Second Chances Pt. 01

Peta sat back in her chair and sighed.

"Okay, you didn't deserve that little outburst, it's been brewing for a while. I probably owe you another cake." She smiled weakly and held her hands up in surrender but Richard stayed silent, he wasn't letting her off the hook. "Yesterday you seemed to know a fair bit about sheep. Are you from a farm?" Peta asked still dancing around the subject.

"Yeah. I'm a farmer's son. One of three unfortunately otherwise I might still be one. I left to do something else because there wasn't enough to split it three ways." Richard relaxed a little.

"Do you have any experience with machinery?" Peta looked hopefully at Richard but a raised eyebrow from him forced her to be more specific. "More specifically harvesters?"

Richard took his time answering. "Yes, I've driven a couple and done some basic maintenance but that's about it."

Peta had her hopes up. "I've got an old Massey in the shed. It went two years ago when my husband last used it but I've got no idea. Could you have a look, get it going and teach me how to drive it?"

Richard thought for a minute. It wasn't an unreasonable request and he reckoned he could do it but why him? Why not a local or relation? What did she do last year? Only one way to find out.

"Why me? You don't know me from Adam. Surely there is someone else who's been helping you out?"

Damn, Peta thought maybe Tony's got to this guy as well. She had hoped not to get into this.

"Ummm, well..." Peta paused to think. "I used a contractor and he sowed the crop this year but we've had a disagreement.

"Plenty more around here I'd expect."

"Yes, but he's made sure they won't help. We had an arrangement where I could pay for some of his work after harvest and..." Peta voice trailed off as she steeled herself for disappointment.

"This contractor, it wouldn't happen to be Tony, umm Tony..." Richard racked his brain but the name wouldn't come.

"Smith." Peta finished his sentence.

"Yeah that's him big fellow. Bit of an arsehole." Richard said with a grin. He was fairly sure Peta would agree with him.

"Not a bit, he's a complete arsehole," Peta agreed. "How do you know him?"

"His services came with the farm. He's got the lease on the lucerne flats till the end of December." Richard explained.

"So you've met him then." Peta said with a sour expression.

"Yeah. Came up and introduced himself. Acted like my best mate. Told me some bullshit story about how the flats weren't very good. Said he was only doing it on the shares as a favour to the previous owner and his share had to go up from fifty percent to seventy five otherwise it wasn't worth it."

"What did you say?"

"If he didn't want to do it I'd find someone else."

"And?" It was nice to hear someone else had stood up to him Peta thought.

"I think he might have expected it. It was like he was testing me to see how gullible I was. So then he offered a "mates rates" deal of sixty five/thirty five. I politely declined and said it would probably be best if I found someone else."

"Shit! What did he say?" Peta was giggling now.

"Oh, he was still my best mate. Said the offer was there and I should think about it. Then as he got into his truck he mentioned it was a small community and it's important to keep the right people on side."

"God he's a prick." Peta couldn't stop the distain from showing in her voice.

"Yeah, of course I didn't tell him that the young bloke from down the road had already offered to lease the farmland off me. He'd enquired about the flats and I'd already told him if I let him have the other stuff he could have the flats after December."

"That Tim Macey's son?"

"Yeah, nice kid. Just looking for a little bit of land to do his own thing. Still going to work for his dad."

They were both silent until Peta got herself back on track.

"So back to my harvester?"

"Well, I suppose I can come and have a look." Richard said slowly.

"Great," Peta jumped on his agreement. "Tomorrow?" She added hopefully.

Richard was quiet. He had planned on going into Forbes to talk to the council planning department the next day.

"I'll get Mum to do another cake?" Peta hoped a bribe might help.

"Alright. I'll come early on my way to Forbes. About 7.00 okay?"

"Perfect," Peta said standing up to go.

She felt like skipping back to the Toyota. Finally something was going right. Finding someone else who had the same opinion of Tony was a bonus as well. They shook hands again out next to the Prado then she was off back home.

Richard watched her go. He was surprised by how happy she had been when he said he'd have a look. He only hoped he could help. And he hoped that this wouldn't backfire on him. Each time he'd started to think things were going his way in the last two years something, mostly his ex-wife, had dumped another load of shit on him.

