Eavesdroppers Hear Only Bad Things By Kate Email: peter.bailey@paradise.net.nz

Catagory: Misc

Rating: G

PART ONE

I knew I shouldn’t listen outside the door. Aunty Tess often warned me eavesdroppers hear only bad things – but I couldn’t help myself. Besides, Uncle Nick sounded really worried.

"This drought’s the worst I’ve ever known."

I couldn’t hear what Aunty Tess said next but Uncle Nick said something which made cold shivers wriggle like snakes up my legs.

"If it doesn’t rain soon, and I mean rain, Drovers is had it!"

I heard Aunty Tess gasp. "I know the drought’s bad but I thought..."

Uncle Nick sighed loudly and there was the sound of a chair being pushed back.

"I didn’t want to worry you, Tess, especially now."

I knew he was talking about Aunty Tess being pregnant. We were marking the days off on the calendar and there were only two weeks to go. That’s if Aunty Tess’s dates were right.

"We’ve borrowed all we can," Uncle Nick said. "I’m afraid this drought’s going to finish us."

I held my breath.

Aunty Tess said in a quiet voice, "Is there anything we can do, borrow some money off Harry or something?"

Uncle Nick sounded grim. "I’ve already asked, things are pretty tight for him at the moment as well. But we still do have one more option. Sell."

Aunty Tess’s voice rose. "Sell Drovers Run? Sell everything we’ve worked for? Everything Claire worked for? You can’t be serious."

"Of course I don’t want to but it doesn’t seem worth struggling on," Uncle Nick said. "You know, we barely make a living these days as it is. This drought’s the final straw."

"I wonder what Claire would do if she was here..." Aunty Tess’s voice slowly drifted off.

I heard Uncle Nick pacing around the room. He spoke in a tired-sounding voice. "Unless it rains soon that’s what’s on the agenda." He gave a bitter laugh. "If we can find a buyer mug enough to take it on."

It was as if I had been dunked in cold water. I wanted to shout, No! Don’t sell our farm. But how could I waltz in as though nothing was wrong and tell them I’d been kept awake by the sun, that my sheets had been choking me, that I hadn’t been meaning to eavesdrop? It was easier to take the coward’s way out. I tiptoed back to my room.

I jumped into bed and pulled one of the creased sheets over my head. Uncle Nick’s words drummed in my mind. How could he even think of selling? What would Mum say if she was still alive?

"Drovers Run has been in our family for generations!"

Alex was the only person I’d told my secret to. That one day, I’d take over Drovers Run, and so it would have been passed down to yet another generation of McLeods. Now it might never happen.

Although I felt a burning behind my eyes I didn’t give in and cry like a baby. Charlotte Prudence McLeod didn’t snivel or cry, she just got on with it. I’d find some way of helping though it’d have to be a secret. I couldn’t tell anyone that I knew, even Alex, without admitting I’d eavesdropped. I punched the pillow. There was only one thing to do. Go undercover. On my own.

That night I dreamed I was on television. I was Young Farmer of the Year because I’d saved Drovers Run. Everyone clapped, most of all Alex, Aunty Tess, Uncle Nick, Meg, Jodi and Stevie. Imagine, me a real farmer.



PART TWO

Good dreams are great, waking up early on the first day of your school holidays when your head is full of problems, isn’t. I glanced at the clock. Uncle Nick would be getting up to start work now. I decided to go and see if there was anything that I could do to help. Pulling on my jeans and a t-shirt, I crept downstairs.

Uncle Nick was pouring himself a cup of tea and looked up in surprise.

"You’re up with the sparrows."

"I’ll bring the cows in, if you like."

He poured me a drink and handed over the packet of gingernuts. After I’d eaten a couple dunked in my tea, I hurried out and saddled up my horse Zeb. Then I whistled for Roy.

I love the way things are early in the morning. The damp newness of the paddocks and trees, the sun looking like the yolk of an egg as it rises over the horizon.

Roy ran along in front of me to the back paddock. It was easy once the gates were opened because the cows were already standing there waiting.

"Get in behind Roy," I yelled and away he went, barking loudly.

Uncle Nick was waiting to let the cows into the front paddock.

