“Ben thought maybe it would be under control quickly.” Raven wondered if that was perhaps more wishful thinking on his behalf. “Maybe that means a few hours?”
Janette shook her head. “Who knows.” She took a labored breath, one heavy with anxiety.
“I’m sure it will.” Raven felt a tightness in her belly. “We don’t have to get them food just yet. Let’s wait a little while for more news.”
“I just have a bad feeling about this.” Janette’s voice sounded distant.
“I’m sure it will be fine.” Raven tried to think of a distraction, despite feeling lost at what to do.
I have to help. I want to help, she corrected herself.
Janette’s expression was one of burden.
Raven had an idea. “How about I help you cook. You know I’m really not much of a baker, and I reckon it would be a good idea for me to learn.”
Janette looked at her, surprised. “You were going to cook dinner tomorrow. Should I be worried to have agreed to that?”
Raven smiled, glad her comment was proving to be the distraction she’d hoped it would be. “Course not, as long as you’re happy not to have dessert on a Sunday night.”
“That would be breaking a very long tradition, and we can’t have that.”
Raven saw the worry ease a little on Janette’s face. “What do you suggest I cook then?”
“Hmmm, let’s try an apple crumble. There are a few apples in the fridge I need to use.”
“Yum, let’s get started.”
“Do you think they’ll be home soon?” Raven looked at the clock on the wall for the hundredth time. It was two in the afternoon. The apples were stewed and now cooling, and the crumble made ready to go on top. It had been a lot easier than Raven thought, and she had to admit that Janette was a patient teacher.
Janette shrugged her shoulders. “I have a bad feeling.”
“I’ll go look outside.” Raven got up from peeling the potatoes for the shepherd’s pie they were now making for tomorrow night’s meal. A much better option than the curries she’d contemplated making.
“It won’t help,” said Janette.
“I know, but I feel so helpless.”
The kitchen was hot with the oven on for so long. Raven had dragged an extra floor-standing fan from the lounge into the room to try and help at least keep the air flowing. She reminded herself that those fighting the fire would be hotter than she was right now.
Cooking was providing a good distraction, but the worry was always there every time she saw Janette’s facial expression. At this rate, they were going to have the meals cooked and ready for Christmas.
“Get some fresh air, then.”
Raven stepped outside. Straightaway, she could smell the smoke. A haunting foreboding shivered through her. She walked out from the shade of the veranda, and the heat felt like it was physically pressing down on her. The wind whipped up around her as if playing with the dust. It was an awful day and a bad day for fires. That’s what Janette had said. It hadn’t started like this, and she’d never noticed how quickly the weather could turn. It never really mattered to her when living in the city. There were the sounds of the emergency services, but that was as far as her concern went. Here, she didn’t know old Brumbie, but Janette and Ben did, and if his place were on fire, they were worried.
She scanned the horizon. To her left was a sinister billowing cloud of smoke, smearing across the sky. It felt close. Too close. Janette had assured her that there were miles between here and Brumbie’s place, and the wind was coming from the north, blowing the fire away from them. The smell of life burning in the air and seeing the clouds of smoke haunting the sky, she felt the fire was too close for comfort.
She sighed, knowing that coming out hadn’t helped, and Janette had been right. Looking out to the horizon in the direction of the fire had only stirred her anxiety, giving it more fuel. She longed to call Ben on his cell and make sure that he was all right. But, of course, Raven didn’t. He needed to concentrate, and she didn’t want to distract him. His life could well depend on it.
It was even too early for the eggs to be collected and hay given to the alpacas. With nothing else to do, she went back inside. Rex scampered inside between her legs.
“Damn cat,” called Janette from the kitchen.
“I’ll get him out,” said Raven.
“No, don’t worry, he can have some time inside. If we need to evacuate, at least we’ll know where he is.”
“Evacuate?” Her mouth dried. Would they really have to?
