Nash McLeod, Hard to Figure

"Radio, why not buy mobile phones, they're cool?"

"Darling," Irene said, "where our guys mostly go mobiles would be a heap of crap, useless. But we do have cell phone connection to the woolshed and the nearest cattle yards but only radio contact to the other two cattle yards and the deer facility."

"Facility?"

"Deer are skittish, hard to handle until in near darkness."

"Oh, I see. You have a deer barn with yards leading into it."

Irene expressed surprise. "Yes, have you been here before?"

"No, I just pictured it. I couldn't see it working any other way just as I can imagine Molly wants me to look pretty for when Nash arrives home, otherwise he'll cull me."

Molly was shocked. "He wouldn't do that darling, he's not like that with people."

"Perhaps, but I have no wish to take the chance."

"Oh we'll make you pretty darling," Irene said kindly. "I'll need you out of the bath by 5:20."

Looking at Lisa's fingernails and scowling at what she saw, Molly said, "Irene was a beautician at the time Lance saw her in the city, followed her to where she worked and one day asked her to lunch and began courting her. Irene is Lance's second wife."

"Was the first wife gored by a bull or fell over a bluff?"

"No darling," Irene said softly, entering the room. "Mary was just unlucky, cancer."

"Oh that's so sad," Lisa sniffed. "I'm glad you told me that otherwise I may have put my foot in it. Rural life is so cruel."

"Mary and Gary lived in the city darling. Within six weeks of meeting, Gary and I fled the city because he was haunted by Mary's death and it affected our happiness but we came out of that."

Lisa touched Irene on the arm gently and said perhaps one day Irene might write a book about it.

"I've thought about it, but not now."

"Are you taking notes of thoughts, memories and mental images?"

"Yes."

"Good girl."

As Lisa bent over to scrape her plate clean apart from the two bones Irene and Molly exchanged yet another surprised glance and smiled at one another.

* * *

Irene came into the TV lounge and almost gasped at the beauty of her handwork, watching Lisa look up from the screen. "You are so beautiful darling."

"I'm only what you created."

"Poof, you are a natural beauty. There are women who act if they are and those who don't even know it but are."

"Thank you Irene, that was a sweet thing to say to try to boost my confidence. I will admit to being attractive when it's appropriate to rise to the occasion."

Irene said Lisa so honest and knowledgeable. "I just want you to make a good impression on the men as you are now part of the extended family."

"Me?" Lisa said, mouth agape. Struggling against emotion she said, "Who says?"

"Molly says. You'll learn there's another boss on this property and that means someone who rules out to the fence that surrounds the homestead, but enough of that. Gary just called and said they'll be here at 7:00. He's so eager to meet you and thrilled you are pregnant. He's thirty-four and wants me pregnant. He and Mary were childless but tests indicate there was no problem with Gary. Perhaps you could give me some tips."

"Sorry I had my eyes closed most of the time."

Irene laughed and said that was a funny way to experience the joys of sex.

"Four guys, four times over a month."

"Ohmigod, you were packed raped."

"Irene I make no such claim. My mother called the police when she discovered my bruising and I was bleeding from that last occasion. Everyone tried to have me admit it was rape and who the guy was. I almost admitted the truth when the police attempted to say it was daddy but laid off him when it was proven he was down the mine during the time of that fourth occasion."

"Ohmigod."

"Leave it Irene."

"I'm telling Nash. He'll drag the names out of you and then go after them, hunting them down like crazed dogs."

"I said leave it Irene. If you mention this to anyone and I find out, I'm out of here and you'll never see me again and you better believe that."

"But I want you to stay," Irene said, sobbing. "You are not too far from my age, I want the company of a younger person."

"Oh dear," Molly said, walking into the paneled room and wearing a lovely black dress. "What have you said to Irene to upset her so Lisa?"

Sobbing, Irene lied, "She was letting me how she was sitting on wet concrete in the town, feeling abandoned, teeth chattering, wondering if she was about to die from the cold and in despair that she'd never birth her darling little baby."

"Oh you poor child," Molly said, close to tears and hugging upset Irene. "But just at that point the boss strode over to rescue you?"

"Yes, the boss probably saved my life," Lisa said gravely. "I was on the verge of passing out."

"That man is such a hero but claims not credit. Half the people have no idea of his deeds, not even Widow Green."