"I’m off to feed the chooks," I said. Then I went in to wash up for breakfast.

"Nick’ll be pleased you helped him this morning.

I cut my toast into soldiers, like Meg used to when I was a little kid.

"When you’ve had the baby I could stay home from school and help Uncle Nick run the farm, do all the jobs you usually do." I wanted to add before there isn’t any farm to help run but I didn’t. Couldn’t talk at all actually. It was as though a piece of toast was stuck in my throat.

Aunty Tess patted her round stomach.

"I certainly didn’t time this right, did I? I should’ve arranged it so bubs arrived in the school holidays then you could’ve been Nick’s farmhand." She tried to smile but it sort of tipped sideways and seemed sad. "Fancy planning a water-birth right in the middle of a drought. Stupid, eh?"

I swallowed hard. Not my toast, just the words I wished I could say.

Tess pointed to the clock.

"Better go and finish getting ready, Leanne will be here soon."

Aunty Tess’s stomach was in the way when I tried to hug her. I did my best then ran outside to wait for Leanne. Dust puffed up under my feet, making my white sandals brown. One-legged, I leaned against the fencepost, trying to dust them clean. Already the sun’s touch on my bare legs felt hot.

Finally Mrs Preston’s car pulled up and Leanne jumped out. She pulled out her knitting project. She’s making bootees for my new niece or nephew.

We raced up the stairs and into my room and sat down on the rug.

"Mum showed me how to do the turn for the foot. Look." She held up the grubby, yellow knitting.

I grinned.

"You’d better hurry, by the time you’ve finished the baby’ll be going to school with us."

The corners of Leanne’s mouth turned down.

"At least I can knit."

I patted her on the arm, feeling a bit mean.

"You’re much better at it than me. I can’t even keep the stitches on the needles." Without thinking, I told her Aunty Tess was worried about having a water-birth in the middle of the drought.

Leanne stopped knitting and stared at me.

"Really? Well my Mum said right from the start that you wouldn’t catch her having a baby in the bath. She says there’s always a chance it might drown or something. Mum says..."

I tried to block out the sound of Leanne’s voice. Mum says, Mum says, Mum says.

I gazed out of the window and tried to remember my Mum but I couldn’t, I had lots of photos but I still couldn’t remember her. I stared out the window again what I saw shocked me. No longer were there green paddocks filled with sheep and cows. Now the hills looked like some peanut brownies left in the oven too long. Crisp and dried-up. The animals seemed miserable too.

I jumped up to open the window but something slipped from beneath me and I fell to the ground. Not again I groaned, another floorboard had come lose, this was the second time this month. Leanne helped me to my feet then I tried to place the floorboard back into place but a rusty metal tin caught my eye.

PART THREE

After Leanne had gone home I lifted up the floorboard again and took out the rusty metal tin. I tried to open the lid but it was either locked or rusted shut. I held the tin to my ear and shook. Something rattled but it didn’t sound like money. I’d found buried treasure... we could be rich now... we won’t have to worry...

I ran down the stairs, through the house and out to Uncle Nick’s shed.

Uncle Nick’s hammer was lying on his workbench. I set the tin down and examined it. There was something written on the lid. A hard rubbing revealed the letters C.M. written in curly writing. C.M.? My initials!

Bang! I hit the tin with the hammer but it bounced off leaving a small dent. I’d once seen Uncle Nick open a tin that had a broken lock. What had he used? There were tools hanging on the wall. I managed to wedge a screwdriver under the lock on the front. Taking aim, I swung the hammer. Yes! The lid gaped a little. The next time I hit it harder and knocked the tin off the bench. As I bent to pick it up the contents tipped out.

There was a bunch of papers tied up with a faded ribbon and a locket, which explained the rattle. The same curly letters, C.M., were engraved on the front. I shoved the other things back into the tin. All that hard work and no treasure! I sat on the concrete floor, leaning back against the legs of the workbench feeling the coolness creep through my body and stared at the locket. I didn’t hear Meg come into the workshop until she spoke.

"Is that you under there, Charlotte? What on earth are you doing?"

I jumped up in surprise.

"I’ve opened this tin I found, but there isn’t any treasure in it after all. Just a lot of old papers and this locket."

I held it out.

