Thoroughly Loving Nina Ch. 09

"What are you talking about," Hannah asked.

"He's been talking like this ever since he gave me the news mommy."

"Joe?"

"It's all supposition we have no details – take a look at this Hannah, I'm counting on you."

"Oh my lord, it's that swamp flower I planted years and years ago. I thought none survived."

"Great, I was hoping it was that plant. What kills it?"

"It's pretty drought resistant but cattle love it."

"Bingo, that's where we'll go, to the part of the south-west quadrant where cattle find it tough going, so avoid it. We searched the dried up water courses."

"How can I help?" asked Vic.

"Drive these women to the hospital, but there's no rush. We won't find them in a hurry but your Nina has given us a huge break with this message."

"What message?"

"By wiping blood on to her handkerchief Nina has told us Kevin is hurt, perhaps hurt badly, certainly he's not well enough to be left alone so she attempted to send Juna in to hasten a rescue. That suggests hospital attention is required. Then she scouted the local landscape attempting to find something perhaps native to the area. Well what she found is rarer than she thought and she sent it to me as a message, not having paper and pen."

"She did that?"

"Yes Margo. Makes it kinda difficult to regard her as a greenhorn, doesn't it sweetie?"

"Oh it does. I'm so ashamed I acted so jealously knowing she's won a bigger place in your heart than the slice I hold."

"I have a big heart, sweetie, just like my horses. There's plenty of room in it for you to expand; I'm your daddy, Margo. I would like it if you could love Nina like a sister."

"This is drivel," Hannah snapped. "Shouldn't you be driving out at least to the one-mile fence to ensure a faster rescue?"

"What, save one minute perhaps two minutes' flying time and then perhaps have the pilot over-shoot me? Here he can at least see the house."

"I'm sorry for snapping darling. I'm thinking of our son-in-lay out there, perhaps dying."

"Oh mommy."

"She only said perhaps Margo – be brave," Vic said.

"Oh Vic, what's your feeling?"

"Simple – Nina won't allow him to die."

"How can you be so sure?"

Vic paused then said, "Sometimes we have to draw on faith."

"Amen," Jo said as he took a phone call.

He turned to Vic. Sorry, we can't bring Nina back with us. The only chopper available with stretcher is a two-person one."

"Well, I riding out to fetch in Nina," Margo said.

Joe squeezed her affectionately saying, "Your place is at the hospital when Kevin is brought in. I have a strong feeling he's alive Margo."

"Thank you daddy."

"Anyways, Betsy has almost a half hour start on you."

"What did you tell her to do?" Hannah asked.

"Nothing – she'd been told either Kevin or Nina or both were in trouble somewhere in the south-east quadrant. She'd saddle a fresh horse and two more and ride out looking for Bella for support and head out waiting for the flight path of the chopper to give them the heading."

"And you expect them to know all that and do it?"

"They're professional cowgirls, Hannah, who fear broken backs and a lonely death but that's about all. They know what to do, believe me."

The helicopter landed, Joe climbed aboard and they were away, all inside a minute. Joe pointed the direction they should take as he put on his headset.

"Simon, is that right?"

"Yes Joe, Simon Crow. My dad was a big fan of yours."

"Is that right? Well Simon first we pick up two riders with two spare horses, and then we give them the heading to follow. They don't know what lies ahead and neither do we."

"Got that Joe."

"Good. Do we have a full load of fuel?"

"Confirmed."

They spotted Betsy and Bella leading a horse each. Joe pointed the exact course for Simon to follow and looking out his window saw Bella waving her Stetson. It was back to business.

"Right, when we enter the area I want you to pattern search the dried water course crossways. It should be quite easy to pick up from the air by the little ribbons of finer stone and grit left behind by drying water flow."

"Confirmed."

"We will be looking for a woman attempting to be conspicuous by movement and whatever else she may think up."

"What is she dressed in?"

"Oh Christ. Brown shirt and brown riding trousers – I watched her ride out."

"Confirmed. So we watch for movement?"

"I guess so," Joe said glumly. He was looking at vast terrain that virtually looked the same – a landscape of multiple browns.

Twenty minutes later Simon said, "There she is, on your left, now straight ahead. Locate the way she's pointing."

"Good heavens, you picked her up by her white underwear?"

"I have a fetish for fancy lingerie Joe. Hers happens to be plain white by it's certainly worked for me."

"She's pointing roughly at 2 o'clock."

Simon said he'd got that and would head the rocky area beyond her.

Joe spotted something. "There's a downed horse at 11 o'clock, two hundred yards away. Ah, I can see my son-in-law. Looks bad, he's not moving. Christ he's dead, a shirt over his face."

"Probably it's there to shade his face from the sun if he's injured and she couldn't move him."

"Oh yeah. Christ, I mustn't scare myself like that. This horse has him pinned. Christ, Nina must have shot it as Kevin carries a rifle. She'll be traumatized."

"Keep calm Joe. I'll drop you off touching on top of that big flat rock. As soon as you're clear I'll lift up and lower the winch. Wrap the wire round the back legs of the carcass and I'll slew it off him; you try to lift some of the weight off the guy."

