Divine Mortals (16 page)

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I grumbled, trying again to pull back, finally he let me go, I straightened up testing my ankle, thankfully it didn’t hurt.

His hand on my face made me jump as he smoothed a lock of hair behind my ear, his expression unreadable.

“Um,” I stammered, feeling so completely uncomfortable I wanted to climb out of my skin and run, instead I did the next best thing.

“I’m going to get some wood for a fire.” I mumbled.

Starting out again, a little more carefully this time, I headed towards the trees at the edge of the field, wishing to hell that Will didn’t like me as much as he seemed to.

This was going to be a long night.

It didn’t take long to gather a small pile of kindling which I dropped a short distance from my bag. Will was busy clearing the long dry grass from a large area, probably in the hope that we wouldn’t catch the entire clearing alight and cook ourselves.

By the time twilight was sparkling overhead we had a small steady fire burning and sat companionably side by side sharing the last sandwiches.

“Sorry,” Will spoke as he finished, still gazing into the flames.

“Huh?” I had begun to doze under the tree, despite the fear of being in the open at night and a possible snack for any curious bears, the day was catching up on me and I was exhausted.

“Sorry that we’re lost,” he smiled turning to me, “It could be worse though,” he grinned stretching his hands above his head.

“Oh,” I mimicked his stretch and threw in a yawn for good measure feeling all my muscles relax into a satisfying rubber feeling, “How so?”

“You could be trapped out here with someone horrible or boring or arrogant.”

I raised my eyebrows at him in question,

“Lucky you’re out here with a charming gentleman I’d say.”

I laughed, “Modest too I see.”

“Absolutely, I’m far more interesting company then say, oh your snobby rancher,”

I blanched at his jibe.

“Or James, who spends his time swooning over Sally, or even Sally with her incessant gossip.”

“Hey watch yourself,” I gave him a playful slap on the arm, “They’re my friends.”

“Are we friends?” his tone was serious, and quiet, so much in contrast to what he had just said. I looked up to find him staring down at me.

“Ahhh,” I stuttered, uncomfortable with how close he was sitting, “Of course we are, you guys are all my
friends.
” I put emphasis on the last word, he seemed to notice and chuckled to himself before turning away.

“What?”

“Oh nothing,” he grinned, although I was uncomfortable under his gaze, I couldn’t shake the feeling that those eyes of his could read my very deepest of secrets.

“I ah…” I looked around the fire before flicking my eyes back to him. “I’m going to try and get some sleep.”

“Sure,” his voice had returned to its normal happy tone, “Don’t let the bed bugs bite, or should I say Bears bite.”

“Don’t even joke.” I growled.

“Oh don’t worry,” he smiled as I moved away, fluffing up my pack as a pillow and pulling my towel over me to serve as a blanket.

“James told me the other day that you don’t really see bears around here till next month.”

I stared at him for a moment, hoping he was joking, Will laughed before laying down on the opposite side of the fire and turning his back to me. I shut my eyes, unfortunately I couldn’t shut my ears from the noises of the night and I found I jumped at every sound. Somewhere in the small hours I finally managed to forget the bears and Wills penetrating green gaze and get some sleep.

I woke sweating from an unremembered dream. It was still dark, pitch black, the fire had burnt out and the stars overhead where thick in the deep dark blanket of the night sky. Somewhere in the distance a few crickets chirped, the wind blew gently through the trees behind me, rustling their leaves in quiet hissing sounds. I knew then why I had woken, my bladder felt ready to burst, I glanced over the fires smouldering remains to the shape humped on the other side. Will didn’t move, he lay very still, asleep. I waited for a minute until my sight was well adjusted to the dark and I could vaguely make out the dark shadows of trees and bushes at the edge of the meadow. Sliding as quietly as I could out of my makeshift bed, my back sore and my neck stiff, I tiptoed towards the small patch of vegetation I had gathered wood from earlier. Although he couldn’t see me in the dark I felt the need for privacy and I stepped into the bushes to relieve the pain in my bladder.

