Uncertain Future - 7. UF Chapter 7

Edward said he would be happy to buy my share of the two units from me, even if I didn’t move, so as to help set me up with a secure financial future, which is the most important thing on my mind, so as to ensure Toby has a good and happy life ahead of him. Four months later, I received word from Mr Fythe, that both the family home and the shop had been sold and the money deposited into the account.

He said that even if I don’t return, that he was always happy to serve as my layer whenever he is required. I thanked Mr Fythe for all the help that he had given me so far, and yes, I would keep him in mind if anything to do with law is needed. A few months later, I had just completed the handover of Caretaker duties to the new caretaker, and Toby and I were settled into one of the apartments on the first, one which is now official owned by Edward, with the settlement of Edward purchasing my share of the one apartment, and I have his shares of our new apartment, which had been finalised a few weeks before.

I am now currently working for Edward five days a week, and I start at 9 am and finish at 2 pm, so I can take Toby to and pick him up from school. Also, Matthew and Damien come to the store after school for three hours, three days a week, where they are being taught the business, and helping Edward in the store while I am not there.

One day while I was casually reading the paper during my lunch break, I spotted a very small advertisement, that was in the general advertising section, instead of in the employment section. “Small family bush retreat, looking for a general handyman and caretaker, located near a small community, with a population of only 350”. I jotted down the information and made a mental note to call and enquire about the position once I was at home, as I stuffed the information into my pocket.

After a full day of work, and getting Toby washed, fed and in bed, I was ready to go to bed myself, when I suddenly remembered the advert, unfortunately, it was too late to call and enquire about the position, so I went online to do a web search of the place. “Durack Valley Bush Retreat, 590 acres of pastured and semi-cleared land, on the banks of the Durack River”. I looked at the photos of the place, and it looked quite spectacular, it had a 1920’s solid stone homestead, with big wide veranda’s, located about three hundred metres for the river bank, on a slightly raised hill, with a number of sheds and other small buildings close behind it.

An aerial map of the property, reveals a number of cottages located downstream, all of them just 100 metres from the river bank, and all located about 300 metres apart. Behind the cottages about 500 metres away is a large shearing shed, hay barn and stables, with some yards and work areas between them. When I saw this map, I became very interested in this position, and I made a big note to remind myself to call this place first thing in the morning, as it sounded like an ideal place to live and work for me and for Toby to live and grow up in a wonderful country environment.

The next morning Toby woke up feeling sick, so I called Edward to explain, and I took Toby to a GP doctor to have him checked out, Toby was diagnosed with mild tonsillitis. I was given a prescription for antibiotics and given instructions to keep Toby in a warm bed with plenty of fluids to drink, along with any soft foods that he is able to eat, and if it got worse to take him directly to hospital. For the next three days, I kept busy nursing Toby back to good health, and I had totally forgotten about the position advertised in the paper.

When I was informed that the position had been filled I was very upset and disappointed with myself for letting this opportunity to slip by. Before hanging up I gave the lady my contact details and asked if anything else similar came up could she please contact me. When the call ended I had the strong feeling that I would not receive a call back for another position.

I became even more disappointed and I sulked for the remainder of the day, trying to hide how I was feeling from Toby as best as I could. For the next few months I kept myself very busy with looking after Toby, working at the hardware store, and coaching on Saturday mornings. Toby enjoyed his new school, and he now had a number of new close friends who he looked forward to seeing each week.

Although I was reasonably happy with life in general I still felt unsettled and I knew that soon I should find a new place and job where both Toby and I will be happy for many years to come. That time arrived earlier than expected, just weeks before my 19^th Birthday, when I received a telephone call from the owners of Durack Valley Bush Retreat informing me that the position of caretaker and handyman had become vacant, and I was invited to travel to the property for a formal interview and tour of the property.

I was stunned that I was being given the chance to apply for the position, and accepted the invitation, and I informed the owner, Mrs Robyn Durack, that I was the sole carer of my younger brother, Toby, who would be travelling with me, and she informed me that this would be fine. Three days later, after informing Edward of the invitation for an interview, I prepared Toby and myself for the journey.

We boarded the train for the eight-hour journey to the east of the city, heading further inland, and we arrived at the station nearest to the property in the early evening soon after dark. The only accommodation apart from the local hotel was a small B& B on the edge of town, which I had made a booking to stay for two nights, the day before we arrived. Once we had been shown to our rooms I organised Toby to have a shower and prepare for bed, before I did the same, and we went to sleep as soon as we were settled into our beds.

The next morning after a delicious breakfast, I was informed that the vehicle that I had arranged to loan for the time of our visit was out the front and ready to go, I was handed directions on how to find Durack Valley, which was only a twenty-minute drive away from the village, and we made our way at a leisurely pace as we were early leaving the village.

Toby was looking out the window the whole time commenting regularly about the amazing things that he was seeing as we drove past, which made me think that yes this was a good move towards our future in a new place away from bad memories. After the interview, the owner and her two children, Henry aged 11 and William age 9, invited us for a tour of the property, but instead of a 4-wheel drive vehicle, we were shown to four-wheel buggies, Robyn invited me to take one with her, and Toby could go with her boys, and she ensured me that her oldest son was a good and sensible driver.

After nearly two hours of looking around the property, and looking inside all of the main buildings, we arrived back at the homestead where Robyn and I sat on the veranda looking out towards the river, while the three boys played on the large lawn area. I was asked what I thought of the place and was I still interested in the position, which came with a two-bedroom staff cottage. “Robyn, this is more than I had hoped. I think I and especially Toby will be very happy on the property,” I said in reply.

She smiled and nodded and asked me inside so we could talk while she prepared lunch for all of us, leaving Toby to play outside with his new friends. By the time we had left the property, I had a new job, starting in two weeks, and Toby said that although he would miss his friends at school, he liked it better on the property. After a good look around the village, and a second night in the B & B accommodation, Toby and I caught the afternoon train back to the city, arriving in the early evening, where Edward was waiting to pick us up and take us home.

Once loaded in his car, Edward turned to me, “So I guess I have to look for a new employee?” he said to me, “I am afraid so Edward, we move in less than two weeks. You have been a great friend and an awesome boss, I am sorry to let you down like this, but I have to think of Toby first, city life is just not good for him, we are country born and bred, and that is where we are much happier” I responded.

“I understand that mate, I will be sad to see you go that’s all” Edward replied as he started the engine and began to drive us back to the apartment. “Will you be able to organise a good tenant for my apartment, and keep an eye on it for me please” I asked after a long period of silence, as I glanced behind me to see that Toby was fast asleep, “Yes I can do that for you no problems” Edward replied.

Over the next few days, I organised a removalist van, to transport all our furniture and belongings to our new home, I contacted the Tennis club to inform them that I was no longer available to coach tennis, as I was moving to the countryside, and also informed Toby’s school that he will not be returning, as he will be relocating to another school in less than two-week’s time, and now I knew that we no longer had an uncertain future.