Alyssa look puzzled. "How can you tell?"
"We call Kent a walking weatherman," said Earl.
"Is he ever wrong?" she asked.
The group chuckled.
"Let me think about that question," said Earl. "He probably has been at one time or two, but when, I can't remember."
"Out here, the temperature can plummet up to seven degrees in minutes," said Kent's brother, Mitch. Alyssa shivered again as she sipped her hot coffee.
Kent stared closely at the horizon. His gaze seemed to be fixed on a group of small clouds floating towards them.
"Don't tell me, the clouds talk to you," said Alyssa, digging Kent in the ribs. He looked her in the eyes.
"No, they don't actually talk, but it's going to rain." Alyssa tilted her head and looked at the sky.
"They look like harmless fluffy white clouds to me," she said.
"Don't be fooled. It's going to rain in two hours, just like yesterday."
Earl stood. "Boys, mount up. It's time to go," he announced.
The Stantons had packed everything and had mounted their horses inside two minutes. After an hour and a half of riding, a small, derelict cottage came into view. Beyond the cottage, Alyssa saw five hundred head of skinny cattle grazing on what little they could find growing in the dust. She immediately felt sorry for the beasts.
"That's what we came for," said Kent, pointing to the cattle.
A man and a woman, both Kent's age, came out the front door of the cottage and held up their hands in protest at being invaded by the group. The young man held a .22 rifle in his right hand. As soon as he recognized the faces in the group, he pointed the rifle at the ground.
Earl dismounted his horse and strolled towards the house.
"Kent, why did you bring the posse?" said the woman. She had curled her fingers and placed both fists onto her hips.
"Earl Stanton, stop right where you are. You know you're not welcome here."
"Dad, let me handle this," called Kent. His father nodded and walked back to his horse.
"Mary-Lou, we need to have a short talk," said Kent. "The clock's ticking."
"You bet it's ticking, Kent, old boy."
"I'll make the explanation short. The storm is on its way."
"You had better make it fast or there's going to be a bullet in your head."
Kent smirked. "Are you still holding a grudge after all these years?"
"Sure am."
Alyssa frowned and gave Kent a knowing look. "This woman is your ex-girlfriend?"
Mary-Lou sniffed the air and pointed a long slender finger at Alyssa. The wind suddenly blew up and ruffled her long blonde hair. She brushed it to one side and allowed the wind to take charge. "You look and smell like a city chick. Take my advice: turn around and go back where you came from. You don't belong out here."
"How can you be so sure?"
"You've got the word 'city' written all over that pretty little face." She gave a sarcastic smirk. "City girls can't cut it out here."
"Mary-Lou, enough," said Kent. "Where's Roy? We've come for the cows."
"You'll get them over my dead body," said Mary-Lou.
"I hope it won't come to that," said Kent.
"Always the gentleman, eh Kent?" Mary-Lou spat on the ground and grinned. "Pop, get your ass out here."
Roy came staggering out of the door and leaned his drunken frame against a wooden verandah post. "Mary-Lou, shut up and get in the house. These fine people are here for the cows."
"You got a copy of the legal papers?"
"There aren't any. It's a gentlemen's agreement," snapped Roy.
Mary-Lou snorted. "A what?"
"It was agreed upon that the Stantons would take the cows, the house and the land for a dollar."
"Never," Mary-Lou screamed. "I won't allow it!" She snatched the rifle from Henry and pointed it at Kent.
"Put the rifle down. I have to take the cows before it's too late. The trucks, hired by the bank, will be here in the morning and they are going to sell this place from under you for whatever they can unless everything is settled between us right now."
"I'd rather sell to the Stantons than have the bank take everything," said Roy Davey over Mary-Lou's shoulder. He was leaning against the front door frame holding a half-finished bottle of beer.
Mary-Lou sank her knees into the mud and wept. "Where are we to go?" she said.
"We've had a couple of good offers for work," said Roy. "If it weren't for this deal, the bank would've brought the cops here by eight in the morning and watched as we were thrown out of the house and off the land."