"No go, you'll have to lift the rear of the horse. My thinking is his left leg will still be in the stirrup."

"Makes sense Joe. Keep clear of the carcass as much as you can in case the wire pulls off. Lifting is no problem for this baby."

"Confirmed. Put me down Simon."

The carcass had been lifted clear by the time Nina arrived, gasping for breath.

Joe embraced her.

"You've done incredible well, Little Darling. He's breathing a little ragged but his color is quite good. I've seen cases much worse than this, although hidden injury has to be considered. I have to ask you to do two more things Little Darling. The first is to help me lift Joe on to the stretcher; it may appear terrifying being under a chopper like that but the pilot appears to be a steady guy. I trust him."

"Then I do, Joe Black. What's the second thing?"

"Wait to be retrieved. This chopper is only a two seater. I need to be back at the hospital with Margo in case things become grim."

"I understand. Let's get lifting."

Joe looked up and indicated to Simon they were ready to load the stretcher.

Joe and Nina had a great struggle with the deadweight and attempting to avoid touching the injury or having it scrapped. They appeared oblivious to the blue and white screaming helicopter and soon had Kevin strapped in. Joe doubled checked the strapping for firmness and pulled the front of the stretcher pod over Kevin's face. Joe shouted that Betsy and Bella would less than an hour away.

"Goodie, we'll have a reunion party here," she shouted back.

Joe waved and stood on the skid and as arranged Simon lifted the craft up a bit to increase the margin of safety before Joe opened the door and climbed in. Putting on the headset Joe said, "Our new passenger appears to have concussion. Backtrack to give the riders a direct line in and then off to the hospital."

"Confirmed. How's the babe in the white underwear?"

"Giggling, fucking giggling. She knows the two women coming in for her and is talking about have a reunion party before they head back home."

"She appears to be a little ripper."

"She's a cowgirl, Simon. A real cowgirl, needing only some fine-tuning!

* * *

The two riders approach.

"What's this, some kind of fashion show?" inquired Bella.

"Vomit and blood has rather killed my interest in my shirt."

"Good for you. Doesn't she look pretty, Betsy?"

"Yeah, great tits. Pity about the make-up – mostly dust and dried tears. I think she needs a beer."

"Oh Besty, Bella. I'm so glad to see you," Nina cried, bursting into tears.

The cowgirls sat on their horses, faces inscrutable as Nina exercised her right to cry.

"Finished?" asked Bella, on the flats as Nina had come down from the rocks.

Nina nodded.

Bella reached into her saddlebag and tossed Nina a can of beer.

"Do you have a comb?"

"Yes and a compact," Betsy said. "God you're sun burned. At least the heat's going from the sun now."

"No sex for you tonight with that sunburn."

"Oh I don't know – we'll probably do it standing up."

Bella and Betsy laughed and said they would be back in a few minutes. They would retrieve the saddle, bridle and anything else salvageable.

"Are you okay to be left alone?" Betsy. Nina said yes, she knew they'd be close by.

Half an hour into the ride they heard the sound of a helicopter.

"Pilot boy is coming back to see if he can get that bra off you."

"Something's wrong, Kevin is dead," Nina moaned, becoming edgy.

"Nah, those two men would have realized you have bad sunburn and are probably close to being hydrated," Bella predicted. "You are on your way to hospital. Boy are those doctors going to rush you as well as some of the gay nurses."

"Stop teasing her Bella," Betsy snorted. "Here darling, take my shirt."

"B-but you're not wearing a bra."

"Oh, aren't I? Bella will have a lovely time licking me on the ride back,"

* * *

The pilot waved to Nina and held out the headset for her to put on. "Hi, I'm Simon. No news about our patient except he's in the best of care. Tests are continuing. You look better than expected."

"Thanks, Simon. I'm Nina. Please take me to the homestead."

"But my instructions are the hospital."

"The homestead please Simon. Be a good boy."

"Well, I can't take you anywhere against your will. The homestead it is."

Nina waved goodbye to Simon as he lifted off. She entered the house and called out to the cook-housekeeper Mrs Drake who came to the entrance hall rubbing her eyes.

"Oh, my poor child. The sun has burned you. Come, I know how to treat you. We have aloe vera cream and something to relieve the pain. I shall sponge the worst parts very softly – I have baby tissues in the store. Thank God you managed to protect your face."

"My Stetson protected me, helped by the block in my make-up cream, Mrs Drake."

"There's been quite a commotion around here while you were away, Nina. I have no idea what has happened except Mrs Black said they were rushing to the hospital – something bad had happened out on the range and Mr Kevin was hurt."

"I'll tell you about the accident in a moment Mrs Black," Nina said, as the middle aged woman, mother of three, returned with a bowl of water and tissue pads. "What do you know about Mr Black?"

"Not much, I work for Mrs Black. If you don't mind me saying so I think Mr Black is grumpy and lazy – he loves bawling out people, me included."

"Well Michelle – may I call you Michelle? I'm Nina to you, always."

"Yes Nina and you call me Michelle, always."

"Michelle, let me tell you about a man who's lost his past and is about to get it back, a man named Joe Black."

To be Continued...