Matai Valley Magic

by Mary Moore

'What have you got against her? I thought everyone loved her?' Fern went on buttering her toast, without showing any emotion.

  Kirsty spluttered, ‘I - I'm thinking you would have got your information from a man. Lisa never wasted her talent on women. She all but ruined that boy's life, and you sit there eating toast, when you should be out putting that young madam in her place.'

  Fern waved her piece of toast casually. 'What do you expect me to do? Rush out and hang one on her? Sorry. I don't believe in fighting over a man. There's an old saying, "Never run after a man or a bus. There'll be another one along shortly." Even if I wanted to interfere there's nothing I can do. Brett is no longer a boy, he's a man ... he'll make his own decision. Don't you trust him?'

  Kirsty answered angrily, ‘I would not trust any man with that one. She's cold and calculating, and selfish to the marrow bone, but she kens fine how to charm a man. Why, if you would go out there and speak to Brett, your presence might bring him to his senses.'

  Fern said with a smile, 'Oh, I was just thinking of having a few words with him. I want something from my room, then I'll join them.'

  Kirsty's worried face relaxed. 'You're a good girl, Fern. I knew I could rely on you.'

  As Fern went to her room, she knew that Kirsty would never forgive her for what she was going to do. She picked up the dark glasses, still in their cellophane wrapping ... he could have these back with his rotten ring. Under her appar­ently calm composure she was shocked to know just how much she cared, shocked also to feel the seething, burning pangs of jealousy - a hitherto unknown experience.

  Mr. Alexander called her to take his tray out. Fern thanked him for the pendant, but he brushed her thanks aside. 'It was a small thing to give you when you've given me so much. I don't mean the hours you've spent with me, wasting your time listening to an old man blethering away, although I am grateful for that too. No, it's much more than that, you've given me peace of mind. When the time comes, I'll slip away easily knowing that Brett's future is with you, that his children and yours will grow up here at Matai Valley. The Lord has been good to me, but he saved the best gift for last. Brett has grown hard and cynical these last years, he's forgotten what it is to enjoy life to the full. Then you came in, wild, free, honest and independent. It pleased me to see you stand up to him and knock holes in that armour -plating of his, and yet with all your strength you haven't lost any of the qualities a man wants in a wife - a warm, loving, generous heart, and the ability to laugh in the face of adversity. Brett is a very fortunate young man and I am content.'

  A hard lump in Fern's throat prevented her from speak­ing, so she bent down and kissed his old wrinkled cheek.

  He caught her hand as she stood up. 'You do love him ,. Fern? You wouldn't lie to me?'

  'No, I wouldn't lie to you, Uncle Hamish. I love Brett. Now can I straighten up your bed?'

  'No, you cannot. I'm going back to sleep, and I don't want you messing about with my bed when I've just got it comfortable. Away with you!'

  At the back door she met Robbie with the milk billy . 'Hi, Fern. Did you get a load of that?' He jerked his hand in the direction of Smith's. 'Put this on the bench, then I'll take you over to the "I love Lisa" group.'

  Fern did as she was told, then walked slowly beside Robbie. 'Do you know her? When did she arrive?'

  'She arrived last night. I thought you would have heard the commotion.'

  Fern did not reply. She was thinking that last night she had been in a world of her own, just Brett and herself.

  Robbie carried on, 'Well, Smithy was a bit put out, really. Lisa wasn't supposed to come till next week, then she rang last night from town to say she couldn't get accommodation, and could she come out. Smithy had to say "yes", but she was fair sizzling. Anyone who knows the Coast knows that the place is fully booked months before Christmas. It wasn't till Lisa threw herself on Ross, and covered him with kisses, that Smithy lost her cool ... Hey, stop!' Fern stood still, while Robbie walked around her. 'Yeah, you'll do.'

  'Charming!'

  'Don't get off your bike. I was going to suggest that you go and get into that new gear you've got, but weight for age you should win hands down.'

  'I'm not a racehorse!' Fern replied cuttingly, although her heart warmed towards Robbie.

  'Belt up! You know what I mean. You in that shirt thing and plaits, no shoes, you look about fifteen. All that's miss­ing is the braces on your teeth. She's mutton dressed as lamb, but you're the real thing.'

  'If you think I'm a lamb, you're in for a shock.' She sang in a gravelly voice, 'He was her man, but he done her wrong.'

  'Great man, you're out of sight. I knew you wouldn't chicken out of a fight. So did Smithy.'

