FOLLOW THE MORNING STAR (25 page)

‘Him body home but not his head.’ Snowy shook his own head sadly. ‘Big worry. Funny ting, him not knowin’ nobody. But his walkin’ coming along pretty good. How’s Guneda, you the big boss now, eh?’

‘Oh, I wouldn’t say that. Just minding the shop till TR’s better.’

They turned and began walking back towards Tango’s LandCruiser. ‘You comin’ up to the house?’

‘Soon enough, Tango. I’m jist listening to Tingulla spirits here ’n’ there.’

‘What do they say, Snowy?’

‘They wus telling me stories ‘bout what I must do. Dis my Dreaming place and the time comes when you gotta pass it over. Dis your Dreaming place too.’

‘But I wasn’t born here, Snowy.’

‘No matter. You start ’em on Tingulla land when your mumma begin you. I knew from the minute I first seen you that you belong here.’

‘When was that, Snowy? I don’t remember. I didn’t come to Tingulla till I was about seventeen.’

‘I remember good. TR sent you over to check ‘cause they wus all worried ‘bout dis place. Millie had bad feelins and she wus right, when them no good people come to buy it up.
You come up from Guneda and looked around and then you saw Nareedah and asked if you could ride her.’

‘Mum’s white Arabian. She was a beautiful horse,’ said Tango softly.

‘No fella could ride that horse like your mumma . . . but you did. You rode her, jist exact like your mumma. I knew then. I knew you belong Tingulla.’

‘And we all came home.’

‘Everyone got to come home to their Dreaming place one day. Before they go back to be with their spirits.’ Snowy gazed into the distance.

Tango put an arm around Snowy’s shoulders. ‘You’re not goin’ anywhere for a long time, Snowy. Hop in and we’ll go check on TR.’

‘Millie know you coming t’day?’

Tango started the engine. ‘Nope.’

‘She’s gonna be mad,’ grinned Snowy.

‘Does the old girl good to get riled up occasionally.’

‘Yeah, that Millie always gotta keep her fingers in everyting,’ Snowy remarked fondly.

Tango couldn’t have timed it better. He ran up the front steps as Snowy trailed behind him, catching Millie by the waist as she pushed the traymobile along the verandah to where everyone was gathered. She squealed in surprise and delight. ‘Tango! What a surprise, you didn’t tell me you were comin’. TR, look who’s here.’

‘He smelled the tea and cake,’ said Jim, getting up and shaking Tango’s hand.

TR was seated in a wicker chair, his crutches beside him. He smiled warmly at Tango. ‘Good to see you, Tango. Have you met Jenni? This is Jenni Brown, my physio.’

‘G’day, Jenni.’ Tango looked at the fairhaired girl with interest. She was small and shapely and very attractive.

‘Nice to meet you, Tango. I’ve heard a lot about you.’

Snowy joined the group, sitting in a chair next to Jim. Suddenly there was a shriek and running steps echoed along the wooden verandah as Saskia belted along its length to fling herself at Tango. ‘Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?’

‘Spoil the surprise. How ya doing, kid?’

‘Good. How’s Guneda?’

‘Coming along great guns.’ He glanced over at TR. ‘I’ll tell you all about it later. So any news from Mum?’ Tango picked up his cup of tea and sat on the edge of the verandah leaning against one of the posts.

‘Not yet,’ said Millie, handing a plate of fruitcake slices to Saskia to pass around. ‘Wish she’d get back here then we’d have all the family together again.’

‘Well, nearly everyone,’ said Saskia, thinking of Colin. She turned to Tango. ‘So is Mick holding the fort at Guneda?’

‘Yeah, he’s doing great. I think he likes a spell in the office away from the track.’ Tango turned to Jenni. ‘He’s our jockey, works with all the horses and helps with the training. He rode our Melbourne Cup winner, Bill.’

‘I remember the story. Sweet William, is he there too?’

‘Yes, he won a few more races then got a bit of leg trouble so he stands at stud and is a winner there too. His old trainer Bobby always said to us to quit while we’re ahead. So we didn’t want to push it and maybe wreck him. He did good by us, hey, TR?’

