The Life of Riley

Chapter 5: Horses

Poppy lay under her quilt, her eyes focused on the patterns on the ceiling, absentmindedly listening to talk back radio that hummed in the background. His eyes were mysterious, the blue made her heart skipped a beat, his plump lips made hers curl and his sun kissed skin looked so soft. His voice gave her butterflies, his deep, rustic voice that reminded her of the rodeo caller in Jindabyne. She bit her lip at the thought of him and told herself she was crazy.

"You don't know anything about him, stop being a creep." She cursed, curling up under the covers, but her thoughts didn't stop. This mysterious Jack Riley had her all riled up and she had to make it stop.

She rolled out of bed and pulled on her boots as the clock struck three. She ran outside and into the stables, untying her horse, Buck, and heading into the mountains. Koori's hut wasn't a far ride. She leaped over fallen trees and wombat holes, the moonlight guiding her way.

"Koori!" Poppy called banging on the door of the wooden hut. The old aboriginal woman was like a grandmother to Poppy. She was gentle and kind and made really good damper. Koori's ancestors had lived in the mountains for thousands of years and Koori was one of the last indigenous people living there.

"Poppy, what's up my girl?" Koori rubbed her eyes before letting Poppy in.

"How do you stop thinking about someone?" She asked softly. Koori laughed heartily, she'd been waiting for this.

"You mean that fella with the kid, Jack right?" Koori turned her chin up.

"How'd you know?" Poppy asked, stunned.

"Because he's the only fella I've never been sure of, but I'm sure of one thing, he's certainly not very sure about life." Koori informs, settling Poppy down at the table.

"Have you seen his eyes?" Poppy asked, "you should've seen the way he looked at me."

"Poppy darlin', you're over thinking this too much." Koori told her. "You could have smoko tomorrow and find out he's a complete crazy person, huh?"

"Then I'll forget about him." Poppy shrugged.

Koori sighed, "let him settle in, wait for the rain to come, then when tension is low, do some talking."

"Talking, right." Poppy nodded.

"Be careful Pop, men aren't always who you think, he might be beautiful but is his mind?" Koori reminded.

"Yes Koori I understand." Poppy said, rolling her eyes in the shadows.

Koori shook her head and muttered something under her breath in her language. Poppy giggled at her friend.

•••

Jack woke the next morning to a little body clambering onto his.

"Uncle Jack look outside!" June pointed at the window, he rolled over and saw the monstrous mountains being engulfed by clouds. Orange, reds, pinks and yellows swirled through the sky as the sun rose. June clambered under Jack's arm, pulling the quilt over them both before snuggling into his chest.

Jack kissed her head, running his finger through her long hair.

"You know, Mum and I used to do this thing which she called butterfly kisses." June said, her little cheeks red from the warmth.

"Really? Butterfly kisses." Jack repeated, he's reminded of the bedtimes with Mum after a rodeo, when he'd come back alive, she'd rub her eyelashes against his cheek and on the other side of the room, his Dad would do the same to Lucy. He did it the night he died, he pressed his lips against her cheek and then rubbed his eyelashes against her cheek. He'd never seen Lucy cry as much as she did the next morning. Discovering she would never get another chance to give her Dad one last butterfly kiss. She never did get over that.

"Yeah, you just rub your eyelashes against my cheek, like this." June leant forward a brushed her soft eyelashes against Jack's slightly sunburnt cheek. He smiled softly, holding June a little tighter.

"Now it's your turn." She commanded.

Jack chuckled under his breath before giving June a butterfly kiss. She giggled happily before wrapping her arms around his neck. She nuzzled into the crook of his neck.

"I love you Uncle Jack." June whispered.

"I love you too kiddo." Jack replied.

It was in that moment that Jack realised just how much June had changed his life in such a sort time. He was already waking up to her clambering under his arm, he was already hating putting her to bed because he was beginning to miss her laugh. He was already loving June like a daughter and for one of the first times in his life, he had a love more perfect, more fulfilling than ever before. He truely loved that little girl more than she would ever know.

•••

"So, this is Regret, obviously a colt, he's one of our most promising horses. Dad reckons you've had some experience with horses and has made Regret your little project." Poppy explained, running her hand down the black horses' neck.

"I get it, the colt from old Regret, I like it." Jack pressed his hand against the top of Regret's muzzle.

"You got it, and June this is Marigold, she's our most placid and calm horse and we saved her for you." Poppy helped June up onto the white horses back. June's whole body screamed happiness.

"Uncle Jack! I'm on a horse!" She cried out.

Jack laughed, "You Mum would be proud."

"You get on yours." She insisted.

Jack nodded and lead Regret out into the yards, his whip on his belt.

"Righto Mate, be nice." He told the horse firmly. Jack placed his boot in the stirrup and swung his leg over. Sure enough, Regret reared up, Jack used all his strength to pull his body forward, fighting the urge to fall back. He forgot how easy it was to just hold on.

Workers turned to watch the horseman control the unpredictable horse. A few ran over to the wooden rails surrounding the yard and clambered on, swinging their hats and cheering as Jack rode the crazy horse around the yard.

June was clapping and Mr Hughes was nodding. Jack grinned, oh how he'd missed this.