White Gum Creek

by Nicole Hurley-Moore

  Tash made the decision then and there that she wasn’t going to let that happen. So, as the clock hit ten the next morning, she told Meg to look after the shop. Then, stuffing a bag with a couple of loaves, a sticky bun and half-a-dozen muffins, she set off for Winters Hill before she chickened out.

  But what exactly was she going to say? Tash wondered as she drove out of the car park and headed through the town. She took her favourite route, which was longer but in Tash’s opinion much prettier. The road wound through the bush and followed the creek. Sometimes she’d come out this way just to sit and watch the creek run, but today she hardly noticed the beauty of the place.

  Hi, I heard you broke up with Jules…Here’s some bread.

  Well, jeez, that was bloody lame.

  Hi Nick, I was just passing and…

  Yeah, just passing with a full bag of baked goods, in the opposite direction to where I live—highly unlikely. Tash frowned as she continued on her way. Maybe she should go with the flow and work out what to say when she got there?

  Her stomach tightened with nerves as she drove up the driveway. She had no idea where Nick might be around the farm, if he was even here at all. Damn, she hadn’t really thought this one through.

  Tash slowed the car as she drove up to the caravan, scanning the paddocks as she went by. When she reached the top of the driveway, she stopped the car and got out, taking the bread bag with her. She knocked on the caravan door, but there was no answer. She knocked again and this time a black cat jumped up to the window and looked at her through the glass.

  ‘Aren’t you pretty,’ Tash said.

  The cat gave her a cool stare before jumping down and disappearing.

  ‘Okay, pretty but not friendly.’

  ‘Are you talking to me or about me?’

  Tash jumped. She spun around to see Nick standing there behind her with a smile on his face.

  ‘Oh…um…I was actually talking to your cat.’

  Heat bloomed in her cheeks and she hoped that it wasn’t obvious.

  ‘Well, Tabitha can be a bit aloof at times. She likes people, but you have to earn it.’

  ‘And how do I do that?’

  ‘Oh I don’t know, lots of pats and giving her most of your food…’

  ‘Tummy rubs?’

  ‘Only at your own peril. She lulls you into a false sense of security before the four paws of death claw into your flesh,’ Nick said as he walked towards the caravan door. ‘So, what can I do for you, Tash?’

  Tash forced herself to relax—or at least to look calm and nonchalant. This was it; this was her moment. Her head was in turmoil, and there was a fluttering in her stomach that threatened to set her totally off balance. The scared and insecure part of her was telling her to just give him the food, and get the hell out of there, but her heart was telling her that it was now or never. She looked at Nick, and saw him as he really was—sweet, damaged, vulnerable and utterly adorable.

  ‘I thought, since you hadn’t been into the shop for a while, I’d bring it to you.’

  ‘You didn’t have to do that. But thanks, believe me, I’m grateful. Come on in and say hello to Tabitha.’

  Nick held open the door and waited for Tash to walk in. She had never been inside the caravan before. It was compact, and other than the wedding photo propped up on the shelf it was almost bare. There was nothing personal out on display, and the only hints that someone lived there were the cat sitting on the table glaring at Tash and the empty glass on the side of the sink.

  ‘Would you like a tea?’

  ‘Thanks,’ Tash said as she went and stood next to the cat. At least she didn’t hiss at Tash; that was a positive. She placed the bag of bread on the table. ‘There’s a couple of loaves and some muffins.’

  Nick glanced over at her.

  ‘Thank you. But, please, sit down. How do you have your tea?’

  ‘Just black.’

  He shook his head, grabbing a couple of mugs out of the cupboard and flicking on the kettle.

  ‘I can’t do that—I guess I need sweetening up,’ he said.

  Tash sat down. ‘It’s lovely out here,’ she said as she looked out the window to the garden beyond.

  ‘Yeah, I’ve always liked it. The caravan is compact, but Tabitha and I don’t need much room,’ Nick said as he brought over the tea.

  ‘Are you ever going build a house…Oh God, sorry I shouldn’t have asked that. I just got carried away thinking how pretty it is.’ Tash mentally kicked herself. Don’t stuff this up, you idiot!

