A Chance of Stormy Weather

by Tricia Stringer

  “I don’t think it was as simple as that. Cassie and Damo probably planned this baby.”

  “Is Damo the father? Didn’t he leave her?”

  “He’s a nice enough bloke. He and Cassie have been together since they were about fifteen.”

  “She doesn’t look much older than that now.”

  “She’s eighteen or nineteen, I think. Little more than a year younger than Tom. For some reason Tom and his old man never thought Damo was the right one for Cassie. I think Damo left because they were putting pressure on him to marry her. Wouldn’t surprise me if he turns up in Adelaide once Cassie’s there. I think, in this case, the baby will be the thing that pulls them back together.”

  “Isn’t that often the way?”

  “I don’t know.” Dan’s face had become serious again and he stood up from the table. “You’re right about one thing. People shouldn’t bring babies into this world if they’re not wanted.”

  He turned away from Paula and she could no longer see his face. What was he hiding? If it was a child with an old girlfriend surely they could deal with it, plenty of other people did.

  Paula took a deep breath. She couldn’t live like this any longer. “Dan, we’ve got to talk.”

  He turned back towards her.

  She looked into his serious eyes and her resolve faltered. But she couldn’t stop now. There were things that needed to be brought out into the open. “Dan, I love you but sometimes past events need to be sorted out.”

  “We agreed the past was best left there when we first met.”

  “But if something from that past affected our future surely we could work it out.”

  “We could…but not now. I’ve got to get back to the spraying. I haven’t got Tom to help me.”

  “But, Dan —”

  “You should have a lie-down. You don’t want to get as sick as Rowena did.”

  Paula watched miserably as Dan walked to the door. Then he paused and she thought he might come back.

  “I’ve let Tom take the dual cab. I’ll use the ute while he’s gone.” He took another step then turned back again. “Oh, and Ted will be here for a bit while Tom’s away.”

  Paula stiffened. “Why?” She didn’t like the man at all and she couldn’t understand why Dan did.

  “I need the help. He knows sheep and he could do with the money.”

  “Why?” she asked again.

  Dan looked at her quizzically. “Ted’s land is more marginal than ours and he’s paying off a big loan. Any extra cash he can get is a bonus. He’s got four kids to feed and clothe.”

  “Can we afford it?”

  “Things are tight and the current season hasn’t been shaping up that well so far but the wool prices are good.” He frowned. “What’s all this about? You don’t need to worry, we’ll manage.”

  “I’m not worried but both you and Rowena have said things that have intimated finances are tight. Of course I’m not allowed to look at our financial records so I wouldn’t know.” Paula knew she was being perverse but she couldn’t help herself. “If Ted is costing us extra money perhaps I could help out while Tom’s away.”

  A little smile softened the corners of Dan’s mouth again. He patted her hand. “No offence, Sweet Pea, but sheep work isn’t really your thing yet.”

  Paula snatched her hand back. “I can learn.”

  “Of course you can but Ted has a good eye for sheep. He’s been helping me with my selective breeding program for a few years now.”

  Along with Katherine, what a trio, thought Paula. And there was poor Heather with four children to look after. “So, he’s not good with money but he’s okay with breeding.”

  “That’s a bit tough.” Dan looked at her in surprise. “Ted’s finances are his own business but if he’s struggling it’s not necessarily because of financial mismanagement. Farming is far more complicated than that. He’s had to sell off a lot of stock through the last couple of dry years and now that demand is so great, they’re too expensive to restock.”

  Tarzan began to bark.

  “That will probably be Ted now. You go to bed. You don’t look well.”

  His words echoed in her sore head as she sat alone at the table, looking out across the valley. Their whole conversation had been one of mixed messages and half-truths. She longed for their first carefree days together when they were so in love and the rest of the world, past or present, didn’t matter.

