A sequel to ‘At the Turning’

Published: 11 Oct 2018

The time for Stephen to return home had arrived. His new job was only a matter of days away and had preparations before he commenced, also his mother had taken one of her turns and his sister wasn’t coping with having to travel from her home in Atherton to visit daily, while the time was approaching to move her to Atherton into the sister’s care.

“I’ll have to be heading back the day after tomorrow’s bus.” Stephen admitted soberly as Ralph cleared the meal table, “I’ll do that Ralph,” Stephen offered.

“No you two go and relax, I’ll join you in a while once I’ve finished these and checked on the vegie patch.”

“Relax? I’ve done nothing but relax since I arrived, any slower and I could be considered dead.”

“We will drive you back.” Wayne offered once again.

“Are you sure, I don’t mind catching the bus.”

“No I need to check up on one of the tenants and also look in on the flat to see if everything is alright.”

“Tell you one thing; I’m going to miss the beach.” Stephen sighed more out of having to commence at a new job than returning home.

“Never been, well not to lay about half naked and become burnt to a crisp that is, I leave for the tourists.” Wayne declared, “I guess when you live close by something you don’t seem to take advantage of it.”

“By the way did you know there is a nude beach at Robinson’s Bay?” Stephen offered with a smile.

“You don’t say and I suppose you’ve been sniffing around there?” Wayne shook his head in feigned disgust.

“I did visit on one occasion.”

“Don’t tell Ralph I have a hard enough time having him put his clothes on as it is.”

“Really, I haven’t noticed” Stephen lifted one brow, “what he goes naked around the house?” he added, appearing to be interested in the idea of Ralph wandering from room to room with everything swinging freely.

“House, yard, bush wherever; but he hasn’t gone native while you’ve been here, I guess not to shock you.”

“Maybe I should stay a little longer.” Stephen made a joke of it but somehow Wayne believed he showed disappointment in not seeing Ralph without his clothes.

“He’s your cousin,” Wayne’s protest.

“Also yours.”

“Well I guess all three of us are related sorta’ but you and Ralph are first cousins; I’m just somewhere in the mix.”

“I didn’t get around to viewing that family tree on the net. I guess I’ll do so when I return home,” Stephen recollected.

“I tell you what, I’ll have Ralph print out what we found and send it to you.”

“I would appreciate that, so do you mind if I borrow the car for the beach?”

“Robinson’s Bay?”

“One last look.”

“You’ll get me a bad name parking my car down there.” Wayne threw the keys to Stephen, “Who gets down there – girls?”

“Girls, boys you name it, young and old and it’s anyone’s business what goes on in the scrub.” Stephen laughed and headed out.

“Is it legal?”

“Probably not but it is secluded and no harm is done so I suppose the authorities turn a blind eye towards it.”

“It all seems a little pornographical to me.” Wayne weakly protested, once again displaying his somewhat prudish disposition.

“Where’s Stephen going?” Ralph enquired coming up from his garden for his morning’s coffee. Wayne had the kettle on the boil and had made lunch, tomato and cheese sandwiches with onion.

“He said to some bare arse beach,” Wayne placed the plate of sandwiches onto the table and helped himself to one.

“Oh,” Ralph filled his cup as Wayne’s statement sunk in, “what nude beach?” His face was hovering somewhere between disgust and disbelief as he offered to refill Wayne’s cup.

“It appears there is a nude beach at Robinson’s Bay.” Wayne said.

“Where is Robinson’s Bay?” Ralph asked.

“I wouldn’t have a clue but its strange how you cousin found it after such a short time.” Wayne gave a grin, “why do you want to have a look Mister Matthews?” he added.

“No just curious where it could be.”

“Tell you what, there’s that map in the drawer, let’s have a look.” Wayne retrieved the map and spread it across the kitchen table.

“There’s Tully.” Ralph declared pointing at a dot of red on the map, “and there’s Federation Bay,” he pointing to a small round circle with the name printed beside it.

