The Saddler Boys (19 page)

‘I get why it happened,' she said. ‘My head hasn't really been in the right place either. You've had a lot to deal with. I just wish you'd come to me about it instead of bottling it up.'

His eyes dropped again. ‘I didn't want to acknowledge it, Nat. If I said it out loud, would it become real? I couldn't tell anyone. It was stuck in my throat like a lump of steel.'

‘Next time just come and find me. I'm sure if we sit long enough, you'll be able to find the words.'

‘I appreciate that, Nat. I really do. I didn't want to burden you with any more, then I nearly wrecked everything.'

Nat wondered if he was thinking of the kiss, like she was. It seemed so surreal. ‘I said I'd always be your friend,' she said, ‘and I meant it.' She could only offer friendship and it seemed that's all Drew wanted too, even though they'd kissed and even though Kim seemed to think Drew liked her. She'd thought of walking away, putting space between them to please Gary but just this week alone had been hard without Drew to chat to. He'd become a friend she could depend on and she loved being involved with his and Billy's life. She didn't want to give that up.

Their eyes met and held, as if repairing the line of friendship.

‘Okay,' he said eventually. He gave her that smile she'd grown to love and it warmed her body. ‘Friends,' he agreed.

‘So, have you sent for a DNA test? Are you going to tell Billy? What's happening, Drew? Tell me everything.'

His eyebrows shot up with all her questions. After a second he wiped his hands down his work pants and nodded to a stack of old tyres by the shed. ‘Come and sit down and you can interrogate me properly,' he said teasingly. ‘Okay. No, I haven't done a DNA test, wouldn't know where to start, and no, I don't want to tell Billy, not yet.' Drew finished with a sigh. He picked at the strips of rubber and wire showing on the bald tyre he sat on.

‘What do you think about Uncle Kent helping? Do you mind if I give him a call and see what he thinks?'

Drew agreed and she wasted no time whipping out her phone to call her uncle.

‘Thanks, Uncle Kent,' she said, after filling him in. ‘I'll talk to you soon.' Nat smiled at Drew. ‘Well, he thinks it would be best if you got a legal DNA test done, so it would hold up in court, which means you need a doctor or qualified nurse to be present at the testing.'

Drew pulled a face. ‘I can't visit the local doctor's surgery. This would no doubt spread through town faster than 10 kilos of butter on a forty-degree day.'

Nat knew he was thinking it would end up getting to Billy at some point. ‘Why don't you come to Perth and get it done? Uncle Kent can organise the kit and make an appointment for when we go up to meet the minister. What do you think?'

‘Sounds like a great idea, Natty. Will he mind?'

Nat got out her phone once more. ‘Hi, Uncle Kent, it's me again,' she said with a grin. Drew watched her intently as she spoke, and she couldn't help watching him too. She asked if her uncle could sort out an appointment and gave him the date.

‘Sure thing, possum. Do your friends want to stay here with me? They are very welcome. Any friends of yours are friends of mine, and I'd love to meet these two that you talk about so much, especially Billy.'

Nat was hoping Drew couldn't hear both ends of the conversation. ‘Thanks, I'll take you up on that. We both really appreciate it. I'll stay in touch. Love you.'

‘Bye, Natty. Love you too.'

Nat hung up with a smile.

‘You almost glow when you talk to your uncle. I can see how much he means to you,' said Drew.

‘Yes, he's amazing. And he's also offered you a bed at his place the night before so we can all be together. I always try to stay a night here and there with Uncle Kent. It's the best way to catch up and I know how much he loves it. If you stay, you'll have more time to ask questions and pick his brains. Plus he would love to meet Billy. I may have mentioned him quite a bit.'

‘He's a good kid but I may be biased,' said Drew.

‘Do you want to tell Billy about all this?' she asked. Shadows like storm clouds swept across Drew's eyes, and Nat regretted making that happen.

‘I don't want to. What if it gets him all upset and then the DNA results turn out fine? All that anxiety and worry for nothing. I can't do that to him. It's torturing me enough. I want to save him from all of this.'