  Fern thought it was rather nice of Kirsty, Robbie and Smithy to be favouring her, but what they didn't know was that she had no right to hold Brett. There they were waiting for her to do something dramatic, and all she could think of was to heave his ring back with a few well-chosen words. She knew what Mr. Alexander's reaction would be ... it was no use upsetting him at this stage. W-e-l-l, she might just wait a little, to see which way the cookie crumbled.

  'If you don't move you'll grow roots,' Robbie broke into her thoughts rudely.

  Fern went forward, her temper somehow cooling, but there was no ease of the pain which grabbed her when she saw that Brett was holding hands with Lisa on one side, and a tiny fair girl of about six on the other.

  'Hi, everyone.' Fern was pleased that she managed to get the greeting out with commendable nonchalance.

  Ross, with a smile, said, 'Catching up on your beauty sleep, Fern?'

  Fern, in the mood to take any remark as personal, felt she was being compared with Lisa's fresh blonde prettiness, and compared unfavourably at that. And who could blame him? Lisa need not shrink from a close scrutiny. She was small and curvy, with a glorious peaches-and-cream complexion, baby blue eyes, and her hair, worn short, had been styled by an expert. Huh! A chocolate-box beauty! Fern thought scornfully ... and then more honestly ... who the heck was she to knock such loveliness when she, at this moment, would trade her two extra inches, and smooth tan if she could swop them for a tenth of Lisa's man-appeal.

  'Glad you came over, Fern.' Brett's welcome was warm. 'Meet an old friend of mine, Lisa Tremaine , and her chil­dren, Sally and Simon.'

  Before Fern could reply, Lisa laughed merrily, 'No, I don't believe it! A child bride! I thought there was a law against that in New Zealand. Why, you great big cradle-snatcher, you!'

  'Cradle-snatching is what I do best,' Brett replied with a laugh.

  'Good morning, Mrs. Tremaine ...'

  This sent Lisa into fresh spasms of laughter. 'Please don't, I can't bear it. Call me Lisa.'

  Fern's eyes darkened. ‘I was taught to be polite to older women.'

  For a moment Lisa's mask dropped, and she gave Fern a look of pure dislike, then she looked up at Brett. 'Ouch! that child bride of yours can scratch. Tell her, Brett baby, that she's to be nice to little Lisa.'

  'I should have warned you, Lisa. Fern may be young, but she can sure defend herself. If you ask her nicely, I'm sure she'll oblige.'

  Fern felt sick as she saw Lisa rub her face against Brett's arm. Why, she was almost purring! So that was what Robbie meant, not acting like a lamb, but kittenish behaviour . Brett baby! Yuk! And what was he looking so smug about? Fern realized that Lisa had won that point ... insulting her wasn't the way to beat her. And Fern had no intention of letting Brett enjoy the pleasure of being fought over.

  Lisa giggled, and twirled around, still holding Brett's hand. She was now in the circle of his arm. 'Fern, please? Pretty please? Not Mrs. Tremaine , but Lisa. Oh, don't you think my children are adorable? Brett does. Don't you, Brett baby? Sally, go and kiss Fern.'

  Like a well-trained puppet the wee girl obediently pre­sented herself, and Fern, not wanting to upset her, bent and kissed her, but she would have preferred to get to know Sally first, and then be kissed if the child liked her.

 
'Now Simon, you kiss Fern as well.'

  'Me Jack.'

  'Simon,' Lisa's voice sharpened, ' do as you're told!'

  Simon stood up, a sturdily built boy of three. 'Me Jack.'

  There was defiance in his voice, and even his posture, his small fat legs spread well apart, and his head up. 'Me Jack.'

  Lisa managed to smile, but Fern knew she was furious. 'Isn't it absolutely maddening? We had a crazy old chap in mowing the lawn, and his name was Jack. Simon adored him, even to the extent of taking his name. But I will not have it. For the last time, Simon, go and kiss Fern or Mummy will smack you.'

  Simon neither moved nor spoke. Lisa went to him and shook him angrily, then slapped him hard on his bare legs. 'Do as I say!'

  Fern was shocked. The cute little mother with two ador­able children act had been blown to bits. Poor little fellow, he had the marks of Lisa's hand standing out red on his legs. Fern was beside him in an instant. She knelt down. 'Hello, Jack. Will you shake hands with me? I don't like being kissed, and I'd like to be friends with you.'

