A House for Meg
The clang of the alarm clock pulled Terry from a deep sleep. Growling threats he slapped at the clock, desperate to turn off the infernal noise before it woke Meg. Finally the sound stopped and he sat up, rubbing his eyes.
It was too early for an old man like him to be up. And as much as he hated to admit it, he was getting old. Meg snored softly beside him and he leaned over to plant a kiss on her cheek. She murmured something and snuggled deeper under the blanket.
For one moment Terry contemplated laying back down and sleeping for another hour. But he couldn't. Jaz was still in the hospital and Ben hadn't left her side which meant he wasn't working. With Grace still on light duty, Regan and Ingrid on very light duty and Jaz gone, nothing was getting done on time and tempers were rising.
He thought he would be able to settle down and enjoy being a grandfather to Katie when they came back to Gungellan. But things had been so busy with people getting married and moving away, having babies and getting pregnant that he and Meg hadn't had a chance to just be grandparents.
He was picking up slack all over the place it seemed and as much as the boys tried to give him lighter work it never seemed to end. And then there was the house. It had been a dream for years to build a house for himself and Meg. They had the land and the supplies and the builders but even with everything it still took time. There were so many decisions to make that he wondered if it would ever be done.
Meg hardly had time to go to the house to oversee things. She had meals to cook, children to care for and expectant mothers to reassure. Between Meg, Moira and Rhonda the five house were kept clean, meals were cooked and clothes cleaned.
He slipped off the bed and stumbled to the bathroom. He had left his clothes in there the night before, not wanting to wake up Meg by turning on lights.
The sky was still a predawn grey when he stepped out of the shearer's quarters on Drovers. Grace had offered to let them stay at Kinsella's since she wasn't using the house at the moment but they had elected to stay on Drovers since it was the central farm in both distance and activity.
Yawning, Terry climbed into his truck and headed to Killarney. If he got the fences fixed before morning tea, he could go over to his house for a few hours and make sure things were going right there.
At Killarney Terry dragged a sleepy Nat from his warm bed. Erin, his latest girlfriend, murmured something and rolled over. Nat kissed her shoulder and stumbled from the room with Terry.
"Bloody early, don't you think?" Nat muttered as he climbed into the truck. "What's got you so fired up? Have a hot date tonight?"
Terry shook his head. "No. I just have a lot to do today and I want to get it done."
"Terry, you have got to slow down," Nat said. "If you die from a heart attack, Meg will never forgive you."
"Well, if you help me more, then I won't have a heart attack," Terry grumbled.
"Hey, we're all working extra hard at the moment." Nat ran a hand through his hair. "Last night was the first time I saw Erin all week and I really like her and not seeing her... well, I don't want her to find someone else."
Terry grinned, glad something in this crazy family was going right. "Nat, are you in love?"
Nat's cheeks flushed and he shrugged. "Maybe."
"Does she love you?"
Again Nat shrugged. "How should I know? We haven't had time to discuss the finer points of our relationship since I'm getting hauled out of bed before the sun is up and I don't stop work until long after the sun has set."
"I'm sorry about that," Terry said, pulling up beside the fence line. "It won't be for much longer. Ben will be back soon and Grace said she can get back into full time work. She'll just take Channing with her. Jaz should be back on her feet in about a month and Ingrid is ready to have her baby soon which means Russ won't have to work so hard and might have some time to lend us a hand."
"Fat chance there," Nat snorted. "There is more than enough work for two vets in this district. Though, when Ingrid has the baby Marcus won't worry so much and might be useful for something."
Terry laughed. Nat had a point. Marcus was constantly hovering over Ingrid and nothing she or anyone else said would stop him.
The sun was peering over the horizon as they finished off the boundary section along Wilgul. Nat covered a yawn and tossed the unused wire into the back of the truck. Terry tossed him the thermos of coffee and unwrapped one of the sandwiches he had brought along.
They drank and ate in silence as they drove down the stock route towards the La Vice place.
