Cowgirl Up ✔️

Chapter Forty Six

It was all system's go for the shearing.
The day was fairly clear, the odd cloud about but Grandpa wasn't too concerned about the chance of rain.
All alarm's went off extra early.
Breakfast was at 5:30 and everyone looked half asleep save for Grandma and Grandpa.
I guess they've had year's to get used to such early start's.
Everybody else was normally up by at least 5:30, but breakfast was normally at 6.
"Honey?"
Mum snagged my arm as I made my way back into the kitchen in preparation to take more breakfast out to the out dining room for Grandma.
"Yeah?"
I gave Mum my attention.
Mum nodded her head toward the opposite archway.
"Can we have a word?"
"Sure..."
What does she even want?
With an uneasy zing suddenly in my vein's, I followed her.
Mum looked around and clearly deemed we were alone, because she began talking.
"I chatted with Dad, Lukas and Blayze. We think it might be best if you help Mum, Bridey and I in the house end today."
She used a reasonably hushed voice so it didn't carry and somebody in the kitchen accidentally overheard.
Oh.
I felt resignation weigh down my shoulder's.
So this impending Baby really is going to change thing's.
"Okay."
I averted my gaze, hoping to not let her see how truly disappointed I really was.
Since I was eleven year's old Grandpa had let me be around the shearing shed come shearing season.
Guess this time I get to miss out.
What exactly am I supposed to do instead?
Butter bread and chop salad's for Grandma?
Resentment felt bitter in my blood.
Mum gently squeezed my upper arm.
"It's only coz the shed's gonna be packed. Sam's offered a few of his guy's to give us a hand too."
Ha!
So that's what it is.
It's got nothing to do with a not even visible pregnancy.
I placed my hand's on my hip's.
"Some of the guy's, or Rikki's joining?"
Mum frowned, looking confused.
"What?"
"I know she's working there. Hayley told me yesterday."
I turned on my heel and strode back into the kitchen.
"Bailey."
The sigh was audible in Mum's voice.
I ignored her, snatched a basket of buttered toast from the counter and continued on through to the out dining room.
"It's too god damn early."
Shayne grumbled, plopping himself down at the long picnic bench style table.
I practically slammed the basket of toast onto the table.
"Suck it up Shayne, the rest of us have to."
I knew my snappy retort was probably a little uncalled for, but honestly couldn't bring myself to care.
I spun on my heel to head back to the kitchen.
I guess I don't need to sit down with everyone else for breakfast if I'm not joining them out shearing.
I'll have all day to eat if I'm hanging around the house.
Oomph.
I glared up at Heath.
"Watch it!"
His jaw dropped and his eyes popped wide open.
Any sleepy look was long gone from his tanned face.
I scowled and stomped around him.

"Permission to cross enemy lines?"
I shot a scowl over my shoulder, at Blayze who hung in the kitchen archway.
Though when I saw him dangling a tea towel that he was obviously choosing to replicate a 'white flag' with, I almost managed a smile.
Almost.
"Go away."
I turned back to the left over food I was packing up for storage.
Suddenly the tea towel landed on the bench alongside me in a messy heap.
"Talk to me."
"I don't need to talk."
I at least managed to get some of the snappy tone out of my voice.
"What's up?"
I flinched, Blayze's voice sounding basically directly behind me.
He rubbed his hand's gently up and down the outside of my upper arm's.
"Don't."
I quite weakly protested.
As usual, he ignored me.
His hand's moved, strong, gentle and warm to massage my tense shoulder's.
I made a sound that came out something like half a mewl and half a groan as I tried hard to keep my stubborn attitude and protest the generous gesture.
But my resolve was weakening by the hundredth of a second.
In fact, my hand's stopped the task they were supposed to be doing and I found myself with my eyes closed before I snapped out of it.
"I've got work to do."
I sidestepped, stepping out of Blayze's hand's.
My body regretted the move but I knew it was the right thing to do.
"Oi."
He placed his hand's on my shoulder's and forced me to turn around.
Schooling my face into a hopefully blank expression, I made myself look up to his face.
"Don't you have sheep to shear?"
Before he went to America, he topped the shorn sheep count, even beating Uncle Lukas.
Grandpa would come and kick his arse if he didn't get out to the shed.
"I've got a minute to find out what's got your knicker's in a twist."
"Nothing."
I averted my gaze and reached for the glad wrapped tray of egg's and tomatoe's.
"Leave that for a sec."
Blayze took it from my hand and set it back onto the bench.
"What do you want?!"
I'd been trying hard to not let my frustrated emotion's loose on Blayze, knowing he's got enough on his plate.
But he was fast spiking my irritation.
"You got to Heath, he's out there licking his wound's from his run in with ya."
He eyed my face.
"As is Shayne."
I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, taking in a deep breath.
After a few second's I reopened my eyes.
"Tell him I'm sorry. Or if I see him later, I'll tell him."
With that, I turned to the bench, grabbed the plate of egg's and tomatoe's and strode to the fridge to stash it for whoever wanted some later.
"Why're you on such a time bomb though?"
I turned around to find Blayze leaning against the bench.
"Nothing. I'm just a little irritable. Aren't I allowed to be?"
I grabbed the bag I'd already stashed rubbish into and headed out of the kitchen to stash it in the big bin.