A New Dawn

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Well this is the last one and I hope you like it. I know diddly about sheep farming or 1950's Australia and hope there aren't blinding errors. Thank you all again for your reviews on this story

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Epilogue

Christmas 1951 had indeed been perfect. Everyone came to Molly and Charles that year and although blisteringly hot most of the people coming were British, and she would have help from Edna, so they decided they would have a traditional Christmas dinner.

Roger and Edna were over the moon with their new home and the thought that Brian had put into it. Their furniture from their Guildford home already insitu when they arrived. Roger brought out cuttings from his fabulous tea roses; he had planted them round an arbour at the end of their path and every time you walked into their garden you got that sweet smell of rose and from the house you could see all the blooms. He also had shipped across a collie pup and his old thoroughbred horse which he got from his brother when visiting him to say they were leaving for Australia

Belinda and Dave did take up the offer of a flight to see them over Christmas, Nan however was going to be staying with Bella and her children in Essex and June her husband and kids also joining them. Belinda had never met Dr Mason or Alex and Katie she enjoyed their company and was pleased to see that Dave was also enjoying being back with the men he had spent so much time with in camp, she always thought how nice it was to see him smile, since that bloody war it wasn't often she got to see it. What was a nice surprise for Dave and Belinda was that Molly had heard from her brother Jack and he was sailing into Sydney on 23rd. The ship having minor work done before loading new cargo to take back to Britain. Charles was going to fly to Sydney and meet him there and bring him back to the station to join them for Christmas before taking him back the day after Boxing Day. Belinda and Molly hugged him as they hadn't seen him in nearly a year. Jacqui, Brian and their 2 children were staying with Charles and Molly as well. So all in all with six children running about and all the adults a very noisy and happy event. Alex and Katie both commenting that they had never had an English Christmas Dinner before as it was always too bloody hot. Brian commenting that perhaps they could try and barbeque the turkey next year, much to the horror and laughter from the girls.

-OG-

Christmas 1952 had again a bumper year for the sale of their wool. They had now built a little school room near to the shearing sheds but far enough away so that the children didn't hear the language or the noise. Even Charles commented that after years of working with squaddies he had learnt a few new words, and absolutely didn't want John going into school and using any of them.

Edna was in her element. She had been sent the curriculum by the state school department for them to follow. John was now 5 with Elizabeth being 4, not that anyone was calling her Elizabeth anymore but Beth. Alan and Sam both 2; were virtually joined at the hip, followed Roger everywhere. He had given them a little vegetable patch each. Unfortunately, any strawberries or peas that they actually managed to grow and had ripened were eaten before it could be taken off them. They still had the Shetland that he and Molly bought but they had added a couple more which were stabled near Rogers home and he taught them both to ride as soon as they could walk. He added a paddock and stables; went to the horse auction again and bought a couple more horses for when the children were older and one he thought was a thoroughbred and maybe an ex race horse. He increased the horse stock thinking that it would be a good idea for the round ups and having backup for them and the roustabouts. He adored taking the children riding and going out on the range with Alex and Charles. What with his garden and his growing passion for horses along with Edna enjoying all her time with the children he felt they had made a good decision to follow these young people here.

He did occasionally have the odd qualm about if either he or Edna got sick and how would they cope in the middle of nowhere and hoped they wouldn't be a burden. He had broached the subject with both Alex and Charles about making them powers of attorney and enough money being in his account if they needed to get him and Edna back to Britain if they needed caring for in their dotage. Both men dismissed that idea out of hand they had got used to him being about on their little overnight excursions while rounding up the sheep and reckoned he could carry on like that and there was no way that either Molly or Katie were going to allow that to happen anyway.

