Chapter 21

Patrick was asleep before we left Quilpie.

"He's still only a little boy," said Weena.

"Our little boy."

"Will he be okay?"

"Why not? He's undergone an experience. I'm not sure what was entailed, but it's clear he's tired, but not hurt. He's found his totem. Or it's found him. He's been given a secret name, too. His 'true name, ' not the one we gave him. But he'll play with Rachel. And go to school. And he'll learn other things. But, you're a healer; and it was foretold that Patrick would be a healer. And the Rainbow Serpent is a healer — unlike the Emu, whose bones kill, or the Dingo, who's responsible for death."

"And it's better than watching the telly and thinking you're a superhero, I guess."

We were quiet for a while. We came to Charleville and the road improved. "Let's eat, I'm hungry," I said. "We'll stop at the Hotel Corones." I turned off the highway and we were there. Patrick woke up.

"I'm hungry," he said.

"That's why we stopped, dear. We'll all eat," I responded.

"'Kay." He seemed very grown up.

"Do you need a nappy?" asked Weena.

"No more. But go potty." After lunch we drove back to Mitchell.

Weena had him in the bathtub ten minutes later, scrubbing away. "You know this has to be done," I heard her say. "Every snake sheds its skin as it grows. You grow a little bit every day, so we wash off the old in the bath."

"Okay. But you rub too hard," Patrick complained.

"Just to make you pink and shiny."

Around 1600 the phone rang. It was Jacky. We chatted a bit and Mum asked me to invite them for dinner. I did and we got off the phone. "They'll be here in an hour; Alice was napping."

"I'm stewing an old hen. She stopped laying, so she's ready for the pot. Dumplings or taters?" Mum asked.

"Dumplings, please. Yours are still the best."

"I heard that!" said Weena, carrying a towel-wrapped bundle.

"It wasn't a slight. I didn't say yours were bad. Mum's got nearly 30 years on you."

"True and I wasn't insulted anyway. Look what I've got."

"Looks like a little boy."

"Mummy washed away my old skin. She rubbed hard."

"Patrick, you want to go and help your mum pick carrots and radishes?"

"Sure. Get clothes first."

"Put on boots, both of you. There might be a snake in the patch."

"Really?"

"Unlikely. But it's possible. I caught red-napes out there 20 years ago. They're not really venomous. And there aren't any adders here. But I'd rather be overly cautious."

Red-naped Snake may reach a length of 40 centimetres. Its body is rich reddish-brown above. Each scale is edged with black or dark brown. The head and nape are black. Contained within the black head and neck is a distinctive red or orange patch. The Red-naped Snake is found throughout eastern Australia from the coast to the drier inland. Although venomous, the species is harmless to humans. Small skinks figure prominently in the Red-naped Snake's diet.

A few minutes later they were back with handfuls of carrots and radishes. Weena rinsed Patrick's hands and knees. When Jacky and Alice arrived, I saw that she was enormous. Weena went into full-bore nurse mode.

"Do you feel okay?"

"I tire very fast. But I feel fine."

"What does your doctor say?"

"Nothing much. I haven't seen him in a few weeks."

"And when are you due?"

"Seven or eight weeks."

"Nonsense! Come into this bedroom with me."

Alice went meekly. "She was like that with Jimmy," Jacky said.

"Guess so. Come on, we'll set table for Mum."

We were nearly done when Weena reappeared. "Jacky, which doctor does Alice go to?"