The light that guides

Kirra blinked twice, greens and blues still in her minds' eye as she sat upright in bed. Chris laid asleep next to her, snoring loudly as the morning sun filtered through closed blinds to streak across his bare chest. She smiled then stretched her arms high above her head before leaving the warmth of her bed.

She was a tall and skinny brown Aboriginal girl from Australia when she first met Christopher Bartlett in June of 1989. Her parents and older brother were following the seasons and found work on the Bartlett farm for 4 months picking fruit and vegetables. They were with the Bartlett men during their darkest hours after Sunshine was killed, and she loved Christopher through his pain even though he refused to receive it.

Along with their 3 teenage children and Chris' 4 brothers, the Bartlett farmhouse was almost ready for a new life. The old farmer had joined his wife in a heavenly embrace and although the men grieved, Kirra did not see the ending that they saw. In fact, she could not think of John and Sunshine Bartlett as past people, but she did see them in the paddocks and vegetable gardens, the old red barn, and the hen coop. She saw Sunshine in the kitchen and smelt John's cigarettes waft in on an afternoon breeze. She knew they were home and as the Bartlett men grieved over what they no longer saw, she found strength and comfort in what she did.

"Come here," Chris rasped sleepily as she walked towards the bathroom.

Kirra turned to see her husband smiling at her from his groove in the old bed. She laughed lightly then jumped on top of him, ensuring her long legs were straddled on either side of him as she leaned in for a kiss. He responded and pulled her down so her head rested on his chest. She listened to his heartbeat, its' steady and slow rhythm relaxing her so that when she closed her eyes, those blue and green lights danced before her once more.

"I have a proposal," Kirra said softly as she raised her head and looked up towards Chris.

He rubbed her back gently and said, "I know."

"What do you think it is then smarty-pants?"

"You want to stay," Chris said as Kirra sat upright next to him once more. He also sat and pulled at a curl that hung over her face. It recoiled with flair and he smiled.

Kirra squinted. "How did you know?"

"Because I want to stay as well."

Kirra smiled. "You? Farmer Chris?"

"And you the farmers' wife," Chris teased. "No honey... I have always known you love this place... especially Sunshine's vegetable gardens."

"That has always been the dream... I could open a restaurant in town, and we could live our happily ever after here. I mean- the kids would need convincing, but they will adjust."

Chris frowned. "My brothers would need convincing too. The offers from the other farms are pretty tempting."

Kirra stood and pulled Chris off the bed to the bathroom with her. She turned the shower on and slid out of her nightie. Chris ran his eyes over her naked form and quickly joined her.

"Really," she teased, as he leaned in for another kiss then led him to his surrender.

The Bartlett men sat around the worn dining table as Kirra leaned back against the kitchen counter. Her children were in town with friends they had made over the past few weeks.

John and Sunshine Bartlett's lawyer was old and spoke slowly. His fingers were gnarled, and Chris knew from experience with his own father that they were afflicted with arthritis. The old man fussed over papers which they all knew to be their fathers' will.

Chris scanned his brothers' faces for clues to what they were thinking. Michael sat upright and his arms were folded before him. He stared down at his lap and occasionally dusted imaginary dirt off his long black slacks. He seemed to be sitting in a power which Chris felt he could use at a whim. David leaned back in his chair and his legs were stretched out before him while he rested his hands on top of his head. He smiled at Chris when their eyes met, and Chris felt the warmth of his impartiality and admired how he never judged others. William leaned forward in his chair and rested his arms on the table, hands entwined as he looked into the bottle of Bud that was sweating droplets of water before him. He squinted often, deep in his own thoughts which Chris knew troubled him as he saw William’s left leg shaking and him biting away at the left corner of his own lip. Chris began to feel the creep of uneasiness just by watching William wrestle with his, so he looked at the youngest Bartlett man for some calm. Joseph sat opposite and mimicked David although, like his other 2 brothers, his arms were folded before him and his left leg was shaking.

Chris turned his attention back to the lawyer when the old man cleared his throat and began reading the details of their fathers' will. The lawyer announced John's estate was worth about $4.2M dollars and included the farm and his agricultural business, an apartment in town, $500,000 cash, shares in Nvidia and Lennar stock, and 3 classic cars. John left $125,000 to Michael, David, William, and Joseph and each of their families, as well as the shares to be divided equally between them. He left his 1967 black Eleanor Mustang to Michael, the red and white 1957 Starliner to David, and the copper-coloured 1957 Chev Bel Air Sedan to Joseph. John left the apartment to William and, the farm and business to Chris and Kirra.

"What the fuck?" Joseph spoke slowly after a moment's silence. "Where did the old man get all these assets from? How did he build up that big of an estate?"

Chris smiled knowingly. They had many conversations over beers and cigarettes on investments and stocks and it was John always giving Chris the best of advice. He was meticulous and loved the feel of the sun on his back and shared a love for construction and investments with Chris. John was a master of his finances and grounded himself in hard work to earn his money.

"Well, you got the lion's share," William spoke quickly as he stared at Chris.

Kirra exhaled.

"You were always the old mans' favourite," Joseph chimed in. Chris glanced at his baby brother, a look of wounding embarrassing Joseph when he caught his eye.

"Shut the fuck up the both of you," Michael said as he stood. He had never gone to Chris' defence before but that was because he never had to.

"I think it's fair," David added. "Chris spent the most time here on the farm. Here we all were pretending to be busy with our jobs and families but when it came down to it... if the old man ever needed any one of us it was Chris who never let him down."

William stood and walked out while Joseph sat quietly with his own thoughts.

"He'll come round," Michael said to Chris then shook the old lawyers' hand while speaking quietly with him.

David smiled at Chris. "I got the Starliner," he beamed then patted Chris on the left shoulder and kissed Kirra on the cheek before joining William outside.

After Michael walked the old lawyer out to his car, Joseph turned to Chris and smiled weakly. "I'm sorry brother. I feel like I betrayed you by saying what I said."

Chris stood and Joseph joined him. Chris gave him a tight hug and then shook his hand. "It was a knee-jerk comment. I understand and I'm cool. Don't hold onto it."

Joseph nodded then he, Michael, David, and William drove to town to eat dinner at the local pub. They would be leaving the farmhouse tomorrow and although Chris thought he should join them he was too tired to do so. He looked at Kirra who walked towards him with her arms slightly open. He slid into her embrace and breathed her scent, finding comfort in the smell of her love and acceptance.

His dream was the farm. He loved the smell of the soil and the sight of fresh buds on the trees. He loved the sounds of the chickens and the feel of the cool afternoon breeze that carried memories of times long ago. His heart was filled with home every time he visited his father and every chance he got, he would spend time there building something new or fixing something old.

"Looks like we've been given the green light from the old man to continue his work," Chris said with a slight smile as he held his Kirra.

Kirra nodded. She had seen lights of green and blue from her own Dreaming and knew, as a 16-year-old when she first walked those paddocks and dug her hands in that soil, that she would be guided back home one day.

Thank you for taking time out of your day to read my sixth piece of Vocal's Summer Fiction Series! If you enjoyed it, please send me a like by clicking the heart below or by sending a tip. I appreciate your support.

The story starts with "Sunshine and the moon's shadow: the old barn" and will continue with "Between the old and the new: the old farmer's Grandson".