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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“WE’RE NOT GOING to be ready in time,” Skylar moaned, leaning her elbows on the countertop and putting her head in her hands. “There’s still too much left to do.” Her words came out muffled, with a slight edge of hysteria. Bindi was at a loss. Skylar never let stress get the better of her, but it seemed that catering a wedding stretched everyone to the limit.
“Of course, we will.” Bindi lay a soothing hand on Skylar’s back. The wedding was still two days away yet. And Skylar had everything planned down to the last second. She was the queen of organization. Ms Perfection, herself. “Look.” Bindi walked over and tapped the schedule Skylar had taped to the refrigerator, written in her neat handwriting. “It says here, we need to ice the cake this morning, and make the native pepperberry crackers for the entrée and put them in the freezer, ready for the big day.” That didn’t sound too bad. As long as they broke things down into small steps, everything was achievable.
Skylar gave a moan and lifted her head. “Yes, but that list doesn’t take into account the lunch we need to prepare for all the hoardes of people Dale and Daisy have invited. I don’t know why I ever agreed to do this,” she ended on a wail.
Oh, God, what was she supposed to do with a boss that was losing her shit? It was supposed to be the bride who had the meltdown before the wedding, wasn’t it?
Just as Bindi wavered between going over and patting Skylar on the back, or leaning her own elbows on the countertop and joining in her misery, Julie waltzed in.
“What’s going on?” she asked in her usual bright, chirpy voice.
“I can’t do this. I don’t know why Daniella has put all this on my shoulders. It’s too much, I’m telling you.” Skylar slammed her hands down on the countertop with a smack, making Bindi jump.
“Oh. Right.” Julie’s astute gaze shot between Bindi and Skylar. “It’s like that, is it?”
“Like what?” Skylar asked, narrowing her eyes at Julie, who held her hands in the air and backed away.
“Time for a little emergency break, and something to eat,” Julie said, approaching her stepsister as if she were a rabid dog. “Low blood sugar can turn everyone a little crazy. And I know you haven’t eaten anything this morning. Have you?” She reached Skylar and took her by the shoulders, spinning her around to face her. “Come with me and we’ll have a little chat.”
“No, I can’t leave—” Skylar protested.
“Codswallop.” Julie exclaimed. “You need a break, little sister. Five minutes to have something to eat and get some fresh air.”
“Did you just say codswallop?” Skylar asked. “Surely you didn’t just use that word?”
“I did, and I’ll say it again, if you don’t come with me right this instant.”
Skylar gave a low chuckle. Then she tilted her head back and gave a long sigh. “You’re right. I’d kill for a Diet Coke and a muffin.”
Julie drew her into an embrace, and the two sisters hugged. Bindi was so glad that Julie was around to handle Skylar at her worst. She wasn’t sure what she would’ve done without her.
“Good, girl. Then I’ll get in the kitchen and give you two a hand,” Julie replied. “Daniella has had me folding bloody napkins all morning.” Julie gave a theatrical sigh. “But I’m here now, ready to do your bidding.”
“Thank you,” Skylar said, removing her apron and throwing it on the countertop. “How about we grab a soda and a snack and take it into my garden for a few minutes?” She opened the smaller walk-in cool-room and grabbed two cans of drink and two muffins left over from yesterday’s smoko. “Will you be okay for a few secs?” she asked Bindi as she backed out of the door.
“Sure. I’ll start making sandwiches for lunch,” Bindi said helpfully. That would be one less thing Skylar had to think about. At least Skylar had agreed to keep all the daily meals simple on the lead up to the wedding, and she wasn’t expected to produce the gourmet meals that she was renowned for.
All the cabins on Stormcloud were now full of friends and family here for the wedding. Bindi had lost track of who was who. As she got to work buttering a stack of bread she grabbed from the freezer, Bindi reviewed the names of the guests she knew. Daisy’s family from Perth were here, of course, including her parents, elderly grandmother, and her brother, River. Bindi still couldn’t quite get over her aversion to River after he’d got Daisy into so much trouble when they’d first arrived in the area. Plus, a gaggle of four of Daisy’s best friends—also from Perth, three women and one man—who’d commandeered a lot of Daisy’s time over the past few days. The rest of Daisy’s extended family—aunties, uncles, and cousins—were making the trip down from the Northern Territory, but had opted to stay at the Koongarra Station, in the indigenous community, less than an hour’s drive away.
Dean and Naomi, along with Daniella’s ex-husband and his entourage of wife and two sons—both stepbrothers to Dale and Skylar—were here. Along with Steve’s old boss and his wife, who were an absolute hoot; Bindi had loved talking to them on their ride the other day.
The station was bursting at the seams. There were so many people coming that the overflow had to be housed at the hotel and van park in Dimbulah. The rest would drive in from Cairns or the surrounding country areas on the day. It was touted to be the event of the year.
Steve and Daniella had been kept busy entertaining their family, and Daisy and Dale were kept equally busy handling the million-and-one little emergencies that always came up when there was a wedding to plan. Like, could they sit Aunty Sharia at the same table as Aunty Polly, because of their long-standing feud that no one really remembered how or even when it’d started? Or the white flannel flowers Daisy had ordered for her bouquet were delayed, and Daisy might have to go with ordinary old chrysanthemums, which had almost made her cry.
But as long as the weather held out, all of those minor details would fade away on the day. The weather gods seemed to be smiling on them, as there were still no predictions of rain, at least until Christmas. Actually, the weather remained unseasonably hot and dry.
Bindi worked methodically until there were nearly a hundred slices, buttered and ready. She’d make a selection of fillings, which would be simple, but tasty. She laid out slabs of rare roast beef from a haunch Steve had slow-cooked on the barbecue himself the other day, combined with some of Skylar’s special homemade relish. Bindi had just started on the Swiss cheese and pickle sandwiches when Skylar and Julie came back into the kitchen.
“Oh, good, thanks,” Skylar said, looking much less frazzled.
“Tell us what’s left to do, and we’ll help you finish up,” Julie added.
“If you could whip up a bowl of egg mixture to make the last of them, that’d be great,” Bindi replied. “There’s a heap of hard-boiled eggs in the cool-room.” She pointed at the larger of the two refrigerated rooms.
The three women worked efficiently, side by side, until all the sandwiches were cut and stacked neatly onto five large platters and placed in the cool-room until they were needed at lunch time.