‘I agree. At this point, why worry him?' Nat wanted to reach over and wrap her hands over his, which were pulling madly at the rubber on the old tyre. She felt his frustration and fear. But she didn't reach out to him, it was all too soon after that kiss.

‘Yep. Find out the results and then jump that hurdle if we have to.' Drew clasped his hands together as if he'd seen her watching them. ‘Thanks, Nat. I'm glad you came out.'

They shared a smile. ‘Me too.'

NAT
watched her students, hard at work on a maths worksheet. It felt like months since the bingo night, but only two and a half weeks had passed. In that time, school had been in full swing. And her emails with Gary had become a healing of sorts. They were back to sharing things. Nat told him about her kids at school and Gary told her about his work. It felt like they were starting to repair the cracks in their relationship. Gary had begged for another chance and Nat wanted him to have that. She'd always believed people needed second chances: everyone was human and made mistakes and bad choices even if they weren't bad people. Besides, the whole family situation was something she didn't want to face, and if Gary sorted himself out and got help then maybe she wouldn't have to.

Drew appeared in her mind, so ruggedly handsome and so different from Gary. It wasn't illegal to appreciate another man's physique, or for his smile to make you feel great. Having a friend of the opposite sex was bound to have its complications but Nat kept all those feelings locked away. Nat had made a commitment to Gary and she would honour that. Her friendship with Drew didn't mean more than it should. With a deep breath she pushed him from her thoughts.

Nat went to help Isaac, who had his hand raised. Isaac wore the Harry Potter black robe and glasses for being student of the week.

‘I can't get this one,' he said with a frown.

Nat was about to explain when there was a knock on the classroom door. A man in work pants and checked shirt stood there. Nat had seen him around but wasn't sure who he was, and none of the kids got up so he couldn't have been one of their dads.

‘Hello,' said Nat as she joined him by the door. ‘Can I help you?'

‘Hi, Natalie, I'm Grant Greenwood, Kath's son. She said I should drop by and show the kids these little guys.'

Grant picked up a box he had sitting on the bench by the door, and inside Nat saw three baby pigs. ‘Oh my gosh, they are gorgeous.' She'd never touched a real pig, let alone a piglet. ‘How wonderful!' Nat turned to the class. ‘Children, we have a visitor today, with some special friends. Can you quickly gather on the mat, please? First, let's say good morning to Mr Greenwood.' Lots of little voices greeted Grant as they rushed to the mat, fidgeting with energy.

‘Good morning, kids,' he said, pulling out one soft pink bundle.

‘Oh, wow!'

‘So cute.'

The kids crowded around and all had turns at holding the piglets while Grant told them about the animals and answered all their questions. Nat was fascinated by their noses, and the feel of their skin. Grant wasn't the first person to drop by with animals. Some parents had brought in little chickens or new puppies for their child's news. Ava's mum had brought in a baby kangaroo they were looking after. Liam had freaked her out by bringing in a huge, long snakeskin, but nothing had been worse than the dead rabbit Jack had caught in a trap by his mum's vegie garden. Nat had found it quite confronting, but the kids were strangely okay about seeing a dead animal. They seemed to understand the cycle of life out here, and even though the rabbit was dead they all felt its fur and checked out its feet before Nat made them all scrub their hands.

Nat walked Grant to the door when show-and-tell was over. ‘Thank you so much for bringing them in. It's wonderful for the kids to learn firsthand like this; they are at such a great advantage.'

‘Yes, they are. That's what's so great about our small rural schools,' he said.

Nat thought about Grant's words and realised just how right he was. ‘I'm going to mention just that to the minister tomorrow when we get to Perth.'

‘Good luck with that,' said Grant. ‘I'll have my fingers crossed. Be sad to see this place go to ruin.'

Nat agreed. She just hoped it was enough.

The following day they closed the school so that a delegation of the P & C executives and others could board one of the school buses and head to Perth to meet with the Minister for Education. This was their last-ditch effort to keep their school open. Not many voiced it out loud but they all knew a lot was riding on this trip. When they arrived they would be meeting with their local MP, the Honourable Terry Waldron, who would help speak on their behalf. Lauren had been in discussions with Terry for the past few weeks, helping to get this visit with the minister.