I finished quickly, a little frightened at being on my own in the dark, away from Will and my belongings. I was about to step into the opening again when a hand came around my mouth silencing the scream I tried to let out and pulling me hard back towards them. I kicked out backwards, striking a shin with my heel and biting the hand in my mouth at the same time.

“Dammit Ava.” His voice was smooth, if a little irritated, in my ear.

“Robert?”

“Shhhhhh,”

“Ahhh, why?”

“Because I’m not meant to be here,” I could hear the smile in his voice, “I’m not part of the official search party, Fred left me to mind the Ranch while him and the others came looking for you, there’s quite the search out you know.”

I didn’t care, I reached out tentatively at first and then threw caution to the wind and clung onto him, squeezing him in a huge hug, I was far too glad about being found to feel shy around him at the moment.

I felt him chuckle,

“Glad to see me then?” he sounded pleased with himself,

“You bet, how did you find me?”

“I could find you anywhere.” he chuckled again, “I’ve been here for the last few hours, I couldn’t leave you alone out here could I.”

“I’ve got Will.”

“So I see,” his voice was oddly remote, “Who
is
Will exactly?”

I was confused by his tone,

“A friend, why?”

“Hmm,”

“I’m so glad you’re here.”

“So you said.” I could hear him smiling but he seemed to be restraining himself a little.

“I don’t like the way he is around you.”

My mind flashed back to when Will had caught me earlier, when he had sat next to me by the fire, just how long had Robert been out here? If he had seen that he must also have seen
my
reaction to those things.

“You should go back,” he murmured, “If Will wakes and finds you gone he might worry.”

“Oh,” I stopped, considering this for a moment, “I guess you’re right.”

I turned back towards our small camp, I could barely make out the shape of Will from where I was, I guessed he was still where I left him. I swung back towards Robert, instantly afraid of leaving him.

“You won’t leave will you?” I hated sounding so needy.

“Not until the others arrive, then I’ll head back to the ranch before Norma or Fred know I’ve left.”

I nodded and then realized he probably couldn’t see this. Or could he?

“How well do you see in the dark?”

“Fairly well, it’s like night vision goggles, everything’s in darker tones but still crystal clear.”

“Right…” I sighed, mimicking his earlier tone.

“Go.” Robert nudged me back towards the clearing, although his face was fixed on the sleeping shape of Will. I reached up on my toes and kissed him on the cheek, I felt him startle, the outline of his head swinging towards my face in a shocked movement.

“Sorry,” I mumbled feeling instantly stupid, what was I thinking?

“I’m just glad you’re here.” I muttered pathetically, and before he could answer I started slowly back towards our ‘camp’. The last thing I wanted to do now was trip in the dark and break my leg.

I pulled my towel back over me and lay my head down, turning to look towards Will. He was facing me, his body turned towards mine, and even though I couldn’t see his eyes from this distance I had the disconcerting feeling that he was awake and watching me.

I closed my own eyes and rolled onto my back, trying hard to go back to sleep, a much easier task now that I knew Robert was here.

The sun was coming up when they found us, the barking of dogs woke me to a brilliant array of pinks and oranges staining the dawn sky.

“Pink at night Sheppard’s delight, pink in the morning Sheppard’s warning, they’re coming can you hear them?”

Will was sitting up, watching me, I stretched feeling sore in at least a dozen places along my back and shoulders.

“Sheppard’s warning aye…” I mumbled scrapping my hands down my face and trying to feel alive.

“Hmm, means it will probably rain today.”

I didn’t answer, instead swinging the towel off me and standing to feel my cold tight muscles scream in protest and my stomach gurgle in sympathetic hunger.

The barking was closer now, they would be here in a matter of minutes, I looked back towards the bushes where Robert kept watch, wondering whether he still waited or if he had returned to the ranch to start his morning jobs.

I stretched my neck slowly side to side, trying to loosen the tight feeling that pulled across my shoulders. I glanced back at Will who was staring into the bushes where I had just been looking, a thoughtful expression on his face. He seemed to feel my eyes on him though and turned back to me, his usual good humour plastered on his face.

“Ready to be found or would you like to spend another romantic night under the stars with me?”

“No offence but I’m ready to go home, I would kill for a shower.”

