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In contrast to the previous confrontation, the first Board of Trustees meeting of the year was relaxed and friendly. It was also where John caught up with the history of the local people. Apparently the Newson family was an extended family who owned most of the properties in the valley. The previous owner of Top Oasis was a brother to the hothead Kelvin and there were two other brothers, one who had also shifted his children to the other school. Linda McLean was their sister.
After the members drifted away at the end of the meeting, only John and Fiona were left with the teachers. Courtney O'Reilly, the school's part time teacher and office assistant was staff representative on the board.
"I'm a bit of everything," the older motherly type laughed after the meeting as she sipped from a mug of coffee. "I'm a trained teacher and take the children half a day a week while Kylena does administration work. I'm in the office the rest of the time."
"I don't know what I'd do without her," Kylena added.
"Go on with you!" Courtney replied. She turned to John. "I live in Hunterville so stayed clear of the infighting up here."
"And kept me sane last year," Kylena added. The words were in jest but John could see seriousness in the teacher's eyes.
"So what's the problem with the Newson clan?" Fiona probed.
Courtney replied, "The Newsons are slobs. Education, in their eyes is okay for the boys until they can come back to work on the farm but a waste of time for girls. Kylena arrived, keen as mustard with progressive modern ideas who encouraged the girls as well as the boys."
Fiona ignored John's scowl and continued to probe. "If they don't like educated women, how come Kylena was selected as principal in the first place?" she asked.
Courtney laughed and managed to avoid the teacher's self-conscious flush. "No men applied for the job and she was the best looker. They expected a dumb blonde they could control but found a determined, conscientious teacher who wanted to teach the children, instead."
"Courtney, shut up!" Kylena, now bright red, retorted.
"Well it's true. I was here with, Peter, your predecessor. He played rugby, drank with the boys, but was as lazy as hell and got a short shift by the ERO team."
"ERO?" John queried.
"Education Review Office. They inspect the schools every three years or so. I know Peter was told to buck up or ship out." She grinned. "So he did. I think he's selling insurance now."
"But he was the sort the locals wanted?" John said.
"The Newsons anyway. There were rumblings from others, though but that family held sway over everyone."
"But not any more," Fiona added, "We arrived and bought the largest property in the valley. That must be a sock in the eye for them.”
"You could say that." Courtney laughed.
John glanced up and caught Kylena's eyes. They were such an intense blue. She noticed his gaze, relaxed and smiled back.
"And yourself, John?" Courtney cut in.
"Similar. I had to buy my brother out of our family ranch back home but the main reason for shifting here was life style, I guess. Economics, too. A farm like Top Oasis would be double or treble the price in The States and be either semi-desert or in the mountains of Montana, miles from anywhere. Anne, that's my late wife, and I visited New Zealand on a vacation a few years back and were impressed by the farms and prices." He smiled back at Kylena. "It took six years for our dream to eventuate."
"But Anne never made it," Courtney said.
"No," John replied. "But the rest of us decided to come, anyway."
"I'm glad," Kylena cut in.
The chat turned to other topics for a few minutes before Courtney excused herself and headed for the door. Fiona stood, muttered it was a lovely evening to walk home and John found himself alone with Kylena.
"Courtney's a real friend but is inclined to rattle on," the young woman said.
"I like her," John replied. He hesitated, tried to think what to say next and switched the conversation to a neutral topic. "Can you show me the toilet block where that problem mentioned at the meeting is?" he asked. One of his board responsibilities was maintenance and property manager.
"Sure," Kylena replied. "Come on through."
"It's nothing too serious," he said after he'd inspected the blocked toilet. “I’ll come up tomorrow and see what I can do. It's stupid to pay for a plumber to come all the way out here."
They walked outside and John lingered while Kylena locked up. Under the full moon it was so peaceful. A slight breeze sighed through the trees and insects chirped in the darkness.
"I'll walk you home," he stumbled when she reappeared. His tongue felt thick in his mouth.
