Sky Cowboy (16 page)

“Can you tell me about the day I was shot?  Who found me? 
When
was I found?”

“
You sure you want to do this now?” 

“Yes.  I need to know,” I answer firmly.

“I couldn’t wait.  I landed the chopper and when I got your message, I couldn’t wait.  I wanted to come in and surprise you.  I thought we’d get some dinner at the Cow and Calf and then go home and catch up on the last few days,” he winks at me before continuing. “So, I came into town and pulled up in front of the Coffee House.  The door was wide open and I couldn’t figure out why you’d left it open.  It was after closing time and I couldn’t see you anywhere in the front.  I thought you must have been in the kitchen so I went to head back there and that’s when I saw you laying behind the counter. 
Fuck Ava
, there was so much blood.  It was fuckin’ everywhere.  I thought you were dead.  You were out. 
Fucking out of it
.  I rang for an ambulance and rode with you here.  The doctors were trying to work out how you got the contusion on you face but they think you fainted when you got shot, and that you hit your head on the corner of the counter on the way down.  That knocked you out, which is why I thought you were dead.  Your breathing was so shallow, I couldn’t even see your chest rising and falling.  I was fucking petrified, babe.”

“I thought it was you.  That’s why I opened the door without looking,” I all but whisper.

He shakes his head and I want to cry.  He’s disappointed in me.

“Honey, don’t beat yourself up over that.  You should be safe in the place you work.  Claire is just a whack job.  I want to kill that fuckin’ bitch for hurting you.  Thank fuck she signed off on all rights to Oscar.  No fuckin’ way I’d leave him in her care.”

“I hope they find her soon.  She can’t get to me in here, right?”

“No, there’s a police issued security guard outside your door.  She can’t get you, honey.”

“Good.”

He kiss
es my forehead and then calls Oscar over to say goodbye.

“’Bye mummy.  Oscar will see you tomorrow.”

“Okay, buddy.  Have a great day at school tomorrow.  I love you.”  Jeremy holds him up so I can give him a kiss and then lowers him before placing his lips on mine.  “I love you,” he murmurs against my mouth.

“I love you, too.”

“Your mum and dad said they’ll be in to visit later, and I’m sure mum was planning on coming in to see you tomorrow.”

“Okay.  See you guys later.  Look after daddy, Oscar.”

“Oscar will.  ‘Bye mummy.”

The sound of a rattling cart wakes me up and I quickly realize
it’s morning.

“Good morning.  Would you like some breakfast?”  The lady asks.

“Yes, please,” I reply eagerly.  I’m starving.

“Oh! You’re the girl from the newspaper,” she exclaims.

“Uh, no, sorry.  You must have the wrong girl.”

“No, no, it’s definitely you.  Here,” she reaches under the cart and pulls out a folded up newspaper.  She hands it to me and I open it up.  Sure enough, there a photo of me on the front cover on the
Darwin Daily
.  I’m wearing an Akubra hat, a purple Wrangler polo, dark wash Wrangler jeans and my boots.  The photo was taken at a sheep sale last year.  Just above my photo, in large, bold, black writing is the title of the article, and below that is the article itself.  On the side is a larger picture of a face I could live the rest of my life never seeing again. 
The woman who shot me.
  I snap it shut and ask the lady, “Do you mind if I keep this?”  I don’t want to be watched and my every emotion scrutinized as I read it.

“Not at all.”  She sets the tray down and leaves me with a smile.

My stomach churns as I reopen the newspaper.  Now that I am alone, I can read it.

POLICE STANDOFF ENDS FATALY

Yesterday afternoon Darwin police descended on a derelict house in Pine Creek, after information was received that led them to believe Claire Slade was residing there.  Ms. Slade, 30, was wanted for questioning regarding the attempted murder of Pine Creek local, Ava Crawley five days earlier at the Pine Creek Coffee House where Ms. Crawley works.  The standoff lasted into the night and ended when Ms. Slade opened fire on officers.  Return shots were fired by the police and Ms. Slade was fatally wounded.  Senior Sargent Dodd from Darwin police issued a statement to the media late last night, confirming the details and the death of Ms. Slade.  It is believed Ms. Slade was a drug addict, however the details of why she attempted to murder Ms. Crawley are still unknown.

Holy shit.  She’s dead?  It feel
s surreal.  I can’t wrap my head around it.  I reach over onto the table beside my bed and pick up my phone.  I press some buttons and place it to my ear.

“Hey, honey,” Jeremy answers on the second ring.  His voice is rough and smooth all at the same time.  It’s a contradiction, I know, but
it’s oh-so true and there is no other way to describe it.

“Hey, babe.  Have you read the paper this morning?”

“No, why?”  I can tell he’s talking around a mouthful of food.

“On the front cover of the
Darwin Daily
is an article about a fatal police shoot out yesterday afternoon.  The article says it was Claire Slade.”

“No shit?”

“Nope.  Have you heard from the police or anyone in town?”

“No, honey, I’ve heard
nothin’.”

“
It says the shootout took place at a derelict house in Pine Creek.”

“I’ll ring around and see what I can find out.
”

“Are you okay?”

