Flight of the Jabiru (50 page)

Rick became really worried. “I'll be as quick as I can,” he said.

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

The following day, Lara and Rick set off for Shady Camp with Elsie and Walter aboard the Lady Lara. They'd immediately taken to Rick upon meeting him, especially after he ‘rescued' Walter from Timber, who was threatening to tear him limb from limb for cheating at cards.

“I can't believe how badly he plays cards,” Walter told Rick and Lara. “I tried my best to lose when I noticed how much he hated being beaten. I started playing as badly as I could, but I still kept winning.”

“Nobody plays to win against him,” Rick said. “I've seen his opponents drop good cards on the floor just so they'll lose. Unfortunately, he thinks his ability is far above what it really is. That's why he thought you were cheating him.”

“Who in their right mind would cheat a man the size of a Sasquatch?”

When they entered the Mary River inlet, Rick told them all about the river and the billabongs. He pointed out the birdlife and crocodiles sunning themselves on the banks.

“I can't believe you captured the monster croc after what he did to you, Rick,” Lara said, eyeing a large beast that Rick claimed he'd relocated.

“It hadn't been his intention to attack me. I was foolishly holding a big barramundi over the side of the dingy when I should've known better. He was just acting instinctively.”

“That you'd feel that way is remarkable, and just another reason why I love you,” Lara said emotionally.

“We saw him at the exhibit in town. He's a very impressive animal,” Walter said.

“Yes, he is,” Rick said. “It was a miracle he let me go. A real miracle.” He stopped the boat at the place where the attack had taken place and told them, how he managed to hide between the water lilies and how the Aborigines found him.

“Miracle is the right word to use,” Lara said.

“How would you like to go fishing for barra, Walter?” Rick asked.

“I'd love to,” Walter replied enthusiastically.

“Not in a dingy,” Elsie insisted.

“No, we'll fish from the boat,” Rick assured her with one of his cheeky smiles. “You won't insist we release the fish you catch, will you, Walter?”

“What? No, of course not,” Walter said. “Who would do that?”

Rick smiled at Lara, so Walter caught on that it was her.

“I felt sorry for the poor fish,” she explained defiantly. “I didn't want to be the reason his life ended.”

Walter shook his head, but he smiled proudly.

As they neared Shady Camp, Lara was pleased to see that nothing had changed. Rick was tying up at the jetty when she heard the school bell ringing. “The school is still running, which means Jiana is still teaching,” she said delightedly.

As they climbed off the boat, Lara recognized the other boats moored at the jetty, including Rex's, Don's, and Charlie's. Strangely, she felt like she was ‘home' again.

“The church is used as a school,” Lara explained to her parents.

“It's a quaint building,” Elsie said, admiring it.

“I lived in the rectory. It was a bit dismal when I arrived, but the local women did what they could to make it homely.”

“You had a wonderful view of the water from that window,” Elsie added, indicating the kitchen window.

“Yes, it was lovely.” Lara could say that now. With Rick by her side, the bad memories had receded.

Not surprisingly, Harry Castle was the first student out of the door. Lara waved to him and heard him yell, “Miss Penrose is back,” to the other children. As they came running towards her, Harry Castle was whooping with delight, which made Lara smile. The children crowded around Lara, hugging her warmly and bombarding her with questions. Lara laughed with delight, and told them she'd answer all their questions in due time. Then Jiana came out of the school to see what all the shouting was about. For a few moments she stood looking at Lara in disbelief. Then her face split into the broadest smile and she hurried towards her. The two women hugged liked long lost sisters.

“You come back,” Jiana said with a broad grin.

“Yes, and I'm so happy that you're still teaching.”

“Yeah, I'm not going anywhere,” Jiana smiled. “I'm qualified now. I get full pay,” she beamed with pride. Then she looked at Rick and gaped in astonishment. “Where you bin? We thought you were dead.”

“It's a long story,” Rick said. “I'll tell you about it over a few beers.”

“I could certainly go for a cold beer right now,” Walter said, wiping perspiration from his brow. It occurred to him that he'd never say something like that in England.

“I would love a cold beer, too,” Elsie said, taking her husband and daughter by surprise.

“Gosh mum, we'll make an Aussie of you, yet. Isn't that right, Rick?”

“Too right,” Rick agreed. Elsie beamed.

“Where's this pub you've told us so much about, Lara?” Walter asked. He'd never had such a thirst.

“Straight ahead, Dad.”

As they walked in that direction, some of the children ran home to tell their parents that Lara had returned.

“I'm married now,” Jiana told Lara.

“You didn't marry that old man, Willy Doonunga, did you?”

“No, I got myself a young buck,” Jiana said grinning wickedly. “I'll go and fetch him and I'll tell my mother you come back. She be real happy.”

The pub was deserted, which surprised Lara. She left Rick there with her parents and went to the store, where she found Monty. The store was in disarray. Lara was sure that Betty would not approve.

When Monty saw Lara, he thought he was imagining things. “Strewth!” he said recoiling as if he was looking at a ghost. “I must have the dry horrors.”

“You'd never stop drinking long enough to get the dry horrors,” Lara said. “And you still don't own a razor or a pair of scissors.” His beard and hair were as unkempt as ever. “What are you doing in here, anyway? I thought Rizza and Rex were going to take over.”

“They did for awhile, but then Rizza had triplets.”

“Triplets!”

“Yeah, luckily you weren't here when they were born. You barely coped when she had one baby. Strewth, it's good to see you,” he said, grinning. “How did you get out here?”

“By boat,” Lara said.

“Who's boat?'

“Wait till you see. You are really going to need that drink,” Lara said.