Will laughed,

“Maybe some other time then?”

“Maybe not,” I grimaced, “I’ve never been a big one for camping, especially unprepared camping.”

“Well in that case…” Will stood and turned towards the sound of the barking.

“We’re over here!” he yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth, “Heeeyyyyyyyy.”

The banking started up again in earnest and I began stuffing my towel into my pack.

Before long I saw a number of figures with dogs appear across the field, Pop amongst them.

“Is your father with them?” I asked turning to Will.

His answer was simple and for once he didn’t met my eyes,

“No.”

It felt so good to be home again, Nan fussed over me, making me an extra strong cup of coffee and filling me with chocolate cake until I thought I would burst. I ran a steaming hot bath and sat back to soak, feeling my muscles slowly relax after a hard night on the cold ground.

Will had been right about the weather, as I lay my head against the back of the old claw foot bath I heard the rain start to patter on the tin roof above me, soft at first and then steadily harder until it was a thunderous noise that made me want to curl up in bed and go to sleep, even though it couldn’t be much later than mid-day.

I eventually emerged from my steaming tub of bliss and after a bowl of soup and another coffee I ventured out onto the back porch. The rain was pouring down, huge fat blobs of water pounded the yard beyond the house. The heat was still there though, in spite of the downpour, and I felt my hair start to curl and snap with static electricity.

I hadn’t seen Robert since our impromptu meeting in the bushes last night and I wondered if he was out in the rain now, dripping wet. I wandered down towards the hammock and pushed it gently with my hand, watching it swing backwards and forwards softly as I thought of the night we had sat here together. When he had told me, or more accurately, shown me what he was.

I was nervous about seeing him again, had I been too forward last night?

Damn. What was I thinking when I kissed him on the cheek.

“Ava.” I jumped in fright, I hadn’t heard anyone approach, I whirled around to find Nan standing with the phone clasped in her hands.

“Sorry honey, Joel is on the phone.”

“Oh,” I smiled, taking the phone from her, before settling myself into the hammock.

“Hey,”

“Hey, I hear you went camping last night.”

“Yeah you could say that.”

“And with a boy, think of your reputation,” Joel teased, tutting in a badly impersonated English accent.

“You know considering you’ve been in London for four years you should be able to do a better accent.”

“Nah,” he laughed, “Once a yank always a yank… that’s what the Poms tell me anyway, so about this camp you had, sounds like Nan was worried?”

“Yeah she was,” I couldn’t help but smile, “We were okay though, we had food and fire, it wasn’t too bad.”

“Right,” Joel sounded thoughtful, I knew him too well, I could almost hear his mind ticking over, even if I was four thousand miles away from him.

“What?” I asked cutting to the point.

“Well so far you’ve fallen from a horse and broken your ribs, almost been bitten by a Rattle Snake and gone M.I.A on a rafting trip.”

“For the record I didn’t choose to fall off the horse.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Well no I don’t really, so a few things have happened since I arrived, I’m not used to this country stuff.”

“You’ve only been there three weeks Ava, and you’ve nearly killed yourself three times.”

“I’m not doing it on purpose you know, and I think your overreacting a little,” I grumped at him.

“I know, I’m just trying to tell you to be careful, I don’t wantto have to come scrape you up.”

I cringed at his last words.

“Sorry.” he mumbled, I could hear the pain in his voice, “Bad choice of words, I didn’t think.”

“So how’s Susan?” I decided to change the subject, away from my constant life threatening events and our parents untimely deaths, to Joels stuffy English wife.

“She’s great, we both are, actually that’s why I rang?” I could hear the excitement building in his voice, “She pregnant, you’re going to be an aunt!”

“Wow!” I gushed, “Really, Joel that’s great, it’s amazing, did you tell Nan?”

“Ah no, I wanted to tell you first.”

“Wow I’m so excited, I don’t know what to say.” I really was excited, I couldn’t believe I was going to be an aunt.

“Well you could try congratulations,” he teased.

“Congratulations.” I breathed, laughing with my excitement, “How, ahhh, I mean when is she due?”

“She’s eight weeks gone so seven months to go, she’s due sometime in February.”