“Is it north or south of here?” Ralph asked.

“South I guess it’s mostly wild coast and mangroves to the north.” Wayne answered as Ralph ran his finger along the coast line towards Tully, “nope no Robinson’s Bay, plenty of bays but none named Robinson.”

“We’ll just have to ask him eh?” Wayne declared as he folded the map back to its drawer.

“You can, I don’t want to appear interested.” Ralph answered and headed back to his garden, “by the way I promised the old people’s home some vegetables, can you drop them off when we take Stephen back?”

“No worries, you can drive.”

Ralph turned his head back towards Wayne smiled and shook it slowly, “nice try Mister Jenkins.”

“One of these days mate you will say yes.” Wayne called after as Ralph returned to his garden. The lad paused, slowly shook his head and smiled but left the statement dead in the warm morning’s air.

Stephen returned from the beach late in the afternoon and appeared to have stayed too long in the sun. His face was bright red as were his arms and legs. “You wouldn’t have any calamine lotion?” he asked feeling the heat in his skin intensify once he was out of the sun.

“You could look in the bathroom cupboard; there is an entire chemist in there.”

“Well what do you know?” Stephen called from the bathroom.

“What do I know?”

“There is a full bottle and you are correct about the chemist.” Stephen continued.

“That stuff belonged to Grace and Ralph kept it all in case.”

“In case of what – growing old? Some of this stuff is for a bad heart and water retention, I should know, my mother is on it.” Stephen returned with the lotion.

“You sure are burnt,” Wayne commented as Stephen’s condition appeared to intensify by the minute.

“Should see my old fella’ it’s even worse,” he painfully laughed, “as is my arse.” Brazenly Stephen descended his shorts to his knees and commenced to cover his crotch and buttocks with the lotion. At that instant Ralph entered with an arm full of vegetables for the night’s meal.

“Choice,” Ralph declared, placing his pickings onto the kitchen table without taking a second glance.

“A little too long in the oven,” Stephen attempted to make light through his overheated sensation, while the lotion only made a bad situation sticky.

“What made you stay in the sun for so long?” Wayne asked.

“I was on the beach for less than an hour, or I thought so, the sun appears stronger away from the tableland.”

“Your imagination;” Wayne disagreed.

“Anyway whatever I won’t be doing that again in a hurry.”

It had been arranged to drive Stephen back to Yungaburra early the following morning so Ralph stayed up longer in conversation as is often the custom on a final night. Most of their conversation circled around family or in Ralph’s case what he had thought to be the lack of it.

Only a short time previous Ralph was under the impression he was the only one left. Now there were many but none had faces, only names placed on a sheet of paper Stephen had used to create a family tree but if Ralph wished to meet them all was another matter.

“Who is Paul Burrows?” Ralph asked pointing an unsympathetic finger towards a name standing alone on a branch of Stephen’s tree and apparently without issue.

“Paul is an uncle.”

“There appears to be a number of uncles and unmarried.” Ralph surmised.

“Only three but two are from mum’s side, so I guess not related to you by blood.”

“What about Paul Burrows, he appears to be on my side of the family?” Ralph asked.

“Yes Paul, he lives in Yungaburra.” Stephen answered while appearing to back away from further comment on the man; turning to Wayne he changed the subject, “Did you discover how the Farm changed hands from the Henderson family to the McBride’s?” With the question came a slight touch of resentment, feeling somewhat isolated from information on their past families and Wayne’s obvious retention of what was in Lachlan’s journal.

“Whatever the reason Stephen, I guess it’s lost in history and is now returned into the hands of a Henderson, or to the point a Matthews and that is good enough for me.”

“Anyone for beer?” Ralph asked and diverted to the kitchen.

“That was good of you why did you give it away it must be worth a lot?” Stephen questioned once Ralph had withdrawn.