Alyssa walked over and put her arm around Mary-Lou. Mary-Lou pushed her forcefully, and Alyssa would have landed in the dirt, but Kent scooped her up with his hands.
"Nice catch," snapped Mary-Lou. "I remember you doing that for me once." She turned on her heels and stormed back into the house.
"Thanks," said Alyssa.
"The pleasure was all mine," said Kent.
"You should go and talk to Mary-Lou."
"Are you okay with that?" asked Kent.
"I trust you," said Alyssa.
Kent gave her a love pat on the arm and sprinted inside. "Mary-Lou, where are you?" He searched the house and stopped at a closed bedroom door. He knocked like a gentleman should.
"Enter," said a sobbing voice.
He opened the door, but refused to cross the threshold. Mary-Lou looked up. "Do you love the city girl?" she asked.
"Her name's Alyssa. Yes, I do."
"Does that mean there's no 'us'?"
Kent rolled his eyes and leaned on the doorframe. "There was never anything between us. Not since you called our relationship off when we were both 16."
"I remember you coming all the way from The Oasis to see me for breakfast. You call that nothing?"
"I have to admit, I loved you with a passion," said Kent.
Mary-Lou stood square to Kent. She held her arms open. "Come here and kiss me," she said. He shook his head and stood his ground.
"I don't think so," said Kent.
Mary-Lou let her arms hang by her side and sobbed. "I've missed you since that day."
Kent walked over and kissed her on the forehead.
"I was young," he said. "I've grown up and fallen in love."
"I won't give up on us, until you say 'I do' at the altar. You have to make a choice. It's the city girl or me."
Kent turned and walked out of the house. He never looked back. Alyssa noticed his walk was sure and steady as he stepped out of the front door and headed back to his horse.
Mary-Lou leaned out of her window and yelled. "Kent, darling, make your mind up. It's me or her."
He smiled at Alyssa and tipped his wide-brimmed hat before mounting his horse. Then he studied the sky. "Dad, it's time to go. The storm has almost arrived. Let's get these cows home before the downpour." He whistled at the dogs and trotted off towards the herd.
"I'll call the bank and let them in on the news," said Earl. "They'll be upset, but I call it karma." He gave his horse a slight kick and trotted off after Kent.
Alyssa copied what the rest of the group had done and brought up the rear. The dogs ran around the cattle and helped to gather the herd like a tornado. The cows mooed, the dogs barked, and Kent, his brothers, and their father waved their wide-brimmed hats in the air and shouted. Alyssa heard a whip crack, then another and another. Kent grinned at the new jillaroo as she took up her position on the left flank.
Alyssa glanced at the sky and saw the first black clouds rolling their way. They were bearing down on the group like a freight train. She gulped and stared at Kent. He gave her sharp nod. She faked a grin and was amazed at his calmness and professionalism. She watched him wave a hand in the air and the cows were on the move. She shrugged her shoulders and copied him. The cows picked up their pace, and for a few minutes, Alyssa was lost in the fantasy world of a western movie. She felt a pang of power over the half-starved beasts.
*
> Through the swirling dust that helped every grain of sand find a home in any exposed nook and cranny of Alyssa's outfit, the cows were slowly pushed together and were then moved along towards The Oasis. They walked at a pace that would make a snail laugh.
Alyssa heard Kent whistle again, and the dogs barked faster at the lead cow. Their pace slowly increased. She sighed. At last they were heading for The Oasis at a reasonable pace.
A cow strayed from the herd and made a beeline for her horse. In the distance, Alyssa heard the scream of a motorbike coming. One of the dogs barked and the cow bumped into her horse. Alyssa was flung sideways, but somehow she managed to hang onto the saddle and the reins with white knuckles, trying to correct the precarious angle in which she suddenly found herself. Dust flew into her eyes. She screamed at the stinging sensation and closed them tight. She was about to surrender her body to the dirt when she felt something wrap around her waist. She gave a tight-lipped scream. Then she was pushed high on the saddle. Alyssa wiped the dust from her eyes and managed to open one eye. She saw Mary-Lou's weathered face.
Kent was finally able to burst through the herd.