Meg took the tin and the locket and held it up in the sunlight, peering at the letters on the lid and on the locket.

"C.M." she said slowly. Then she smiled. "Charlotte this was you mother Claires. She used to wear this locket everywhere when she was little, her Dad, your Grandfather gave it to her. You have found treasure, family treasure!"

She gave me a hug. Closing the tin she said, "Come on, let’s go inside, I’ve just made some lemonade."

I told her I had to go and feed Roy. I slipped the locket over my head, under my t-shirt and set out; I took the tin and headed for my tree.

I climbed up the tree with the tin, sat on one of the branches and peered up. The tree swayed and groaned as the nor’wester tugged and pulled at it. Sunlight flashed into my eyes like a bright light turning on and off. I wondered if the tree was tired of the hot wind. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine I was a pine tree with roots instead of legs and funny pine needles instead of skin. Always in the same spot day after day, year after year, needing sunshine and rain to keep alive. There wasn’t anything a tree could do. But I could. I wrapped my arms around the trunk and whispered, "I’ll help you tree, I promise."

But how? I picked up the tin and opened it up again. I untied the ribbon around the papers and slowly opened them. On the papers was some kind of map, maybe Mum had buried more of her things somewhere else on Drovers. What else could the map be?

The truck drove past; Uncle Nick was back for lunch and Alex was with him.

He waved as he let Roy down from the truck. Roy ran up to me grinning, his body swaying as he wagged his tail.

"What ya got?" Alex asked

"Nothing" I said putting the papers back in the tin.

"Well we’re about out of water now." Nick said to Alex as he walked over. "I’ve arranged for a tanker to come next week." He took off his hat and dabbed a handkerchief at his forehead."

"Uncle Nick, don’t we have any water at all on Drovers?"

"No, the dam has even dried up. Your Granddad used to say he’d heard talk of an underground stream somewhere on the farm though. Unfortunately, no one seems to know where."

My heartbeat skipped faster. The map Mum had in her tin.

"An underground stream? Couldn’t we find it and..."

Uncle Nick patted my hand shaking his head.

"I’ve already checked several maps and so has Alex. Anyway, all the water’s dried up around here now. Even all the dams. There’s hardly any feed..." He stopped suddenly. "Sorry, I don’t mean to be gloomy."

Alex reached up and pulled me down from the tree and lifted me on to his shoulders. Roy barked and ran around us.

I couldn’t help giggling as we galloped into the porch, though I knew Alex was trying hard to make me forget about the drought and what Nick had said.

I sat on my bed looking over Mums map, I was meant to be asleep but saving Drovers Run was more important.

I sat still for a moment and closed my eyes. Somewhere on Drovers there was water. It hadn’t dried up, I was sure of that. Somewhere, a stream was quietly chuckling to itself deep underground, waiting for me to find it.

Just before I fell asleep, I tried to remember the last time it’d rained. I closed my eyes and imagined rain falling on my tongue. What did it taste like? I gave up. Just like Mum I couldn’t remember.

PART FOUR

I walked outside and looked up to the sky. Clouds, like pavlovas, curled around the hills. I kicked a stone. They weren’t rain clouds.

I gazed out across the paddocks and up at the hills. Uncle Nick was letting the cows out, I could hear Roy’s excited barks and the occasional low call from a cow. It was a slow procession down to the bottom paddock. If I hurried, I could meet Uncle Nick halfway and help. I quickly went and got Zeb and then meet up with Uncle Nick.

Uncle Nick smiled and lifted his hand in a wave.

"Gidday stranger," he called. "Come to give me a hand?"

I hurried off to open the next gate.

What Uncle Nick had for feed made my stomach seesaw. I helped throw the mixture of grain, apples and pears to the cows and sheep. Sweat rivered down my face from under my hat and my hair hung like heavy rope against my neck. My nose felt as though it was glowing and I wished that I’d put more sunblock on. I hated looking like Rudolph and besides, I had enough freckles.

The cows stood amongst their strange food and stared at it.

"I don’t think they like it," I said.

Uncle Nick took off his hat and wiped his handkerchief across his wet face.

"Either that or starve," he said. He thumped his hat back on and sat watching.

