Chapter 15

Saturday afternoon and evening passed peacefully. Mum was in a semi-frenzy on Sunday, as both her boys would be there. Weena managed to ensure that she wasn't dead tired by the time David arrived — earlier than expected (I suspected he wanted to make certain that he avoided church).

By eleven, Weena had the kids under control and Mum, Dad, David, and I were sitting around the kitchen table. Dad had a sheaf of paper in front of him.

"Okay. I have several things to say and I'd prefer no interruption. Agreed, boys?"

"Yessir," I said.

"Right," added David.

"Very well. Well, first of all, we're selling up." David looked startled but held his tongue. "I've already sold the cattle. I'm giving the sheep to Jacky. The horses and tack will go to whichever of the hands wants them. The house and acreage will be sold.

"I've got a surveyor coming who'll trim off two sections: one for the band, the other for Jacky and Alice. Once those are legally bestowed, we'll sell. That's 500 acres from that northwest corner for Jacky to raise sheep. And 200 acres to the band as a home. When the surveyor's done, I'll — uh, we'll — pay to run fences. That'll leave near 30,000 acres to sell. As soon as the survey is in, we'll post it. We'll also be re-writing our wills.

"Your Mum and I will be moving into a place for seniors in Roma. Bit south of the hospital. We've looked about and feel this will do us. I'm near 70 and your Mum gave me a fright when that snake struck her. We've been working together for 46 years. It's time to rest.

"We've put cash down in Roma and will pay the remainder when this is sold. We should have far more than enough so that we can live and maybe travel a bit — to Perth, perhaps.

"Okay. That's most of it." He looked at David. "That's why Weena's not here. She'll learn about all this when we're done. You can tell Sandra when you get home. Okay. I'm done. Mum, you want to say anything?"

"No." I could see tears in her eyes. David looked stunned. Dad had been his tower of strength for over 40 years. I decided I needed to play a role.

"This has been your home a long time. It's full of things and full of ghosts." Mum nodded. "How would it be if David came and spent a few days with me going through stuff and trying to relieve you of some of the work? Weena could do some with you on Tuesday, while Patrick and I are away. And I'll go through my books and things and have stuff shipped to the uni."

"When do you leave?" asked David.

"Tomorrow week."

"Why don't I come Wednesday afternoon and stay till Friday? We'd have two full days to work."

"Fine with me. Dad? Mum?"

Mum looked at David, then at me. "Your rocking horse is upstairs. Would Patrick like it?"

"I'm sure."

"And all your puzzles and board games, David."

"My pair will love them." I knew that wasn't true, but David wasn't going to make Mum unhappy.

"We'll talk about our new wills when you're back, David. Gordy, fetch Weena and Patrick," Dad said. We left Mum in the kitchen and went into the sitting room.

When the three of us arrived back, Dad laid the whole thing out again, apologizing to Weena for "telling the boys first."

"I understand," she said, giving him a buss on the cheek. "I'll go help in the kitchen."

Dad looked at his grandson. "What do you think?"

"If the new place makes you happy, you should go there. You deserve some rest. I'm going out."

David looked at me. "He's six?"

"Just over."

"He'd drive us nuts. It's like listening to a lecture."

"Wait till I tell you the last two school incidents. And I told him (and Dad) about the bully and about 'Jack and Jill'."

Patrick came back. He had Australian Fungi with fingers in two places. "I think I found two. Could you look?" He opened the book.

"That's a red lilliputian lampshade. I've never seen one this far west of Brisbane. But it's a possibility. What's the other?"

He showed me. "Oh, that's an agaric muscaria. They give people strange dreams."

"There are a bunch near the trees."

"We'll get gloves and harvest them for the nungungi. He might have a use for them."

"Okay. I'll tell him." He went back outside.

"Completely bonkers," said David. Sarah fussed, so I went to change her. When I got back, Patrick was trying to interest David in coming outside to view the fungi. He was having no success at all.

"We'll be eating soon," I told him. "Wash up and then we'll set table." I handed Sarah to Weena.

After lunch David took off for home.

Monday morning, after he'd set the hands to the day's chores, Dad suggested we all cram into the Range Rover and go look at the "retirement village" -- his phrase. We all agreed (well, Sarah voiced no opinion) and by ten we were on the highway.

"Turn north on Currey," he said.

Mum added: "It's on the right, just up the street."

Patrick spotted it. "It says 'Churches of Christ'!" he exclaimed.

"Yes, that's the sponsoring organization."

"What?"

"I'll explain later."

"Okay."

I drove onto the property. There were several buildings. A sign directed us to "Administration." It appeared quite pleasant, in an institutional way. Dad was greeted and we were ushered to another building. "The building we were in houses the admin and the medical staff as well as single rooms for folks who can't care for themselves," Mum told us. "The other one has small flats for singles. They became aware of older couples a few years ago. This building has a number of accommodations for couples, an exercise area and a swimming pool. Actually, for safety it's more like a wading pool."

Weena said something I couldn't hear.