"You should keep an eye on the city chick," said Mary-Lou. She revved the bike's motor and was swallowed by the dust.
"I was almost here," said Kent.
"I know."
Kent clipped his rope back onto his belt and grinned.
"I'm more of an expert on a bike," said Alyssa.
"Can I swap with someone?" Kent whistled to Mitch. He rode his motorbike over and stood on the seat as the bike idled. "Mitch, please swap with Alyssa. She's having a bit of trouble staying on the horse in this wind. If we want to beat the storm, we have to pick up the pace a lot more. We can't slow down for anything."
"Sure, that's not a problem," said Mitch.
The leather saddle squeaked as Alyssa was helped to the ground. Kent looked skywards and watched lightning fork across the sky. The familiar clap of thunder soon followed.
Mitch gave a sharp nod. It was as if he knew exactly what needed to be done. Alyssa was amazed at the silent communication each member of the Stanton family seemed to have mastered, and she wondered if eventually she would be able to master the silent nod. Kent gave his brother a high five and without waiting to see where he was headed, Mitch had ridden Alyssa's horse to the front of the herd.
She smirked at the friendship.
"Go," she whispered. "I've been looking at the sky too. I'm no expert, but I think the rain is about to fall."
Kent gave her a sharp nod and kicked at his horse as the first raindrops fell. Alyssa heard his whip crack and the cows seemed to double their walking speed.
Overhead, the sky started to darken. Without warning, the gusts of wind intensified. Alyssa had to shield her eyes from the stinging sand. The wind had shifted from a tailwind to a headwind in a matter of seconds as they changed to a more direct approach to The Oasis.
The dust was growing thicker at each tick of the clock. Alyssa caught a glimpse of Mitch at the front of the herd. Then he was gone, lost from view through the strengthening wind and dust. Even the cows seemed to be agitated at having to walk head first into the dust.
Alyssa jumped on the motorbike and twisted the accelerator throttle. The bike revved and she was on the move. As soon as a cow strayed from the path, she'd smack its rump. Each beast she smacked gave her a blast, but they seemed to get the message to stay in line.
Minutes seemed like hours, and Alyssa was tiring. She wondered how much farther they had to go. Were they even headed in the right direction? She had to shake that ugly thought from her mind. The Stantons had to know exactly where they were. After all, they were bush people.
A figure on a horse loomed out of the dust like a ghost. Kent looked down and yelled over the wind. "We have about five minutes before the storm hits. At about the same time we'll be at the path that leads down into The Oasis."
Alyssa nodded, but couldn't understand the urgency of his voice. Kent's horse trotted closer. Mitch pulled alongside his brother. He was gave Kent a meaningful look. He glanced Alyssa's way, gave a quick, sharp nod and was gone.
"What was that all about?" she asked.
"My brother suggested that we try to sprint the cows down into The Oasis. There isn't much time left. I told him if we pull off the stunt and lose fewer than ten cows it will be a miracle."
"You got all that from a look?"
Kent chuckled. "We all know. Mitch was trying to explain it to you."
Mary-Lou came storming up on her bike. "What's with the stalling? Get these cows moving." Kent explained the situation. Mary-Lou snorted and rode off into the wind.
"She'll be okay," said Kent, looking at Alyssa's wrinkled brow. "She needs some time alone with the cows. They'll listen to her whining." He chuckled at his own words.
Alyssa shook her head. "Where do you want me?"
"I want you first down the path. When it rains, I want you safely on the ground and standing on the covered cattle grid, watching the cows go past. I also need you to count them. We don't want to lose a single cow if we can help it. We don't want an animal to fall to its death when The Oasis is so close."
Alyssa rode to join Mitch at the head of the herd. She suddenly felt important and loved the feeling. Brandt had never made her feel important. He was a total loser. She felt a warmth creep through her body. She had never dreamed of being out in the middle of Australia, riding a motorbike down a steep, narrow dirt path that led to the belly of a possible ancient meteorite site would be so thrilling. She grinned and gave a slight giggle at the thought of fitting in, even if it was only for two weeks. Deep down, she prayed that Kent would seriously ask her to marry him. She had given into her heart and wanted to stay with Kent.