"Marcus really needs to get a new name for the La Vice place," Nat said. "Vince La Vice hasn't lived there for years."
"I heard him and Ingrid discussing possible names yesterday," Terry said. "I think he's decided on Turner's End."
Nat nodded slowly. "That'll do. Now we just need Grace to rename Kinsella's."
"That will be difficult. I don't think she's very interested in changing names right now."
"Maybe we should make some suggestions. Something like Grace's Hope, Kingston Farm, Kingdom of Grace or Graceland... or Graceful Plains."
"Barring the last one, they sound good. Mention them to Grace next time you see her," Terry said. "Now, let's get this fence fixed and then we can go back to Killarney and see what Marcus has planned for us next."
Nat groaned.
The noon sun was high and hot. Terry wiped his brow and surveyed the house from the hill at the back of the property.
"What do you think?" James, the foreman, climbed the hill to stand beside Terry.
"It's good, it's what I wanted," Terry replied. "Did the trees come in and the flowers?"
"Yes and yes." James gestured to two large crates to the side of the house. "Just let us know where you want them and we'll put them in for you."
"Just the trees," Terry said. "Meg will want to plant the flowers herself."
James was about to reply when a scream came from the front of the house. Terry and James raced down the hill and around the house.
One of the men lay on the ground, clasping his leg, breathing in short bursts. Two other workers hovered over him while the rest stared, slack jawed and wide eyed from where they were working.
"Toby, what happened?" James knelt beside the injured man and carefully pulled the man's hand away from his leg.
Terry swallowed at the sight of the long gash on Toby's leg.
"Ken, get your truck and bring him into Fisher. I don't think he's going to bleed out before you get there." James laid a hand on Toby's arm. "Lie back and try to relax, Toby. We're going to get you fixed up. Someone get me the first aid kit."
Terry came around the house an hour later and found James staring at the set of blueprints.
"Hey, James," Terry said. "Any word on Toby?"
James shook his head. "No. They probably aren't even in Fisher yet. Terry, it doesn't look like we are going to get those trees planted today. With both Ken and Toby gone, I'm not even sure we'll get the porch done. Sorry."
Terry smiled wryly. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure the trees will be fine for another day. I'll maybe see if I can get someone to help later when the sun isn't so hot."
James nodded and went back to work.
Terry stood on the newly finished porch and watched as James and the rest of the workers drove away. He had gone back to Killarney soon after they heard that Toby and Ken had made it to the hospital and Toby's leg was being stitched. Marcus had kept him busy until five and instead of going back to Drovers, Terry had headed back to the house.
He had looked at the trees before he had left and he didn't like the way they drooped. He had to get them in the ground or they might just die before he could enjoy them. Nat was taking Erin out for supper and he didn't have the heart to ask the boy to postpone his date.
Matt would come help him, but Terry didn't want to take him away from his family. Jodi had muttered something the night before about not seeing Matt enough.
Gabe and Russ had taken Rose and Stevie out for the night and Olivia was watching a movie with the kids. Phil was nursing a sore ankle and Marcus refused to leave the house after work in case something happened to Ingrid. So he had no choice but to plant the trees himself.
They weren't very big trees so he wouldn't have to dig more than two or three feet down in the hard soil. Hefting he shovel to his shoulder he marched off to do battle with the sun backed earth.
There were fifteen trees in all and he wanted them to surround the house. Even though it would take years for the trees to reach their full height he hoped he would be around to enjoy their shade in a few years.
Counting out thirty paces he began digging the first hole. The dirt here was soft and crumbly and it didn't take long to finish. He dragged a tree from the crate and dropped it into the hole and then shoveled the dirt over the roots.
By the time he had planted the fifth tree, his back was screaming and his hands could barely grip the shovel. But he kept doggedly on. He stopped now and then to drink some water and wipe his brow. After he had the trees planted he would have to haul water from somewhere to cool the roots.