“To be quite honest Stephen I would not have a clue what it is worth and have never thought of it as collateral.” Wayne’s answer was direct, wishing he hadn’t disclosed his gifting, as Stephen had tendency to be somewhat laxed with privacy or discretion when it came to conversation.

“It must be great to be rich.” Stephen sighed at the thought of returning to work. Ralph arrived with the beer, passing a can to Stephen, “aren’t you drinking Ralph,” he asked.

“No I’ve had enough.”

“What is rich Stephen? It doesn’t give you a longer life or a higher form of happiness.” Wayne cut across Stephen’s statement.

“Still I wouldn’t mind a go at it for a while, as my grandfather would say, money doesn’t lead to happiness but I would love to be rich and miserable.”

“Stephen did you know that there are two ways of becoming rich?” Ralph informed abruptly from his quiet corner away from the conversation.

“What would they be Ralph?”

“The first is to accumulate as much wealth and property as possible.”

“What is the other?” Stephen asked with light hearted interest.

“Have few wants and needs.” Ralph concluded but Stephen could not relate to his cousin’s sentiment as his wants were many and all beyond his pocket.

“Stephen you are welcome to visit whenever you wish.” Wayne offered moving the conversation away from money and property. “That is as long a Ralph doesn’t mind, it is his farm.” He added quickly.

“I don’t mind, you would be welcome any time.” Ralph agreed.

“By the way Stephen, where is this nude beach you have been visiting?” Wayne enquired while trying to sound as disinterested as possible.

“Do you want to visit eh?”

“Just interested as we couldn’t find Robinson’s Bay on the map.”

“It’s on the coast road about ten clicks south of town; past the dump turn off and down an old dirt road between two cane farms, there is a large billboard advertising the Gateway Motel at the turning. Stephen said raising an eyebrow of surprise towards the show of interest.

“I have never been down that way, except to the cemetery and tip, have you been that way Ralph?” Wayne fired across at the now dozing Ralph. He stirred “What?”

“Have you ever been down the south road from town where the nude beach is?”

“I would say it’s too far to walk.” Ralph answered and with an extending yawn decided it was time for his bed.

“Then learn to drive.” Wayne suggested as the lad passed by.

“Huh.” Was Ralph’s answer then politely departed company.

“I wouldn’t mind a scotch.” Stephen suggested.

“Off you go, I’ll join you. Would you like a scotch Ralph?” Wayne called down the passage.

“Not tonight thank you.”

Stephen returned with the scotch bottle and two tumblers, “the bottle’s almost empty, I should replace it before I leave.”

“No need to do so, besides you can’t get good scotch in town and I have to order it in from my local bottle shop in Cairns.”

“Ralph doesn’t drink much?” Stephen poured the drinks.

“No, usually to be social but on a hot day he will have a beer or two.” Wayne acknowledged.

“I think I should cut back.” Stephen admitted but disregarding his own advice poured a larger nip.

“Ralph mentioned that very comment the other day,” Wayne not so subtlety drove home Stephen’s confession.

“I’ve made a decision to cut back when I return home.”

Only the dregs remained in the scotch bottle and seeing Wayne appeared uninterested, Stephen suggested he could finish it.

“You may as well, no use putting the empty bottle back.”

“What is it like not having to work?” Stephen asked as he milked the bottle for the last few drops.

“I suppose I could ask what it is like to work.” Wayne reversed the question. His life of so called leisure had never occurred to him as being so and part of him said that one day he would front up to some organisation and sign on, mostly for entertainment value, or he could become a volunteer with some charity but for the present, life was treating him well and he had no wish to change his inclination.

Wayne had worked, there was of course his few days with the Mareeba Tobacco Board just before it closed and the two positions his grandmother had arranged when he finished his schooling, one at the Malanda milk factory the other with a local shop, both lasted less than a week, then turning eighteen he was introduced to his parent’s wealth and with his grandmother’s success with the stock market he became most interested and equally successful, instantaneously becoming self sufficient without the need to seek further employment.

“What is happening with your girlfriend?” Stephen asked.