-OG-

Christmas 1953 was another good year for the stations. They decided that they would add in some family dormitories so that the shearers who were away from home for many months doing the shearing on various stations could have a bit of R&R with their wives and children visiting for a few days. The children if old enough would attend their little schoolhouse and join in with the radio lessons with Edna supervising making sure they actually followed the lesson plan. Their children loving meeting and playing with the new children. Alex had shared his dreams for the entire business venture with them right at the start, and this was all part of them; to attract the best shearers to work with them. They didn't have to go looking for a gang to come there, the foremen rang them and asked when they were wanted. The main gang that came every year were champion shearers and had won many competitions, they were fast, efficient and very little wool was ever damaged and neither were the sheep.

Charles was watching one of the shearers and how quickly he was dealing with the sheep before he could then lead it away back to the holding pen. "You wanna learn then Boss" asked the shearer he was watching. Charles couldn't help but give a big grin and nod

"Come on then" Alex had come from a sheep farming family in Southern Australia so he was grinning himself watching Charles try and get to grips with holding a wiggling sheep while shearing it. He knew how to do this, he may not be fast like this crew but he knew it was back breaking work. But Charles did learn, and he and Alex enjoyed the competitiveness of trying to outdo each other and it bonded them with their shearers too, the bosses working as hard as the men. They sometimes went down on a Saturday evening to play pool, if wives and children were staying in the dorms then Molly and Katie and children would also go down, organise a film for the kids, a barbeque, any excess could be recovered from on Sunday before starting work again on Monday. They had developed a reputation for being good employers and many of the top shearing crews wanted to work there.

-OG-

1954 was a pinnacle for them, not only did they sell all their wool for top dollar, they were now in a position to have a resident vet. Roger had mentioned that he knew a chap from the Cavalry whose son was the Household Cavalry Vet in Windsor and wanted to leave and was looking at an assisted passage to Australia; he might be the right chap to be their vet. It was agreed that Charles and Molly would fly back to the UK and he would interview him and while there he joined Dave for the usual April reunion in London of the Saigon men. He enjoyed it immensely seeing the old faces and reminiscing. The children went to stay with Alex and Katie while Charles and Molly were in the UK for 10 days. It was a round of invitations to catch up with the whole family, now none of them were living in London anymore. A trip out to Essex to see June and Bella and their children. Frank and his wife and children out in Kent and finally paying a visit to Bath to see Charles parents. Peter and Frances seem to have mellowed over the few years they had been away. They had always been updated as to the farm by Edna who wrote to them meticulously every month or two. Seemed his father had done some research into Merino wool and knew it was a huge export and much was bought up by the mills in the north. He had to acknowledge how fit and healthy his son looked since he last saw him. Both he and Frances had accepted that Roger was right, that after that last war people would want more, that the workhouse or going into service was definitely a thing of the past. People started to dream about what they could achieve and weren't about to be held back by where they came from.

-OG-

Frank Stiles had served during the war in Korea and that brutality he didn't think he would ever forget. It was what made him decide that he wanted to leave the army and look for a new life with his wife. His father was the one who suggested getting in touch with Roger and he knew that he had been a POW and at the fall of Singapore. His interview with Charles went very well and was shocked when he found out that he was with Roger at the fall and also a POW, Charles was very sympathetic to why he wanted to leave and what he had seen. He told him that his partner Alex was also there and mentioned that both his and Alex wife were also POW's. Charles had come across Korean guards when they were prisoners and knew that they were ruthless, he felt that this job would be perfect for him and if ever he had one of his black days that Charles would understand.

Frank got his visa and assisted passage along with his wife and moved to the town and he looked after the thousands of sheep across the two stations, the horses, the sheep dogs and the cats that lived in the barns and out houses along with animals from the town. He didn't live on the station but in the town and with having the contract for the stations it might allow him to take on a partner in the future and expand into the domestic pets the locals owned. He too learnt how to fly and flew in every morning early, collected a horse and rode the range with either Charles or Alex to check over the sheep.