At the seventh hole, white spots danced in front of his eyes and he found himself sitting on the ground. Shaking his head, he drank some more water and leaned back to ease his breathing. Maybe a short break was in order.
The sun had set but the heat of the day lingered in the soft light of the evening. The night animals had come out to eat and sing their lullaby.
In the dying light he stood and dragged another tree to its hole. He dropped it in and rested his hands against his knees, breathing in deeply. What was wrong with him? He wasn't so old that he couldn't plant a few measly trees. Why, a few years ago he had been able to keep up with the young'uns and sometimes even beat them in their work. How come now his old age had hit him?
He straightened and a white light filled his vision. Then everything went black.
"Terry Dodge, if you don't open your eyes this instant, I'll... I'll..."
Terry struggled back from the black abyss and a flash of humor struck him as he listened to Meg's harsh whisper.
Something soft cradled his body and a warm hand held one of his. He cracked an eye and saw Meg sitting in a chair, eyes closed and lips moving in a silent prayer.
"Meg?" he whispered.
Meg's eyes flew opened and a tremulous smile curved her lips. "Terry? Oh, thank goodness."
She leaned down and kissed his cheek, tears leaking from her eyes. Terry reached up with a trembling hand and wiped them away.
"What happened?" he asked. "Can I have some water?"
Meg sniffed and wiped at her face. "Of course." She leaned over and picked up a cup from off of a table. "Take it slowly."
An annoying beeping filled the room and Terry felt the bed rise beneath him. He closed his eyes as his body came upright and the white room began to spin.
Opening one eye he sighed in relieve when the room settled down and was right side up. The smell of cleaners and medicine was giving him a headache and he blinked in the harsh light.
Meg held the cup up to his face and slid the plastic straw into his mouth. It took a surprising amount of energy to draw up enough water to remove the cotton from his mouth and ease the ache in his throat.
"What happened?" he repeated when he had drank enough.
Meg's face grew dark and she set the cup down with deliberate care.
Oh, boy, I'm in for it.
"What happened? I'll tell you what happened," Meg began. "You were a bloody fool, that's what. What possessed you to spend an hour digging holes by yourself without stopping to eat and in the heat? Sometimes, Terry Dodge, I swear that you have the mind of a child."
Terry grinned sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Meg."
"Sorry? Sorry?" Meg shot of her chair and went over to the window and fussed with the arrangement of flowers there. "The man almost kills himself and he's sorry?"
"Meg." Terry tried to make his voice firm but it cracked. Coughing he tried again. "Meg."
She turned to him, unshed tears hanging from her eyelashes. "Terry, what were you thinking?"
He shrugged. "I wanted to get the trees planted so that when we moved in it would look like home. Toby hurt his leg and Ken had to take him to the hospital and they barely managed to get the porch done and then trees looked like they were going to die."
Meg sat down in the chair and took his hand in hers. "We could have bought new ones. You can't buy new Terrys. Don't do that again. I know you want the house to get finished so we can move in but it won't do any good if you die before it's finished."
Terry smiled and lifted other hand to stroke her cheeks. Despite years of sun and wind against her skin, he still thought her face was one of the softest he had touched.
"Meg, I want the house to be perfect for you. I want it to be everything you ever dreamed of."
"And it will be," Meg said softly. "But there really is no rush. I don't care where I live as long as you are by my side."
"Alright," Terry said. "But we are going to move into that house before winter comes."
"Then let me help you." Meg leaned against the bed and kissed his cheek. "We aren't young anymore. Let's try to remember that."
Terry chuckled and lay back against the pillow. He closed his eyes and let the peace of sleep overtake his body.
Visions of the finished house danced in his mind. Pictures of Meg and him sitting on the porch after supper, enjoying the evening breezes; Jodi and Matt visiting with their children; having fancy dinners with Moira and Phil.
Yes, Meg would have her house and he wouldn't let anything stop it from happening. He sighed again and squeezed Meg's hand. He wasn't letting her go.