Learning to Love

Chapter 11

Kadence’s first week flew with the children all excited by the new classroom layout and exploring all the different creatures and textures around the room. Every day she reminded herself not to get too attached to the children, but who was she kidding, matters of the heart weren’t just a case of saying it and having it happen. After a long conversation of ‘What about me?’ with her mother, she found herself promising to return home for a visit, which is what she was currently twisted in knots about this sunny Saturday morning. A little glimmer of hope inside; was actually hoping for rain so she had an excuse not to return to the city. Her mother, she could handle; it was the returning home to Richard that she was breaking a sweat over. She couldn’t help but wonder if he’d had something to do with her car breaking down and didn’t think she could look him in the eye after knowing for certain he had slashed her tyres, she could feel in in her gut. 

Downing the last of her coffee, she skulked off towards her bathroom for one final once over; picking on her hair for the umpteenth time and knew she was just stalling the inevitable. Dragging her feet like a man on death row, she got in her car and with a stern warning to herself in the rearview mirror, she roused herself and sat a little taller; she was not the one at fault here and she needed to take charge of her own life again, it was time to return home and face the music.

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Dee watched as Bianca, Matt and Mike stood in their positions for today’s morning of drenching for Bianca’s sheep. Bianca at the end of the run, pushing the woollen beasts through; Matt in the middle, squirting with a practised ease, a measure of drench knowing too much would poison the beast but too little would be non-effective and Mike at the end tagging their ears as they made it through to the end.

She looked between a dishevelled Bianca who kept getting momentarily distracted from perving on Matt and getting roused on by Mike at the opposite end of the run; and Matt who didn’t seem to notice she even existed as an actual woman, outside of their friendship. She found herself torn between her husband’s sister and their friendship, and the obvious fact that Matt and Bi just weren’t suited together like he and Kadence clearly were, so she would have to be a little more cunning in her match-making, to ensure Bi ‘s heart didn’t get too hurt at the end.

Grabbing three bottles of water from the fridge, she made her way towards the group slaving away.

“I wonder if Kadence has made it home yet?” Dee asked, not expecting an answer, “a shame she’s missing such beautiful weather.”

Never missing a beat, Bianca chimed in, “Clearly, she’s missing the city and her ‘boyfriend’,” Bi said sarcastically, “if she’d had to run back home already. Don’t get too attached Dee, she doesn’t belong here.”

“Well, I for one, will be hoping reason pops up for her to stay on indefinitely.” Dee leaned against the post near Matt. “Quality like that, can’t be taught in a classroom, she’s a dime a dozen.”

“Well, like you said. She’d only here temporarily and won’t have any reason to stay.” Bi finished a little crossly.

“I suppose we could always fall pregnant,” she turned her glimmering eyes on Mike, whose head popped up and eyes locked. They’d been talking about creating a little offspring of their own for months and if there was any time to spill the beans, it was now or never.

“Are you..?” Mike started, hope longing in his eyes.

With a simple nod, Mike dropped the tagging clamp he held in his hand and ran over to Dee, lifting her up and spinning her around in a circle. His boisterous ‘woohoo’ echoed through the mountain ridge before his lips landed firmly on hers. Matt and Bianca walked over to congratulate the pair as well, the news causing Bianca to feel a little tightness in her stomach as she thought about her fertility clock; while Matt couldn’t help but wonder if he’d ever get this moment with someone, a picture of Kadence immediately popping into this mind. With a shake of his head, he focused his attention back on the happy couple in front of him, his best friends and knew regardless of what happened in his future, he’d be the best darn uncle this kid had ever seen.