TR nodded, but it was obvious he didn’t know the story. ‘Speaking of jockeys though,’ he said, ‘what are the chances of finding a job for a kid who needs a bit of a hand?’ TR turned to Jenni, ‘I was thinking of young Dennis’. She nodded as TR continued, ‘He’s in the hospital learning to get together again like me. He had a promising career as a jockey and took a bad fall, not his fault from what I’ve been told, but he won’t ride again. The kid lives and breathes horses and some sort of job around them would probably save his life.’

‘Is he mobile?’ asked Tango.

‘If he knew he had a chance of being around horses he’d crawl over broken glass,’ said Jenni earnestly. ‘He’s just got into a wheelchair but it’s been hard to get him motivated. Patients need some sort of kick-start to get them on track and willing to make the effort to get on with their lives. Some never do and stay bitter and so don’t progress as well physically as they could.’

‘But it’s up to you, Tango; you know Guneda and what it could offer him,’ said TR.

Tango looked at his father. ‘Well, I can’t see why not. It’s fine by me.’

Millie chuckled. ‘That’s the spirit, Tango.’

Jenni interjected. ‘That’s wonderful. He’ll be immobilised for a while, but in the long run he’ll walk with a bad limp, might have to use a cane, but he’ll be good as gold. I guarantee he’ll work his fingers to the bone for you if you give him this chance.’

‘That won’t be necessary. If he’s bright we’ll put him to work in the office, there’s always paperwork to be done, but he could still spend time with the horses. Come to think of it, there’s a straight path down to the stables, he can whizz his wheelchair down there whenever he likes. Okay, that’s settled. What’s next on the agenda?’

Saskia suddenly spoke up. ‘Well, I wasn’t going to say anything till I’d spoken to Mum, but I’ve dropped out of uni.’

With a clatter Millie dropped her cup in its saucer. ‘You’ve what?’

‘Your Mum isn’t going to like that,’ said Jim quietly.

‘Saskia, are you
crazy?’
Tango stared at her.

Saskia looked at TR and grinned ruefully. He smiled back. ‘Well, that seems to be a bit of a bombshell. Maybe you’d better elaborate.’

Saskia took a deep breath and adjusted her position on the arm of Millie’s chair. ‘I think I might have mentioned to some of you that I haven’t been all that thrilled with the idea of becoming a vet. I know I thought it a good idea three years ago,’ she said, touching Millie’s arm as she went to protest and make that same point, ‘but it’s not till you get into something that you start to understand what’s really involved. I love animals and I don’t want an
office job, but I like horses best of all and when I did some temporary assisting with a vet in the holidays he spent most of his time neutering pets and putting unwanted ones to sleep.’

‘It’d be different being a bush vet,’ broke in Tango.

‘If I was lucky enough to get work in a rural or farm practice, but even that doesn’t excite me all that much.’

‘What
do
you want to do then?’ asked TR.

‘I want to work with horses, but I don’t want to rush into anything. I want to have a break and think it through.’

‘You could come and work at Guneda, couldn’t she, TR?’

Saskia broke in. ‘Thanks, but I want to prove I can do it on my own.’

‘Why throw away all the years of study?’ asked Tango.

‘Look, it’s actually not as drastic as it sounds. My grades have been really good. So I went and talked to the head of the department and I have taken leave for twelve months, just deferred for a year, that’s all. So if I can’t find what I really want to do, I’ll go back, do the last year, get my degree and look into vet jobs.’

‘Well that sounds better,’ said Millie, ‘but what is your mum going to say? She has enough to worry about at present.’

‘I’ll deal with that,’ said Saskia, then glanced at Jenni. ‘Welcome to the family forum.’

‘It’s not really my business I know, Saskia, but for what it’s worth, I do understand how you feel. In fact, it’s kind of what I’m doing. You get to a point where you have to assess
your real goals in life. And I’ve known doctors and nurses who’ve done what you’re doing and they either went back and finished or found another direction. You might change your mind in a couple of months.’

‘It’s a tough old world out there,’ added Jim.

‘Well, Snowy, what do you reckon?’ asked Saskia. ‘You might as well throw your twocents’ worth in!’

Snowy looked at her. ‘You listen to your heart, your spirit fella will tell you. You’ll know what’s right. Don’t worry ’bout what this lot say, Sas.’

