33. Claudia
“This is exactly what we needed,” Elle declared, walking in front of me on the walking trail.
“Tell me about it,” Gisele agreed from behind me, only she was skipping not walking, Miracle holding her hand happily skipping with her mum.
My heart clenched at the sight and the happy sounds coming from my niece and sister, aching for my turn to finally come along.
Since we had been kids, this walking trail was our escape from the small town bullshit when it got too much. With the various degrees of drama thrust upon us in recent weeks, when Elle suggested a picnic in the bush, both Gisele and I jumped at the idea.
Josh, Jami and the new paramedic Judd scheduled a fishing trip today with our father, so we decided a spur of the moment bush walk was a fabulous idea. Because the men took Judd’s brother Hudson with them it was decided that mum deserved a day off taking Miracle with us for an all-girls day. The weather was outstanding and warm even though it was the start of winter, there was no freezing wind blowing a gale no rain and no stress. Even Elle seemed calm, not like her at all considering what was going on with her.
A real godsend.
She was yet to speak about what she was going to do let alone tell anyone who the father is, but I had faith that my sister would in her own time. Knowing the turmoil you can feel during the early stages of pregnancy, I completely understood her trepidation to talk about it.
However, unlike her, I knew exactly what I wanted my pregnancy to be for me, and so far, everything was going perfectly. My husband doted on me, sometimes to the extreme where I wanted to castrate him, but mostly it was sweet the way he panicked when I went up or down the stairs at home. Every day he came over to the shop on his lunch break and we either ate at the shop or went to the town centre gardens and shared a meal sitting on the grass if the weather permitted.
The coddling I could get used to especially sexy time in the bath like we had done just a few days ago. In bed, or that time in the bath, Josh forgot that he wanted me wrapped in bubble wrap. His desire for me too strong to hold back, and I hoped it remained like that until delivery day because my hubby knew how to rock my whole world with his skills. Not only that, but I was also really fucking horny. All the time.
The minute Josh walked in the door after work if I made it home before him, I was on him instantly. Sex in the kitchen, foreplay on the lounge room rug, even in the laundry with me sitting on the washing machine while Josh sucked and played with my nipples until I came. I was insatiable and my man was loving it.
Yep, life was just about perfect. Now if only the same could be said for Ellie.
“Elle, have you met the new Paramedic yet?” I asked her thinking that it was unusual that she wasn’t gossiping about the new guy in town. “Josh and I had him and Hudson over for dinner the night before and I have to say I’m impressed with him. He has a great personality really funny and charming,” I said to her back, but she didn’t turn around or comment, she just kept walking, but I did notice her stiffen when talking about him.
That is weird. I’m positive she hasn’t been introduced to Judd yet, so why the cold shoulder?
“He is, isn’t he?” Gisele added enthusiastically instead of Elle. “Jamison and Judd are really great friends, and Hudson is an absolute delight. Miracle had a ball with him when they came for a BBQ lunch the other day.”
Elle tensed again, but still didn’t stop to ask any questions.
“Elle? Do you have something to add?” I asked putting a lot of tone in my question.
“I haven’t met him so I can’t add anything relevant to the conversation.” Ellie sniped and that was way too interesting for me to let go.
“Okay stop chickee,” I shouted sick of her aloof attitude, enough was enough.
Coming to a halt, Elle spun around and faced us with fire spitting from her eyes.
“What is up your arse for the love of all that is holy?” I shouted again, nearly at my wits end with my sister. This was supposed to be a stress free experience, but I was anything but relaxed or happy with her.
“There is nothing wrong, I’m just getting tired of people asking me if I have met the new paramedic yet, that’s all. I kinda have other things on my mind at the moment, but I’m sure I will meet him soon, so everyone stop having a cow about it please,” she cried flapping her hands around like a loon, then turned around and stormed up the track without us.
Staring at her with shock I looked at Gisele then Miracle, both sporting the same expression as me.
“Well, okay geez, don’t bite my head off,” I muttered, trudging behind Elle who was now a good fifty metres in front of us.
“Now that was an overreaction worthy of me,” Gisele said, and she was not wrong. Coming from Gisele it would sound normal, but coming from Elle Blessing? Nope something was obviously bothering her. Whether it was Judd or something else, I was determined to find out.
“Tell me about it,” Miracle muttered, “Aunty Elle needs worming I think, that’s what Gigi said the other day.”
Sighing loudly, Gisele shook her head at her daughter while I giggled hysterically. Trust our Miracle to get to the point with help from her adoring grandmother.
“That she does chickee,” I agreed cheerfully, my sour mood from minutes ago lifting because of one innocent comment from an eight year old.
Bless her cotton socks.
We kept walking for another hour, finally Elle had slowed down long enough for me, Gisele and Miracle to catch up with her. By then she was much less fiery and more like her old self.
I blamed hormones.
“Damn we walked a long way,” Gisele said looking impressed, “look there is the old mining sluice we used to play on when dad worked here.”