Looking sorry for themselves, the cows began to munch at the apples and pears.

Uncle Nick started to head towards the sheep in the next paddock

Tea-time wasn’t easy.

Meg pointed at my face.

"Your nose is sunburnt. I told you to use sunblock."

I felt my nose with my fingers. It was hot and sore.

"My fault," said Uncle Nick. "I kept her too long." He winked at me.

"Go and put some of that cream in the bathroom cabinet on it." Meg said.

On my way back to the dining room I heard them talking about Drovers and selling it. They had found a buyer already, I couldn’t believe it!

I hesitated in the doorway.

"Come on Charlie, come and eat your tea before Roy does," Called Meg.

I didn’t look at anyone while I ate. Instead, I carefully inspected each piece of broccoli, each pea that I put in my mouth.

As Tess gathered up the plates she said, "Charlotte we have something very serious to talk to you about."

I found a tiny chip in the wooden table to pick at with my finger.

"Everything all right?" asked Nick.

"Mmm," Tess reached to help Meg serve the pudding.

"Charlotte if the drought doesn’t end soon we will have to..." started Aunty Tess.

I stared at the table. I pushed my chair back and stood up.

"I’m not hungry any more."

I turned and ran out of the room.

It was hot and still outside but at least there was a breeze although it was like a hot hair dryer. I sat on my old swing. I wrapped my arms around the rope and slumped, letting it turn jerkily in a circle. I wished I was a little kid again. With no problems. I wished I could ask Mum what to do.

Next morning, when I checked, the paddocks were still brown and there wasn’t one cloud in the sky. I decided to go and help with the drenching.

The radio was playing music loudly and I heard Alex singing. He smiled when he saw me.

I put my hands over my ears.

"You’ll turn milk in to butter."

Alex tried to wet me with the water hose but I ducked in time.

"Cheeky monkey!"

I helped let the cows out as Nick and Alex drenched them. One cow flicked her tail in to my face. "Yuck!" I yelled.

As I wiped the wetness off, it was Alex and Nick’s turn to laugh.

The radio announcer started to talk about the drought.

"With no promise of rain in the short term, the situation for farmers is grim. The winds have been particularly strong, keeping the rain away for the past three months. This situation is made worse by the fact that rainfall was low last winter. Scores of lakes and dams have dried up and the situation is serious with most farmers now buying in all their water by the tanker load. Many farmers are in real difficulties and are approaching the Rural Bank for help but in some cases it may come too late..."

I saw the pained look on Uncle Nick’s face. I swung on the gate, watching as the cows plodding back to the paddock stirred up clouds of dust. Tails flicked from side to side as they tried to keep the flies away. The slow trek made me feel sad. However bad things were for our animals, they never complained. They trusted us to look after them. No wonder Uncle Nick was worried.

When I got back to the house I went up to my room and had a look at the map which was in Mum’s tin. The map showed a drawing of a paddock. There were no fences so it was hard to recognise where it was, but there was one thing that I did recognise, Stone Bear crouching by the willows. It was Stone Bear paddock.

In the paddock, there is a huge rock and willows growing along the fenceline. I played there before I was old enough for school. The rock looked like a large, shambly bear. Stone Bear had been my best friend in the entire world.

Marked in blue ink there was a spidery line and the words McLeod’s Creek written next to it.

I ran out to Nick’s shed and grabbed a shovel, I was going to find out if there really was water near Stone Bear. I made my way to Stone Bear and started digging, once I had broken the surface it was much easier to dig.

PART 5

I dug further and further into the ground and found no water, it was getting quite late and I was about to go in when I saw Uncle Nick riding towards me on his bike.

"We’ve been looking for you for ages, what are you doing all the way out here?" Asked Nick.

I walked over to him and showed him the map.

"I was trying to find water, an underground stream or something so I could save Drovers Run, so we wouldn’t have to sell..." I whispered.

"It’s as if Mum is trying to help us, the farm will be all right now the map shows us where there’s water." I added.

To my disappointment, he shook his head.

"I wish it was that simple, Charlie." There was a sad look on his face. "To find the stream, or even put a bore down, would take a lot of time and money, both of which we don’t have." He lifted his head and gazed out over the paddocks. "The simple truth is we need rain, plenty of it and soon or..."