By the time Monty and Lara came out of the store, the townsfolk had heard she was back and they were hurrying towards the pub, waving greetings from a distance. When Monty saw Rick in the pub with two people he didn't recognize, he was gobsmacked.

“I didn't know Rick Marshall had a twin brother,” he said. “You're the spiting image of him.”

“I don't have a brother, Monty,” Rick said.

“But you're still in one piece, or are you?” He looked down to see if he had his legs.

“Yes, I'm in one piece, but I've got plenty of scars.”

By this time, the other members of the community were filing into the bar, all joyous to see Lara again. They hugged and kissed her and told her how much they'd missed her. Then they noticed Rick on a barstool. They all had the same reaction as Monty, especially Jonno and Rex.

“You can't be sitting here,” Jonno said.

“I'm not dead,” Rick said. “And I'm not a ghost, either.”

“We saw the monster croc take you,” Rex insisted.

“He got me good, and I have plenty of scars to prove it.”

“Then how did you escape?”

“I stuck my finger in his eye, more by accident that intention, and he opened his jaws. All his thrashing had stirred up mud on bottom of the billabong, so I was able to somehow get myself into the water lilies without him seeing me. If not for the lilies and some Aborigines that pulled me from the water a couple of hours later, I wouldn't be here now.”

“Rick trapped the monster croc,” Lara said. “He's in town in a crocodile exhibit. So for all those who didn't believe a croc could grow that big, you can now see him for yourselves.”

“I told you that you should've shot the bastard,” Monty chipped in.

“Why? I was dangling a huge barra over the side of the boat. That was an invitation to a free meal.”

“You were almost the free meal,” Rex pointed out.

“That was my stupidity,” Rick insisted. “Let that be a lesson to all fishermen.”

Monty shook his head. He knew they'd never agree.

“Rick, you really must talk to the school children and tell them what they need to know to survive living with crocodiles,” Lara as a teacher.

“I will,” he said. “I know it's important.”

“This beautiful lady must be your mother, Lara,” Monty said, looking admiringly at Elsie. She, on the other hand, was shocked by his appearance and unable to hide it.

“That's right, everyone, this is my mother and father, Walter and Elsie.” She introduced the locals, one by one. “I've sure missed you all,” she added when they'd all said hello.

“We've missed you more than you'll ever know,” Doris said, teary with happiness.

“Have you missed me, too?” Colin asked from the doorway.

The locals all gasped in surprise.

“What are you doing here?” Monty asked.

“That's a nice welcome,” he said strolling in. “If you must know, I've left Betty. I couldn't stand flaming Tassie. It's too flaming cold for a born and bred Territorian.”

“You left Betty!” Margie said crossly. “How could you? That woman did everything but wipe your backside.”

Betty walked in behind Colin, the children trailing behind her. “I've done that, too,” she said. “Don't worry, Margie, he couldn't get rid of me that easily,” she said grinning. Everyone's eyes were drawn to her distended belly. “Especially not after knocking me up again.”

There was a moment's stunned silence, and then everyone laughed.

“You old dog,” Rex teased.

“It was cold in Tassie,” Colin explained sheepishly. “You have to keep warm somehow.”

Lara noticed her mother was blushing to the roots of her hair.

“You'll soon get used to Colin's irreverent ways,” she whispered.

Colin looked at the triplets in Rex and Rizza's arms. “It looks like there's been a population explosion here, too. Aren't the fish biting, Rex?”

It was Rex's turn to look embarrassed, but his chest puffed out with pride. “I've got three beautiful small daughters,” he said.

“Yeah, and thankfully they all look like their mother,” Colin said.

Lara noticed her mother was now trying to stifle laughter.

“Just as well we've now got two teachers,” Monty said.

Lara was about to protest and say she wasn't in town to work, but Betty had noticed Rick along the bar. “You're alive!” she said in disbelief.

Her words drew Colin's attention. “Saints preserve us,” he said.

“Yes, I'm alive,” Rick said. “It will take more than a monster croc to kill me off.”

“Since we're all together again, the drinks are on the house,” Monty shouted.

“It's about time the bar was open. A man could die of thirst,” Colin said, licking his lips.

“He hasn't changed a bit, in case you were all wondering,” Betty said.

The children were all making a fuss of Lara, especially Ruthie. Lara was thrilled to see them again. She couldn't believe how much they'd grown since she'd been away.

She introduced her mum and dad to Betty and Colin.

“We've heard a lot about the both of you,” Walter said truthfully.

“All good I hope,” Colin said, wiping froth from his upper lip.

“It wouldn't be all good about you,” Lara said, winking at Betty. “I told mum and dad the truth.”

Colin appeared startled, but then he laughed.

“I'm serious,” Lara claimed.

“Didn't you like Tassie, either?” Rex asked Betty.

“It's still a beautiful place, but my sister's kids were feral,” Betty complained. “And my siblings never stop fighting. It was exhausting.”

“Tell the truth,” Colin suggested.

“That is the truth,” Betty insisted.

“She couldn't take the cold, either,” Colin said.

“Well, that's true,” Betty said sheepishly. “Guess I'm too used to the heat up here. I hope you haven't moved into our place, Monty,” she added.

“Cause not. I knew you'd be back,” Monty said, still pouring glasses of beer.

“You did not,” Betty argued.

“All right, I didn't. But I hoped you'd be back,” he said winking at her. “I can't handle the store and the pub.”

“I'm not surprised. I did most of the work in the pub,” Colin said, and roared with laughter at the astonished look on Monty's face.

“It's good to be home,” Betty said, sighing.

“So, did we arrive in time for a wedding in Shady Camp?” she asked, looking at Rick and Lara.