Outback Dreams (30 page)

‘Dad,' she called as she headed across the patchy grass.

His scowl grew. ‘What do you want?'

Anger welled up inside her—what right did he have to treat her like this?—but she forced it away, remembering a time when he rarely got angry. ‘To talk,' she said softly. ‘I need to talk to you, Dad.'

He harrumphed. ‘We don't all have time to stand around flapping our gums, missy.'

But you've got plenty of time to stand around burning travel brochures
. She swallowed these words; no good had ever come from throwing sarcasm at anger.

‘How about I make you breakfast? A full truckie's delight.' Although Frank had never been a truckie, he loved a good cooked breakfast—what man didn't? He'd have to be really angry to turn her down.

His shoulders heaved as a defeated sigh left his lips and he nodded at the fire. ‘Just let me make sure this is safely put out.'

‘Okay, Dad. I'll see you soon.' As Faith drove the water truck to the shed, she prayed that someone out there would cut her a little slack and soften her father's hardened heart.

Frank returned to the house just as she was laying the spread— bacon, eggs, beans, fried bread and sausages—on the table. For the first time in a long while, he'd taken the time to kick off his boots at the front door, but she tried not to put too much hope in this sign. They sat together like two strangers sharing the last table in a café when both would have preferred to sit alone. Her dad shovelled food into his mouth at the speed of light, while Faith picked at her eggs. She needed to talk now, before he finished and got up—and she'd missed her chance.

‘Dad? Why are you so angry with me lately? Is it because I complained about doing all the housework?' She tripped over her words as she rushed to get the questions out, both of them sounding terribly pathetic when she heard them out loud. ‘I know things haven't been good between us for a long while, not like they used to be, but I love you, and I want to fix this.'

His face fell. He placed the fork that had been halfway to his mouth down on his plate and looked directly at her for the first time in months. Faith noticed a hint of wetness in his eyes and the simple sight of what Frank would consider a weakness caused her heart to ache.

‘I love you too.' Two tears slipped down his face as he reached out to take hold of her hand across the table.

That was the last thing she'd expected him to say. The shock opened the floodgates of her tears and they silently streamed down her face.

‘I tried to talk to you a few weeks back, outside, but I couldn't work out what the hell to say,' he said, staring glumly into this hands.

She guessed he was referring to the time he'd confronted her about Cassie's car. ‘What did you want to say, Dad? What have I done to upset you?'

‘Oh, Faith, I'm sorry.' He lifted his face and pressed his hand against his mouth as if trying to plug his emotion. ‘I've been a bastard. A terrible father. Your mother would be so disappointed in me.'

She shook her head. ‘I don't think so. Mum loved you with her whole heart. You could do no wrong.'

‘I miss her so much,' he confessed. ‘Every morning I get up and go to make her a cup of tea like I used to, and then I remember she's not just missing from the bed, she's gone from our lives. Forever. I just don't know how to be without her.'

‘I miss her too.' Those weeks of pain after first sleeping with Monty, she'd needed her mum so badly. And now things were right with him, she wanted to share her joy. ‘I don't know why we stopped talking about her, but I don't think it's done any of us any good. You can always talk to me about her, in fact, I'd love you to. And I'm sure Ryan feels the same way.'

Their memories shouldn't be confined to lonely rooms. They would all feel better if they shared their recollections together.

He nodded. ‘I don't deserve you two. After the way I've treated you, you've should've given up on me.'

‘You don't give up on your loved ones, Dad. I know you were angry with me for bringing you all those travel brochures, but maybe you should get away for a while. Go on a cruise or something.'

He snorted, wiped his nose on his flannelette sleeve. ‘Can you imagine me on a cruise?'

She smiled. ‘Okay, maybe not a cruise. Is there anywhere that takes your fancy?'

He was silent.

‘What is it, Dad?'

‘I was going to go travelling with your mum. It was our retirement dream. Ryan would get married and take over the farm, we'd buy ourselves a caravan and take on Australia. Grey nomads, that's what we wanted to be.'

