The Return Home

Part 4

Finally. The last of the deliveries.

Friday is delivery day. Swap day. Community day. Every Friday.

I had delivered off the last of Lynn's list, I swapped three baby chickens for a baby turkey. Ava would love that.

I gave the last of the goats milk to a neighbour and she gave me three more balls of yarn. She is an avid knitter.

I got home and unloaded what I had to, and placed the baby turkey in to my nursery for baby fowls. I watched for several minutes, seeing if it would be nice and to my surprise, it was.

I got back in my ute for another run to town when I turned the key and I got nothing.

"No!" I cried out. "Come on. I just filled you with petrol. Come on!" I tried being nice to it, but it wouldn't start. "Come on!" I shouted as I hit the steering wheel.

I groaned as I jumped out and slammed the door.

"Bugger!" I went to the barn and pulled off my hard capped boots and placed on my riding boots.

My stallion, Storm, was in the barn and I saddled him up.

I rubbed his face. "Hey boy. Wanna go for a run?" I asked him as I gave him a handful of oats.

He nibbled down on my hand as I continued to pat him.

After he was finished, I pulled him out of the barn and I collected my hat. I climbed up on him and tied my hair in to a plait and placed on my hat. Out of all the days the Ute could break down, I didn't need it to be today.

I signalled for him to go and we started walking down the drive way. I only shod him two weeks ago so I was all set.

I rode in to town, not a rare sight to be honest for me to do, but a bit more difficult for me to do what I needed with a horse instead of a car.

I went to the local mechanic, but he wasn't in right now and in a way I felt relieved. I had a little savings but aside that I refuse to touch, not much, but I can't afford for my car to be in the shop. My savings wasn't for that and if I have to dip in to it, it would break me. It was for Ava.

I had gone to Mark's shop and slid off the horse, tying him to a post.

I patted him on his nose. "Good boy." I whispered to him before going in to see Mark.

"Ah, there you are love." Mark said to me.

"Morning."

"Did we ride today?"

I groaned. "I had to. The ute won't start." I picked up salt.

"Why don't you do a big shop every week, love?" Mark asked me.

"Don't you want me in any more?" I teased him.

Mark laughed as I tried paying for it.

"No. These are for you." Mark went to the fridge behind the counter and pulled out a small container. "Blueberry bites."

"Tell Lynn and Hanna, thank you." I smiled as I went back outside and placed the items in the side bag of the horse. I was about to jump back on when I remembered I needed sugar as well.

Well, I needed some more meat too, but that won't be happening today. I went back in to the shop and noticed someone else in there. He looked unfamiliar at the back of him.

I went down to the sugar and picked up a kilo bag.

I stayed behind the person Mark was serving.

"Buddy, we are tiny town. We don't have hotels." I heard Mark say as I looked at the person in front of me.

He looked very fancy. Too fancy for a country town. His pants were slacks and he had on a suit jacket.