“As I said she called it off.” Wayne answered with an air of disregard.

“I was under the impression you were only having a break.”

“A long one at that.”

“I guess a fellow like you will soon find someone else. I should think you would have them lining up like beers on the bar at closing.” Stephen suggested while attempting to appear sympathetic.

“You seem to be concerned for the state of my love life Mister Henderson, what about your own?” There was a sting of sarcasm in Wayne’s retaught but well dismissed by Stephen.

“Somewhat quiet, there isn’t a lot of choice in a town like Yungaburra.”

“I guess not. I’m off to bed, so ‘till the morrow. What time do you wish to leave for home?” Wayne asked.

“I’m easy whenever you’re ready.”

Ralph was up before the sun, he had heard it was going to be a hot day, so his garden would need watering before they left for the Tablelands; he also had to cut vegetables for the retirement home close to their departure to insure freshness.

Wayne was feeling fine and by the time first light streamed through the kitchen window he had breakfast all but ready. The coffee was on the table and so was the toast, while bacon and eggs fried merrily sending their aroma around the house but still no Stephen.

“It’s on the table.” Wayne called through the open window.

“I’m coming.” Ralph turned off the water and came inside.

“I notice you’re using mains water.” Wayne assumed.

“The tank is empty.”

“The radio said rain tonight, so I guess it will soon fill.”

“Where’s Stephen?”

“Still in bed I guess.”

“I’ll call him,” At the door Ralph gently knocked, “you awake Stephen?”

“Come in,” came as a groan from beyond the woodwork, followed by a sorrowful complaint, “aw my head hurts.”

“Breakfast is on the table and Wayne wants’ to leave early.” Ralph opened the door to find his cousin lost in his bedding.

“Rough night?” Ralph asked noticing the disarray.

“I’ll have to give up the booze.” Stephen moaned his eyes blurred to the morning light.

“I guess there is one sure way to do that.” Ralph offered.

“And Ralph what way would that be?”

“Don’t start.”

Yungaburra and almost midday. Wayne had arranged with his tenant Miss. Fairchild to attend to another problem she was having, this time with her kitchen sink and a number of other jobs relating to an aging dwelling.

“You will have to entertain yourself for a couple of hours.” Wayne apologised on returning from meeting with his tenant.

“Would you like a hand?” Ralph offered.

“Not necessary it is only a small job but somewhat fiddly.”

“Have you seen the lakes?” Stephen asked; Ralph had not, “if you don’t mind me using the car I could take Ralph to the lakes.”

Surprisingly the lad agreed and seeing Wayne would not be in need of the vehicle for the afternoon they left him to his work.

“Hey Stephen do you know a good handyman in town, I can’t keep driving up here every time one of the cottages has a minor problem?”

“I guess Herb Burrell could do with the work, or if you like I could manage them for you as payment for not having rent.”

“Righto, guess I better get back to Miss Fairchild’s sink.”

“She’s a right old stick.” Stephen commented.

“She’s lonely that’s all, she was a good teacher.” Wayne contradicted.

“When did you go to school here?”

“Yonks back but for less than one term.” Wayne admitted.

“I don’t remember you.”

“As I said, it was only for a short time only, I didn’t get to know many; I do remember a Peter Longford.”

“Peter Longford, he was a right bully.” Stephen freely admitted.

“That I also recollect,” Wayne concurred.

“He died you know?” Stephen insensitively informed.

“How?”

“Car smash, drunk and went of the Kuranda range, found his utility some time later washed downstream almost to Cairns but no body.”

“Still, bully or not it isn’t a nice way to go.” Wayne disclosed with empathy.

Firstly the two visited Lake Barrine the larger of the volcanic lakes but found it overrun with tourists. Lake Eacham was less crowded but no matter how Stephen coaxed he could not get Ralph to go swimming.

“Didn’t bring any gear.” Ralph made excuse.

“Don’t need any; I know a quiet little spot around the south side where no one goes, we can skinny dip there.”