‘You still can—'

He held up his hand, halting her words. ‘I owe you an explanation. When your mother died, retirement lost its appeal. Stopping work would mean more time alone to think. That's why I couldn't handle it when you kept harping on about farm duties. I know you'd make a great farmer, but this property only needs two people most of the time.'

Suddenly she understood. ‘If I took on those duties, you'd have to retire.'

He nodded, a glum expression on his face. ‘But that's no excuse for how I treated you. You deserve a share of the farm as much as Ryan.'

A lump formed in her throat. ‘I'm glad you told me this, Dad. But you don't need to worry about me taking over.' She laughed. ‘I just wanted to feel like I was making a contribution beyond the kitchen, and I think I'm going to get that now.'

‘With Monty?'

‘Yes.' An uncontrollable smile spread across her face. ‘You've heard?'

‘It was pretty obvious something was going on when he was here the other morning. But Ryan made sure I knew. He's been at me to talk to you all week.'

Faith grinned.

‘I'm real happy for you, love.' Frank picked up his fork again, but this time there was a smile on his face.

‘Thanks, Dad.' Amazing how one conversation could lift a mood and begin to repair a rift.

‘I suppose you'll be wanting to get back to him right away.'

All that week she'd barely been home long enough to milk Daisy and throw some clean clothes in a bag, but strangely she wasn't in such a hurry to get away anymore. It had been too long since she'd spent quality time with her dad.

‘No rush,' she said, turning her attention to her now cold scrambled eggs.

‘How's your ball thing going?' he asked, making a concerted effort ‘Anything I can help with?'

Wow, talk about turnaround.

He must have noted the shock on her face, for he smiled and reached across the table to take her hand. ‘I might not show it the best way, love—okay, I might not show it at all—but I am proud of you. Raising money for autism, that's a good thing. Every time I pop into town people are talking about this event. I'm real proud of you and I should have said it earlier.'

She glowed inside at his compliment. ‘Thanks, Dad. We can definitely do with an extra pair of hands to set up the hall. If you're not too busy here, that is.'

‘Hmm … let's see.' He scratched the side of his head as if deep in thought. ‘If my daughter will help me move some sheep today, I might just manage to clear a window.'

For the third time that morning a tear trickled down her cheek, but this time it was a happy one. ‘I think I might just be able to manage that.'

Despite having oodles of preparation still to do for Saturday night, Faith couldn't think of anything she'd like better.

The Friday before the ball dawned early. When Faith returned from feeding Daisy, Monty offered her a breakfast of caramel Tim Tams—a running joke between them now—as they prepared themselves to start the day.

After making the bed with new sheets for his parents, they headed to the Memorial Hall, arriving as two trucks pulled up. One was the Shire with all the equipment they'd loaned, and the other belonged to the party hire company they'd ordered the extras from. Having sold two hundred and forty tickets, Faith wasn't completely sure how they were going to fit all the tables and chairs and a dance floor, never mind have room for the stalls and auction items.

Of course Ruby had all that under control with a detailed layout map of the hall. With her brains and Monty's brawn, Faith was confident it would all come together. Adam, Simone, Frank, Ryan, and what seemed like half the population of Bunyip Bay were also hanging about, ready to lend a hand. Faith was so full of gratitude, she felt as if she could kiss them all.

‘Do you think we should start explaining the set-up plan to the volunteers?' Ruby asked, glancing at her watch.

Faith nodded. She put two fingers into her mouth and whistled loudly, immediately getting everyone's attention.

‘Okay, folks, thanks for coming. The plan is to get the tables and chairs laid out first, so we can start decorating. We'd like to get everything set up, decorated and in place by tonight.' Save any last minute emergencies, tomorrow the hall would be abuzz with caterers and musicians doing their thing.

With Ruby directing them, everyone worked like a colony of ants for a couple of hours, lifting and moving things in perfect harmony. Way before schedule, the tables and chairs were arranged and the tents and mini-marquees set up around the perimeter of the room for the local craft stalls and Jenni's New-Age contributions. What had started out as a straight ball had morphed into a ball-cum-fete type event. Something only the country could get away with.