Frank knew that 25% of assisted passage migrants left at the end of 2 years when they didn't have to pay the money back. He also knew they were starting to get a reputation for being whinging poms, but he didn't think he would. But then he didn't come over with the hope there was a job and having to live in one of those Nissan huts, while waiting to find the dream. He came knowing he had a job and that Alex and Charles had found him and his wife a little house in the town, already and waiting for them when they arrived.

He loved it out here and his wife was also making friends, Molly and Katie had recruited her to be their receptionist and make appointments for them on the days they were in the clinic. They setup a little vet's practise next door and his wife also did the reception for that too, using the same phone. It gave her the opportunity to meet people rather than be at home and both Molly and Katie had made her very welcome. Molly in particular knowing how difficult it was to leave your family behind.

John was now 7 and Sam 4 while Beth was 6 and Alan 4. Jacqui, Brian and their two children Sophie and June, also 7 and 4, would also be coming to stay with Charles and Molly. It was a very busy time, Katie and Molly at their clinic in town 2 days a week and then one or the other of them would fly off to a remote station to deal with an injury or childbirth.

Molly was snuggled onto her side Charles pressed up against her back and she was close to sleep, she had had a particularly long day at one of their neighbouring stations delivering twins and it had been a long labour. Charles thumb lightly running up and down her ribs and making her shiver with the touch.

"Molly?"

"Mmmmh" barely able to respond her eyes closing with sleep

"How would you feel about another baby?" he whispered and her eyes sprung open.

"Why you having one?" she giggled his hand coming up to collect all her hair and wrapping it round his hand, pulling her head back allowing him access to nuzzle her neck.

"I wouldn't mind a little girl" he whispered near her ear his breath warm on her neck and sending messages which made her thighs clamp. "One like you"

"What gobby?" she laughed as he put his hand on her shoulder to push her onto her back, leaning over her and stroking her cheek with his thumb

"No" he smirked "Beautiful and brilliant"

"Arrrh…You're still dead romantic ain't ya?" giving him a quick peck on the chin.

"Well you can't predict these things Charlie, what if we have another boy" she sighed "you don't expect me to keep 'aving them till we get a girl do you?"

"No" he said kissing her nose "but I'd like to."

"I'm knocking on a bit now I'd be 36 before I had it"

"It's hardly old, your mum was 39 when she had Martin"

"Yeah! and you should 'ave seen her ankles and her varicose veins not to mention the bloody stretch marks"

"I'll still love you with all that" he smirked kissing her round her neck and down to her breast then coming up to look in her eyes his dark with lust and kissing her breathless as she arched towards him.

"Last one Charlie" she laughed up at him "If it's a boy you'll have to accept it there won't be another"

"OK I promise last one"

"I'll get the vet to see to you" she cackled.

-OG-

1955 was turning into a good year as far as Charles was concerned. Molly was pregnant again although she did seem to struggle a bit this time, she had morning sickness that went on for months, as soon as she sat down she fell asleep. Edna was coming over quite a bit to check on her and help with John and Sam. He was due to go out on the range for a few days with Alex and Roger, who in his late 60's was starting to slow up but keen to go with the boys.

Molly was eight months pregnant and was sort of pleased he was going off with Alex and Roger, while she would miss him he was getting a bit tedious with his fussing over her. She had a feeling he might get lucky and this would be the girl he wanted, as this one was so different from her other pregnancies but maybe it was her age. Their freezer was packed with vanilla ice cream and she could eat it by the tub, she hadn't had cravings on the other two.

She sent him off with a kiss, enough coffee and provisions to last the few days he was due to be away.

"Will you be OK?" he asked as he held her.

"Bit late to be asking now" she grinned back "Go, I have Edna here, everything will be fine" disguising that she actually felt quite uncomfortable with the indigestion and pains in her back.

On the second day he was away and as Katie was on her own she thought she would spend the night at Molly's and came over late afternoon with Beth and Alan.

"Are you OK Molly you don't look well?" she enquired "You do look pale."