I felt turned to stone. All my work was for nothing. The farm was still in terrible danger. Somewhere, a bee droned, making a sad sound. Nick took my hand in his. I stared down at the brown hand. His fingers felt rough, like the trunk of the pine tree. I fought back tears.

"Maybe it’ll rain," Nick said, trying to smile.

We headed back in for dinner, I was starving because I had forgotten lunch, I had been out digging for so long. We all sat around the table silently, Meg, Jodi and Stevie tried to make small talk but I just sat there staring at my plate.

Meg commented about this lady from town trying to get people to come and have a meditation for rain.

"Now I’ve heard everything." Said Jodi. They all started to laugh.

Uncle Nick looked around at us.

"You know it’s no laughing matter, this drought. It’s a matter of survival, both for the farm and for us!"

Uncle Nick pushed himself back from the table and walked over to the open window frame.

"Look! All our hopes and dreams are out there. And what do you see? Paddocks of burnt grass and stock I can’t feed properly. Bill Johnson rang me and said he has to return our cattle because he's in trouble now!

I’d never seen Uncle Nick this mad before, he wasn’t even this mad when I flushed his keys down the toilet! It really scared me.

I’m going to collect them tomorrow and take them to the saleyards on the way back. If I can’t sell them live they’ll have to go to the works."

Tess put down her knife and fork and stared at the plate.

"It must rain soon, Nick. It can’t go on forever," said Jodi.

Nick leaned against the wall.

"Can’t it? This has been the driest summer in more than one hundred and thirty years. Who’s to say it won’t continue." His shoulders slumped. "Long enough to put paid to Drovers Run."

Aunty Tess went over too him and put her arm around his shoulders.

"Things are bad but there is always a solution."

Uncle Nick tried to smile. Tess always seems to know what to say to cheer him up.

That night I couldn’t get to sleep. Partly because of the heat but also because I kept thinking about how the farm had been in the family for more than a hundred years. All those years of hard work and by people I’m related to. Grandmothers and grandfathers, great-aunts, aunts and great-uncles, uncles, cousins, Mum...

PART 6

I looked out the window and saw Uncle Nick heading towards his bike. Pink light was already warming up the morning. As I went past Aunty Tess’s room I said good morning to her, she looked like she was in pain but she assured me she was OK.

I told her I was going out to help Uncle Nick and she just nodded, but Uncle Nick had already left by the time I got outside.

I decided to go and see Alex so I saddled up Zeb and headed for Wilgul.

"Hi Charlie, what ya doing over here, I thought you’d be helping Aunty Tess today. The baby is due soon isn’t it?"

"Yeah, only a week to go now, if it arrives on time." I said. "Hey did Mum ever tell you about an underground stream on Drovers?"

"Not that I can remember." Alex said with a sad look on his face. "You know Nick will do everything he can to make sure he doesn’t have to sell Drovers but if it doesn’t rain soon..."

"Mmm," I replied.

"Well I have a fence to fix, you could help me if you like."

I nodded and hopped in to the Ute.

We arrived at the part of the boundary fence which had fallen down. Alex got out and went over to check the damage and got the extra fencing out of the Ute and started to fix it while I sat in the car with the door open.

"Alex do you miss Mum."

"Of course I do, I think about her every day and wish that she had been her to see you grow up in to a mini Claire." He looked up at me and smiled, "I don’t know what I do without you Charlie, when Claire died I didn’t really have a reason to live anymore but I looked at you and thought that little girl is my reason."

I jumped out of the car and gave him a hug.

"I love you Alex."

"I love you too."

Now could you be some help and pass me some of that fencing wire that’s in the Ute.

When I got back to Drovers it was well past lunch-time and Aunty Tess was still in bed.

I walked into the room, Meg was in there with Aunty Tess.

"Thank god you’re back, we were starting to get worried." Said Meg.

"Oh, sorry I was with Alex helping him fix a fence, has Nick been back for lunch yet?"

"No, and we need to get hold of him, this baby is on its way." Meg said franticly.

I rushed outside and mounted Zeb, Jodi and Stevie were already out trying to find Nick and I was going to help.