Nat had worn her favourite pants suit for the occasion. She was going to follow the bus in her car because she was staying the night in Perth, and had someone filling in for her at school tomorrow. She had a good reason: Drew and Billy were staying in the city to do the DNA testing.

At the school, the team piled into the waiting bus.

‘All right now, no mucking about or Kath will haul your butt to the front of the bus. Ross and Bob, I don't think you two should be down the back. It smells like trouble,' said Lauren, trying to keep up morale with light-hearted banter. ‘Grace, you can be in charge of I-spy.'

‘Can I come with you, Natty?' asked Billy as he reached for her hand. ‘It will be boring on the bus.'

‘I'll have you know, us oldies can be quite fun,' said Lauren, who'd overheard him.

Billy looked over to Nat, his question repeated in his soft eyes.

‘Of course you can, if it's okay with your dad. I'd like some company.'

It was all organised, and the bus, with Nat following, left Lake Biddy for the city. As they drove, Drew waved from the back of the bus from time to time, and Billy frantically returned the wave.

Four hours later they stopped at the car park nearest to the minister's office in West Perth and everyone poured out of the bus with creased clothes, stretching sore muscles.

‘Bloody hell, how do you do it?' asked Lauren as she gave Nat the once-over.

‘Do what?'

‘Look like you stepped out of a magazine advert. Do you have seats that iron your clothes as you drive? Your car is pretty fancy, probably does that and more, hey?' said Lauren cheekily.

Lauren and Matt knew about the DNA test – maybe Kim too, Nat wasn't sure. Drew had told them as he wanted more pairs of eyes out, in case Simone returned. It was handy having them in on the secret, as they could help cover why Drew was staying in the city, if anyone asked. The story was that Drew and Billy were being tested for scabby mouth, after finding out that some sheep had it. Hopefully no one did ask, but Drew was doubtful: it was the country, and everyone knew everything, from the cars they drove to the moment they upgraded their tractors or planted something new. Nothing escaped the curious locals.

‘Okay, everyone,' said Lauren clapping. ‘Let's get this party started.'

They walked in a clump along the footpath, up the street to the minister's office, where they were meeting Terry. Nat felt the nerves of the crowd bouncing around like a hand grenade no one wanted to hold. So much depended on this; people were determined yet scared. Nat wished she could make it go away for them all. In a very short time these people had become her friends. They'd welcomed her into their town and trusted her with their children. She understood their worry about the future of their community so much more than when she'd first arrived. Oh, how she'd taken so much for granted, living in the city.

‘There's Tuck, I mean Terry,' said Lauren, waving to their local MP. He wore a suit for the occasion and a nice blue tie, and returned Lauren's wave. It would be hard to miss the Lake Biddy crew – pick the crowd of scared, tired and creased country folk.

‘G'day, Lauren. How was the trip?'

‘We survived it,' Lauren said with a tired smile. ‘Everyone, this is Terry —'

‘Call me Tuck,' he cut in.

‘Tuck.' Lauren continued to introduce Tuck to their party. Tuck already knew Bob, the shire president, and the CEO, Jim.

‘So are we ready to meet the minister?' he asked.

There were some mumbled replies from the nervous pack.

‘I think we are.' Lauren didn't sound so sure as she shuffled folders containing all their paperwork – the census of future children for the school, the benefits of keeping it open and the effects of closing it.

Nat had made sure it had all been typed up to look professional and important. Lots of copies too, in case they got filed accidentally. She was desperately hoping it would work. She looked at the faces around her. Ross, Kath, Grace, Lauren, Drew, Cynthia, the shire president and the shire CEO, as well as the older, respected members of the community who were on various boards. They held the future in their hands and you could tell each one felt that burden. What if they didn't succeed?

‘Let's go,' said Nat, and led them through the doors with purpose.

At the main reception they were directed to the minister's office. It wasn't small, but there were so many of them they all had to squish inside.

A tall man stood up behind his desk and buttoned his dark grey suit. He wore a dark blue tie, and his hair was short and almost silver. His face was lean but pale, as if he never went outside.