"Just a bit of heartburn and backache, nothing to worry about" as she flopped into the swing chair "Maybe I'm too old for this" she laughed

"I hope not" grinned Katie "Alex and I have been discussing a third"

"Bloody hell Katie" she laughed "Mind you at least we spaced it out this time" rubbing her back and wincing.

"Let me have a look at you" said Katie worried "You sure you're not in labour"

"Can't be Katie" she shook her head "Still got another 3 weeks to go"

"Sam was early" she said as she got her bag out to check Molly "Bloody hell girl you are aren't you?"

"Dunno Katie" she sighed "Thought it would be alright till he got back"

"Edna get the sheets and newspapers out and strip the bed."

"Shall we radio across to them, get them back?"

"Nah! Whats he gonna do except panic like the last two times, then Roger will go get his bottle and then he'll come in stinking of bleedin whiskey" she giggled "We may as well get on with it."

"He won't be pleased" smiled Katie but knowing exactly what she meant as she remembered Alan's birth and Alex coming staggering in to see him and that was with Charles trying to stop him drinking the bloody stuff.

"He will if it's a girl" said Molly as Katie helped her up from the chair just as her waters broke. "This has been different from last time, all that bloody ice cream…..it's got to be a girl"

It was a long labour this time and between Edna and Katie they tried to keep her comfortable, walking when she could and crouched over when she couldn't. As the sun came up over the horizon she gave that final push and she was there.

"You got your girl" gushed Katie as she cut the cord and handed the baby to Edna to clean and wrap up while she checked on Molly "Are you calling her Blanche" laughed Katie

"Nah! I'll always remember her same as you but no, I only did it to wind up Charlie, knew he hated the name"

"So, what are you calling her then" asked Edna looking into the blue eyes of a beautiful little girl. Molly looked out the big windows of their bedroom watching the huge yellow ball of the sun coming up

"I think Dawn would suit her" and the other nodded in agreement.

Edna handed her back to Katie for a final check over before passing her to Molly.

"She's beautiful Moll" cooed Katie "Think I am a bit broody now for another."

"Well at least we spaced it out this time no rushing about heavily pregnant trying to help the other" she smiled at her friend and hugging her in thanks as she passed Dawn to her.

After Dawn had been fed they put her in the little cot next to Molly, who was absolutely shattered and left them in peace. Edna made some toast and tea and they went to sit on the veranda at the table and chairs waiting for the men to come back.

Charles was tired as they rode back to the house later that day, they had stayed up late into the night drinking coffee and chatting round the fire but they had got the first of the sheep back and into pens ready for the spring shearing.

He saw Katie and Edna sitting at the table drinking tea and squinted into the sun from under his wide brimmed hat looking around for Molly. The two women were smiling broadly and he wondered if they had been on the Gin but remembered that Molly was pregnant and wouldn't do that.

Katie virtually threw herself on him in her excitement telling him he had a little girl. His face clouded over and he got that stern expression still lingering from his army days.

"Charles, she's not long had her, she didn't want to worry you" said Edna patting his cheek. He looked down at her with hooded eyes, grinned when he realised what she had said, nodded and walked to their bedroom removing his hat and holster.

Molly was still asleep, he saw the cot by the bed and looked down into the dark blue eyes of his new daughter, her mop of fine dark brown hair mimicking her brothers. He picked her up and held her in his arms as he walked to the window.

"Hello beautiful" he said kissing her forehead and stroking her hair back from her head. His heart somersaulted as he remembered everything Dave had ever said in camp about looking after his girl, how proud he was of her and what she had achieved, no matter how old she got she would always be his baby girl, that needed to be protected. He felt his eyes fill and a couple of tears escaped and cascaded down his cheeks.

"Hello" said a faint voice behind him "You're back"

He walked back to the bed and sat next to Molly as she pulled herself up to lean on him, stroking her daughters head. He was almost holding his breath he was still in shock that he wasn't even here.