"Widow Green, how does she come into this?" Irene asked.

"Oh shit, I promised to say nothing and only a handful of people know," Molly said. Well, please keep this to yourselves. Although it was a violent impact when the helicopter hit the power lines they held because of the long stretch across the valley absorbed the shock, acting like a spring. The cabin was left hanging half caught on only one line and somehow the pilot escaped electrocution in the initial impact when the blades sheered off. It would have taken hours for the authorities to arrive, get the power switched off and the rescue apparatus to the site and in place. Nash climbed the tower holding the lines, threw one of the ropes the farmer had on his truck over one of the lines and carrying the other two ropes slid over the bluff, almost two hundred feet above the river flats below until the rope above him was stopped by what was left of the chopper."

The other two females were now wide-eyed.

"Nash coped with the violent thrust forward and after catching his breath hauled himself up and tied one rope to the cabin and tossed that rope over the power line with the free end falling to the ground. He then tied another rope to the cabin and dropped that that rope end to the men waiting some sixty feet below where the lines were dipped almost at their lowest. A rope was attached to the winch wire on the front of the truck and someone tied the other rope to Nash's Jeep and it was driven forward until freeing what was left of the chopper and it was lowered to the ground, looped over the electricity wire that fortunately held."

"As the lowering rope was slowly winched past him Nash reached out and took hold of it above the cabin and calmly let his own rope go and was lowered safely to the ground. His own rope was found later to have almost been worn through in his descent careering down the wire. They treated the pilot the best they could but it didn't look good for him."

"All the guys are pals and at Nash's behest, had a memory lapse when the accident investigation team arrived and wanted to know who was the person who'd attached the ropes to the chopper cabin and how had he managed such a feat. The guys were threatened with legal action but argued what difference would a name make?"

"They refusal to cooperate with the authorities and the media began commenting about the mysterious unsung hero and the Coroner accepted that explanation, ruling that lack of the mystery man identity had no material significance on the accident investigation. We, I mean the guys of course were really cut up when told the pilot had died."

"What a remarkable feat," Irene breathed. "I'll not tell anyone."

"Nor I, nothing will pass my lips," Lisa promised.

"You said we," Irene challenged. "Molly you were there and it was probably you driving the Jeep."

"Oh that's colorful imagination," Molly said, leaving the room, calling she'd forgotten to put on perfume.

"I noticed perfume on her," Lisa said.

"Me too," Irene agreed. "Doesn't anyone around here reveal the truth? Now here's a secret, Molly would have a fit if she knew. There's a rumor in the district that Widow Green recently had a pregnancy scare."

"The boss?"

"It's unlikely he'd allow anyone else to plow the same paddock."

Irene and Lisa held themselves to stop falling over at Irene's last comment.

Irene kissed her new friend and said Lisa had been so tough in not revealing the name of the guys who had pack sex with her. But had she done so she'd have made it worse for herself with finger-pointing, probable threats and enduring the lengthy Court process.

"I think Molly already has decided I'm tough. It's great having you two guys on my side," Lisa said. "Go get dressed for your man and don't forget the perfume."

CHAPTER 2

The boss and Gary and then Lance who'd driven up behind them, stood just inside the huge country kitchen gawking at the three groomed women lining up in front of them to be appreciated.

Kissing and then standing with an arm around her husband, Molly said, "Gary, this is our new family member Lisa."

"Hi Lisa. Welcome to Pihama Station. You are so pretty. My understanding was the boss had brought home a waif."

"Better a waif I think than a frozen body Mr Young."

They all laughed.

Linked by their arms, Irene said proudly, "Lisa, this is Lance, my husband who as usual forget to call saying he'd be home late.

"Welcome to Pihama Lisa. We all will make your stay here as pleasurable as possible."

"Thank you for your warm welcome Mr Stewart. Irene told me discreetly you were a little older than her but forget to add you were also rather handsome."

"Oh, she's still in the process of learning many things about me Lisa."

"Yes, welcome to Pihama," the boss said, striding up and hugging her. "There's been a magical change, you are quite beautiful."

"I'll accept attractive but not beautiful Nash. Did you like my perfume? It's one of Molly's. She did my fingernails and Irene created a miracle by making these curls out of my stringy hair. They have been so lovely to me. I have been asked to request you gentlemen hurry off to shower and change into formal clothing and to join the ladies for pre-dinner drinks. Oh, and also to say when dressed like this it is reasonable to expect to be called ladies."