“Yeah, back then we rode in the back tray of dad’s old ute remember.” Elle reminded us her face red from the exerting journey. Admittedly we had gone further than initially intended but the sun was so surprisingly warm, hot even, so we kept going eager to see our old childhood playground. Miracle had never been this far into the mining area so for her it was a treat to see how playtime used to be before electronic devices, the internet and streaming channels.
“Did you really play here Mumma?” Miracle asked wrinkling her nose at the rusty metal structures laying haphazardly amongst the overgrown brush.
“We sure did chickee. In fact, this is where Ellie found her first gold nugget.”
“Grumpy gave me a gold nugget on a necklace last year,” Miracle said excitedly. The day dad gave it to her she wasn’t talking but we all could see the delight and joy on her face as her hands went flying a mile a minute thanking him.
Another memory I was looking forward to making with my child one day.
“Yes, he did baby, but Ellie found hers all by herself by digging the ground with a small kids shovel.” Gisele reminisced smiling. “Grumpy was so jealous at how big it was, but he was also proud he even let her drive the ute halfway home that day.”
“Why only halfway?” Miracle asked intrigued in the story, her avid interest in everything and anything wonderful to watch.
“Because Gigi would have kicked his butt if she found out,” Elle answered, her smile genuine and happy, reliving a great time in our lives.
Time with our dad.
Giggling, Miracle pointed to a spot of green grass that would be perfect to have our lunch.
“Can we eat there?”
“Absolutely chickee,” Elle agreed leading the way over a downed tree trunk, “careful ladies, there is a wasp hive in the trunk at the end.” Elle warned us changing direct to the cross over on the other end of the tree.
“Claudia aren’t you allergic to bees or is it wasps?” Gisele asked, stopping to help me stay balanced as I climbed over the thick wood.
“Both actually,” I said, keeping an eye on the swarming insects keenly. I found out I was allergic when I was five and got stung on the face. Both mum and dad freaked out that day when my cheek swelled up three times its normal size, then when my eye started to swell, they rushed me to the hospital where I stayed for two days in intensive care with anaphylaxis shock.
Since that day I kept well away from them even going as far as not planting anything in my garden that attracted too many stinging insects. Forward planning was forward thinking as dad liked to say.
For the next ten minutes we busied ourselves with clearing the ground of rocks and debris then spread out the picnic blanket then the food mum and Dani put together for us.
We invited Dani to come with us, but she had her husband’s family coming for one reason or another, and while she didn’t like her mother-in-law at all she thought it better to play nice for Ryan’s sake.
“Does anyone have mobile service?” Gisele asked her phone in her hand above her head waving it around searching for a signal.
Elle pulled her phone out of her jeans pocket and looked at the screen. “Nope not even one bar. Claude?”
“I left it at home, totally forgot all about bringing it,” I shrugged not all that bothered. Mum knew where we were going at least what direction as we went about one kilometre further. Plus, Josh won’t be back for many hours yet, when dad went fishing, he went from dawn to dusk. Checking my watch, and noticed that it was past two pm.
Damn we walked slow .
“Okay let’s eat!” Elle sang out sitting down on the blanket with Miracle in her lap, Gisele found a perfect shaped log to sit on while I joined Elle and our niece on the blanket.
“Wow I am full as a goog,” I announced patting my belly, a tiny baby bump was starting to form making me giddy as heck. A lot of women didn’t look forward to getting big, but I could not wait despite my tantrum over what my mother said to me. Fat and pregnant were two different things in my mind.
“We better pack up and start heading back,” Elle suggested glancing at her phone screen. There was no service and the sun was starting to get hidden by a sudden cloud covering that looked ominous all of a sudden.
Two pregnant women, a child and Gisele did not make for a quick walk back to Blessings, so the sooner we started back the?—
“Oh, fuck me drunk!” I screamed when I felt a painful sting on my top lip. “Shit on a stick!” I cursed again forgetting that Miracle was listening avidly to my colour terms of phrase but whatever bit me hurt like a mother pus bucket.
“Claudia Chanel!” Gisele admonished me but I was far from feeling repentant at the moment. Jumping to my feet, I ran around in circles yelling and screaming and crying in pain. Touching my fingers to my lips, I felt the swelling immediately.
“Shit I think a wasp stung me on the lip,” I shouted outraged, but the universe was not finished with me. Next thing I knew I was falling forward, losing my footing completely when I stepped in a divot hidden under the picnic blanket.
“Ouch oh shit, shit, shit,” I cried this time from throbbing pain coming from my ankle, my arms flailed in an effort to keep myself from hitting the ground, in the back of my mind I could hear Miracle scream out my name.
“Claudia!” Gisele cried at the same as Elle lunged for me, grabbing a hold of my arm pulling me back just in the nick of time before I hit the deck saving me from falling on my stomach. Instantly I thought of my baby, what could have happened if Elle had not grabbed me in time. The pain from the wasp sting and my ankle faded into the background momentarily, my mind reeling and my body trembling with adrenaline.
“Oh my God Claude, are you okay chickee?” Elle asked me, followed by a gasp of shock. “That was way too close!”
Panting heavily all I could manage to do was nod, words not possible not just because of my near miss, but the pain was back my lip burnt like a bitch, my ankle throbbing tortuously. I couldn’t make up my mind which one was worse, my ankle, lip or my near miss.