At morning tea, the CWA ladies arrived with their promised delights and everyone took a well earned break. Faith was floating on the edge of the room, eating a lamington and taking stock, when Monty sidled up beside her. He pulled her into his side and placed a quick kiss on the top of her head. ‘You've done good, Forrester. Amazingly good.'

‘It's not over yet.'

‘Didn't you know I have psychic powers?' He wriggled his eyebrows up and down. ‘I can see into the future and I know everything is going to be perfect.'

Before she could ask him what else their future held, a flash went off only metres away from them. They both turned to see Jenni Montgomery, a big black camera hanging from her neck and a ridiculous grin directed at them.

‘Mum, you're early.' Leaving Faith, Monty stepped forward to give his mother a hug as Stuart caught up behind her.

‘Like a kid at Christmas,' he told them. ‘She's been up since the crack of dawn,'

Jenni certainly looked like an excited child as she clapped her hands and practically jumped up and down on the spot. ‘I couldn't wait to see you together with my own eyes and take a picture to commemorate what I've been dreaming about for years.'

‘A bit of warning before the next photo, Mum. I've been lifting heavy objects all morning.' Monty gestured to his sweat-soaked t-shirt and mussed hair.

‘You look fine, darling,' Jenni told him.

Faith had to agree.

‘Now I can really call you my daughter,' Jenni whispered as she hugged her tightly. ‘Your mother would have been so happy.'

‘I know.' Faith had thought a lot about Cassie in recent days— even more than usual—and she knew with absolute certainty that her mum would have approved her choice of partner.

‘Where's Will?' Monty asked.

‘He's waiting in the car.' Stuart gestured to the volunteers devouring scones and cakes. ‘He's psyching himself up for tomorrow night, but didn't want to face a room of strangers just yet. Besides, he's eager for us to head to the B&B and see if Pippa's family have arrived.'

‘Ah … the famous Pippa.' Monty smiled.

‘You'll like her,' Stuart said. ‘We might go drop him off and then come back to help you.'

As Monty's parents turned to leave, Jenni spotted Frank and Ryan. She waved them over and looked Ryan up and down. ‘Oh my, it has been forever since I saw you. You've grown into such a spunk. Any girl pinned you down yet?'

Chuckling, Ryan kissed Jenni on the cheek. ‘Not yet, Mrs Montgomery. Not yet.'

‘Please. Call me Jenni. Mrs Montgomery is my mother-in law. And Frank, long time no see. How are you? We've been terrible at keeping in contact, haven't we? Faith keeps me updated, so

I feel like I talked to you only last week, but it is so good to see you.'

‘You too, Jenni.' He bypassed the kiss and went in for a hug. They embraced like old friends and Faith grinned at the genuine smile on her dad's face.

‘You must all come to Monty's tonight,' Jenni rushed. ‘We're having a barbecue with Will's girlfriend's parents.'

‘We wouldn't want to intrude,' Frank said. ‘It sounds like a family thing.'

‘Nonsense. You
are
family.' She glanced knowingly at Faith. ‘And besides, I want you all to meet Pippa.'

Frank smiled in a way Faith hadn't seen in a long time. ‘In that case, it sounds grand, Jenni. What shall we bring?'

‘Nothing, nothing.' Jenni waved her hand in front of her face, dismissing such an idea. ‘Just yourselves. It's been far too long since we had a good chinwag.'

‘Alrighty, then. We'll see you later,' Frank replied, his old smile firmly back in place.

Six hours after they'd begun, the hall was transformed. There were twenty-five round tables dressed in fine white tablecloths, each with a puppy dog centrepiece and napkins folded into bone shapes. Rows of paw prints in red, white and silver were strung across the wide ceiling and bouquets of matching coloured balloons hung in all the right places. Marquee tables lined one side of the hall, ready for the crafts and homemade gourmet nibbles from around the region. On the stage was the impressive collection of items to be auctioned. Amazingly, they'd still managed to fit in a small dance floor.

Monty, Faith, Ruby, Adam and Simone congregated in a little group, surveying their handiwork.