I was really scared. I felt something tangle around my neck. I pulled at the chain and the locket swung out of my T-shirt and fell lightly against my chest. When I opened it, Mum’s eyes seemed to look straight at me. She didn’t look like the sort of person to be afraid of anything.

I looked around me. Fat, grey tinged clouds bunched together over Drovers. Taking a deep breath, I straightened my shoulders.

I had to find Uncle Nick.

Zeb and I got to the gate to Stone Bears paddock, I could see smoke in the distance.

"Zeb, have to leave you hear." I whispered to my horse.

I got off and climbed over the stile in to the paddock. It was getting really dark and the wind was awful. My hair whipped around stinging my face. Suddenly something caught hold of my foot and I tripped, falling on my stomach, narrowly missing a cowpat. I pull myself up dusting pieces of grass off my clothes. My knees stung and were stained an awful greeny-brown colour.

I looked towards where the smoke was coming from and saw Nicks bike.

I ran to the fenceline and opened the gate, I rush forward and saw Nick lying on the ground. I dragged him as far away from the bike as I could before it exploded.

PART 7

I looked up and saw Jodi and Stevie galloping towards us, the explosion must have got their attention.

Stevie jumped off her horse and bent down to have a look, "It doesn’t looked like anything’s broken, it just looks like he has been knocked out."

Jodi bent down and slapped Nick’s face. "OK so what do we do now?" She asked. "We can’t get him on a horse, or move him, in case he has broken his back or something. But we do need to get him to the house, and I’m not carrying him!"

Stevie started laughing at her. "Well the first thing we should do is try and get him to come round." She said.

I sat there silently.

"Well how do you propose we do that? Slap him to he comes to?" Jodi questioned her.

"Well do you have a better idea." Stevie argued.

They were still arguing when Nick came too.

"Could you two shut up, I have a killer headache."

They both jumped.

Stevie took charge of the situation. "Can you walk?"

Nick stood up, "Of course I can."

"Are you sure nothings broken, do you want us to support you while you walk, we could go and get the Ute." Jodi fussed.

"I’m fine Jodi."

"Good we better get going your wife is in labour." Stevie said before jumping on her horse.

"You take Jodi’s horse and she and Charlotte can ride back together, alright." Said Stevie before riding away.

When Jodi and I reached Drovers we raced straight upstairs to Tess’s room. Stevie was leaning against the wall outside. Jodi and I both stood next to her and listened against the wall.

I heard Uncle Nick say I hope the doctor makes it on time.

Aunty Tess laughed "I’m sure you could deliver the baby if it comes to it."

I felt worried. I’ve seen millions (well, quite a lot) of farm animals being born. In the spring, there’s always lambs and calves dropping out of their mothers. Once, I watched Uncle Nick help the vet deliver a foal by tying a rope around the little fellow’s leg and pulling him out. But I wasn’t too sure about Uncle Nick delivering my cousin.

I heard cars pulling up in the driveway. The midwife and Doctor Hubman came in together, laughing and teasing Aunty Tess for giving them such a hurry-up.

"Everything’s going fine," Doctor Hubman said after examining Aunty Tess. He glanced at his watch. "It’s four thirty now, at a guess I’d say the baby might be here in the next two or three hours." He looked at the midwife. "D’you agree?"

The midwife snorted.

"You know babies, they come when they’re ready."

Doctor Hubman went off, telling Meg to phone when they needed him. He was actually whistling as he walked out to his car.

I met Uncle Nick trying to pull on his gumboots and walk at the same time.

"I’m off to finish the drenching. Come and get me, I’ll be in the shed, when you want me."

I offered to go with him but he shook his head.

"Stevie and Jodi are helping, you stay with Tess and help. I’ll be back as soon as I can."

Meg, the midwife and I helped Aunty Tess walk around the room, resting between contractions. I could here Tess breathing deeply.

Everything seemed to go slowly. Sometimes in between contractions, the midwife listened to the baby’s heartbeat. I gave Aunty Tess drinks of water when she asked and wiped her face with a damp facecloth.

After what seemed like hours, the midwife examined Aunty Tess again. Then told Meg to ring Doctor Hubman.

I ran out to the shed to get Uncle Nick, Alex was with him.

