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I lowered my eyes as they began to well. “Why didn’t you just stay and say hi?” I felt so alone in those early days.
“Because I was scared I would say something else.”
I quickly glanced back up at him, but he was gazing out the window in a daze.
“Looks like the rain is easing up,” Luke announced.
I wanted to finish our discussion, but the sun was fighting its way through the clouds and I was desperate to see the place that had brought me so much joy as a kid. I jumped to my feet and pulled Luke up by his hand.
“C’mon, let’s go,” I commanded with childlike enthusiasm.
I shadowed Luke into the mudroom at the back of the house and scanned the shelves for some old gumboots. I pursed my lips and sighed when I came up with nothing. I’d just have to sacrifice my three-hundred-dollar designer ballet flats.
Luke pulled me back as I pushed opened the back door.
“Wait,” he uttered.
He reluctantly opened one of the larger cupboards, and a cluster of raincoats, umbrellas and gumboots spilled out onto the floor, landing at our feet.
My eyes grew large and I raised my eyes to meet his reddening face. “You…secret hoarder,” I cackled. “And here I was thinking the gene had somehow missed you.”
“Shuddup,” he said, with a smirk, picking up a pair of boots and tossing them over to me. “Try these.”
Dawn’s old boots fitted me pretty well, a little too big, but they would do the job. I must have looked quite ridiculous in a flowy dress and giant gumboots, because Luke’s mouth twitched as his tried to suppress his laughter. “Are you sure you want to go?”
“Hey, you promised you would show me the sights today…remember?” I retorted, as my mouth slowly curved into my award-winning smile.
Luke shook his head with a laugh and passed me a spare raincoat. I slipped it on and the lightweight cover devoured my entire outfit, making me look even more outrageous. I’m pretty sure I heard Luke snigger to himself as he followed me out the back door.
* * *
The rain had stopped completely, but everything was soaked. It may as well have been raining, as the drips off the trees were enough to drench us. Thankful for the raincoat, I continued to march through the bushland keeping my clothing fairly dry.
I heard the river before I saw it. “Oh, wow!” I gushed and stared at Luke with amazement as I listened. “It’s so loud!”
He let me run ahead to discover my little creek had been consumed by a majestic river that tore through the bushland. I gasped with delight.
“Pretty amazing, huh?” Luke spoke from behind.
“I can’t believe my eyes!”
We walked along the river, talking about how much the countryside had changed over the years. Luke spoke about my Dad, Nate, and some of the other local farmer’s hardships during the drought, and the bushfires that threatened to take what was left. But with the rain returning, the dams were filling and the crops were growing. Things were looking good.
I stared down at the wild river in front of us. “I want to touch it,” I declared, climbing over a few rocks to get closer. I wanted to feel the water running through my fingers.
“Just be careful where you step,” Luke warned, as if he was anticipating something.
I scrunched my nose at him. “I know what I’m doing, I’m still a country girl.”
Luke shrugged with a disbelieving chuckle.
As I took my last few planned steps to the riverbed, my gumboot snagged in the mud and I began to sink. In a panic, I tried to relocate my other foot in an attempt to stabilise, which only led to both boots becoming trapped. Losing my balance completely, I fell to my knees and was forced to wiggle my feet out of the boots, leaving me standing in the shallows with wet socks and a deflated ego.
Luke’s hysterical laughter surpassed the raging river in front of me. He came to my aid with a helping hand, but I ignored him. I let out a huff and proceeded to walk further into the freezing water to wash off the mud. Luckily, it was a warm day, and the water temperature wasn’t too unwelcome. I just had to work out how to get back up on the riverbank, whilst retaining some dignity.
A very amused Luke crossed his arms and observed the predicament I was facing. Realising I had no other choice, I grudgingly held out my hand for his assistance. After hesitating for a noticeable moment of enjoyment, he grabbed my arm and pulled me up. “What is it with you and mud?”
To his own surprise, he placed his foot too close to the edge and the ground crumbled beneath him. Luke’s legs slid down the embankment and took me out once again, this time breaking my fall.
