South Meets South

Chapter 7

Early the next morning I found myself enjoying breakfast with the breed director and his wife. In the end I ended up getting a lift with them to the main yard. Before we left, I went back to the chalet to get my camera.

"You heading out?" My father asked.

"Yeah I got a lift to the farm. Going to see what's going on that side. See you later," I greeted my father. As I left the chalet I remembered I left my phone next to my bed, having not bothered to put it back on again.

When we reached the main yard, I didn't notice Anna anywhere but I did see her father walking near the loading bay.

"Good morning Mr. Vermeulen," I greeted as I walked over. He looked over and smiled at me, changing direction.

"Morning James. Good to see you this morning," he greeted.

"Yes sir. I thought I could come and take another look at the animals," I said. He nodded at me.

"You are welcome to catch a ride with one of my workers up to the auction pens. The animals are being placed into their respective pens today for the auction tomorrow," he said.

After thanking him, I caught the lift he organized and we made our way over. There were quite a few people helping out. Some farmworkers who could be identified by their overalls and some of the auctioneers group were also scurrying about getting the right animals into the right pens.

As I walked closer, I spotted Anna checking a list near some of the already filled up pens.

"Good morning Sunshine," I greeted her.

She looked up with a frown on her face but when she saw who it was, a smile graced her features.

"Well good morning to you too Mr. Cowboy," she jokingly greeted.

"You seem busy this morning?" I enquired. She handed the list off to one of their workers and after speaking to him briefly, she turned to me once more.

"Kinda. There's quite a bit that still needs to be done before tomorrow and I want things to go well," she admitted.

"Well it looks like things are going well? Is there anything I can help with?" I asked. We were standing near a pen with some cows in.

"For now I have to confirm that the right animals go into the right pens, the rest the auctioneers will handle," she answered with a small smile. She picked up a list from a small table in the shade and handed it to me.

"You are more than welcome to help and maybe we can go into town for an early lunch if we hurry," she said with a wink.

I laughed and headed off to check the numbers and the pens. An hour later I found myself back in Anna's white Toyota.

"So where are we heading?" I asked her when we drove out of the farm.

"Well the town is extremely small but it at least has a decent hotel that serves up some good food and a delicious fudge milkshake," she answered with a smile.

On the way there we had some small talk about the area's history, ranging from the war with the English over a century ago to some of the changes that were going to be made in the reserve.

When we reached the hotel, I got out and lead James inside. Magdalene brought us two menus and bounced off to help some tourists at the bar.

"It's a small town with a small hotel, everyone literally knows everyone around here," I told James as we were looking over the menus.

"Sounds familiar! What's good on here?" He asked. I looked down onto my own menu and deciding on a burger and a fudge milkshake, I spoke up.

"It depends on whether or not you prefer a burger, a steak or pizza. Their pizzas are delicious though," I answered. He nodded and decided on a pizza with a fudge milkshake as well.

"I've noticed that you are quite passionate about the animals," James said. I took a sip of my milkshake before answering with a smile.

"Yeah you can say that. I really love working with the animals and being so close to nature. How about you? I heard you do rodeo right?"

He nods, "That I do. But I am considering stopping. I'm not that young anymore, mind you I'm not old, but I don't want to resent myself in ten years' time when I have several injuries that haunt me."

"Which makes sense? Any deep, dark secrets I should know?" I asked. I took a bite of my burger and waited for him to answer.

"I'm going through a divorce," he answered after a few moments.

I frown, "I'm terribly sorry. I should not have pried."

He shook his head and smiled before taking a sip of his milkshake and answering me.

"It's not your fault. Molly and I just weren't compatible. She is a city girl and farm life isn't for her. She has been miserable for a long time and after we were stuck on the farm for a week due to flooding, she couldn't take it anymore and moved back to her parents' home," he explained.

"It's difficult to adapt for many people, taking away what they know and expecting them to be fine with it isn't something most ever accept," I said. Sharing a smile, we finished our food over some more small talk before heading out once more. I took James back to the reserve before I headed back to my house.