Chapter 6

Richard was relieved to see the Prado parked in the garage as he drove past the farm house at 6.55am. He'd neglected to ask the property name before Peta had left so he'd tried the first driveway after the paddock where he'd caught the sheep. Logical option but he knew from previous experience farms were sometimes split into different blocks that had been purchased at different times, sometimes some distance apart.

He could see a couple of sheds a hundred metres away so he went straight there. It was probably rude but he wanted to get a quick look at what shape the harvester was in before Peta arrived. From first glance at the shed he reckoned it would be okay. Everything was very tidy. The workshop area was organized with hand tools hanging in order on boards and extensive shelving for electrical stuff. The machinery looked clean apart from a layer of dust.

Walking around the harvester, the tyres were still up and had a fair bit of work left in them. A few guards were off the machine but Richard suspected that was to discourage rodents from making nests behind them. Climbing on top he checked the motor, oil level spot on, water level okay, no obvious signs of problems. Removing a cover behind the cab he found the only things missing, two batteries. Richard had just stepped off the ladder when Peta appeared flanked by the her two boys in school uniform.

"You're early," Peta said walking towards him.

"I wasn't sure where you were so I thought I'd better get going a bit before time." Richard replied shaking her hand.

"So?" Peta pointed at the red machine, "is it okay?"

"Yeah. Looks to be in good nick for the age of her. Ummm, you haven't got a couple of batteries laying around here somewhere?" Richard asked as he looked around.

"I think Fred used to put them in that locker. That's where the battery charger is." Peta said pointing to a large steel locker with two doors.

They both walked over to it while the boys ran off to let Lass out of her cage. Richard opened the locker and sure enough at the bottom were not two but four batteries. Probably two for the truck as well he thought.

"It's doubtful these will still have charge in them. I'd suggest we put them on to charge today and I'll come back late this afternoon and we will see if we can get her going." Richard said lifting one battery and placing it on the work bench.

Peta watched Richard set up the battery chargers on the two batteries then waved him goodbye. She was a bit upset as she had visions of practicing driving the big machine that day. She was even more anxious when as the sun dipped down towards the horizon there was still no sign of Richard.

She was with the boys feeding the hens and shutting up Lass when the dog took off barking. The headlights of Richard's old ute threw beams across them as he turned into the shed.

"Are there any lights in the shed?" He called through the evening gloom.

"Yes, the switches are next to the first shadow board of tools above the work bench." Peta shouted back as she tried to get Lass back into her cage for the night.

By the time Peta and the boys made it to the shed Richard was carrying the two batteries towards the harvester. The way he was doing it so effortlessly surprised Peta. Maybe he wasn't as old as his receding hairline suggested. He left one on the ground before ascending the ladder and placing the other in its holder. He came back down and got the other putting it beside the first. Retrieving some spanners from his pocket Richard started attaching the terminals. There was a softly muttered curse and Richard looked back down at the three watching from below.

"Murray, can you go over to the work bench and get the next smallest one of these from the shadow board?" As he spoke he held up an open ended spanner.

Before Peta could offer to do it instead her eldest Murray was off like a sprinter after the starters gun had fired. She watched as he got to the bench and scrambled up the side till he stood on top.

"This one?" He called pointing at the spanner.

"Yeah, and bring the one next to it just in case." Richard said and he winked at Peta.

The boy was back in a flash and Peta lifted him up so he could hand Richard the spanners himself.

"Thanks mate," Richard said giving the boy the thumbs up sign.

Murray beamed with pride as Richard returned to work. Shortly after he announced it was time for the moment of truth. He climbed up the last step then into the cab. His head appeared a short time later.

"We've got power, let's hope it gets noisy."

He disappeared again and then they heard the motor crank over. It spun quickly but at no stage did it want to start. The shed went quiet for a moment then Richard tried again but with no result. He got out of the cab and came back down to where they stood.

"It's no good?" Peta asked dreading the answer.

"Can't give up yet. I think it's just dropped its diesel. It hasn't been started for two years. I'll be back in a minute."

