Linda spent three days of intense negotiations that was reduced to begging over the phone when the two most dependable teachers she had worked with in a long time, shuffled into her office one afternoon to request two and a half weeks family leave. She granted them their leave all the while begging them to reconsider. Jack had felt so guilty when he saw the shattered look on Linda's face, knowing that in a few months' time, Kylie would have to take maternity leave. Kylie also felt terrible, knowing they had barely started term and here they were, deciding to trek from one end of the country to another just to meet Jack's extended family before the baby arrived in August.
It was probably also the best possible time to go now that the worst of the fires had been extinguished across the country. Never mind the fact that for the last fortnight, Jack had started chatting with several of his cousins on Facebook. It really was impossible for Jack not to act on his idea go catch up with them all now.
Saturday 22nd Feb, 5:00 AM
Jack closed the boot of the car that was fit to bursting with two large travel cases. Kylie had packed the backseat with snack foods, a small bag with the few things the doctor said were safe for her to take for her nausea. Her handbag sat next to that one and they climbed into the car, Jack driving and they began their road trip.
They were headed for Melbourne first, to see Jack's Aunt Sue and Uncle Laurie. He had called his parents a week earlier to check that everyone was still living where he last remembered them to be.
"Ready?" Jack asked Kylie with a nervous grin.
"Ready." Kylie replied confidently and nodding.
She had been so excited for this trip that last night she ended up unable to sleep, no matter how much Jack tried to settle her down. Jack had given up trying to settle her down shortly before midnight. He would have continued massaging her lower back all night, but somebody needed to get a decent night's sleep so they could drive to Essendon in the morning.
7:30 AM
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"I haven't been here since I was in primary school!" Kylie squealed happily. Jack smiled at her while they got out of the car at Glenrowan in Victoria. The Big Ned Kelly stood over them and all those memories of primary school history lessons came flooding back. All about bushrangers, the most legendary and infamous of them all – an icon of Australia – was Ned Kelly himself. From his mildly criminal days of bank robbing to the day he killed a policeman and became the most notorious bushranger in the Australian colonies. From the formation of his gang to his last stand at Glenrowan, wearing his iconic armour where he was captured and sentenced to death by hanging. The man quickly became legend, a sign of the country's passion for underdogs. His family home heritage listed and although it looks like the ruins of a shack left to be forgotten in a paddock now, remains as a reminder to everyone where his legend's life started. A real humble beginning, indeed.