"I thought Dawn, if you like it?" she kissed his cheek "It was when she was born"

"It's a perfect name for her" he smiled down into her green eyes "I'm sorry"

"What for?"

"Not being here when you needed me"

She shrugged, "not a lot you could've done" she sighed "But last one Charlie that was a bit hard this time"

"Yep, I promised, last one" he grinned at her "I love you" as he kissed the top of her head

"I know, but I'm still sending you to the vet" she giggled as she fell back to sleep on his shoulder.

-OG-

Christmas 1955 and Dawn was now 3 months old her two big brothers infatuated by their little sister. Katie had got broody and was now pregnant with her third child. Jacqui and Brian and their children came across with Dr Mason to stay with them. Dr Mason staying with Roger and Edna. Much to the surprise of Charles and Molly his parents also decided to fly out and join them and see their new addition to the family, they hadn't particularly paid any attention to John or Sam, but seemed keen to see Dawn.

Charles drove Roger and Peter around the station, showed them the sheds, school house and the pastures. Peter wasn't sure what he was expecting, maybe a patch of scrub land, but it wasn't; it really was rather beautiful and he hadn't realised just how much land Charles actually owned. Charles parked up not far from a flock of sheep and his father watched him walk towards them his hat pulled down over his eyes and his holster strapped to his thigh, looking every bit like one of those cowboys you see in the films.

"He looks settled" said Peter and Roger nodded "She makes him happy doesn't she" Peter continued

"Look Peter" sighed Roger they had been through all this before "Molly always has, the thought of her got him through those dark days of the camps, and she is what kept him going" he shook his head "He was never going to leave her for Rebecca"

"Well we may have been a bit misguided about Rebecca" Peter coughed "Not sure she would have been a good wife for Charles" Roger grinned and hid it behind his hand

"What about Frances, how does she feel" asked Roger

"I think we both have regrets about the past, my going off to the Far East, Kenya for years and us leaving him in boarding school" he sighed "He's very close to his children isn't he"

"Well maybe now is the time for you and Frances to build bridges" he was shocked that for the first time Peter started to show emotion and not be the bully he had been "I have known Molly many years and she has a very forgiving nature if you and Frances decide to extend the olive branch"

"Perhaps we should before it's all too late" and the pair of them watched as Charles came back to the jeep to drive them home.

Edna was elated with Katie's news. Not only did she get to see two of her girl's everyday she got to see all her surrogate grandchildren and another new one on the way. She adored all of them. Roger had filled her in on the conversation with Peter and she was pleased at last that they were prepared to accept Charles chosen wife and his life out in Australia, they had already missed so much.

Roger was right, Molly did indeed have a forgiving nature and didn't mention the past and how they had made her feel. In turn they accepted that Christmas was a busy time for them here and maybe they would consider coming back at Easter, their house big enough to fit most of the Dawes clan in for a big get together and reunion after all next year would be their 15th wedding anniversary. Charles raised his eyebrows, while Molly had a grin like a Cheshire cat "They're gonna love my Nan" she whispered as he threw his head back with laughter

-OG-

It was towards the back end of January 1956 and it was a particularly hot night, Molly had finished feeding Dawn. Charles was pacing the bedroom with a muslin cloth over his shoulder and rubbing his daughters back while she lay against his bare chest. He walked towards the doors to their veranda and opened them wide hoping there might be a bit of a breeze. He looked back at Molly who already looked like she had fallen back to sleep and returned his gaze back to the plains, the night sky already starting to lighten.

Molly woke and realised Charles wasn't next to her. Looking around the dim room to see him at the doors. She stared at his bare back and took in the view of him holding their daughter, before getting out of bed putting on her robe and padding up behind him.

This year it would be 15 years since she walked into the wall of muscle and saw him for the first time. He was more tanned now from working in the sun and not quite as lean, his arms, very strong from lifting sheep and working on the land. She could just see those first few grey hairs round his temple and the faint lines round his eyes from squinting in the sun but he was still every bit as handsome as the day she met him.