  Nick shook his head.

  ‘It’s alright, really. There’s nothing to apologise for. The house will never be finished, but I have been thinking about upgrading the caravan. Around the other side of the hill is a level spot that has great views of the countryside. I was toying with the idea of building a cottage there.’

  ‘I’m glad, that sounds like a great idea. I think it’s a good sign that you’re looking to the future.’

  ‘Yeah, me too.’ Nick smiled. ‘I feel as if things are beginning to open up for me. I’m in the process of fixing up the things around the farm I let slide, and I guess a cottage would be the final step. It’ll take a while. I’m still catching up with the fencing and the roofing and the stock pens and the…’

  Tash laughed.

  ‘I get the idea. But at least you’ve got something to aim at.’

  ‘I suppose,’ Nick said before he raised the mug to his mouth and took a sip. ‘You knew Sophie, didn’t you?’

  The change of subject threw Tash for a second, but she recovered quickly.

  ‘Yes, we went to school together. First primary in town and then over in Castlemaine for high school. She was a year younger than me, but I think she left after Year 11.’

  ‘Yeah, that’s right. She started working on her family’s farm.’

  Tash reached over and touched his hand.

  ‘I’m sorry that it happened. Sophie was a great person and neither of you deserved any of this.’

  His hand briefly covered hers and Tash swore that her skin tingled.

  ‘Thanks.’

  But when a heavy silence hung over them, Tash started to wonder if this visit had been such a good idea. She tried to think of something to say, but came up with a blank. Glancing around the room, her eyes settled on the photo of Nick and Sophie’s wedding day. They were both laughing and you could feel the happiness radiating from them. Sophie’s dark blonde hair was pulled back from her face and a gust of wind had caught her long veil, making it fly out behind her like a figure in a Pre-Raphaelite painting.

  ‘She looks beautiful in that picture,’ Tash said. ‘Just like I remember her.’

  ‘I’m sorry?’

  Tash looked at Nick as she pointed across the room. ‘Sophie in your wedding photo. I said that she looks beautiful.’

  He turned his head and stared at the picture. The colour from his face drained away and the warmth in his eyes disappeared.

  ‘Nick, what is it? Are you alright?’

  ‘I think you’d better leave Tash,’ he said quietly.

  She shook her head.

  ‘No, not until you tell me what’s going on.’

  Nick was silent for a moment and then another, his eyes never leaving the photo. Tash was about to ask him again when he opened his mouth and turned back to her.

  ‘I didn’t put that photo there.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Just what I said. I don’t know how it got there because there’s only me and Tabitha here, and I’m pretty sure she doesn’t do decorating.’

  ‘But that makes no sense,’ Tash said.

  ‘I know. I can’t explain it and it’s driving me crazy—or maybe I am crazy already. All I know is that’s the second time that picture has turned up and I swear I don’t know how.’

  Tash thought for a moment.

  ‘Well if you didn’t put it there then the only explanation is that someone else did.’

  ‘Or I’m completely m
ad and did it without having any recollection of it,’ Nick said, closing his eyes tight.

  Tash leaned forward, resting her arms on the table.

  ‘Look at me,’ she said, staring at Nick and waiting for him to open his eyes again. ‘You’re not mad. Someone is messing with you, surely you can see that? Have things like this happened before?’

  He nodded.

  ‘Every now and again. At first I thought it was the kids who vandalised the bottom shed.’

  ‘Wait—what?’

  ‘Some teenagers were spraying words all over the shed as some kind of dare. I had just assumed it was them, but it wasn’t. Either someone is trying to hurt me, I’ve lost my mind or I’m being haunted—they’re the only options I can come up with. And just for the record, I really hope it’s the first one.’

  ‘Have you been to the police about this?’

  Nick shook his head.

  ‘I went to them about the graffiti and got that sorted.’

  ‘But why haven’t you said something about this?’