Ralph didn’t answer, being naked wasn’t his problem it was being so in front of his cousin. Ralph thought it strange, he could walk all day naked around the house in the company of Wayne but there was something sordid about doing so in front of Stephen. Maybe it was how Stephen’s eyes appeared to loiter more than what was considered to be comfortable around the crotch, or how his conversation frequently lingered on sex, still when all was equated Ralph liked his cousin and his sense of humour, thus turned the well known blind eye to his indiscretions.

Once at Stephen’s secluded spot, Stephen wasted little time in removing his clothes and was soon submerged in the cooling waters of the lake.

“Aren’t you burnt enough?” Ralph suggested.

“The water’s soothing, beside its well shaded here and it’s overcast.”

“They say you can burn through clouds.” Ralph added.

“Come on why don’t you join me?” Stephen insisted, splashing Ralph with the deep dark water, “leave your shorts on they will dry off in no time.”

“Na I’ll give it a miss.”

“Can’t you swim?” Stephen asked.

“Yes I can.”

“Come on don’t be coy.”

“Stephen, are you gay?” Ralph’s voice was soft and calculating, bringing his cousin’s dog paddling to a buoyant stand.

“Funny question Ralph why do you ask?”

“It doesn’t worry me if you are.” Ralph assured his cousin, “Is it very deep?”

“The lake?” Stephen asked.

“What else.”

“Has an average depth of around five hundred feet.”

“How many meters is that?” Ralph asked.

“Don’t know but that’s what the sign says, both lakes are the craters of extinct volcanoes and if you swim a couple of metres from the bank it drops to the bottom.” Stephen recommenced his dog paddling, “what if I were gay?” Stephen asked leaving the water to lay belly down on the grassy edge of the lake.

“Doesn’t make me think worse of you if that is what you wish to hear.” Ralph answered refusing to allow his gaze to fall on his naked cousin.

“Have you ever had a girl Ralph?” Stephen asked, leaning on an elbow while chewing on a long stem of grass.

“Do you mean sex with a girl?”

“Yes have you ever had sex?”

“No but I think we have already had this conversation.”

“I have and many, do you still think I’m gay?” Stephen enforced. He stood from the grass and pulled on his shorts. Ralph didn’t answer.

As Stephen completed his dressing voices and laughter came clearly from the jungle track that circled the lake.

“I thought you said no one came here?” Ralph asked.

“Usually not but there is a large stand of giant bamboo some distance around, sometimes tourists go there but the track is a little further away, they must have taken the wrong turn.”

“What’s so interesting in bamboo?”

“Not a great deal of light filters down through the canopy and the stand is the home for fireflies.”

“Oh I see,” Ralph didn’t see, he knew bamboo but had never heard of fireflies being native to the area, although he had seen glow worms in Hawaii.

“Have you ever seen fireflies?” Stephen asked.

“I saw glow worms in Hawaii,” Ralph admitted.

“Could be the same thing, these have glowing tails and switch on and off as the move around the bamboo.”

“Best leave it for another time, it’s getting late. Do you swim here often?” Ralph asked as the visitors diverted from the main track and came upon them. The lead quickly apologised as they diverted back towards the bamboo.

“So much for your secluded spot.” Ralph commented.

“Yes there seems to be more tourists each year.”

“I suppose you bring your girls here?”

“Sometimes and sometimes -,” Stephen smiled and left his issue unquantified, “have you seen the curtain fig tree?” he asked. Ralph admitted he hadn’t, “It’s a strangler fig and said to be over five hundred years old, come on I’ll take you sightseeing, it’s on our way home.”

“What the genes?” Ralph asked being one who needed to know such things.

“I wouldn’t know it’s just a fig that kills its host and drops a curtain of roots to the ground.”

Nothing more was mentioned that afternoon on Stephen’s sexual preferences but Stephen remained curious about his cousin’s association with Wayne.

“How did you meet Wayne?” Stephen asked as he prepared to depart.