Pressing one hand to my fast beating heart and the other to my belly, I nodded again.
“I … don’t … don’t … just give me … a minute to catch … my … breath,” I managed to stammer out, my words hard to get passed my swollen lip.
“Shit, we have to get back!” Gisele exclaimed voicing the bleeding obvious.
“No shit are you looking at her lip! It’s getting bigger by the minute,” Elle said not so helpfully. I did not want to know how swollen it was getting mainly because I could feel it.
“I am not going to be able to walk back that far before nightfall,” I admitted in a panicked voice. The nights in the bush were freezing this time of year and none of us were dressed for the occasion.
Damn, damn, damn. Josh is going to flip his shit.
“Miracle and I will go back and get help,” Gisele offered, pulling off her lightweight jacket and wrapping it around my shoulders. “Ellie help me get Claude over to that stump,” Gisele said pointing to the log she sat on during our picnic. With a sister on each side of me, Miracle in front pushing stray branches and rocks out of the way, I hobbled over to the stump, Gisele and Elle lowly me down carefully until my butt was settled.
“Miracle get the two backpacks please chickee,” Elle requested our niece, she did so quickly handing them to her aunty.
“Thank you, dumpling.”
Piling the two bags on top of each other on the ground in front of me then carefully she lifted my leg and placed my foot on top elevating it.
“Picnic blanket too,” Elle said and again Miracle did her bidding.
“This should help fend off some of the chill,” Elle said looking worriedly up at the sky. Casting my eyes upwards, I saw why she looked so concerned. Black clouds had closed in, the sun from only a half hour ago vanished. Tucking the blanket gingerly around me, trying not to jostle my foot or leg, Elle then turned Miracle around and reached into her Hello Kitty backpack and pulled out a plastic bottle of water, and handed it to me.
“Hold this to your lip Chickee, it’s still half frozen so it should take some of the stinging sensation to a minimum.”
Nodding gratefully, I held the bottle to my face, the coldness a shock but a relieved one too.
“Get going Gissy, go as fast as you can without being reckless. Get the ute and get back here before dark if you can.” Elle commanded taking full control of the situation like the big bossy sister she was.
“We will, I promise,” Gisele said, coming over to me, giving me a brief hug and concerned eyes.
“Hang in there sweetie, I won’t be long.” Pressing a kiss to my temple she turned to look at her daughter. “We have to run chickee, are you up for that?”
“Yes, Mumma I can do this,” she replied confidently, making my heart warm. Her eyes were wet with unshed tears in concern for me and that was not acceptable.
Holding out the hand not holding the bottle, I beckoned her over to me, “Listen to me chickee, Aunty Claude is okay. I promise you, okay? Now you go with your Mumma but be careful you don’t fall. We don’t need two klutzes in the family, do we?” I told her making a funny face, well as best I could. Not that I needed to, I had a feeling that I already looked pretty hilarious already.
“Okie dokie Aunty Claude, I will be fast like a flea,” she said seriously and meant it.
Are fleas fast? If so, how fast? I mused curiously.
Elle clapped her hands, breaking into my bad timing sudden curiosity. “Okay get a move on, the temperature is going to drop rapidly from here on in.”
Holding onto Miracle’s hand Gisele took off at fast jog, fast enough that Miracle could keep up.
Watching them run off own the track, I sent up a silent prayer that they made it back without any incident. I would never forgive myself if any harm came to Miracle or my sister all because of a wasp sting and my clumsiness.
“It’s going to be okay Claude,” Elle reassured me, taking a seat on the large stump beside me, taking the water bottle from me then held it back to my lip.
“Let me hold it for a while, put your hands under the blanket and warm them up for a bit,” she said then watched me until I did what she asked.
“Ellie?”
“Yeah chickee?”
“Why do you tense up every time the new paramedic is mentioned? You said you have yet to meet him, so I don’t understand your strange reaction.” I asked quietly and slowly, my lip making it harder and harder to speak.
At first, I didn’t think Elle was going to answer me, and give me attitude like she had been. Sitting in silence beside her I heard her sigh, her whole body shuddering against my arm, whether it was from the coming from the changed weather or what was worrying her I could not say. Finally, after five minutes, Elle spoke.
“His name is Judd, and he comes from Gracefield right?” Elle whispered not looking at me.
“Right,” I confirmed not understanding where this line of questioning was heading. “So?”
“The one night stand I had, remember?”
“Umm yes how could I forget,” I replied dryly giving her stomach a droll look.
Hesitating, Elle blew out a steadying breathe. “How common do you think the name Judd is in Gracefield?” she asked in a shaky voice.
I stared at my sister for all of ten seconds before a conversation Elle had with me and Gisele weeks ago. And as fast as that the penny dropped.
“Nooooo. It couldn’t be. No way possible!” I gasped struck dumb at what the chances would be to find two guys named Judd that lived in Gracefield.
Shaking her head miserably, Elle started to cry softly.
“Knowing my luck it probably is chickee.”
I couldn’t help the bubble of laughter coming up my throat. You could not write the shit that happens to our family.
“The family curse strikes again.”