The Life of Riley

Chapter 12: Poppy

"Uncle Jack you better wake up!" June flew onto his bed, making him grunt at the sudden pain that shot threw his legs. It'd been a few weeks since the rodeo and there'd been a few rodeo's in between. He liked this pain, it meant he was alive, it meant that he was having fun.

"I'm up kiddo." Jack sat up in the bed, his bad leant against the steel frame. June flew onto his chest, her arms weaving around his neck, squeezing him tight.

"Happy Birthday June Alexandra." He smiled.

"Thank you!" June said, kissing her teddy bear.

"You have never told me why you can't leave teddy behind June, he's glued to your hip constantly." Jack stated.

"Well," June looked down at the Bear, it's button eyes and tattered ears made her feel safe. It'd been by her side her whole life, she didn't feel right without it. "Mamma said that you gave it to me when I was born, and I haven't put it down since." She shrugged.

Jack scoffed in disbelief, he took the teddy from her and tried to recall the time he spent money on a toy.

Then again perhaps he hadn't spent a cent.

It was a summers day, a hot February day, 45 degrees and rising. He'd just gotten a call from Lucy saying that he needed to get to her wing of the hospital and if he didn't turn up there she'd kick his ass which was enough to get Jack there. He'd stepped out of his cold Hospital bed, with only a hat, his phone and his wallet to accompany him, he remembered the lonely teddy sitting in a basket in the waiting room and How'd he'd snatched it it before walking down the hall to meet the new baby.

"Oh what a baby you were." He sighed, his nose prickling with emotion. The two laid down beside each other, their heads on the pillows, he tucked a loose piece of wavy hair behind her hair.

"How old are you June?"

"Five years old." June held up her hand, five fingers displayed.

He ran his hand across the scar on his chest. Five years that had been there, haunting him.

"Your mum would be so proud of you." Jack whispered, the little girl comforted by the love of her uncle and best friend. She wriggled closer to him, her head against his chest.

"I don't want a present Uncle Jack," mumbled June.

Surprised, Jack asked; "Why Kiddo?"

"Because," she smiled, "I've been given everything I want all at once."

•••

"Lochie!" June squealed, racing down to the yards and into the arms of the tall man.

"Happy Birthday June!" He swing her around happily. "Eddie come wish our girl a happy birthday."

"You must be five now! Stop growing!" Eddie fake cried making June cackle with laughter.

Jack stood back and watched the tall cowboys and the little girl dance around the stable. He truly had never felt more content with life than he did the moment Poppy joined in the chorus. The woman so full of life and love, she'd taken the two of them under her wing alongside her father and the two blokes who worked for him. Two months was all it took for Jack to understand the meaning of family. Family doesn't always mean blood relations but more those who welcome you into their life, love and cherish your company and push you to your limits.

Poppy couldn't help but notice Jack leaning against the veranda Post of the main house. He and June had come at the perfect time, everyone at Drovers Paradise needed them more than they initially thought. She strolled over to him, he grinned and put his arm across her shoulders.
She felt safe, close and almost loved.

"Am I doing alright Poppy?" He fretted, his eyes glued to the little girl on Lochie's shoulders. "I mean, she's healthy and happy, I feed her, I love her."

"Jack, you're doing perfectly, for someone who hasn't done this before, I think you're doing an amazing job." She looked up at him, his eyes shielded by his black Akubra.

He shifted his eyes to her, his eyes noticing the diamond ring lodged on her finger, he'd noticed it before but in that moment it almost made him jealous, "you reckon?"

She nodded.

"Well I'm bloody lucky to have you and the boys, don't know how I would've gone by myself." Jack informed.

"If it makes you feel better, I think you would've been fine." She giggled.

Jack smiled, pressing his cheek against the top of her head. Poppy tried to contain her out of control heartbeat. She let out a heavy breath.

"Poppy?"

"Mm."

"When are you going to tell me about that ring on your finger?" Jack asked.

Poppy put out her hand, studying the ring, remembering the day it had been slipped on. She had to tell him, she didn't want him to hear it from Lochie or Eddie.

"About four years ago, I met this guy, tall, dark hair, dark Italian skin, dark eyes. Irresistible to women, and well I fell pretty hard. He fell hard for me too, and he proposed a year later. We were going to travel the world, eat the finest foods, have the finest wedding but about a week before we were due to be wed, Leonardo Bianchi was hit by a car while walking down a road out the back of Jindabyne." Poppy explained, a lump growing in her throat.

"Hit by a car? Poppy I'm sorry." Jack held her a little tighter.

"They believe he was hit by a car anyway, they never found his body but they did find a car accident along a dirt road around the same time he went missing." She explained.

"Jesus." Jack breathed.

"I need to get over it, I thought he was so perfect and then I find out he's a criminal from another country and then, an-" Poppy was hysterical, Jack guided her to the porch swing , sitting beside her and holding her.

"And then what Poppy?"

"I find out I was pregnant with his baby after I have a miscarriage, all of this only two months before my mother passes away." Poppy stopped, she didn't mean to dump it all on him at once, she'd scare him off, but she found herself still in his arms, his huge hand holding her arm.

"You know what June said this morning?" Jack began.

"What?"

"She said, Uncle Jack I don't any presents and obviously I asked why and she said, because I've been given everything I want all at once."

Poppy wiped a tear from her eye

"All she wants is to ride horses, sing songs and dance, love all the people she can and just be happy." Jack grinned, "And we get to love her right back. We can learn so much from that little girl, she hasn't told me anything about the accident, only that she doesn't want to remember it, she says she loves her mum all the time but doesn't cry for her. June doesn't live in the past and that is how we have to live Poppy."