My fake fiance

The Boat Ride

'Come on down, or we will be late for church!' Rachel reminded her cousin.

'I am not ready yet! Blame Ruth! She spent too long in the bathroom. But you just go, I can take the boat down the creek and meet you there!' 

'Alright! We will see you there!' Aunt Beatrice shut the door behind her and climbed the buggy and off they went to church with the rest of the Greenes.

At the bottom of the blueberry fields ran a bubbling creek from the Greene's house 'Akoonah', its meaning derived from the Aboriginal name for 'flowing water.' The Greene children often took the small boat downstream to fish or to get into town. 

There was a shortcut, which leads straight to a stretch of green behind the church, where the pastor Allan and his family regularly held the church picnics. It was the perfect spot, especially on a warm September morning like today. There were poinsettia trees to provide shade and jacarandas which dispersed a sweet scent and tinted the whole place purple in autumn. And a great fishing spot, which often attracted a rabble of boys on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. 

Ida had spent some memorable Sundays in that very spot, stretched out on a picnic blanket, eating chicken sandwiches, fresh berries from the Greene farm and having serious discussions about the world and the people in it with the pastor's wife - as serious the discussions of a 13-year-old could have been, of course! 

Since her arrival back at Akoonah, Ida had been looking forward to the boat ride along the fields and meadows of the neighbouring farms. She couldn't wait to dip her bare feet into the creek after the Sunday service when nobody was looking. Aunt Beatrice never failed to point out how unladylike such behaviour was, especially for young ladies her age whom should be worried about making a good impression amongst the townspeople and upon a prospective beau instead of making a spectacle of herself. Ida's reply was simply that if her beau didn't like the way she behaved, he probably wasn't the right one! Not that she wanted a beau! Right this minute, she just wanted to get to church on time! The small clock on her bedside table told her that it was high time to leave!

Ida quickly finished pinning her hair into a loose bun and straightened her skirt and checked herself in the mirror. 'Where is my hat?' She glanced around the room but then remembered that she had left it downstairs near the front door.

'Hello? Anybody home?' A familiar voice asked.

Ida froze at the top of the stairs. Looking down, she could see Adam open the front door and walk into the kitchen. A look outside confirmed that he must have come on foot. There was no horse or buggy tied to the post. 

'Hello, Adam!' Ida heard Cook greet the unexpected guest. 

Adam had been a constant visitor at the house this past month. Ida told herself that she had better get used to that. After all, Paul and Adam were best friends. Paul's room was just next door to Ida's room. Several times a week she could hear the two young men having animated discussions about case studies or exam questions, sometimes late into the night. In only a couple more weeks both would be gone for 2 months undertaking another internship at Brisbane Hospital. 

Rachel said she was sure to go into a depression. She had picked up the expression during one of Adam and Paul's conversations and decided that her future could not be any different once Adam had left and she would not be able to see him for two whole months! Cook just laughed and said Rachel was much too young for a depression and offered her a lemon puff but even Cooks excellent lemon puffs would not alter her condition, Rachel insisted. 

'But he's not even gone, yet!' Noted Marianne. 

'You're right! I must make the most of the time I have left. I need some more lemon puffs! Do you think Adam might like them after dinner?' Rachel eagerly put a few of the cakes on a separated dish and prattled on. Cook only shook her head. 'How any man will ever get a word in edgewise with that girl!'