He pauses and then says, “Yeah, honey.  I’m pissed as fuck that she hurt you and it sucks that this might have an impact on Oscar when he’s old enough to understand, but as for her bein’ dead, no skin off my nose.”

“Okay,” I whisper.

“I’ll be in later, okay babe.”

“Yep, see you then.  I miss you.”

“I miss you, so much.”

I hit end an
d then a knock comes on my door before it’s opened, revealing two uniformed officers.

“Miss
Crawley, sorry for the early morning visit.”

“That’s okay.  I was just reading the paper.”

“Oh, sorry, ma’am, we were hoping to speak with you before you read it in the newspaper.”  The officer explains.

“It’s okay.  Is she…Are the reports correct?”  I hesitantly ask.

“Yes ma’am they are.  Ms. Slade was pronounced dead on arrival at Darwin Base late last night.”

A shiver runs through my body and I thank all that is holy that I am at the Private hospital.

The police officers leave and not long after, my parents walk in.

“Oh, Ava, you’re awake.  We called by yesterday afternoon, but you were sleeping and we didn’t want to wake you.”

“Hey,” I lean up to kiss her cheek, “sorry about that.”

“That’s okay, darling.  How are you feeling?”

“I’m alright – I’m alive,” I add on a laugh.

“Nothing to joke about, Ava,” my dad chastises.

“Sorry, dad,” I mumble sheepishly.

“We’ve just been so worried about you.”

“I know.  But I promise, I’m fine.  I’ll be out of here and back to normal in no time.”

“We’re sure you will be,” mum agrees.   “Did you see the newspaper this morning?  We brought you a copy just in case.”

I nod.  “A nurse came in earlier and gave it to me, then the police showed up and confirmed it.”

“
That woman is the devil.  I knew she was no good from the moment I met her.  I can’t believe she even had a hand in creating something as beautiful as Oscar,” mum snarls.

I nod again, then agree verbally.  “Yep.”

“Right, well, we will let you rest.  I’ve got some shopping to do while we’re in town.  As soon as you get better, we need to go shopping for a wedding dress.  The wedding is only weeks away now and you’ve got nothing to wear.”

I groan.  “Crap.” 

“Now, Ava, don’t be like that.  I’m sure we’ll find you something lovely, but it will have to be off the rack.  We won’t get anything made or altered with such short notice.  It’s a good thing you’ve always been a standard size and not a half size like me.  Otherwise we’d have no hope,” she rattles on and I stifle a yawn.

“We’ll let you rest love,” dad kisses my cheek.  “Come on, Liz.  Talk about that wedding shit later.”

Uh-oh.

“I beg your pardon, Michael?”  If looks could kill, my dad would be a pile of cindering ash on the freshly waxed floors of this hospital.

I bite back a grin and wonder how my father is going to get out of this.  Thirty five years of marriage – you’d think he’d have learned his lesson by now.

“Christ woman, don’t go making a scene.”

“
You
referred to our daughter’s wedding as
shit
,” she accuses, finger pointed right in his face.

“I did not.  I said you two can
talk about
wedding shit later.  Now let’s go!”

“Tomatoes
tomartoes,
Michael.”

“Jesus.”

“He won’t help you!  You need to stop taking the Lord’s name in vain,” mum snaps at him.

Dad mutters a curse and rubs his hands over his eyes.  I’m not
sure whether it’s in tiredness or frustration…perhaps a little of both.

“Oh
fine
then.  We’ll go, but believe me, Michael, this is
not
over.”

“It never is.”  Dad’s muttering earns him a glare off mum. 

“See you later, love.”

“’Bye, darling.”

I wave them off and sink back into my pillow.  A minute later, I close my eyes and drift off.

One month later

You know what chore I really despise?  Hanging the washing out.  It drives me insane.  It’s bloody boring, for starters
, and monotonous.  You put the clothes on the line, only to take them off again a few hours later. Ugh.  However, this morning, Jeremy changed my mind about my dislike for hanging the washing out.

Oscar was at school and I was feeling back to my ol
d self.  I’d completed my physical therapy (I ended up needing five sessions) and everything was back to normal.  When I first arrived home, I’d felt really self-conscience about my scars, but Jeremy soon put any doubts I had to rest. Every night after my shower, he rubs Bio Oil into my skin for me.  I’m hoping it will tame down the scarring but only time will tell.  Jeremy doesn’t care though.  He kisses them and constantly tells me how beautiful I am.

My mother informed me this morning that after lunch we’d be going wedding dress shopping.  She only lightly berated me for leaving it until three weeks before the wedding to look for a dress, and then told me she’d be by to pick me up in a few hours.  I suspected this shopping expedition may take all afternoon, so I had decided to do a load of washing before I went out.

I was hanging up the last few pairs of jeans when I sensed Jeremy coming up behind me.  His hands glided onto the skin of my hips where my shirt had ridden up, at the same time as his lips touched the sensitive spot below my ear.  A shiver ran through my body and I felt his mouth curve into a knowing smile against my neck.

He moved one hand down an
d traced the hem of my jean cut-off shorts.  “I like these,” he murmured before slipping a finger up inside and tracing the edge of my lace panties.  “I like these too,” he whispered in my ear.  I shivered again and my nipples pebbled.