"How’s it all going, dear?" Meg asked.

"I think I’ve changed my mind, Meg," Tess said. "I won’t bother having a baby after all – it’s too much hard work!"

Uncle Nick came in after he changed out of his dirty clothes, he was now wearing old clothes and he still had his gumboots on which made us all laugh, it was just as well because by the look on Aunty Tess’s face she really meant what she’d said.

Tess did her breathing the way she’d practised but still the baby didn’t come. Time seemed to have stopped, or slowed down. To help make it pass more quickly Alex and I made a pot of tea for Stevie, Jodi and us. We set the cups and tea-things on the kitchen table and I took the vase off the dining room table and put it in the middle. I hoped no one would notice the daises were half-dead.

Just as us four had sat down I heard Aunty Tess yell.

"It’s coming!"

Jodi knocked her tea over in surprise.

We all started to laugh. Then I thought she couldn’t have the baby – the doctor wasn’t here!

Alex started talking about when I was born to take our minds off what was happening upstairs.

After what seemed like forever we heard a baby crying and Meg cam rushing downstairs.

"It’s a healthy little girl." She yelled.

Everyone was jumping up and down and laughing and hugging...

PART 8
TWO WEEKS LATER...

The midwife was back for her weekly visit, just to make sure everything was going OK. The midwife had been helping Aunty Tess give her a bath. We all laughed as the midwife rubbed her with a soft towel. She didn’t seem to like that and bellowed like a calf, her face turning really pink.

"She certainly has a good pair of lungs!" She said.

"What have you called this little angel?" She asked.

Uncle Nick spread his hands.

"She’s nameless at the moment, I’m sorry to say."

Aunty Tess cuddled the baby close to her chest, and to my surprise she opened her mouth like a hungry fish. Tess smiled and put the knuckle of her finger in the baby’s mouth. "We’ve been trying to choose one for ages."

"What about you, Charlotte," the midwife asked me, "have you picked one out?"

I looked up.

"Well when Mum named me she used Aunty Tess’s middle name so what about Louise?" I said going a bit pink. "We can start a new tradition.

Tess looked at Nick and they both nodded.

"That sounds perfect," Said Aunty Tess.

Uncle Nick thought for a while. Then said looking at Tess, "How about Louise Ruth Ryan after your mother?"

Tess smiled and gave Uncle Nick a hug.

I went outside and sat in my tree; the drought had not ended and did not look like it was going to for a little while yet. I breathed in the air was hot and sticky and I sighed as I looked out at the brown paddocks and hills burnt by the sun. Uncle Nick had just brought in another tanker of water and some people were coming to look at Drovers tomorrow. We had to sell there was nothing more we could do, the only solution now was for it to rain and as I looked up at the sky I knew there was no way that was going to be happening anytime soon.

They sky was as blue as ever and there were only a few clouds but they were thin and wispy, definitely not rain-clouds!

I hadn’t completely given up on the idea of finding water, Charlotte Prudence McLeods is not someone who gives up easily but I knew even if I did find an underground stream it would cost too much to bore down and get the water out.

I didn’t know where we were going to go when they did sell Drovers but I wasn’t sure I would be included in there plans. Ever since I was little I felt as if I didn’t belong because I wasn’t with my Mum or Dad, but now more than ever since Louise was born I feel that way. There they are, this happy little family and then there is me. I was jealous that Louise had a Mum and a Dad!

I was sick of being the only one who want’s to save Drovers. All Tess and Nick can think about is the baby. They don’t even care if we have to leave. I want to stay here. Run Drovers like Mum and Granddad!

I heard Alex from inside cooing over the baby.

Maybe I’ll go and live with Alex, at least he makes me feel like I am family.

I jumped down from the branch of the tree and I looked up at the sky. Where was the rain? I’d done everything I could. It just wasn’t fair. I felt something on my cheek. Something wet like a tear. But I wasn’t crying. I scanned the sky again. Splosh! A fat drop of water hit me on the nose.

My voice came out all sort of choked-sounding.

"Aunty Tess! Jodi! Stevie! Meg! It’s raining! It’s raining!"

First I hugged Aunty Tess. Then I grabbed Jodi’s arms, dancing her around in a circle.

"Drovers is saved!"