Alyssa slipped and slid down the entire steep descent of the goat trail. She was more than happy to be at the bottom. She stopped her bike on the cattle grid and switched off the motor. Then she studied the sky.
Above The Oasis, Kent also studied the sky. He cupped a hand around his mouth and yelled over the increasing wind. "Dad, if I can make a suggestion?"
Earl Stanton trotted over to his son.
"We have no choice but to get these cows down the cliff face as quick as we can. It did cross my mind to get them back exactly where we found them, but I think we'll lose the whole herd if we try. The idea that Mitch thought up was sound if we had more time. The only option remaining is to send the cows down in pairs."
Earl nodded as the storm clouds turned a charcoal color. The wind whipped up into a frenzy of miniature twisters full of sand.
"You're right," said Earl, "if we don't risk the cows going down the track two at a time, we might lose the whole herd. Let's do it."
Kent whistled for the dogs to keep the cattle moving and his brothers forced the cows to double up by poking their ribs. They paired up as they started to descend into The Oasis.
Alyssa had one eye on the cows and another on the sky. The clouds looked angry and full of rain and hail. They threatened to burst and dump a torrent of water at any moment.
"If the rain could hold off a little longer…" she mumbled.
The cows started to cross the cattle grid in pairs before fanning out to eat the luscious green grass. Alyssa had to concentrate on counting the beasts, and couldn't tell that the sky had changed to black. By the time she had counted three hundred and fifty-seven cattle, the heavens opened. Huge raindrops landed heavily about her feet. Lightning arched across the sky and the deep rumble of thunder overhead made her cringe.
"I hate thunderstorms," she mumbled, and lifted the collar of her button-up shirt to try to cover her ears. The rain started falling in torrents. Her black eyelashes felt heavy as the dust was glued to the ends. Each strand of her hair dripped and her clothes were soaked through in seconds.
One of Kent's brothers followed a dog down the cliff face making the cattle ahead nervous. One of the few bulls amongst the herd lost his footing and slipped perilously close to the edge. A
lyssa held her breath as she watched the 180kg beast struggle to gain a good foothold.
"Four hundred and seventy-one," said Alyssa, as the bull walked over the cattle grid. She wanted to reach out and hug its large neck, but the bull looked her in the eye and she decided it would only make him more irate. She shielded her eyes from the rain with her hands as she looked up the cliff face. "Why have the rest of the cattle stopped?" she yelled over the wind.
Mitch cupped two hands around his mouth and called back. "They're starting to be a little agro. Kent has slowed them down and Dad is leading the rest single file." He pointed up the narrow trail. "The track's too slippery for two cows at a time. Up until now, we've done well. Not one cow has fallen."
Concern wrapped itself around Alyssa like a blanket. She felt sick to the stomach at the idea of seeing even a single cow fall to its death. Mitch gave her a wide grin.
"Don't worry. She'll be right," he said.
Alyssa faked a smile and waited patiently for the rest of the cows to walk past. The rain poured down the path, making it look like a water slide. The fast-flowing river had risen substantially and was moving faster than Alyssa thought possible. The cavern at the other end of the river was completely covered. She gulped, then shuddered. The river looked worse than when she fell into it the first time. Once was enough, she thought.
Lightning zigzagged across the sky, followed by booming thunder. The storm was hovering and seemed determined to wash The Oasis from the Australian continent.
Alyssa sighed heavily as the last of the cattle crossed the cattle grid. "I've counted four hundred and ninety-nine cows." She yelled the last number at the wind. "That means we only lost one. Surely Kent would be pleased. Speaking of which, where is that man?"
"Everyone is here," yelled Earl, trotting over on his horse. "He must have gone ahead. Everyone, back to the house as quick as you can."
The group rode off towards the house, scattering the newly formed congregation as they slowly mixed with the original herd. Alyssa hesitated long enough to decide that Kent was still on the plateau above The Oasis. She revved her bike to a screaming pitch and tore up the narrow slippery trail.
The Great Gift (Contemporary Romance - Urban Life) Page 14