"Come on you smelly lot, a shower and a good soaping," Nash said. "Do what the young lady says."

After they trooped out Molly said to Lisa as they entered the passage, "He couldn't keep his eyes off you."

"Who?"

"The boss."

"Oh him. I rather fancy Lance."

"Ooh you brat, I'll have to keep one eye on you," Irene smiled, taking Lisa by one arm and snaking Molly's in the other and they walked through the double doors to the second wood-paneled lounge, originally built as a smoking room. "Whisky everyone?"

"No alcohol for me Irene. I have to look after the baby."

"Oh God, how could I be so forgetful and tempt you like the Devil?"

"It's water off a duck's back Irene. I've yet to start drinking alcohol. Come on smile it's okay. There, that's better."

"Right my girl," Molly said with authority in her voice. "We have been rather casual about your condition. Rule One, you are not to ride in any vehicle whatsoever beyond the woolshed because the tracks are rutted and you risk being heavily jolted. If you want to see anything of the farm you walk."

"What about riding out?"

"Can you ride a horse?"

"Yes. I began riding as a four-year old."

"Rule Two is if you ride a horse it may only be Silver and Rule Three is you are never to ride any faster than a walk while carrying baby."

"Rule Four is no Alcohol and Rule Five is no letting your hair down at wild parties. Some parties we go to have bouncy type dancing. That's all for the moment. Oh, Rule Six, you are prohibited from stretching up to peg anything to the clothes line or to remove anything from the clothes line."

"Have you had babies Molly? You seem to know a lot of theory."

"Yes, I have three children and two miscarriages between them. No way will I allow you to miscarry. Do you understand?"

"Yes Molly."

The tension went from the air and Irene handed out the drinks, sparking mineral water for Lisa.

"Molly?"

"Yes Lisa?"

"That was your kick-ass voice, wasn't it?"

"Yes dear, sorry use it so early on you but I thought it necessary."

"You sounded awesome Molly, I almost crapped myself."

Molly managed to stifle her laugh before saying, "Lisa, please remember we are ladies tonight. Please don't encourage Irene." Irene was smothering her laughter with a hand.

The phone went and Molly answered. She went to the door and yelled, "Nash, Matilda Green on the phone."

"I'll take it here in the bedroom."

"Is Matilda..."

"Yes honey," Molly said to Lisa. "We never call her Widow Green to her face."

Nash picked up the bedroom phone. "Hi Matti, I'm just out of the shower."

"Oh Nash, should you be talking like that to me?"

"I'd like to shower with you sometime Matti."

"Hush you randy man. My nephew has come to stay with me. He's graduated and is having a year off and spending some of that time visiting relatives. I timed my call to when I thought you would be coming in. I invite you to dinner with us."

"Oh Matti. I have taken in a young waif who is pregnant and this is the first dinner with all of us tonight. I'm sorry but it is to be quite an event. Look, just a moment..."

He rushed off throwing a towel around himself and skirting the second lounge found Irene in the kitchen. "Is there enough chow for Matilda and her young nephew? I haven't invited her but would like to."

"Yes, sure boss. I've cooked more than enough for seconds for you greedy guys."

"You're a darling. I'd like Lisa to meet Matti, er Matilda who'd called to invite me to dinner."

"I agreed. It's best they come here. I'll tell the others dinner's on hold."

Nash returned to the phone. "Hi again. We have plenty of chow here. You two come as soon as you can."

Sheep and cattle dogs in their two rows of double stacked kennels barked the arrival of the guests before anyone in the house heard the approaching vehicle.

The people in the house went to the sunroom where the two dinner guests entered.

Lisa scarcely noticed Harris Raymond when being introduced to him. She had been expecting Mrs Green to be really beautiful with a dynamic figure because the boss appeared to be interested in her. But she was disappointed.

Mrs Green was lean, just like the boss, and had breast-like bumps and her only make-up was lipstick. She wore no nail polish, her long brown hair was in a ponytail and she wore R M Williams work-style clothing: a pink yulara shirt, moleskin trousers and elastic sided boots. Lisa supposed she'd been expecting Mrs Green to be in high heels and wearing a cocktail dress. Then to cap it off as the other folk were gathered around talking Mrs Green her nephew came up and said to Lisa, "Are you sure you're pregnant? Some girls I know and who are not pregnant have a fatter belly than you do."