  Paula dragged her gaze back to the kitchen. What was she thinking? They were still in love, weren’t they? That hadn’t changed, had it? She looked around the empty room and a wave of sadness swept over her as the truth hit her. It had changed. She had to face up to it. Dan’s past haunted them and so did hers. There had been a time when she had thought Marco was the man for her. That hadn’t worked out either. Her father had been right. She had been too hasty in marrying Dan before they’d had a chance to get to know each other properly.

  She put her hands over her face and held her pounding head. “Stop it. Just stop it,” she muttered to the empty room.

  CHAPTER

  25

  A couple of days later, Paula struggled to get out of bed. She’d had a restless night feeling hot and flinging off the quilt, then waking up later shivering with cold. In between she’d been plagued by weird dreams and an aching body. By morning, she was exhausted.

  Dan had made her a cup of tea and toast when he got up but it sat cold beside the bed where he’d left it a couple of hours ago. He had gone off on a bus trip. Paula tried to recall what he’d said. Something about inspecting crops.

  She thought perhaps if she got up and had a shower she might feel better but she sank back onto the bed, weak from the effort. She dozed but the fever continued to rage through her. Once or twice she coughed but the pain that cut through her chest almost made her wish for the headache back.

  By the middle of the day, she summoned enough energy to get off the bed and struggle out to the kitchen where she sipped some water down her parched throat. It made her feel queasy so she sat in a chair and waited for her stomach to settle.

  Lucky’s bottle drained on the sink. Dan must have fed her before he left but she would be hungry again now. Paula prepared another bottle and went out to the back door where she kept an old pair of shoes. Dan had propped the back door open so that Tarzan could get in and out. The door that led directly into the laundry was also open so he could get into his food and bed but not into the rest of the house. There was no sign of the little dog.

  It was a sunny day but a chilly breeze blew, making her pull her dressing-gown tighter as she made her way across the yard to Lucky’s enclosure. The lamb was certainly pleased to see her and bleated loudly. Tarzan materialised, attracted by the noise.

  “What have you been up to?” Paula fed the lamb and at the same time reached down to pat Tarzan’s head. The world spun and she clutched at the fence instead. Lucky emptied the bottle very quickly. Paula turned to go back to the house. It looked such a long way and she didn’t have the energy. Her legs felt like rubber. She sank to the ground with her back against the fence. The tall grass was wet but she didn’t care. She shut her eyes thinking a quick rest would gain her the energy to make it back to the house.

  Little paws walked across her legs then pressed on her stomach and a warm rasping tongue licked her nose.

  She opened her eyes to see Tarzan’s curious brown eyes looking right back at her. “It’s okay, boy.” She patted him gently. “I’m not feeling too good but I’ll be okay in a minute.” Tarzan settled on her lap. “I’ll rest here a little bit longer,” Paula whispered and shut her eyes again.

  The sound of an approaching vehicle and Tarzan’s barks brought her back from a crazy dream world where she was chasing after sheep that she couldn’t stop from running through her house.

  She opened her eyes to the afternoon sunshine and wondered where she was. The empty bottle beside her reminded her that she’d come out to feed the lamb.

  The du
al cab pulled up across the yard beside the house. Thank goodness Dan was home. She had no idea how long she’d been sitting outside but she was damp and cold and she didn’t know if she could get up. Tarzan had run barking towards the vehicle, then back to Paula.

  She looked up and saw Dan was walking quickly across the yard towards her.

  “Paula? What’s happened? Are you all right?”

  Paula shook her head. The voice was Tom’s, not Dan’s. Perhaps she was still dreaming. She looked past Tom, who was kneeling beside her, to the dual cab. “Dan?” she whispered.

  Tom took her hand. “It’s Tom, Paula. What are you doing out here? Did you fall?”

  Paula looked down at her dressing-gown. Why wasn’t she dressed? Her head spun. “I’m feeling a bit sick. I should go back inside.”

  Tom put his arm around her and helped her up. She felt stupid being so weak. What on earth must he be thinking?

  “Where’s Dan?” Tom asked as he supported her slowly back across the yard.

  “Isn’t he with you?” Paula tried to think.

