She watched his handsome jaw drop as she went about opening the wine.

‘Shit, Izzy. Don’t lump that on me. I’m not ready. I haven’t had time.’

‘Time for what? For you to think about it too much and chicken out? This way is much better. Just spit it out and let them process it.’ She could see him back-pedalling. The fear of rejection flashed across his face. She didn’t envy him. But if he wanted to start living his life out in the open, he had to try. ‘It’ll be okay. This is your sister and your best mate. I know they both think the world of you. You have to give them the chance to be supportive.’ Izzy got out some glasses and began to fill them.

‘You make it sound so easy. Maybe you should tell them for me. Man, I feel like I’m going to have a panic attack. My heart’s racing, I’m sweating, I feel sick and I can’t breathe. If I keel over, promise you’ll look after the farm?’ He tried to make light of the situation.

Izzy could see he was struggling – he’d gone all pasty-looking – so she handed him his drink. ‘If it makes you feel any better, I think what Simone has to tell you might come as even more of a surprise.’ She knew that would make his ears prick up.

‘Come on, you can’t say that much and leave it.’ Blake took a gulp of wine and managed to spill a drop on his clean shirt. ‘Crap.’

Izzy was laughing as Mickey and Simone walked into the kitchen. Izzy handed Mickey his wine and they all sat down at the table. ‘Well, dinner won’t be long. Maybe ten minutes or so.’

‘It smells great,’ said Simone, helping herself to a biscuit and some chilli dip. ‘While we wait, there’s something I’d really like to tell you, Blake.’ She blushed with the excitement.

‘What’s so important?’ asked Blake, edgy with anticipation himself.

‘I hope you’re not mad or anything, but it’s only just happened,’ Simone said, playing with the hem of her jumper.

Blake frowned.

‘We are going out,’ she said rather quickly, then slipped her hand over Mickey’s on the table to make her point.

Blake watched Mickey entwine his fingers with Simone’s tenderly. Blake pointed at them. ‘You two are together?’

Cautiously, they both nodded.

At first, there was a surprised look, then a smile followed and Blake’s eyes lit up. ‘Sweet. What a turn-up for the books. I’ve been so self-absorbed lately I hadn’t even noticed. Since when?’

‘Just the last couple of weeks,’ Mickey joined in.

Izzy wished she had a few ping pong balls to throw into Mickey and Simone’s open mouths. They hadn’t expected this reaction at all. ‘I told you he’d be cool,’ Izzy said from the stove as she boiled the kettle for the gravy.

Blake gave Izzy a curious look. ‘Did you already know about this?’

Izzy winked at him. ‘Hell, yeah. Someone had to nudge Simone in the right direction. But she was worried about how you’d react.’

Blake shrugged. ‘Why? I think it’s great – my best friend and my sister. It’s okay, you can relax now,’ Blake said, seeing them still looking a bit uptight.

Taking a moment, Mickey and Blake downed half the wine in their glasses while Simone sipped a Diet Coke.

Izzy moved over behind Blake, put her hand on his shoulder, and gave it a squeeze.

Blake looked up into Izzy’s compassionate eyes. The blue depths of them gave him a strength he didn’t know he possessed. Her previous words sprang to mind. She’d said that if she hadn’t told her father what she really wanted in life, she never would have been truly happy. No, it might not have worked out for her, but at least her father knew where she stood. Izzy felt more at peace with herself for not hiding her feelings and not having to lie. In some respects, Blake knew she was right – he couldn’t keep this secret and expect to live a fulfilled life.

‘I … ah …’ began Blake slowly.

‘What’s up?’ Simone asked.

‘I have something to say too.’

‘Well, spit it out. It can’t be that bad,’ she said, sensing his anxiety.

Blake looked her in the eye before he quietly whispered the words that had tortured his thoughts. ‘I’m gay.’ He watched as a smile grew on her face, while Mickey’s was dark and motionless. ‘What’s so funny?’ He was worried. Did she think he was joking?