The schoolhouse was only through a hedge but Kylena didn't object. When she walked in front of him John realized she seemed so feminine in her neat skirt, frilly blouse and with hair was brushed out over her shoulders and not in the usual ponytail. Once again, John felt that strange stirring inside. He gave a nervousness chuckle and Kylena glanced back so her eyes shone in the moonlight.
"What's the joke?" she asked in soft voice.
"Oh, nothing really," John replied. "Chirping crickets, full moon and you beside me. I'm just dreaming, that’s all."
They walked on in silence, through a tiny gate where a security light at the corner of the house flickered on. Stupid man. Why did he have to babble out and make a fool of himself?
At the back door, Kylena turned and glanced into his eyes. "We're allowed to have dreams, John," she whispered then, without warning, stood on tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you," she added and stepped through her door. "See you tomorrow."
The door closed with a click and John stood back in surprise. Somehow, the moon seemed twice as large when he walked back to the Land Rover and swung into the driver's seat.
The voice that cut through the darkness made him leaped in fright. "Yes, a real honey," Fiona whispered.
"My God. Don't do that to me!" he gasped.
"I didn't really want to walk home in the dark but knew you needed to be alone with Kylena for a while. Did it work out?"
"Don't be nosy," John responded but he smiled as they drove off.
*
As is often the case, a ten-minute job took two hours and it was mid-afternoon on one of the hottest days of the summer. John, with sweat pouring off his back and down to work shorts and boots, glanced up from the trench he'd dug to see Kylena standing there with a smile on her face and a mug of coffee in her hand.
"I know a hot drink on a day like today seems ridiculous," she said and crouched down "You must be dehydrated." She gazed along the trench." You didn't have to do all this."
John climbed out of the hole and stretched his back and grinned. "I know, but one thing led to another. I've found the trouble, though." He pointed to an inspection pipe with top section removed. "A tree root is blocking the pipe. I'll cut it out. "
"Well, have a break for a while."
"Oh I will," The farmer smiled, took the mug and sipped the hot liquid. "Where's the class?
"On automatic time," she replied. "If I'm busy or a visitor calls in, the children are expected to keep working for ten minutes. If I'm still not back after that time the seniors look after the juniors. Julie is marvellous. The other day, I had one of those long phone calls and came back to find her reading a story to the little ones."
"Yes, she told me," John laughed and his eyes found hers. Last night's twinkle was still there. He coughed, diverted his eyes from her low cut blouse and finished his drink.
"I'd better get back," the teacher muttered.
John swallowed. "Do you like live shows?" he mumbled.
"Yes, I do. Why?"
"There's one of those variety shows on in Marton on Saturday night. Fiona said she'd look after the kids and I thought that if you aren't doing anything. Well..." he stumbled along like a frustrated teenager.
"John," Kylena replied in a quiet voice. "I'd love to come with you."
*
"You mean you're going to take Miss Delton out on a date?" Julie said that Saturday afternoon.
John frowned. “Do you object, Julie?" he replied with a tinge of anger in his voice.
His daughter gazed at him for a moment and shrugged. "Not, not really Dad but..."
"Go on!"
"Oh I don't know. It's just I though we had everything going so well now. Grandma's here, our farm is great, we're getting used to our new country. Why do you need more?"
"Oh Julie, my sweet," John replied in a low voice. "If you're worried I'm going to stop loving you, Helen and even Grandma because I'm taking a lady out for the evening, you can stop. Nobody will ever be replaced you. "
"I know that Dad," Julie's eyes looked round. "But with Miss Delton!"
"You like her don't you?"
"Of course, but..."
"But what, Julie?"
"She's too young, Dad," Julie burst out. "Why would she want to go out with an old man like you?"
John clamped his lips shut and rubbed a hand over his chin. "So it's not because she's your teacher?"
Julie screwed her nose up. "Partly, I guess. It seems wrong, somehow."
"Oh, Julie. I'm just taking her out to a variety concert, that's all. And as for me being too old, I guess if Miss Delton thought that she wouldn't have agreed to come with me. I'm not old as Grandma, you know."