“He came to the farm and I was looking after it for Grace.”

“And just like that he gave it to you?’

“No it is much more involved than that but I am not at liberty to divulge Wayne’s business and if you are suggesting, there isn’t any funny business or anything underhanded.”

Stephen led the way out, “I didn’t mean to insinuate there was but it seemed a little strange someone would hand over such a valuable property.”

“Stephen, I believe you are asking too many questions.”

Stephen commenced to laugh. “There I go again always putting my foot in my mouth.”

“You do somewhat.”

“I like Wayne.” Stephen admitted.

“I guess you are fishing for my opinion on Wayne. If so he is a good kind friend, who has a number of situations back in Cairns to work through, being more than his break up with Louise and talking behind his back won’t help him solve his problem.”

“I believe what’s driving my questions is more a number of consequences that have occurred more than Wayne or your private life.”

“Being?”

“Being how you arrived at Grace’s farm, how she left the farm to Wayne and most of all how he found me here in Yungaburra and we are all related in some way or another.”

“That is one aspect that both Wayne and I will agree with you.”

Once back In Yungaburra Ralph bid his cousin farewell with the promise that there would be other visits and he would meet more of the family. Then with Wayne’s work finished and the day closing rapidly the two went to the hotel for a counter meal.

“Would you like me to show you the highlights of Yungaburra?” Wayne comically asked as they left the hotel.

“What is there to see?” Ralph inquisitively asked.

“Lots, look up the street see where the street lights end.”

“Yes,” Ralph admitted and Wayne bade him to turn about.”

“Look down the street and see again where the lights end.”

“And?”

“And that is Yungaburra – you’ve now seen it.” Laughing they both went inside where Ralph amused himself for a short time with television but still declared he didn’t want it on the farm. “Too much of a distraction, I’d never get anything done besides it takes away your ability to think,” he paused and continued, “yep you end up letting a little electric box do the thinking for you.” Ralph chuckled at his own sentiment.

“My attitude but sometimes I watch rugby and the tennis,” Wayne half-heartedly agreed, “there’s a game on tonight, do you like rugby?” Wayne asked.

“I played it in primary school but being slight they murdered me. Broke my arm,” Ralph paused, “well almost but I did break two fingers.”

“If you don’t mind I may sit and watch the last half.”

“Go for it, I’m off to bed, an hour with Stephen is fine, a full day well.”

“Don’t you like your cousin?”

“He’s growing on me but asks too many questions, yes I do like him.”

“Do you want a drink before bed?” Wayne asked but Ralph declared he had enough at the pub. Wayne agreed and said goodnight. “Oh by the way, sleeping arrangements, do you mind sharing again?”

“No it’s alright I’ve slept with spiders and scorpions and once a large lizard so you don’t scare me,” Ralph released a quiet chuckle, “much.”

“Go on you cheeky little bugger, get to bed.”

It was quite late when Wayne finally retired, undressing to his shorts he slid beneath the sheet, releasing a gentle sigh as he lay on his back. Then silence.

“You awake?” Ralph asked at length.

“Yes.”

“I asked Stephen if he was gay.”

“What did he say?”

“He said he had had girls and many.”

“So have I besides having sex with a girl or not doesn’t make you straight or gay.” Wayne declared.

“Then what does?” Ralph cautiously asked.

“I don’t know, I guess you have to think that way and like hairy bums more than breasts, like a stiff dick more than a wet pussy,” Wayne crudely inferred.

“So what does that make me?”

There was perplexity in Ralph’s tone of one struggling to understand their masculinity and purpose, coming from a young person who usually showed self confidence far beyond his years.

“I don’t think it makes you anything Ralph, does it matter if Stephen has had a fuck or a dozen. Possibly it is Stephen who is trying to prove something eh? Besides you’re fine as you are. Does all that worry you?” Wayne asked.

“Not really, I guess with my past experiences I never had much of a chance, but there was one girl, a school friend of mine.”