This pronouncement was greeted with a round of applause and defused the discussion. Millie began gathering up cups as the phone rang indoors. ‘Ruthie’ll get it, she’s closest.’

Ruthie was chattering happily on the phone. ‘Millie was jist sayin’ you should be here, all the family is here . . . well, TR, Sas, Tango . . . yeah, yeah, TR. He’s here. Miss Jenni is lookin’ after him. Oh. Okay, I’ll get her.’ Ruthie dropped the phone calling through the house, ‘Millieeee . . .’

Millie came in with a tray. ‘Ssh, Ruthie, what is it?’

‘Phone. Missus is on the phone.’

‘Oh! Here take this.’ Millie thrust the tray at the startled girl and rushed to the phone. ‘Queenie? That you, luv?’

Millie listened for a moment. ‘Yes, he’s home. Jenni and me got it organised when we couldn’t git to talk to you. We’ve been dying for you to call. No, but he’s walking on crutches pretty good. Still using the wheelchair. Jenni
works with him every day, so he’s comin’ on real good. But when you comin’ back home, Queenie luv?’

Millie chewed her lip as she listened. ‘Queenie you reckon you gonna find them bulls? You get here, TR needs you . . . Okay, I’ll get him.’

Jenni helped TR to his feet and he tucked his crutches under his arms and moved inside. ‘Take the phone in there, luv.’ Millie pointed to the small sitting room and left him alone.

TR picked up the phone. ‘Queenie?’

Queenie was standing in the shade of some trees by the side of her LandCruiser; she held the two-way radio handset in her hand and when she heard TR’s faint voice, her heart lurched. She lifted the handset close to her mouth. ‘TR? How are you?’

‘I’m more mobile. I’m walking on crutches so they chucked me out of the hospital.’

‘How are you doing with Jenni?’

‘Good. Having her work with me every day has meant faster progress, I guess.’ TR changed the subject. ‘Any lead on the missing bulls?’

‘Possibly, but it could take a little while to check it out. I’m so happy you’re home. I wish I was there. Shall I come back now?’

‘No. Don’t rush back on my account. Jenni has everything under control as far as I’m concerned. And Millie is great.’

‘I see. Have you remembered anything? Have you looked over all the house?’ She wondered if he was back in their bedroom.

‘I can’t manage stairs yet, Queenie,’ he said
quietly. Queenie didn’t answer. ‘You must finish this job, you can’t leave if you’re close to finding those bulls. They’re valuable and, Queenie, I’m fine, Jenni says . . .’

‘TR, I’ll be home very quickly and then I’ll be able to look after you,’ cut in Queenie.

‘I need specialised treatment, I don’t expect you to be my nursemaid.’

Queenie felt sharp tears sting her eyes. ‘TR, I want to help you, I want to look after you. I love you . . .’ It was a cry of anguish.

‘Queenie, please. It will be all right. This is hard for both of us. Don’t rush things, don’t worry and good luck.’

‘Yes, all right. Get Millie again for me. Take care, TR.’ The tears were now running down her face.

Millie was swiftly on the phone. ‘You okay, luv? What’s going on?’

‘You tell me, Millie. What do you think of Jenni?’

‘She’s nice. She . . .’ Millie hesitated, she didn’t want to upset Queenie by telling her that the bond between TR and Jenni bothered her. ‘She is getting TR walking and back on his feet and that’s the main thing, luv. You just get home safe and sound as soon as you can.’

‘This is very hard for me, Millie. I feel like TR and I are strangers. I want my husband back.’ Alone in the bush, so far away, trying to come to terms with the knowledge her husband didn’t remember her, that he was back in their house, being helped and supported by some other woman, was terribly painful and she could barely speak.

‘Is Saskia there?’

Millie heard the tearful voice and not wanting Saskia to upset her further by maybe blurting out her own news, Millie said swiftly and firmly, ‘She’s down at the stables with Tango. We’re all here looking after TR. But tell me your news, luv. Where are you?’

‘In the scrub, headed for some bloke’s property. I’ve met up with a few people who’ve been helpful.’ The line crackled and faded but Millie could hear the tired sadness in Queenie’s voice.

‘Sounds like you might be gettin’ somewhere then. You jist do what you gotta do, luv.’