  Simon regarded her steadily, then wiping the tears from his blue eyes, he put out his hand. 'Me Jack.'

  'Me Fern.' She shook his hand solemnly. 'Would you like to come and see Gypsy, my horse?'

  Simon nodded his head, and Fern swept him into her arms, out of Lisa's reach. 'Coming, Robbie? Would you like to come, Sally?'

  Sally glanced quickly at her mother, then, 'No, thank you. It was kind of you to ask me.'

  Fern didn't know which child she felt more sorry for, Simon, with his dark hair and stubborn chin, fighting to become an individual, or Sally, like a small golden fairy, already completely submissive.

  Robbie walked beside her. 'Bitch, vicious bitch!'

  Fern shook her head at him warningly. 'Not in front of the kid, that won't help him.'

  'Fern!' Lisa had followed them, her voice came like a pistol shot. 'How dare you interfere when I'm disciplining Simon? You're actively encouraging him to defy me. I tell you, it's very difficult to be a solo parent...'

  'Yes, I'm sure it is,' Fern agreed quickly, trying to pacify Lisa in case Simon was in for some more discipline. 'I was only trying to help by giving him something else to think about. Please let me take him to see Gypsy, then I'll bring him back to Smith's.'

  'Put him down! There's only one way to deal with Simon. "Spare the rod and spoil the child" is one thing I'm not going to do. The little brat only responds to a good hard smack.'

  'You can go off some people,' Robbie remarked to no one in particular.

  Lisa's eyes were ice-blue. 'Young man, you're being im­pertinent! I'll speak to Brett about you. I wouldn't be at ail surprised if you were dismissed.'

  'Here's Brett baby coming now. Go to it! But remember that he doesn't enjoy seeing kids flattened any more than I do.' Robbie was completely unrepentant.

  'Thought I'd join the party, because Sally has changed her mind, and decided to look at Gypsy too. Here, give me that boy, Fern. You're starting to get bandy legs, hefting a weight like Simon.'

  ' Me Jack,' and Simon nestled closer to Fern.

  'How about that, Lisa? I'm not going to get to know your son while I continue to call him Simon. It's probably a silly phase he's going through, and if we all call him Jack, ten to one he'll run round saying "Me Simon". Shall we try it for a few days?'

  'Do you think it would work like that? Honestly, he's been driving me up the wall!'

  For an answer Brett took Simon from Fern with a cheer­ful, 'Come on, Jack,' and Fern thought he was darned smart to have got them all out of a bad spot.

  Lisa's smile was sweet and wistful. 'Thank you, Brett. It's just wonderful to have a man's advice. Sally was so easy to manage when she was little, but Simon has been a devil of a kid from the day he could walk - of course he takes after his father. Ted was stubborn and aggressive, too.'

  Robbie whispered to Fern, 'He must have been quite a guy. I wish I'd met him.'

  Lisa looked over towards them. 'If you two have any­thing else you'd rather do, Brett will give the children a ride.'

  Brett replied, 'Don't worry, Lisa, it's a holiday today. Boxing Day. Fern and I are going in to the Boxing Day sports in Hokitika after lunch.'

  'Can I go too?' Lisa pleaded. 'I remember now, all the chopping competitions and Highland dancing, running races, and kids looking for a needle in a haystack. It was fun. I'll ask Smith if she'll look after Sally and Simon.'

  'Smithy is going to the sports,' Robbie said with a grin.

  Fern startled them all by saying, 'I'll stay home and look after the children for you, Lisa. I was going to spend the afternoon down by the river swimming and sunbathing, so they'll be no trouble.'

  'Thank you, Fern, that's good of you.'

  Brett had a puzzled expression on his face. 'Sure you don't want to come, Fern?'

  'Quite sure. I had a very late night last night, and am too lazy to go far from home. If I take care of the kids you and Lisa can stay as late as you like.'

  'We'll take the kids with us,' Brett said flatly.

  Fern gave them a pleasant smile, tossed her plaits over her shoulder and said, 'Suit yourselves, the offer is still open if you change your minds.'

  Robbie caught up with her as they sauntered towards the house. 'What the hell do you think you're doing? Brett really wanted you to go to the sports with him. And what do you do but shove them together, then to top it off offer to look after the kids ... Boy, are you dumb?'

  'Thanks for the vote of confidence.' Fern was quite un­perturbed. 'Did you think she was coming on a bit strong?'

