Cowgirl Up ✔️

Chapter Twenty One

The Jackson's farm yard was calm for there being a fire in the bordering National Park.
Keegan walked out of the main shed as Hayley and I rode into the yard, our Horses breathing heavily.
Dressed in faded blue jean's, brown boot's and a light green button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and black Stockman Akubra in place on his head, he didn't exactly look like he'd been running around taking fire precautions.
"You girls alright?"
He asked striding toward's us.
"Knackered."
Hayley answered on a sigh, her shoulder's slumping.
I nodded my agreement.
"Thing's are holdin' out alright here."
Keegan informed us, resting his hand's loosely on his hip's.
"Three truck's went out to the park and I know Blayze and Troy went too."
He glanced to me.
I nodded, letting him know I was aware.
"Jordan and Adam went out there too. Sam, Daniel, Haden and James are covering our border pastures in Ute's with water tank's on the back just in case."
"Great."
Hayley mustered up the best semblance of a smile she could.
By 'Sam' I knew Keegan meant Sam Jackson, Hayley's Dad.
I shot her a worried glance.
Wasn't she concerned about her Dad being out ready to face fire?
She shot me a quick smile, the slight wobble of her bottom lip giving away her nerves.
"Why don't you two get those Horse's untacked?"
Keegan suggested, taking in our weary, sweaty steed's.
"Sound's like a plan."
I swung down from Phoenix's back.
Hayley followed suit.
"You can yard Phoenix or turn him out with Qantas, whichever ya want Bail's."
Keegan offered.
"Thanks."
I shot him a small smile.
Hayley and I led the Horse's to the hitching rail and set about unsaddling them, revealing even more sweat under their saddle's and blanket's.
Poor boy's had been scared, but worked their bum's off for us.
Throat suddenly burning, I wrapped my arm's around Phoenix's sweaty golden neck, burying my face into his mane and deeply breathing in his sweaty scent.
I'd be lost without him.
"Bail's?"
I turned around, releasing Phoenix from my hug when I felt a strong hand on my shoulder.
Keegan was stood there between Qantas, Phoenix and me.
I looked for Hayley, but she'd disappeared.
"I can take Phoenix if ya want."
Blayze's best friend offered.
I forced a smile.
"I'm good."
If I stopped now, I'd only worry about the fire.
Plus, Phoenix deserved to have me make sure he was hosed down and turned out with something to eat.
He'd worked his bum off to keep me safe.
"I already sent Hayley inside. I don't mind."
Keegan jerked a thumb in the direction of the farm house.
"I'm good."
I insisted.
"If ya say so..."
He clearly wasn't convinced.
I walked around Phoenix's hindquarter's, to the side of the hitching rail and unwound some of the hose.
Cranking the tap on half way, I set to work giving my Horse a quick hose off.

