Revolutions

Flex

A mini muster was being arranged for when we got back to the homestead.

In two days' time, we would muster some of the herd into the home paddock and tag the calves.

"Miss Samantha, a sight for sore eyes" 'Gazza' real name Garry, was a clown, always a happy go lucky bloke, he was my father's age, the head cattleman and foreman... and a father to me when I needed him most. I hugged him tightly.

"Gaz meet John, my boyfriend and my new family, my children Jasmine and Stephen. I'm sure you will have introduced yourself to them all in due time, you social butterfly!"

"John, George - Gazza taught me to ride a motorbike and helped me hold the .22 rifle so I didn't lose a shoulder"

"Oh, luv the amount of times you let that thing knock you over, it's a wonder you don't need a reconstruction!"

"Samantha well don't you look a doll. Give us a kiss like you did in the old days"

Jeffery, please just. No. Piss off out of my sight"

"Language sweetie, how about a hug then.." He stepped into my space and went to hug me but John and George diverted him out of the way quickly.

He wandered back over when they were fetching drinks "Oh yes, I heard you brought minders, the poser boys sorry poster boys off your wall; musician's won't save you. Namby pamby poofs"

"Don't do this Jeffery, stay well away and we'll all be fine"

He wandered off laughing. Obviously a leopard doesn't change its spots.

*********

The muster went well separated, the calves all herded in the yards away from their mummas for a time. One was left wandering all alone so I brought him up on the horse with me, in front of the saddle dangling legs both sides of Monty.

"Ear tag box is empty, do you mind pet?" Gazza yelled across the rails.

"Sure". I wandered towards the barn office, nothing changed just the season and weather, the tags would still be in the same draw in twenty or a hundred years in the future, I had no doubt. All the visiting folk were sitting on rails of the yards or attempting to help push the cattle through the chutes. I spotted John and blew him a kiss as I jogged to the shed's office.

Crouching at the bottom draw of the filing cabinet I realised I was no longer alone.....

Johns POV

Sam wandered off and I raised an eyebrow to Paul.

"Ear tags or something mate" Paul yelled over the poddy calves pooling around our legs. Watching her back as she wandered toward the barn she suddenly turned and caught me looking, blowing me a kiss, which I caught of course.

"Awwwww the demon has you good and proper, John" George yelled, laughing his nickname for her, which was now habit. I smiled and continued to shoo the calves. Good fun but hard yakka as Magic had so eloquently called it.

"John" Richie pointed toward the barn as a figure disappeared round the corner of the building. I shrugged "John!" Richie woke me up to who it was. That rat bastard Jeffery. He oozed slimeball he did, didn't doubt Sam's tale one bit. None of us lads did.

Even running I would give him 5 minutes too long with her. The calves squished and swamped my legs as I battled to get through to the rails.

"Come on Paul" I yelled as Paul grabbed for a calf to drag to the branding iron, he hated it but didn't want to be seen as a pussy. "Paul put the damn calf down. We gotta get to Sam" Paul was still perplexed to the situation as I started running, I could hear Richie filling in the blanks as Paul walked by... he caught up quickly.

As we moved into the courtyard we were still a ways across from the office, and in every inch of the distance between, that we still had to cover, I could see him.

"Fuck John" Paul caught sight of the fight.

*Sam had stood up and turned, her back was against the filing cabinet which sat in the corner of the room. There was no escape as he had come toward her "Easy luv I only want to talk" She relaxed slightly, he wouldn't do it here, in broad daylight, surely. He pounced, both of Sam's arms were pinned back, over, behind in a bad position pressed on the top of the cabinet, he slobbered kisses down her neck "I missed you me, darling" He continued to kiss, then slapped her face.*

What he didn't know was that her father was coming through from the stable behind and could also see the whole thing from another direction.

Paul and I still had a few more metres before storming in the room.

*He ripped her shirt, grabbing for her bra and Sam saw red, picking up the heavy glass ashtray on the filing cabinet she smashed it over his head and kicked him in the nuts at the same time. He rose quickly at first and belted her again, so she belted him with the ashtray a second time.... Blood poured from a slash on his cheek*.

As the ashtray fell to the ground, we ran through the door, I dragging Sam away towards Paul then turned all my attention on Jeffery.

"Get her out of here Paul" I bellowed, I was mad. I don't think since the early 60's, have I felt this level of rage coursing through me. Jeffery had reopened mad turmoil from my youth, my anger, enough to damage, enough to maim. Sam was mine to protect, to honour, and I would, forever more. Paul looked on worriedly, he knew, but understood, so nodded and took Sam out the other door.

Grabbing the turd of a human up off the floor I saw that Sam had done a good job but I wanted to inflict what I thought was the correct level of punishment. My brain snapped on the first fist fall and I beat him within an inch of his crappy life.

A few hits of his landing on my jaw worked into my anger, making me madder. Then it was over, a bloodied swollen faced inert man, and my bloodied hands. Blood dripping from a cut on my chin and one close by my ear. My hands shook as I looked down at the broken heap on the floor.

"John, come on" I turned numbly toward the voice, Martin Bardon. I backed to the corner fearing what I had done to his favourite employee. "John, come here, mate. I saw it all. Sam, him, I saw what he did to her son"

It wasn't registering as I stood looking at my hands, in a daze. I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Let's get you cleaned up son, before anyone sees" Martin led me towards the trough, the one Sam had lazed in the day she got back. He shoved my head in the water and washed the blood away. Grabbing my hand's he washed the blood, soaking the knuckles before they swelled too much.

"She'll hate me. I'm no better than him or the other one"

"Don't be dumb boy, she will be worried and upset but in the end you rescued her from him. He won't be here any longer than it takes to pack his shit and leave. I'm ashamed of what I closed my eyes too for so long. What a father, hey. Believing him over my own flesh and blood"

"Martin, Mr Bardon, I want to marry her. Do you......I mean, I'm asking your permission sir"

"She's a woman mate. She'll be making up her own mind, has done since she left here.... If I needed to give my permission, you would have it. Shake my hand, gently son, welcome to the family"

"She hasn't said yes yet"

"She will..... Bring her home though, for a visit would you, every now and then"

"As long as you come and visit her, us"

"New York, me! Too many people and not enough cattle in that city son"

"Maybe New York or maybe a farm, the way she rides these horses I need to get her her own again... or maybe a house in the suburbs" We can work it out later...I smiled at him and headed back to find Samantha with all my, our, future plans.