  ‘Because at first I wasn’t sure! Things would turn up out of place, but at the back of my mind I kept thinking that maybe I was actually responsible. Like I’d taken out the photo or the toy or Sophie’s favourite book from the loft and brought it back to the caravan. I was terrified that I’d done it and couldn’t remember. And then, after I’d visited the Telfords, I got half-cut and I thought that I saw her. Come to think of it, I’m not sure what came first—the sighting or me getting rolling drunk.’

  ‘Who did you see?’ Tashed frowned.

  ‘Sophie. I was out in the paddock, and for a second I thought I caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye.’ Nick hurried on when he saw the incredulous look on Tash’s face. ‘I know it was just a trick of the light; she’d been playing on my mind ever since I got back from visiting her mum. But a small part of me wanted it to be true because that would mean there was a reason for all the weird stuff that had been happening around here.’

  Tash looked over at Nick. She saw that beneath his strong facade there was a gentle soul that was being tormented with fear and guilt—something that he didn’t deserve. She was trying to work out her own feelings here: part of her felt devastated by the anguish Nick was suffering, and the obvious pain he was in, but there was also a part of her that was elated by the fact that he was choosing to share his personal feelings with her.

  ‘It wasn’t Sophie,’ Tash said.

  ‘I know. Which brings me back to only two options.’ Nick reached out and took her hand in his. ‘I was scared, Tash, I thought that I was losing my mind, and I was terrified of asking for help.’

  Tash’s heart began to beat faster, as he held her hand in his. Something was happening here and it was filling her whole being with hope and delicious anticipation.

  ‘We’ll find out who is responsible for this. It’s sick that they would put you through that. Do you have any idea who it might be?’

  ‘I’ve got my suspicions, but nothing to back it up.’

  ‘Do you want to tell me?’

  Nick hesitated.

  ‘Yes, but as I said I can’t prove anything. I just went through the list of people I know, which is pretty much everyone in town, and came up with anyone who hated me.’

  ‘I’m sure no one hates you,’ Tash said.

  ‘Anyway, the only name I came up with was Vivienne.’

  ‘Viv Parnell? I know that she doesn’t like you, but do you really think she’s capable of this?’

  Nick shrugged.

  ‘Viv’s the only one I can think of. She blames me for Sophie’s death. You know that they were close; Viv regarded Sophie as her little sister. Her death hit her hard and I don’t think she’s ever going to forgive me.’

  ‘Alright.’ Tash sighed. ‘Let’s say it’s Viv. We know why, but how could she do this?’

  ‘She knows that Sophie’s stuff is kept housed in the loft of the big shed.’

  ‘How?’

  Nick shrugged.

  ‘It was common knowledge at the time. When I packed up everything, Lana, Peter and Viv came over to collect a heap of stuff. We hardly spoke. They weren’t the only ones here, either. I donated some of Sophie’s things to charity, so the minister and his helper came over as well. The minister even helped me lug the couple of chests up to the loft. And a few of the local ladies brought up sandwiches and stuff like that.’

  ‘So any of those people would know where you kept the things.’

  Nick nodded.

  ‘Yeah, but only one of them hates me.’

  ‘But how could they get in without you knowing?’

  ‘It’s a farm, Tash,’ Nick said with a smile. ‘I’m outside most of the day. There’d be ample time to slip in and out without me ever knowing.’

  ‘Do you lock the caravan?’

  ‘I do now.’

  ‘But they still got in?’

  Nick glanced back to the photo.

  ‘I reckon they did.’

  Chapter 16

  Tash wasn’t sure if it was the beginning of something or not. But soon after her conversation with Nick, she began dropping in once a week just to see if he was okay. She kept telling herself that she shouldn’t expect anything to come from it, and that Nick had a lot on his mind with all this ‘haunting’ business. She was just going up to Winters Hill as a friend—nothing more.

  What was heartening, though, was Nick beginning to drop by the bakery again. She got a warm buzz every time he walked through the door as she remembered the feel of her hand in his. She’d asked him if there had been any more incidents, but since the photo turned up everything had been quiet. At least that was something, and even though she urged him to go to the police he was still reluctant because of the lack of evidence.