Sitting on a swinging chair on the Jackson's front porch, I stared out at the vegetable patch and prized garden ahead of me.
Hayley's home was nearly as familiar to me as my own.
Our Mum's were best friend's since childhood and we'd hung around each other since we were just day's old.
We'd gotten slack on hanging out at each other's house's lately.
I guess sometimes 'life' get's in the way.
That and I wasn't exactly experiencing 'summer holidays' like the rest of the kid's my age.
I got day's off here and there of course, but was mostly working the Station with the boy's.
Hayley was taking a shower and her Mum, Della, was fixing me a cool drink.
I'd been getting my own drink's at Hayley's since I was able to pour one for myself, but today Della insisted I sat and relaxed.
I grabbed the SAT phone from beside me on the bench seat and stared at it for about the fifth time.
Do I try call somebody from home?
I went into the phone book.
Blayze's mobile was one of the first option's.
Worth a shot.
I hit call and held the solid, almost brick like mobile to my ear.
Ring ring, ring ring, ring ring, ring ring, ring ring, ring ring, ring ring, ring ring, ring ring, ring ring-
'You've reached Blayze, leave a message'.
Concern flooding me, I bit down on my lower lip, slowly lowering the phone and ending the call.
I guess if he's fighting fire, he's probably not going to answer his mobile...
Did he even take it with him?
Normal cell service probably wasn't great out there...
But it was ringing
The screen door creaked.
I looked over to see Della step out onto the wooden porch.
"Here ya go honey."
She walked toward me, tall frosty glass in hand.
"Thank's."
I tried to smile, reaching for the drink.
Once I'd taken the glass, she perched on the swinging bench seat beside me.
"How're you holding up?"
Tender motherly concern laced her voice.
Gotta love Della!
"I'm alright."
I glanced briefly at her, then lifted the cup to my lip's to take a sip.
Mmmmmm homemade strawberry flavoured lemonade.
"Come inside when you're ready. I'm just gonna get dinner on the go."
Hayley's Mum pulled me into a sideways hug.
"Thanks Del."
I shot her a smile.
Hayley's Mum, A.K.A my godmother, got up and headed back into the large stone house.
I set my glass between my thigh's and picked the SAT phone up again.
I hit 'call' on Blayze's name and held the phone to my ear.
Ring ring, ring ring, ring ring, ring ring, ring ring, ring ring, ring ring, ring-
"Hullo?"
I frowned.
"Troy?"
Why was Troy answering Blayze's phone?
"Bailey?"
"Yeah, it's me."
"Are you alright mate?"
Troy asked, a gust of wind nearly stealing his word's.
"Um, yeah. Why's Blayze not answering?"
I questioned.
"He's talkin' with some of the firie's. I came back to the Ute and saw his phone ringin'. He told me to answer."
"Oh."
"D'you want me to put him on?"
Troy offered.
"No, it's okay. How's it going out there?"
I checked.
"She's contained for now. Just gotta hope the wind doesn't change. But it was meant to."
"Oh shit! Really?"
My heart skipped a beat.
"Yeah."
The wince in Troy's voice was easily heard.
"Well you guy's be careful. Tell Blayze I said so, too."
I insisted.
"Sure thing, mate."
Troy agreed.
"Okay. I'll let ya go then-"
"Who is it?"
I heard Blayze's voice in the background.
"Bailey."
Troy answered.
Blayze's reply was a bit muffled, the wind blowing in the speaker, but I caught what sounded like the phone changing hand's.
"What's wrong?"
Blayze's voice reached my ear, demanding.
"N-nothing."
The concern in his voice had my heart skipping a beat.
"Everything okay there?"
Blayze asked.
"Yeah, all good. Keegan's here. He met us when we got in and gave us the rundown."
I explained.
"Yeah. I spoke to him before we headed out. Just hang tight there unless you're told otherwise, alright?"
He answered.
"Well I'm not gonna ride Phoenix home tonight. Poor guy's knackered."
I gently rocked the bench seat back and forth.
"Yeah, I bet he is. Hopefully won't be long before we can leave this fire to the CFS boy's. I'll come over when I can and pick you and Phoenix up."
I couldn't help but smile.
"Okay, thank's."
"Righto. I'll catch ya later."
Blayze stated.
"Okay. Be careful around that fire."
I cautioned.
"Yeah, will do."
He agreed.
"Okay. See ya after."
I bade.
"Righto."
He replied.
"Bye."
I all but whispered.
"Bye."
I pulled the SAT phone from my ear and ended the call.
Now to wait.
The small clock in the corner of the phone screen said it was 6:40PM.
Time flies when you're having fun.
Not that we'd been having 'fun' for the last few hour's.
The screen door creaked.
I set the SAT phone down and looked to the door.
Hayley stepped out, wearing her Smurf pyjama bottom's and a black tank top, her inky hair still damp from the shower.
"You're still sitting out here."
Frowning, she stopped just a couple of step's away from the seat I was sat on.
"Yeah. Just spoke to Blayze and Troy. If the wind doesn't change thing's should calm down pretty soon."
I couldn't help but feel hopeful.
"That's awesome new's! Fingers crossed, hey."
Hayley smiled.
"Definitely."
I nodded.