  “I’ve been in Adelaide.”

  She pulled up abruptly and looked up at his worried face. “That’s right. I forgot you had the dual cab. Dan’s gone on a bus trip.” Her lips felt dry and cracked. “I really need some water.”

  They reached the gate and Paula gave a cough. The pain took her breath away and she crumpled against Tom.

  “Paula? I think you should see a doctor.”

  “No, I’ll be okay,” she mumbled into his jumper. “Just help me inside.”

  Tom guided her to the couch and got her a glass of water. She was very dry but she could only manage to sip a little before nausea swept over her.

  “I’ll ring Miss Woodcroft.”

  “She’s away.” Paula sank back onto the couch and shut her eyes. “Dan will be home soon.”

  Strange dreams continued to haunt Paula’s sleep. Faces peered at her and asked her stupid questions but her mouth couldn’t shape the replies. Dan and Tom came and went during her restless sleep and even Dr Hunter featured. She kept pushing at blankets that made her too hot, then reaching for them again when she was racked with shivers. Soothing voices whispered in her ear and eventually she slept a more peaceful sleep.

  When she opened her eyes next, early-morning sun filled her room but she was disoriented. The window wasn’t in the right place. She blinked hard and tried to think where she was.

  “Hello, Paula.”

  She turned her head to see a woman in a nurse’s uniform standing beside her. She struggled to sit up but her weak body failed her.

  “Steady on,” the woman said. She was older than Paula and well built. She had what Diane would have called an ample bosom. “You’re looking a lot better but you’re not ready to get off that bed yet. You’re in hospital. Do you remember being brought in?”

  Paula stared at the woman then glanced around the room. She shook her head. It certainly looked like a hospital room but was she still dreaming?

  “My name’s Jenny. I’ll be looking after you today. Do you think you could sip a drink for me?”

  Paula sat forward and felt a strange sensation around her nose and ears.

  “Careful,” Jenny said. “You’ll need that oxygen for a while.”

  She readjusted the tube then checked the bag suspended from a pole. Another tube snaked down from the bag to Paula’s arm.

  “Is that a drip?” Paula croaked.

  “You were very dehydrated when they brought you in yesterday —”

  “Yesterday?” Paula struggled to sit up again.

  “Take it easy. I can prop you up a bit more if you like but you’re still very weak.”

  Paula tried to make sense of what Jenny was saying as she watched her pull up the rails on the side of the bed then adjust the bed and pillows behind her.

  “Tom March brought you in and Dan was here half the night. They had a bit of trouble tracking him down. You had everyone worried.”

  Paula remembered feeding the lamb and sitting down in the grass and then Tom coming but she couldn’t recall much after that. “It’s just the flu, isn’t it?”

  “That would be bad enough but you’ve got pneumonia. At least your temp is close to normal again. Dr Hunter will be in to see you soon. Take a few sips of this.”

  Jenny helped Paula put a straw to her mouth and she sipped on some lemon cordial. It was wonderfully soothing over her parched throat.

  Lachlan Hunter came in as she flopped back on the pillows.

  “Good morning. You’re looking brighter. How did she go through the night, Jenny?”

  They looked at her chart and Jenny helped Paula to sit up so the doctor could listen to her chest.

  “Have you ever had pneumonia before?” he asked once she had been lowered back onto the pillows.

  “No.”

  “Well, I’d say you were very lucky Tom came along when he did. Pneumonia is not something to be mucked around with. You’ll have to stay here until I’m sure it’s cleared up.”

  Paula didn’t have the strength to argue. She didn’t care where she was as long as she was in bed.

  “You need to keep drinking. Once your fluid level has improved we can remove the drip.” He turned to give instructions to Jenny and Paula closed her eyes.

  The next time she opened them, Dan was standing beside her, his face full of concern. She was so pleased to see him.

  He bent down and kissed her forehead. “Paula, why didn’t you tell me you were so sick?”