"I didn't mean it that way, Dad. Tell me to mind my own business. I'm just being a silly little girl."
"No, that's fine," John replied and placed an arm around his daughter's shoulder. "I want you to talk about things. Often when it is about how we feel deep inside it's hard. Never feel afraid to discuss your thoughts."
Julie nodded. "Sure, Dad," she replied. “I felt jealous that you need someone else, that's all. I thought our family was all we needed. With Mom gone..." she flung he head back and glanced away. " Oh it doesn't matter."
"Say it," John urged. "Say what you think, my sweet."
Julie sniffed and swallowed hard.” When Mom died, everyone said all those great things about her but they weren't true. She was a witch, Daddy. I don't want our lives ruined by someone else acting like her."
John sighed. It was true. The last two years before Anne's death were difficult, to say the least. He had attempted to hide things from the children and thought he'd been successful. Obviously, Julie was more astute than he realized. "You remember Mom as she was at the end. When people get ill they change. That's all." He stumbled for words. How did one explain things to a twelve year old?
Julie smiled and swung around to kiss her father on the cheek. "You go out with Miss Delton and enjoy yourself, Dad. You know, I think she's lonely, too." She walked to the door but turned at the last moment and grinned back. "I'm not completely, dumb, Dad."
*
"Oh, my God," Kylena chortled a few hours later when Julie's conversation came out during the ride home. “Teenagers seem to know everything today."
"I know," John replied." Without really thinking about it he slid his arm along the back of the seat.
Kylena noticed, smiled and wriggled across the tiny middle seat that had been pulled down. She leaned her head into John and the arm came down around her shoulders.
"John," she sighed and turned her head up slightly. It was a moonlit night, the road was deserted and the fragrance of her perfume filled the car. The kiss was spontaneous gentle and on the lips. Eyes met for a second before John had to switch his attention back to the road.
However, without a word he pulled into the next lay by and stopped.
"John!" Kylena pretended to protest but responded frantically as he leaned over and the next kiss became opened mouthed and frantic.
"Oh my God!" John whispered when his tentative movement with his hand up to her breast was not hindered. In fact, the young woman, merely smiled and kissed him again as the zip behind her neck was pulled down and he glanced at the cleavage of her breasts hid only by a tiny cream bra.
"You devil, you!" Kylena sighed as warm fingers slipped the bra straps off her shoulders. Their petting became frantic. However, Kylena suddenly stopped and pulled back. She looked into his eyes, kissed him but pulled his hand away. "Not now, please John," she whispered.
John jerked back and flushed. "I'm sorry, Kylena," he stumbled. "What must you think?"
Kylena pulled her bra back up and re-zipped her dress before she replied. "I think I am honoured," She bit on her bottom lip. “Things are happening here. Wonderful things, John but could you be a little patient with me?"
"You don't mind?" the man replied with embarrassment still in his voice. Kylena eyes gazed through the semi-light and smiled. "Hell, no," she laughed, reached up and kissed him again.
John grinned, started the car and continued the journey home.
At the schoolhouse, she smiled. "Come in for a cup of coffee," she whispered and grabbed his hand." However, that's it for this evening, young man. No more hanky panky."
*
Inside, Julie heard her father return and gazed at her bedside clock. "Three-twenty, Daddy," she whispered. Her mind was also in a turmoil and she did not know whether she should be happy, sad, annoyed or what? Instead she sighed, turned her pillow over, fluffed it up and closed her eyes. A moment later she heard footsteps beside her bed. She knew it was her father and pretended to be asleep.
"Night, princess," John said, placed something on the bedside cabinet and left the room.
When he was gone, Julie listened to the slight click of Helen's door being opened before she sat up and switched on the flashlight she always kept under her pillow. On the cabinet was a bar of strawberry flavoured chocolate, her favourite."
"I love you, Daddy," she whispered and rolled over to go to sleep.