The back door opened and Uncle Nick peered out.

We all yelled to him.

"It’s raining!"

He turned and shouted to Alex.

Soon we were all outdoors. Even Roy had come to see what all the fuss was about.

Alex lifted me up high and I laughed as rain wet my hair and upturned face. I put out my tongue. "Lemonade, it tastes like lemonade," I yelled.

"Check out those clouds," Alex yelled. "Some real rain at last."

"It’s odd," Nick said, "I checked the barometer a while ago and there wasn’t any sign of this. Not that I’m complaining, only it’s a bit weird. I’m going in to check."

"I think he must of hit his head quite hard when he crashed on his bike." Jodi laughed "I mean its rain, it’s raining, it doesn’t need explaining."

Soon he was running outdoors again, an excited look on his face. "Rain – heavy rain, it says." He put his arm around Tess’s waist, pulling her in to a crazy dance. Then he grabbed Jodi, Meg and Stevie, making them dance too. "It’s come just in time," he called. "We might just be okay now." He reached out for my hand but I went over to Tess instead.

I whispered a question.

"Yes," she said. "Be careful though, won’t you."

I ran into the house and up the stairs.

Louise was wide-awake in her bassinet. I reached in and lifted her, putting my hand under her head and wrapping her in her bunny-rug.

"I’m going to show you something wonderful," I whispered as I carried her downstairs and into the porch.

Louise looked up, her eyes weren’t crossed and I was sure she really smiled at me. I kissed her and then lifted one of her hands in to the night.

"See, Louise," I whispered.

A fat drop of water plopped into her hand,

"See Louise. This is rain."

FINALE
TEN YEARS LATER...

"Charlotte can you keep an eye on Louise for me while me and Nick go in to town" Aunty Tess called out.

"Fine," I yelled "But she will have to come with me while I bring the cows in for Alex!"

I helped Louise get her horse saddled up and then I mounted Zeb.

Sam our new dog came running out.

We rode to the back paddock. I looked around at the green paddocks and hills, it was so different to the burnt hills that where in the place of the green ones during the drought ten years ago.

"Sam get in behind, Sam." I yelled.

"Sam get in behind, Sam." A little voice from behind me called.

We finally got the cows to the front paddock for Alex, then Louise and I went in for lunch.

"What do you want in your sandwiches?" Meg asked as we got inside.

"Whatever I don’t mind." I said as I opened the fridge and got a glass of juice for Louise and me.

"What about you Louise, what do you want in yours?" Asked Meg again.

"I’ll have whatever Charlie has!" Said Louise brightly.

I passed her a glass of juice and she started to drink it too quickly so some of it spilled down her chin.

We ate our lunch then I got up to help Alex. He had some fences to fix at Wilgul.

"Meg I’m going to help Alex, could you look after Louise for me?" I asked.

"Sure she can help me in the garden."

"No I’m going with Charlie!" She said and clung on to my leg.

"Looks like your shadow wants to go with you Charlotte." Laughed Meg.

"Sorry," I said as I detached her from my leg. "I have to go and do some work, but I’ll play with you when I get back, OK."

I ran outside as fast as I could and saw Alex getting in to his Ute. I said hi as I jumped into the passenger seat, then I changed music.

"Alex you’re taste in music really sucks!" I laughed at him.

"You know your Mum used to say exactly the same thing."

"Well she was definitely right!"

That night when I got back Louise was still waiting up for me.

I walked inside and grabbed a beer out of the fridge, but Louise came running in.

"Can I have one Charlie?"

I swapped my beer for a coke and gave her one too.

"Don’t tell your Mum" I whispered.

Louise had a sip and then put hers down on the kitchen table.

"Where’s your Mum" I asked her.

"She’s sitting outside."

I went and joined Aunty Tess outside. She was looking up at the sky, it was pitch black.

I sat down next to her and Louise jumped on my lap.

We all looked up at the night sky, Aunty Tess pointed out her star and my Mums then I found mine. Lousie looked up and asked where her star was.

"I want one next to Charlie’s Mum!" Lousie demanded.

We found one near mine that looked exactly the same. It was the perfect star for Louise because it looked like her star was following mine.

A star for Louise!

THE END