‘Minister,' said Tuck, stepping forward to shake his hand. ‘These are the delegates from Lake Biddy.' He went on to introduce each person, then handed over to Lauren to speak first.

She showed the minister their proposed numbers for the school, the well-above-average marks and the high number who had made it into the Primary Extension and Challenge program. She listed all the awards the children had accumulated in the past five years – the state maths awards, the Vi Barham award for academic excellence, and so much more. For its small number of children, the school had some impressive statistics.

‘The kids are getting great support and extra care from the smaller-sized school. These results just prove that,' she finished.

The shire CEO went next, stating the implications for the town if the school shut, and finally it was Kath's turn.

‘Minister, I've worked as the registrar for nearly thirty years. I've seen my kids and my grandkids through this school and I'd like to see my great-grandkids go here as well. There is so much love in this school and the kids benefit hugely from the smaller classes. They have a great empathy and ability to tolerate and support their fellow class members, whether they are senior room or junior room children. They get to experience things that many other kids don't, from seeing farm animals in the classrooms to understanding just where their food comes from. I'd hate to see our children suffer the longer hours spent away from home on the buses, or worse – families moving away to another town for school.' Kath pulled out a tissue and dabbed at her eyes. Nat found herself blinking rapidly.

‘It is the heart of our town and community,' Kath went on. ‘It connects us all because we have all been schooled there. It is a part of us and Lake Biddy. We fight this decision with our whole hearts.'

The minister nodded his head. ‘I understand and I appreciate the long drive you took to get here today. It has been very useful to hear firsthand from you all. We plan to close the school not just for economic reasons, but also for the best interests of the children. Next year your numbers will be very low and that means less social interaction for the children. It is a big part of learning.' He adjusted his tie as he looked down at the papers they'd given him. ‘I will seriously look these over and have another think before anything is confirmed.'

Tuck stepped forward. ‘Thank you, Minister, and thank you for your time.'

‘Yes, thank you for listening to us,' said Lauren.

Nat could feel the energy leaving the room – they'd come in with so much gusto and now that they'd all had their say, it felt flat. Some looked frustrated, and others looked worried, probably wondering if they'd done enough. Nat felt exhausted. Were their voices loud enough to be heard?

‘Thanks, Tuck. We appreciate your help,' said Lauren, shaking his hand.

‘I just hope it works.' He glanced at his watch. ‘I've got to head off for a meeting but please call me if I can help with anything.'

‘Will do.'

‘Thanks, Tuck,' they all said as he left, merging with the people on the footpath.

Like a bunch of tumbleweed sitting in the middle of the road, they huddled together, out of place.

‘I need a drink,' said Ross.

‘That minister has already made his mind up,' said James, who was on the P & C. ‘I doubt anything we said would change his mind.'

‘Yeah, he didn't seem to care about what we had to say,' said Kath. ‘Tuck did a great job, though.'

‘Yep. Nice speech, by the way, Kath,' added James as he patted her shoulder. ‘But the mallee roots in my woodheap have more emotion than that pollie bastard. How are we supposed to get through to them? They just don't care. He makes all the right sounds but do you really think he's going to rethink this? It all comes down to the figures. I wish we could take something away from them, something that would affect their whole way of life,' grumbled James. ‘Then they might get it.'

‘I'm depressed,' said Grace, ‘I need chocolate.'

‘Can we drive the bus through a bottle-o for the way home?' asked Bob. ‘I could go a cold one or two.'

‘Will the bus fit through Hungry Jack's? I need a Whopper,' said James.

Their banter was continuous as they climbed back aboard. An eight-hour round trip, for such a short meeting.

‘Do you need a lift, Drew?' asked Eric, who'd offered to drive the team to Perth, seeing as though it was his bus.

‘That's okay, Eric. I'll drop them off on my way home,' said Nat quickly. ‘Jump in, guys,' she said to Drew and Billy.

‘Do you think we made a difference?' asked Drew as they waved goodbye to the busload of country folk.

‘Fingers crossed, I guess. Hard to know. I think if they've made their decision for their budget, then nothing we do can change their mind. I hope I'm wrong.'