He went back to the work bench and studied the shadow board of tools again. After picking some much smaller spanners and a rag he was back.

"Can I help?" Murray asked.

Richard stopped for a moment then answered.

"You know what? There's a job up there that's got your name all over it if it's okay with your mum?"

Peta nodded so Richard climbed the ladder again. Once he was at the top Peta helped Murray get up to where Richard could reach him. He lifted the boy up then they clambered into the engine bay. Richard showed him where the fuel pump was and how to pump it.

"Don't start till I tell you." He said as he climbed down and went around the front.

"What about me?" Angus called.

"Don't worry I haven't forgotten you. Follow me."

Peta and Angus watched Richard climb up the front of the harvester. He opened the front engine cover then came back for Angus. Peta lifted him up and soon enough they were both crouched down in front of the engine. Richard handed Angus the rag.

"Your job is to mop up the diesel that spills out." He said to the youngest boy then he went to work. "Start pumping Murray... keep going... bit more... okay stop for a bit. And again, yep... bit more... stop. Last time start pumping... yep... bit longer... okay you can stop now and we'll give it a try."

Richard handed a smelly Angus back to Peta then went around and helped Murray down.

"Fingers crossed." He said as he went back to the cab.

The motor whirred again and it didn't sound positive until it finally coughed, spluttered, whirred again then with a puff of black smoke roared to life. The boys put there hands over there ears but the loud noise was like sweet music to Peta. Richard left it running for a while then shut it down. He climbed down to three smiling faces and felt quite the conquering hero.

"Well we know the motor goes." He said hopefully.

"Everything else should be good right?" Peta asked worried.

"It all looks good but we won't know till it's all back together and we back it out."

"Tomorrow?" Peta asked trying not to sound to desperate.

"Sorry, I've got tradesmen coming the next three days to help me so it will have to be Saturday." Richard replied. "But that means the apprentices won't be a school so they can help."

Richard put his hands up and the both boys gave him a high five.

"Okay, I'd best be going," Richard said as he moved past them on the way to his ute.

"Do you want to stay for dinner?" Peta asked and Richard stopped walking. "You haven't had your cake and Mums got a roast on so there'll be plenty."

Richard thought for a moment. It was a very tempting offer, a roast dinner and conversation. It wasn't a breach of his good behaviour bond but it could look bad. In the end his rumbling stomach won the argument.

"Yeah, okay. I'll meet you over at the house."

Richard walked out of the Watter's house two hours later. He'd met Peta's mum, Marci and she wasn't just good at baking cakes. The roast had been delicious, he'd gone back for seconds and didn't have room for cake after. So he now held a plate with a large slice of cake covered in plastic wrap to take home. He handed the plate to Peta to hold while he put his boots on. Marci was putting the boys in the bath so he'd already said his goodbyes to them.

"Thanks for dinner, it was delicious." Richard said taking the plate back.

"Least we could do," Peta replied. "You'll have to keep a record of the hours you do and we'll settle up after Saturday."

"After that meal you are in credit." Richard assured her as he turned in the direction of his truck.

"Richard?" Peta said to get his attention. "Yesterday you said you'd been a nomad on the road for a while. Can I ask why?"

"Divorce," Richard said with a sigh. "Running away from a failed marriage."

It was the truth, just not the whole truth.

"Did you have kids?" Peta asked, "you're just so good with Murray and Angus... I wondered."

"Yes, a son and a daughter." Richard could feel the emotion rise in his throat. "I don't get to see as much of them as I'd like. I'd better be going. Thanks for dinner."

Peta watched him walk away. She had heard his voice catch when he'd mentioned his children, saw the emotion in his eyes. She let him walk away without saying anything else because she suspected he was crying.

Chapter 7.

Richard drove through steady rain as he headed towards the Watter's farm. He had really enjoyed the dinner and interacting in a family environment earlier in the week . Marci had been a bit cool even with his enthusiastic praise of her culinary skills. He got the vibe she didn't approve of Peta desire to be a farmer and she saw him as an interloper feeding her fantasy.