Sliding a finger
inside my panties, he soon found how much I liked what he was doing.  He growled in my ear before sucking a spot on the top of my shoulder.  I pushed my ass back against him and felt the evidence of his arousal as he continued to stroke my centre.

“Walk forward, honey, and h
old on to that thing,” he ordered, gesturing towards to the metal peg basket that is attached to the pole of the clothesline.  I walked forward the couple of steps and leaned forward to hold onto the basket.  “Good girl,” he murmured.

I whimper
ed in protest when his hand left my panties, but I smiled when I realized it was only so he could rid me of my clothing. Thirty seconds later, I was standing there butt naked and I thanked god that we live out in the middle of nowhere.  I heard the zipper go down on Jeremy’s jeans and a second later he was inside me in one swift movement.

I groan
ed and arched my back.  “Ahhh.”

He began
to set a steady rhythm.  His thrusts were hard and fast and the sound of him slapping against me could be heard against the quiet of the farm.  Reaching around, he tweaked my clitoris and that did it.  I contracted and shuddered around him on a long, drawn out moan.  His rhythm started to falter and then he planted himself deep inside of me and filled me with his arousal.

“Feel better?” Jeremy asked as he zipped
his jeans back up.

I cock
ed my head to the side and frowned at him.  “What do you mean?”

“Honey, you’ve been in a
pissy mood since your mother called this mornin’.  I was just trying to relieve some of that tension for you,” he explained on a wink.

Cheeky bastard.

“Actually, I wasn’t pissy ‘cause I have to go shopping with mum – that’s just annoying – I was pissy because I hate doing the washing, but I think you may have just turned it into my favorite chore.” I poked my tongue out at him and walked inside to grab a shower before the shopping demon arrived.

“Ava, for goodness sake, it’s getting late.  The shops will close soon and you’ll still have nothing to wear.  I can see I’m going to have
to riffle through the wardrobe and find
my
wedding dress, then I’ll have to ask some of the ladies from the CWA to make some alterations.”  My mother rambles at me as we walk from shop to shop in search of my dress.  We’ve been at it for about three hours.  I know what I want, I just can’t find it.  And be
fucked
if I am wearing my mother’s meringue inspired, lace, long sleeved, nineteen seventies model wedding dress. No. Way!

“That won’t be necessary.  I know what I’m looking for, I just haven’t found it yet.”

“Yes, well, we’re running out of time so you better find something in the next two shops or I’ll be making phone calls,” she threatens.

Dear god, please let my dream dress be in one of the next two shops. 

“Let’s go in here,” I gesture to a small boutique.

I flick through the dresses and just when I’m about to give up, I spot it. 
The dress
.  There’s only one that I can see and I pray to all that is holy that it’s my size.

It is.

Thank you god.

I rush back and try it on while my mum is browsing on the other side of the room.  It fit
s like a glove. 
Perfect.  Made for me
.

“Mum,” I shout, “Come here.  I’m in the change room.”

I hear her heels click-clacking on the floorboards as she makes her way toward me.

“Did you find something?”  She asks excitedly.

I pull back the curtain and smile.  She looks me up and down and then smiles back.  Tears glisten in her eyes.

“Perfect,” she whispers.

I turn around.  “Does it look okay from the back?”  I ask, throwing my head over my shoulder, trying to see in the mirror.

“It’s stunning.  So very
you.
”

Once it’s been paid for (mum insisted she purchase it) I decide to treat us both to a coffee before we head back to Pine Creek.  We find a small café on a street corner, order our coffees and take an outside table. 

“About Kennedy.”

“Mum,” I say in a warning tone.

“I just wish you’d have her in the wedding.  I understand why you won’t, but she is very upset about it, Ava,” she sighs.

“No way am I having her there and risking her shouting out when the celebrant asks if anyone objects the marriage.  Not
gonna happen!  I told you she’s welcome to come to the reception but I won’t have her destroying this day, mum.  It’s not just my day – it’s Jeremy’s and Jackson’s and Edie’s as well.”

“I know.  She is very sorry for her actions in the past.  Forgiveness is the key to life, Ava.”

“I will consider forgiving her when she apologizes,
genuinely
.”

“I understand, but I don’t agree.”  She sighs again, dejectedly.

By the time I arrive home, it’s dark.  I can hear Jeremy reading Oscar his bedtime story, so I creep up the hallway and into Oscar’s bedroom.  Jeremy looks over and smiles, while still reading softly.

Oscar’s eyes are shut, so I’m pretty sure he’s asleep.  Still, I tiptoe over and kiss his forehead lightly.  “Love you, buddy.  Sweet dreams.”

Jeremy finishes the book and kisses his son goodnight before following me into our room.  Together, we have a quick shower and then I fall into bed, exhausted.  He slides in beside me and wraps me in his arms.  Stroking my hand over his face, I whisper, “I can’t wait to marry you.”

He doesn’t answer.  Instead, he takes my mouth in a Jeremy Henley Signature Kiss before he whispers, “Goodnight.”

Yep.  Totally can’t wait to marry him.