"Are you a loser?"

"Pardon me Lisa?"

"Don't you know how to talk to a female?"

"Sorry, what did I do wrong?"

Lisa sighed. "You made a highly personal comment to me without any preamble."

"Um you are young and I thought you wouldn't want buttering up. If you must know I was going to say great tits but thought you might think that was inappropriate on our first meeting."

"Our first meeting?"

Harris frowned. "Well there are few young people in town and none on this station according to my aunt. I thought we could knock around a bit even though you cannot have sex."

"Oh thank you. And who said I can't have sex?"

Harris turned very red. "I... I...just assumed. You know, what with this pregnancy stuff."

Lisa shook her head. "Go get yourself a drink Harris and come back when you're more mature."

"Now, now. Are things not going too well here?" Mrs Green said, coming up and kissing Lisa and saying, "God your skin in great and your hair is ever so stylish."

"Your skin in great and your hair is stylish," Harris said almost to himself and Mrs Green and Lisa stared at him.

Harris focused on them and said, "Oh, um may I get you ladies a drink?"

"A beer for me," Mrs Green said.

"Would you like soda water or lemonade Lisa?"

"Lemonade thank you Harris. Will Harris be staying with you long Mrs Green?"

"Oh darling, please call me Matilda. Harris doesn't know what his schedule is because he doesn't have one. I mentioned to him you'd just arrived here and you two might choose to spend some time together because most of the young people from around here are at university or moved away to find work."

"Well I guess we could."

"Just be careful if you two ever decide to have sex dear. He mustn't be rough."

"Sex?"

"Yes just because you're in the early stages of pregnancy doesn't mean you can't have sex but you'd be wise to carry condoms. Would you like to ride with me occasionally? I come up here usually on Sundays to ride. A quiet ride would be good exercise for you and I can always break off when I wish to gallop?"

Lisa said she'd like that very much.

From that evening a close friendship established between Lisa and Matilda. Harris and Lisa had difficulty communicating so never became friendly. Matilda proved to be one of the most charming persons Lisa had ever met and she could see what the boss saw in her: a woman with a great personality and a magnificent smile, that's apart from the physical attributes. Matilda's skin was olive, her hair was long and shiny and her body was taut and athletic. Whatever else would a man want? Lisa looked around for the boss, thinking he'd be following Matilda with his eyes. Her eyes locked with Nash's and she imagined she felt a power charge surge between them.

Lisa turned pink and wondered what the fuck was Nash looking at her in that manner; he had the scrumptious Matilda. In comparison she was a pale, non-performing and half-scared pregnant young adult lurching from one disaster to another in her life.

But then Lisa knew little about men.

Nash turned away wondering what the hell was that. He'd been staring at Lisa and when she looked up felt almost as if a power current flared between them. He turned away thinking life was not all about sex. Matilda was attempting to get her hooks into him but that was out of fear no one else would come along. She was so predictable in bed and had a strong preference for an orderly life. Christ he was out here in wide open and sparsely-populated country for the enjoyment of living in near isolation gave one and his work gave him immeasurable satisfaction and, except in years of severe drought, enriched him beyond the monetary reward.

Unlike Matilda, Lisa really needed him. She had been practically abandoned by her family and also ignored by the guy who'd put one up her spout and his family and yet she had backbone. She resisted any gesture of kindness and accepted his patronage because for her there was no alternative. She was hard in mind and body and probably would fuck like a rattlesnake in bed. But she'd also ride a horse with him until she dropped, she'd defend him with her life, or so he imagined, and her idea of going to town would be for supplies, not to get beauty treatment and to talk to other women. Nash breathed she was his kind of woman but regrettably she was so young. Still he intended shafting her as soon as she was fully recovered after the birthing.

That night Lisa awoke screaming. Irene went running to her room and then got Molly out of bed. They worked on Lisa with cold compresses but the reality was around 2:00 Lisa miscarried. Molly was beside herself in grief and couldn't believe it when the whiteface and near exhausted Lisa patted her cheek and said weakly, "Don't fret Molly. Sometimes these things are meant to happen. I'll live-birth next time."

Lisa slipped off to sleep. Irene placed her arm around Molly and led her out to the kitchen where Gary and Lance were assisting the boss to empty a bottle of whisky.