  The days slipped by in a warm haze and the town appeared to have slipped back into its laidback vibe, where nothing very much ever happened. Everyone seemed to move a little slower—maybe they were just conserving their energy as the hot weather dragged on. Hot days, sticky nights that made it hard to sleep, no rain and too many bloody mosquitoes—Tash was beginning to look forward to autumn.

  As she wiped down the counter just before closing, she decided it was time that she finally sorted out this thing with Nick. Over the past few weeks they had become friends. That awkwardness between them had disappeared along with any long, drawn-out silences. Tash was always pleased to see Nick and she guessed he felt the same way. But that wasn’t a basis for a relationship, and the more she thought about it the more she realised that finding love was actually important to her. Perhaps it was a little to do with friend envy, but the truth was it was hard to watch both Bec and Sally be so happy. She was ecstatically thrilled for them, but there was that voice inside that demanded why can’t I have that?

  She knew Gilbert Sinclair was waiting in the wings for her. He was sweet and funny and considerate—why should she turn her back on him? Because she knew in her heart she had unfinished business with Nick. One way or another, for her own sanity, she had to resolve her feelings. Lover or friend, she would at last work out into which category he fell.

  With resolve in her heart, she made her way up to Winters Hill once again.

  ‘Hey,’ Nick said as she got out of the car.

  Though he looked hot and sweaty from working outside, and was wearing a grey singlet and mud-splashed jeans, his work shirt stuffed into his back pocket, Tash still found him more than appealing.

  ‘What happened to you?’ she said as she walked over.

  ‘One of the sheep got stuck in the brambles by the edge of the dam. I had to go in and get her. The water level is right down and it’s turned into boggy mud—that and brambles, not my favourite combination.’ He grinned. ‘Listen, I’m a mess. Why don’t you go in and get a cold drink while I clean up?’ He opened the caravan door for her. ‘There’s juice in the fridge.’

  ‘Okay,’ Tash said.

  ‘Great, I’ll be back soon.’

  T
ash watched Nick walk towards the small building just along from the caravan before heading inside. Tabitha was lying on the couch with the full force of the air conditioner aimed at her.

  ‘It’s a hard life,’ Tash said with a smile as Tabitha opened one eye.

  Tash grabbed a couple of glasses from the cupboard and went in search for the juice. She poured the drinks and then sat down. Tabitha gave her a dirty look, but didn’t move from her sweet spot. About ten minutes later, Nick came back inside.

  ‘Sorry about that,’ he said as he grabbed the juice and sat down.

  Tabitha, realising that her personal space was being invaded, relinquished the stream of cool air and stalked off.

  ‘Was it something I said?’ Tash said with a smile.

  ‘Nah, she just takes time to warm up to people. So, what brings you out here today?’

  Tash said as she toyed with her glass.

  ‘I wanted to talk to you,’ she said.

  ‘That sounds ominous.’

  ‘It’s not. Well, not really…’ Tash glanced up and looked at him.

  ‘God, I’m worried now.’ Nick smiled, but there was caution in his eyes.

  ‘I like you, Nick—you know that don’t you?’

  ‘I like you too.’

  Tash sighed. Why did she ever think this was going to be easy?

  ‘No, I think you’re missing the point. We’re friends and—’

  ‘Yes, and I’m thankful for it,’ Nick cut in. ‘Maybe I should have said that before now. You’re easy to talk to, Tash.’

  Tash took a deep breath.

  ‘Thanks, but I think I have to make myself clear. When I say I like you, I mean I’d like us to be more than friends.’

  There, for better or worse, she’d actually said it. Tash sat back against the couch and waited for his reaction. Nick was silent for a second, which made her even more nervous. He glanced up at her and then looked away. Damn, that wasn’t a good sign. She didn’t know what she had expected, but silence and evasion wasn’t part of it.

  ***

  Nick tried to gather himself for a moment. Hell, if this didn’t come out of the blue. Well, he’d always known there was some sort of connection between them but he’d always thought it was grounded in friendship. He made eye contact for a moment and then took a great interest in moving his glass on the table.