*
After that romantic date, Kylena became more and more a part Berg family's life and Fiona noticed how she purposely involved the girls whenever she was present. On weekend drives she always made the girls welcome and walks around the farm often saw her with Helen's rather than John's hand in hers.
A month slipped by with hardly a day when John didn't see Kylena at school or she’d discretely appear at the house to help do chores or spread her school planning work around the sitting room. Often, Helen would sit down beside her drawing pictures while Julie sat at the computer itself doing school assignments.
When alone, John would brush Kylena's hair, place his hands on her waist and rub his chin on her neck or she'd give him a tiny tickle under the arm pits and this would turn into frantic and desperate petting sessions but always the young woman would stop before their love making became full intimacy.
John knew he loved Kylena and after the most recent rebuff his disappointment showed.
Kylena grabbed his hands and kissed his lips. "Patience, my sweet," she whispered. “It’s me, not you."
"But why?" he asked in an unusually blunt and hurt voice.
"Oh John," Kylena sighed. "I had a bad episode in my life and I'm afraid."
"Of me?" John muttered. "I would never hurt you.”
"No not you, my darling. Just the act," she whispered and a shudder went through her body.
When John drew her in close he found her physically shaking. He kissed her on the cheek and stroked her long blonde hair. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "Whatever it is, remember I'm here if you want to talk. Until then, I can wait."
Kylena nodded, buried her face in his neck gave her lover in a massive embrace and flicked an unseen tear from her eyes. "One day it will happen, my sweet," she whispered.
*
John was about to head up the back of the farm one sunny morning when a Land Cruiser drove in and Kelvin Newson's grizzled face appeared. His relationship with his neighbour had moved from hostility to a grudging acceptance of each other. John frowned.
This morning, Kelvin seemed friendly enough but the reason for his visit did not become apparent for quite a while.
"I was wondering if you could help us out." The farmer hesitated. "You see when my brother owned this property we worked together so I never bothered to build my own track up to the top plateau."
"Go on,” John replied.
"Well, I've sold off the plantation and the contractors need to get their trucks in to remove the logs." Newson rolled himself a cigarette and turned a bleary eye across towards John. It was funny how the man always seemed to have two days growth of whiskers on his crinkled face.
The hillside adjacent to Top Oasis and directly opposite the school was covered in mature pine trees that stretched from a four hundred metre road frontage straight up to the top plateau on Kelvin's side of the boundary. The rumour around was the farmer was heavily in debt and the recent downturn in export prices would not have helped him.
"We'll repair any damage caused to the track," the farmer added when he noticed John hesitate.
"No it's not that," John replied. "The contractors are welcome to use the trail up to the top plateau. There are just a couple of other things."
"What?" the other man's voice turned sour.
John frowned. "The hill's a bit steep isn't it? "
"No steeper than your side, mate," Kelvin muttered. "I got a good price for the trees but they want the lot." He shrugged. "I had thought of bypassing that steep gully in the middle but the contractors reckon they'll get the logs out okay."
"I know that, but aren't you afraid of slips once the trees have gone."
"No, it's pretty stable up there," Newson replied. "There may be one or two slips in wet weather but nothing to worry about." He rubbed his stubble. "Mind you, I could leave the stumps in the middle gully and replant there. That's the only vulnerable area."
"That's a good idea, "John replied. "By the way, you might need a bulldozer to cut back the corner on the top bend. I can only just get the Bedford around it. A bigger truck would get stuck."
Kelvin Newson smiled and held out a hand. "No problem, John. You'll end up with a better track when the contractors have finished." He started up his vehicle. "I’ll get my lawyers to draw up an agreement and get back to you."
"Right," the American replied and watched, deep in thought, as the man drove away. If he owned the plantation he'd only cut out half the trees. He shrugged. Oh well, it didn't matter; he guessed Kelvin needed the money. At least he'd get a decent boundary fence and upgraded track out of the deal.
"Come on, Bella. We need to get those strays in." He whistled and put the agreement to the back of his mind.
*