What surprised him the most was there were very few questions about his past. It was the thing that had worried him enough to almost turn down the generous offer until his stomach had overruled. Still, there was something he couldn't put his finger on about Peta and Marci. It was like they had a secret too and were very happy not to open the door on questions about the recent past. Most probably the accident and her husband's death but it just seemed deeper.

As he came towards the house Richard slowed down. He could see his two apprentices with raincoats on standing at the back gate with their mum. They spent the morning putting all the guards and covers back on and the sieves in the back. Richard had been worried about the bolts and studs to hold them in place but Fred had obviously been very meticulous. Each bolt and stud had been replaced in the hole it had come from.

The two boys were diligent in their go-for duties for about an hour before the rain stopped and the lure of jumping in puddles dragged them away. By lunchtime the sun was shining brightly and the harvester was whole again. They sat on old oil drums and ate sandwiches Marci had left on her way to bowls.

"Nothing gets between Mum and her bowls," Peta said with a laugh. "Are your parents still alive?"

"No. My mum died when I was 20. Breast cancer. Dad was 86 and still going strong till he moved to town and let my brothers have the farm six years ago. In six months he went down hill quick. He went into hospital after he had a stroke and never came out." Richard rubbed his hand across his face as he remembered his home.

"Sorry I didn't mean to pry." Peta looked down and kicked at small stone on the concrete floor.

"No it's okay, Mum was years ago. She's like Marilyn to us, forever young." Richard found himself smiling, "and dad, he had a good innings."

They finished their lunch in silence. The boys had eaten earlier but they came back now because they wanted to go back to the house to get their bikes.

"You go and get them sorted. I'll back the harvester out so we can give it a run and you can have a go at driving it." Richard said standing up and placing the oil drum back against the wall.

Peta walked back to the house holding the boy's hands. From the look of them they could both do with a bit of sleep but then she would have felt obliged to stay at the house. So they got the bikes and helmets out of the garage and the boys pedalled back with Peta following. When they got back the harvester was out of the shed with the motor running. Richard was having a walk around doing a last minute check to make sure he hadn't missed anything.

"Okay, we'll give her a run. I'll just keep it ticking over for a start then, if there's no loud bangs, I'll run it up to operating speed." Richard said before he climbed the ladder again.

Peta waved for the boys to keep away then watched as the belts and chains started turning. Richard got out of the cab and checked all around the machine again. After giving Peta the thumbs up, he was up the ladder again. The motor roared and a cloud of dust billowed out the back of the harvester. The machine was rocking gently however Richard seemed unconcerned as he picked his way around, lifting covers and studying the belts and chains. After shutting it down he made his way over to where Peta was standing.

"So?" Peta asked with her fingers crossed behind her back.

"It's a credit to your late husband. She runs smooth and clean." Richard said "but..."

"There's always a but," Peta said with a worried look.

"We won't know till it's done some real work. Old girls like this have done a lot of work and there could be something major just waiting to go bang." He clapped his hands together to emphasis his point. "Speaking of problems you are going to have to get someone to look at the air conditioning. Probably just low on gas but you won't last long in that cab without it."

"Okay," Peta replied for the most part relieved. "Can I drive it now?"

Richard nodded but pointed to the Angus and Murray circling the flat area in front of the machinery shed. They put the boys in the back of Richard's ute in the shed then went back to the harvester.

Peta sat in the driver's seat while Richard talked her through the controls. The driving part was fairly easy. Select the gear then just push a lever forward or back depending which direction you wanted to go. All the other nobs, switches and lever were a complete mystery even after an explanation.

They did a couple of slow circuits of the shed so Peta could get used to the way the machine moved with the back wheels doing the steering. The were both sweating profusely after being squeezed into such a small area with only a fan blowing hot air. It was a relief to get out of the cab and back on the ground in the fresh air. Priority one, air conditioning service on Monday thought Peta. Angus and Murray climbed down and resumed there slow circles.

"Where's the comb?" Richard asked, seeing Peta puzzled expression he asked again thinking she hadn't heard him. "Where's the comb?"

"Errr, there's one in the house..." Peta replied wondering why Richard was suddenly concerned about his grooming.

"No, the comb," Richard repeated pointing to the harvester. "The front bit that cuts the crop."