Page 32 of Ruby’s Outback Love

“Ruby is out with the team this week. How about four in the afternoon on either Saturday or Sunday?” Mrs Waters suggested.

“I’m not working this weekend. Saturday?” Ruby’s parents nodded in agreement. “I’ll see you then and thank you.”

I stood, they joined me and I was escorted to the door. I shook hands with Mr Waters and kissed Mrs Waters’ cheek before stepping out into the warm sunshine with hope in my heart.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Tarara Station NSW

RUBY

“When do you make the move to Bourke, Cam?” Marge asked as we sat around the table enjoying a meal of grilled chicken and salad.

I’d taken a few bites and although the chicken was moist and full of flavour thanks to a mustard and cream sauce, I didn’t feel like eating.

I had too much going on inside my head. I’d been haunted by dreams of Phil since our meeting down by the river when he’d declared his love for me and pleaded for me to allow him to explain. The dreams had been much more vivid than usual, placing my head and heart in conflict with each other.

The back and forth – should I give him a chance to explain, one minute and no, he doesn’t deserve a chance to explain – was doing my damn head in. I felt like I was on an out of control see-saw that I couldn’t climb off. At the present point in time, I was leaning towards hearing him out. I’d convinced myself I had very little to lose but a great deal to gain. Knowing the truth would surely set my mind at ease once and for all. What bothered me the most about the entire situation was, in my head, I’d turned into one hell of a whiny bitch. It wasn’t like me to be so obsessed about something.

“I finish in Dubbo next Friday. The following week I’m with the team and then I have the weekend and all the following week to look around for a place to buy. The week after is with the team and then I start work at the hospital,” Cam responded.

“Busy few weeks then,” Rex observed.

“Where will you stay while you wait for settlement on your property?” Marge asked.

Cam glanced across the table. “Linda and Drew have offered me their guest room. Everything from my apartment in Dubbo is going into storage, I was renting down there so don’t need to worry about organising a sale.”

Marge frowned. “Aren’t you taking a risk buying a place before you know Bourke is where you want to be?”

Cam shook his head. “No. I’ve been spending enough time in the town to know it’s where I want to be.”

Rex turned his attention to Drew. “How’s your place going, Drew?”

My boss glanced at his lover who was seated beside him and lifted her hand into his. “We love it. Linda has an eye for design and I provide the grunt to make her vision come to life. The place is beginning to take on a real country cottage feel. It’s warm and homey with lots of natural wood and fibres.”

Linda nodded in agreement. “He’s quite a talented decorator for a doctor.”

We all laughed until Marge stood and commenced clearing the dishes away. Cam and Drew offered to help with the chore while Linda wanted to take a quick shower. I picked up my mug of tea and headed outside to the verandah.

Comfy, over-stuffed chairs were placed at random intervals and I dropped into one. I was tired, but not from work.

After placing the mug beside me on the floor, I rested my head back and gazed up at the night sky.

Billions of stars twinkled overhead. The Southern Cross, Alpha Centauri, and other formations I wasn’t familiar with, were clearly visible. The air was clear and warm, only the soothing sounds of nature could be heard.

When I closed my eyes, Phil’s face made an unwelcome appearance – again. I sighed with frustration but had to admit, he was still as handsome as ever. Stress of his job had caused a few fine lines to appear, but he hadn’t seemed to age at all. It was the change in his eyes which caused me ongoing heartache. They were now clouded with remorse, no longer sparkled with life. I couldn’t be a witness to his suffering any longer, not when it was within my power to do something about it. We both needed closure. Once and for all.

***

Tarara Station

Friday Morning

RUBY

We were in the process of packing everything up for our trip back to town and Linda and I had just stashed a few things in the rear of the four-wheel drive when I heard the familiar sound of the FDS plane approaching.

We stood watching as it circled overhead before gliding down onto the landing strip and coming to a stop. The propellers wound down, the door opened, steps extended and Elouise appeared, immaculately dressed in her FDS uniform. She smiled as she strode towards us.