‘Tell me something I didn’t know,’ she said mockingly.

Blake’s face was pale. ‘You knew?’

‘Hell, I’m not stupid, Blake. I’d sort of guessed a while ago but didn’t know a hundred per cent until I heard it from your lips.’ She shrugged. ‘I figured you’d tell me when you were ready. I certainly wasn’t going to bring it up, just in case I was wrong, which I didn’t think I was, but …’ Simone got out of her chair and wrapped her arms around her brother, kissing him on his cheek. ‘I love you, and I’m glad you’ve decided to trust me with this. I guess it’s a big step for you?’

Blake held her at arm’s length, tears welling in the corners of his eyes. ‘You’ll never know how much, sis. Thanks.’ He couldn’t believe how much time he’d spent worrying about how Simone would react. For the past few years he had pretended to be attracted to girls to keep everyone off the scent. But it was such hard work. All that time stressing and hiding, and to think Simone had known all along. He’d never felt as much love for his sister as he did now. Blood sure was thicker than water. He hoped his parents would be as understanding.

Meanwhile, Izzy had been watching Mickey. She prayed she had been right about his character – that he was very loyal and never judged people. She could see he was mulling things over.

Simone sat down next to Mickey and took hold of his hand again tightly. All eyes were on him now. The hissing of the boiled kettle echoed throughout the silent house. Breathlessly they all waited.

‘I … Wow – didn’t see that one coming.’ He was clearly surprised but what else was to come?

Mickey slowly looked across to Blake and said, in an almost squeaky voice, ‘I’ve never left your side in a fight yet, mate, and I’m not about to.’ Then he shrugged. ‘Deep down, maybe I knew, but it doesn’t really matter because it doesn’t change who you are. You’ll always be my best mate.’ Mickey held out his hand and Blake shook it vigorously before pulling him into a quick, manly hug.

‘Cheers, Mickey. It means a bloody lot,’ Blake said, as he sat back down. He glanced up at Izzy and squeezed her hand, which had come back to rest on his shoulder.

He rewarded Izzy with the happiest smile she had seen in a long time. It brought a lump the size of a brick to her throat. Quickly she diverted her eyes to a photo on the wall of a bogged tractor, and waited for it to subside.

‘Besides, it’s nothing compared to finding out you’re going to be a father,’ said Mickey, getting Blake’s attention. ‘Did I mention that you’re going to be an uncle?’

‘An uncle? What do you mean?’ Blake screwed up his eyes in puzzlement.

Simone held her belly and laughed. ‘Mickey and I are having a baby.’

‘Holy shit!’ Blake slapped his forehead.

‘Tell me about it. I only just found out a few minutes ago myself. We hooked up at the bonfire, which she doesn’t even remember, or it was that bad she’s tried to forget it,’ he stirred, and Simone squeezed his hand in a death grip. ‘How romantic is that!’

Blake wiped his hand over his face as he tried to swallow this news. ‘The bonfire night? But that was ages ago.’

‘Yep, so I guess I’m about eight weeks or so.’ Simone smiled, reliving the way Mickey had hugged her, felt her belly and asked, ‘Is this for real?’ She’d nodded and he’d kissed her. ‘Is this what you want? With me?’ he’d said. She’d nodded nervously again, wondering whether he felt the same, but he’d taken her in his arms and whispered, ‘It’s all going to be fine, Simone. I love you. I always have.’ Simone realised that all she’d ever wanted was right there in front of her and that living in Mullawoon on a farm with Mickey would make her deliriously happy.

With all the commotion going on in the kitchen, Izzy headed outside to drink in the cool night air, away from the overwhelmed but ecstatic group. The moon lit up the garden and cast black shadows over the silvery ground. One of these shadows came from a huge gum tree that was filled with galahs. They were screeching away to each other as they perched there for the night.