  'Did I ever! She'll eat him alive, he won't have a chance. If I called you a half-wit I'd be paying you a com­pliment.'

  Fern looked down her nose. 'Young man, you are being impertinent, I'll speak to Brett.' She laughed at Robbie's angry young face. 'Hey, man! Stay loose. I'm in full control of my faculties.'

  'You mean you have a plan?' Robbie questioned doubt­fully.

  'Well, I wouldn't call it anything so grand as a plan. It's more or less an idea. Just remember, if you want me to carry your money in the matrimonial stakes, I'll do it my way or not at all. At the moment I don't think he's worth fighting for. I think he deserves her. Why have you got such a thing about her? I've never known you to be so rude to anyone. She's quite dishy really.'

  'Yeah, the packaging is okay, but the product inside is inferior. Talk about selfish ... she was going on to Smithy last night how mean her mother was, you'd never believe it. When her husband divorced Lisa, he gave her a real gener­ous settlement, but she got so bored staying at home with the kids that she took a job. Nothing wrong with that, of course. But she dumped the kids on her mother, who isn't strong, according to Smithy. Well, Lisa was angry when her mother's doctor ordered her to take a month's complete rest away from the kids. Is Lisa concerned about her mother? Is she heck! No, her mother let her down badly by getting sick when Lisa was due for her holidays. It sticks out a mile that she came haring over here to let Smithy take her mother's place, while she gets Brett lined up for the altar. Smithy is too canny to be caught like that, but you played right into Lisa's hands this morning.'

  'Poor Lisa, so that's why she's so hopeless with those kids. She really doesn't know how to handle them, especially Me Jack, the darling. I suppose she's been out at work since he was a baby.'

  Robbie muttered something under his breath, then, 'If you're going to feel sorry for her, I'm leaving you to it. Keep in mind the fact that there was no need for her to go to work, so if her own kids are strangers to her, that's her own fault. .. See you.'

  Fern checked with Kirsty, but was told there was nothing to do as lunch was cold meat, lettuce, and tomatoes.

  Fern went to her room, and picked up her bikini and towelling beach wrap. She stopped in the kitchen to make a cut lunch to take with her, and when Kirsty commented that it wasn't enough to keep a bird alive, Fern answered, 'I'm not very hungry, Kirsty. Brett is taking Lisa and the kids down to the sports, so I th
ought I'd spend the afternoon by the river. Okay by you?'

  Kirsty frowned, 'I'm thinking you are running away?'

  Fern gave her what she hoped was a cheerful smile, and gathering up her things, said, 'I'm thinking you could be right.'

  She went outside quickly before Kirsty could reply. Coming back from Gypsy's paddock was Brett with 'Me Jack' riding high on his shoulders, his free hand holding Sally's hand, and Lisa walking slightly in front of the group. As Fern watched, she saw Lisa turn and say something, and they were all laughing. It was like a TV commercial shot of a happy loving family, the big dark man and the sturdy boy, a dainty wife and her fair daughter.

  The picture stayed with Fern as she crossed the road, then sprinted for the willows, and was still there as she changed and dived cleanly into the cool depths of the green river. She surfaced facing what Robbie called a baby Ni­agara, and made up her mind to try it. Robbie and Brett had swum up the white waters several times, and had laughed at Fern and Maureen's feeble attempts to fight their way through the swirling currents to the calm water above.

  The river flowed around a bend, and finding itself pushed away from the bank by fallen trees and debris left by floods, foamed angrily through a narrow gap. Fern had tried it, but had always been swept back into the swimming pool, but today she was determined. She swam with strong, even strokes, aiming towards the outer edge of the whirling water, and soon felt her body caught in the fierce current, but this time fought against the pull of it even though she felt she was swimming hard just to keep her place. Tired and near- ing the end of her strength, she battled on, then was sud­denly caught in a cross-current and thrown through the gap and out into the smooth deep water on the other side. Com­pletely exhausted in mind and body, she dragged herself on to the bank and lay down, feeling she had won a tremendous victory.

  She dried off quickly in the hot sun, but lay there re­freshed and relaxed, making no move to return downstream to her belongings. A shadow moved over her, shutting out the sun, and she turned to see if the sun had gone behind a cloud. She found Brett staring down at her.

  'What the hell are you up to? Were you trying to drown yourself? You know that's a dangerous part of the river. You could have been sucked under and caught in the roots of those trees.'