“Oh yes that sounds ominous.”

“No nothing really, I was almost twelve, just before I cleared out from home. She lived three houses down in the same street and one afternoon in her father’s shed she kissed me full on the lips,” Ralph paused for a good half minute before continuing, “she took my hand and placed it inside her school blouse but she was flatter than I,” another pause, “nothing.”

“What do you mean nothing?” Wayne asked.

“I didn’t feel anything, I sorta thought there would be fireworks, I didn’t even get a hard on.”

“You were only eleven.”

“Almost twelve,” Ralph corrected.

“Even so, what would you expect at that age? You hadn’t even reached puberty.”

“I was almost there.”

“Right I correct myself.”

“I still think I should have at least got excited over it, I did know what an erection was.” Ralph explained.

“What happened next?”

“Nothing, her old man came into the shed and caught us. We weren’t doing anything as the intimacy was over but I guess the look on our faces was enough to suggest guilt.”

“Then what?’

“End of story, end of friendship, her old man told me to bugger off and if he ever caught me in the yard he’d cut my balls off. I left home a short while later. I never saw her again.”

“So I have notice you’ve still got ya’ balls,” Wayne laughed, low swinging hairy little fellers as well,” he continued with his merrymaking.

“Seriously, Stephen was asking a lot of questions about you giving me the farm.”

“I sold it to you.”

“Well the questions were still there regardless how I came by the farm.”

“I wish I had kept my trap shut while returning from the airport – sorry Ralph it wasn’t my business to divulge.”

“No, that matters not but he wanted to know more about you and I told him to stop asking questions.”

Ralph gave a sigh but didn’t converse further.

Minutes had passed, or was it an hour? Wayne was asleep but awoke to the sound of a barking dog. It was the sound of a small dog, the yapping kind that old women fuss over. “Shut the fucken’ noise you mongrel!” Clearly came above the barking. The dog yelped then fell silent followed by the slamming of a door.

As Wayne lay on his side, his eyes wide to the darkness of the room he felt Ralph move closer until the full length of his body was against his back. Ralph was naked Wayne could feel his warmth against his skin, then like the last time they shared a bed Ralph’s arm came across Wayne’s shoulder dragging him closer.

Oddly the act didn’t concern Wayne, it felt comforting giving him an inner ease. He could smell Ralph’s personal body scent. It was a pleasant smell of forest and earth, manly but not overpowering. Wayne thought of Louise and her excess of expensive perfume, her smoking which on a hot night appeared to seep from her pores. She was also a bed hog and many nights Wayne woke without bedclothes and precariously perched on the edge of the mattress, or fallen to the floor. He inhaled a deep breath of Ralph’s scent and held Ralph’s outstretched arm close to his chest. He was soon asleep.

Wayne awoke with sunlight struggling to find its way into the room from behind drawn curtains. He was alone in the bed but could hear noise coming from the direction of the kitchen. Soon Ralph’s naked body appeared in the open doorway holding a tray of coffee, toast and orange juice.

“You’re awake then?” Ralph observed, smiling broadly as he placed the tray onto the side of the bed.

“Why are you always so happy early in the morning?” Wayne groaned, and rolled away from the tray. His thoughts then transferred to other times with Louise and her early morning tantrums and how he felt as he tried without success to please her. Now it all seemed so long ago and fading quickly. Not wishing to appear as unapproachable as she did, Wayne drove the sleep from his mind, then sitting accepted Ralph’s offer of breakfast.

“No reason but I thought we may leave early if that is alright with you. The garden will need attending to.” Ralph declared calmly while helping himself to a slice of toast, “golden brown,” he said and bit into the crunch.

“As I like it,” Wayne complemented.

“So about leaving early?”

“No worries but we will return the long way and down the Kuranda Range, I will have to call into the unit first.”

Let Gary Know that you are reading and what you think of his story. Drop an email to him: Gary dot Conder at CastleRoland dot Net.

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