  She frowned. Was it her fault? “I didn’t realise myself. I thought it would pass if I rested. It must have mucked up your day.”

  “I never would have gone at all if I’d known. Rowena’s given me a dressing-down over the phone. She was ready to forget the party and come home but I said there was nothing she could do at the moment.”

  Paula could imagine Rowena going on at him. “Poor you.” She smiled sympathetically and her lips cracked. “Can you pass me the drink please?”

  Dan sat beside her, telling her all about the bus trip and the various crops and techniques he’d seen. Then he told her how they’d eventually got a message to him via the phone on one of the properties they’d visited. He hadn’t realised his phone was on silent. The wife of the farmer showing his property had driven out and told him Paula was in hospital and then taken him back to get the ute which, of course, had been difficult to start.

  Paula drifted off to sleep with Dan holding her hand and talking quietly beside her.

  The days passed slowly. The aches and pains faded and she was able to drink enough to have the drip removed. She needed the oxygen less but she still didn’t eat much. Her appetite was nonexistent but she knew she had to eat or they wouldn’t let her go home.

  Hospital was a boring place once she started feeling better. Dan came every evening. Tom and Rita called in and Jim came with fresh oranges from his tree. Dara visited a few times, bringing special treats she had made to encourage Paula’s appetite. She’d even brought in a dressing-gown for Paula and taken hers home to wash. Jane rang but she had taken Bruce home the day Paula had been admitted and couldn’t fit in a visit back to the hospital just yet. Looking after Bruce was like having another baby in the house, she’d joked.

  Then of course there was Paula’s mother, who rang every evening to check on her progress. Paula’s room was dominated by a huge arrangement of flowers her mother had sent.

  Sunday evening she was eagerly awaiting Dan’s arrival. The staff had hinted she might be able to go home the next morning and she wanted to tell Dan so he could organise to come and get her.

  When Dan arrived Rowena was with him. She brought Paula a pretty posy of violets from her garden and a little parcel.

  “Are you feeling better?” Rowena sat on the only chair in the room. “I would have come home and looked after you myself. I’ve already told Dan what I think of his nursing skills.” She was wearing a smart tailored jacket and skirt in navy fabric. The jacket
was nipped in at the waist and the lapels were trimmed with two white stripes giving it a nautical look. The outfit suited Rowena well and combined with the sparkle in her eyes and the glow in her cheeks Paula thought she looked years younger.

  “I am much better, thanks.” Paula smiled. Dan hovered at the end of her bed squirming like a chastised schoolboy. “I might be able to come home tomorrow.”

  “What time?” he asked.

  “I don’t know. After the doctor has been, I suppose. Why?”

  “I’ve got a full day spraying tomorrow. That’s if the weather is as forecast.”

  “I can come and pick Paula up,” Rowena said.

  “I could always get Tom to spray while I come in. He’s only working on some fencing.” Dan moved to the other side of the bed and took Paula’s hand.

  She smiled hopefully. She would have preferred Dan to collect her.

  “Nonsense. I’ll do it. I have to do some shopping anyway. I’ll make you a meal so your tea will be organised and Dan will be home early, won’t you.” Rowena fixed him with one of her stares.

  “Yes, of course.”

  “How did the party go, Rowena?” Paula changed the subject.

  “Very well. It was a quiet affair really. Only about fifty people and it was catered, so not too much work.”

  “Whose birthday was it, did you say?” Paula hoped Dan would take an interest.

  “One of my city friends.” Rowena’s reply was evasive. “No one you’ve met.”

  “Is there anything you’ll need Rowena to bring in?” Dan asked.

  Paula sighed. He was still thinking about tomorrow and hadn’t taken any notice of the party conversation. “Perhaps something for me to wear home. Otherwise I’ll have to go home in this dressing-gown, just like I came in.”

  “We mustn’t tire you.” Rowena stood. “Get a good night’s sleep and I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll ring first and check what time. Come on, Dan. I need an early night myself.”

  She sailed off out the door. Dan bent down to kiss Paula.