by Mary Moore
The rain eased off and finally stopped.
Fern sat at the table her head in her hands, waiting for the dawn. She had another cup of coffee about three, then about an hour later she heard the first bird call. Looking up, she saw the clouds had cleared away, and the sun was tipping the small scudding clouds a delicate pink.
She stretched her cramped bones and stood up. The first bird was still trilling its song, then another joined it, and another, until the whole plantation seemed alive with music. This must be the dawn chorus. She went out to the seat she had shared with Brett on Christmas night.
The first bird was still louder than the rest. He must be the waker -upper. Fern smiled; the other birds were probably fed up to the back teeth at being woken by his tune every morning! She imagined the two that flew to the plum tree, saying 'You can go off some people!' like Robbie was always saying. What a stupid thing to think of!
She watched the sun herald his arrival, with a fantastic display of colours shaping and changing the sky. Then one little tip was seen over Mount Graham.
She didn't think of Brett and Robbie as alive, she didn't think of them as dead, she kept steadily in front of her Brett saying, 'Never mind, Fern, there'll be another day tomorrow.' This was Brett's new day, so she would wait for him.
Ross joined her about five. 'You been up all night, kid? Fve just had a ring from down river. Brett and Robbie walked into Tim's house a while ago. They're on their way home now, could be here any minute. Tim said his phone was out of order so he had to go across the road to ring up.'
Fern stood up, and put out her hand to touch Ross, then crumpled at his feet, just as a strange car swept up the drive and braked beside them.
She heard Ross say, 'She fainted. She sat up all night waiting and then when I told her you were both okay, she flaked out.'
Fern knew he was being quite ridiculous, she had never fainted in her whole life.
'Sorry about this, Fern. I'm all wet, but I'm going to carry you inside.'
Fern relaxed; that was Brett, he knew she wouldn't faint. Inside he put her down on the Colonial couch. 'I'll get you a drink, Fern.'
She sat up and swallowed obediently. 'Lie down, I'll be back in a jiffy. I've got to get into dry clothes.'
'They're in the cylinder warming. Kirsty put them there last night.'
Then Fern started to cry quietly, and could not stop. It seemed so long ago that Kirsty was standing there telling her to see to Brett.
Brett came back and lifted her on to his knee while he mopped up her tears. 'I thought you'd forgotten how to cry, Fern, when you stopped loving me.'
'I did not, too - stop loving you, I mean.'
'Good, because you're going to marry me. Fern, my darling.'
Fern sniffed rudely. 'There you go again! You don't even propose properly, you just order me to accept you.'
'And are you going to accept me?'
'You bet your sweet life I am! I was going to be big-hearted and generous and let Lisa have you, but after what I went through last night, I'm going to stay here and look after you. Poor Lisa!'
'Poor Lisa, nothing,' Brett said firmly. 'You've got it all wrong about her. She's going to marry a chap in Christ-church, her boss, by the way - seems to be becoming a habit with her.'
Suddenly it struck them both as hilariously funny, and they laughed madly together.
'I won't make you a good wife, Brett. I don't know enough about cars and boats' insides, and I don't know anything about breeding cows and horses and dogs.'
Brett kissed her on the cheek. 'Serious deficiencies, my pet. However, I'll overlook them if you'll promise to love, honour , and obey me.'
'You'd better leave out the last one. I'll never become a "Whatever you say, darling" wife. I'll fight with you.'
Brett smiled, 'Don't I know it! But think of the fun we'll have making it up.'
Fern eyed him solemnly. 'I like you, Brett Alexander.'
'And I like you too, Fern Fraser, even if you are a little stupid sometimes, and are so quick to jump to the wrong conclusion. For instance, I didn't tell Lisa about our engagement. She just kept asking Smithy and Ross questions, and then made a lucky stab. And do you know who the real Jack of "Ale Jack" is? None other than Lisa's intended, and he dotes on the kids. She came over here for what you might call sentimental reasons, and when she found out she couldn't get me on my knees, then she decided to have a go to see how much trouble she could stir up. She's a cunning minx, she knew all the time Smithy was lying in the bedroom, that's why she made up all that guff. She'll be leaving as soon as the floods go down.'
Fern gasped, 'But all that concern over you last night at the hut...'
Brett laughed. 'Lisa always had a fine turn for the dramatic. She grabbed her chance, and played it to the full. And you, like a ninny, believe her. Really, you're not very bright.'
Fern tried to struggle off his knee, but he held her easily. 'Don't try so hard to get away, or I might let you go. After all, it's not every bloke who'll marry a stupid girl.'
Fern swung round.
'That's my girl!' He kissed her, and she knew that she would never leave the Matai Valley. The hills were really the Hills of Home.