One Day You'll Find Me

Chapter Four

  

THREE YEARS LATER

 

Ros walked beside me as I rode Indah bareback down the bush path, jabbering away about... nonsense really. But I didn’t care. It was amusing to listen to. We’d been plodding along for hours now, wandering around, talking. We’d set off after lunch, bored and looking for something to do. Ros’d already been staying over week at this point. Her parents had taken off for Russia again, and she was staying for a whole six weeks! I tried to remember when we’d first become ‘sisters’, as Ros’d been coming over for five or six weeks twice a year for years. I’d just decided it was grade four, when she grabbed my leg and shook it.

“What?”


“Are you even listening to me?” she sighed. “Look! Under that tree, do you see him?”

“Who?”

“How am I supposed to know? I don’t live here, and I’m not psychic! Isn’t he cute?”

I laughed. “You practically live here. And, yeah, I guess. I don’t really—”

“Come on. Let’s go say hi! Hey!” she called out to him. He looked up, and waved us over.

“See? Come on, move it, Indah!” she said as she tugged on my horse’s mane.

“Ros, I don’t think—”

“Oh just shush. And get your horse to move faster! Come on, girl! Hey, look, it’s an apple tree. You like apples don’t ya? Well, let’s go get one, or ten. As many as you can guzzle, lady!”

I shook my head at my friend. At fifteen, she’d definitely started noticing guys, while I continued not to care. I was happy in my oblivious bubble, but Ros was always pestering me about it.

“Hey.”

“Hey yourself.” Ros smiled at him.

I had an urge to groan, but restrained myself. Indah reached for his hand impatiently, greedy for the apple in it.

“Whoa, hold on there, missy. There’s plenty more. No need to take my hand off,” he laughed as she found her prize and snuffled it immediately. She finished the apple, and searched for more, burying her head in his wicker basket, and stamping her foot when none could be found.

“Oi, you, be nice.” I swatted her shoulder.

He laughed. “I’d give her more, but I can’t reach. I found that one on the ground. I’m supposed to be picking them for my Mum and my grandma, but they’ve been in the kitchen all morning, cooking for some charity event, and were feeding me pastries, biscuits, and cakes left right and centre! Trying to get out the door, I completely forgot the ladder. And I’m scared to go back and get it.”

“Really? How old are you?” Ros laughed.

He rolled his eyes. “Twenty-one. But, yeesh. I really don’t want to face their ridicule. They grow confidence in these kind of bonding sessions, and they’re heartless! I swear!”

I inspected the tree.

“There just aren’t any low enough branches to climb or reach. And I can’t scale tree trunks. I’ve already tried that.” He chuckled.

“Well, Maria’s on a horse. She can reach them. Hey, if we pick your basket for you, can we come back with you?”

He raised his eyebrow.

“I’d love to be stuffed with pastries, biscuits and cakes, left right and centre! Mmmm.”

He laughed. “Perfect! I don’t think I could eat another bite, and those two would love to have two new mouths to go crazy over.” He handed the basket to me.