She looked at his back the scars still visible from when he had been beaten his shoulders much broader now from his physical work. She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed every one of the scars, while her hands traced up the muscles' from his stomach to his chest. Just then there was the unmistakable little burp from their daughter so Charles stopped stroking her back to pull Molly into his side and she continued to rub her back. Her little snuffles indicating she had now fallen asleep.

"I'll put her back in her cot" said Molly taking her off him as he deposited the cloth on a chair.

"Let's go and lie in that bloody hammock to watch the sun come up" he kissed the top of her head. When Molly had put Dawn in her cot and walked outside he had already plumped up some cushions, he was half sitting with one leg over the side holding the hammock steady for her to join him. Charles pulled her onto his chest her back and head resting on him.

"Ain't this a bit uncomfortable for you Charlie?"

"No" lifting his other leg around her and releasing the hammock which started rocking gently his arms around her waist and her hands over his. "You're not exactly heavy"

They were both looking across the pastures towards the hills as the first silver rays appeared pushing the night sky away. He had always been an early riser and loved watching a new dawn heralding in the start of a new day.

"Do you know its 15 years today that we first met" she said quietly

"Did you think I would forget when a tiny little person walked into me and smiled with the most amazing eyes I've ever seen" he giggled

"You don't half say some nice things Charlie…Oi what do you mean tiny person, it's you that's too tall"

Charles picked up her hand and kissed her rings, interlacing his fingers with hers

"It will be our wedding anniversary in November. We'll be too busy to go anywhere then but would you like to go home at Easter with the children and see all your family, we have the invite." He snorted a laugh "We could celebrate our anniversary a bit early this year."

"I think we probably should" she said "Your parents obviously want to make amends, if we don't go then it might start another rift and we only just sorted the last one" she laughed "Now that chocolate is off the rationing maybe we could have an Easter egg hunt for the kids in their back garden"

"So long as you don't expect me dress up as the bunny"

"Nah! I thought we would get your Dad to do that" and he howled with laughter

She turned her face on his shoulder to try and look at him and he was still staring out on the horizon "Do you still think of England as home?"

He frowned as if contemplating her question "No not anymore, this is home now" and he felt her nod "You? Do you miss it? Regret not staying there and working in the NHS living in Bath?" he said with a smirk which earned him an elbow in the ribs.

"Not for a second have I regretted our decision" she grinned up at him "Look what we have achieved, our own home, three beautiful kids and both of us doing what we want rather than what we have to."

"I suppose when you put it like that Lady Luck was shining on us that day."

"Yeah! and it brought us some good friends too" and he nodded.

They could see the sun above the horizon all the yellows and oranges as the clouds changed colour before they were swept away. Molly absentmindedly stroking his thigh as they watched the rising sun.

"You're not really going to take me to the vet are you?" he laughed

"You promised Charlie, last one" she grinned still stroking his thigh and he cupped her chin turning her face to him and gave her a delicate kiss on her lips.

"I'll always keep my promises Mrs James, I told you that at the start."

"Yeah you always have" kissing him back "Nah I won't take you to the vet" she laughed.

"Let's see your hands" he said tickling her ribs and causing her to squeal and the hammock rocked violently as she squirmed "I know you, are you crossing your fingers?" He put his leg on the floor to steady the hammock

"Course I aint" as she waggled her fingers in front of his face laughing "I'll get Katie to do it instead" laughing hysterically as a look of horror swept across his face. "Your face Charlie" as she looked at him with her big smile her green eyes sparkling with humour. His dark brown eyes looking straight into hers and she recognised that look as she wiggled herself closer to him. He lifted his leg back on the hammock and round her; returning to their gentle swinging.

Nothing had changed they were both where they wanted to be.

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Je T'aime Till My dying day – Enigma