JESS SAT IN CLASS, willing herself to keep it together until she got to Harry’s. Being with the horses would make everything better. She needed to be near them, to see the calmness in Dodger’s eyes, be mesmerised by Opal’s easy lope.
That afternoon, she helped Corey and Rosie with the trapped brumbies again. This time they were able to lead all of them around off the side of their horses. Jess spent some time with each one, off the back of Dodger, teaching them how to ‘follow a feel’ and give to the gentle pressure of the ropes, how to step into the release and come willingly forward. They quickly became light and responsive. It was fantastic progress and soon she became lost in their world again.
As she helped feed up that night, Jess felt certain that all of Lawson’s brumbies would make good riding mounts. But the same couldn’t be said for Sapphire’s mares. Jess walked to their yard and found them eating hay with Opal. They jumped when they saw her and began milling around nervously, trying to hide between each other, packing into a tight group. Jess took a rope and walked into the yard. She would take Opal home tonight. Dodger was too lonely without her. He had whinnied all night.
Opal stood slightly to the outside of the mares. Surely it wouldn’t upset them too much if she just nicked into the yard and led Opal out of there. Jess made a loop with the rope and coiled it in her hand as she approached the filly, then fumbled it and dropped one end. She stooped to pick it up.
Without warning, Opal’s shoulder barged into her, sending her sprawling into the mud. She saw hooves and legs coming at her and rolled quickly away and under the fence.
Rosie ran to her. ‘You okay?’
Jess clutched her throbbing shoulder and winced. ‘Landed on my arm,’ she groaned.
In the yard the mare swung her rump around and lifted her tail, squirting and winking.
‘They’re horsing like mad,’ said Rosie. ‘It’s sending Biyanga nuts. We had to lock him in his stable.’
Jess stood in the gateway and called Opal over, waiting until the brumby mares were at the other side of the yard before letting Opal out. She watched them as she closed the gate.
‘We’ll have to do something with them soon. They can’t stay in here the rest of their lives,’ said Rosie from behind her. ‘Luke needs to come back.’
As Jess settled into bed that night, she heard a muffled ring. She lifted her head and listened. Her phone! Where was it?
She leapt out of bed and flew to the laundry, diving on her duffle bag and madly excavating. Nothing. She stopped. Listened. Saw a faint glow down the side of the washing machine. How the heck had it got under there? It was lit up and vibrating and she pounced on it, slamming her finger onto the button and pressing it to her ear, hoping like mad it hadn’t rung out.
‘Yes?’
‘Jess!’
‘Luke?’
She heard him sigh with relief. ‘Jessy.’
‘It’s nearly midnight, you mad thing,’ she whispered, unable to contain her happiness.
‘I’m sitting on Rambo. It’s a full moon. I’m on top of the mountain and there is snow everywhere. It’s amazing, Jessy!’
‘Wow.’ She wished desperately she was there, on the back of Rambo with him.
‘The little creamy foal, the one you saved. It’s back with its mum!’
‘Min Min,’ said Jess. ‘We called her Min Min.’
‘I’ve been trying to ring you and tell you.’
‘I lost my phone.’ She didn’t think he could get coverage, except from . . .
‘I miss you, Jess.’
‘I miss you too.’
‘Yeah, but I miss you heaps.’
‘Is it keeping you awake at night?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Thought it might be.’ Jess laughed as she crept back to her bedroom and crawled under the covers. A smile spread over her face as she lay back against her pillow. ‘Am I having a dream or something?’
‘Depends. Are you dreaming about me?’
‘I always dream about you.’
‘I would dream about you too if I could get to sleep in the first place.’
‘You need a therapy pet.’
Before she could tell him about Sapphire’s mares, the phone went dead. ‘Luke? You there?’
It had lost reception. She lay with the phone held against her chest, bitterly disappointed, hoping it would ring again.
So this was what their relationship would be: broken phone calls in the middle of the night, whenever he had the energy to go up the mountain. She finally gave up and willed herself to sleep. If it was all she could have of him, she would take it.