07 – The new plan

Zoey struggles to talk and with a timid, crying voice, she answers: “Chloe, Quinn sped off with our car and left us alone on the farm! We had a hell of an argument and I again threatened to divorce him and he became ballistic. He hit me with his fist as if I was a punching bag!”

She gives a few sad sobs before she struggles on. “Lyle tried to intervene and protect me but Quinn slapped him and tossed him aside like a bag of potatoes. Then he stormed out of the house, got in the car and raced away.”

“Oh no, how is Lyle? Is he injured badly?”

“He is okay, Chloe. I think wrestling and judo trained him to fall without hurting himself.”

“Are you okay? You told me Quinn hit you with his fists.”

“I’m all right. I put ice on my face to try and curb the swelling, but I’m not going to look nice tomorrow.”

“Goodness Zoey. I am going to get into the Cooper right now. I’ll be there in a jiffy.”

Chloe finds Zoey, Lyle and Ronnie in front of the TV. It’s almost lunchtime. Ronnie got rid of most of the dust from his workshop and sits aside on a wooden chair. Chloe places the file on his lap. She knows Leo is somewhere on the farm and will only return towards evening and is blissfully unaware of the drama that took place at the house. Susan usually packs a giant hamper on days like this when he works far off. He had already greeted Zoey and her family last night.

Lyle and Zoey sit together on a couch. Chloe bends over Zoey and inspects her face. She sees her right eye and left cheek are red and on places purple and already badly swollen.

"Oh my goodness, Zoey. How could he?"

She looks at Lyle that sits peacefully next to her. He has a red handprint on his cheek where Quinn slapped him.

“Where do you hurt, Lyle?”

“I’m fine, Chloe.”

Ronnie informs her: “I made sure he’s all right. I had him put ice on the mark for a long time, but it is going to look bad tomorrow. He bruised his arm and shoulder while trying to break his fall, but nothing is broken.”

“Pull off your shirt, Lyle, and show me. I want to see for myself.”

Lyle obliges and Chloe tenderly caresses the red, bruised arm as if she could soothe the pain and discomfort away.

She touches the red area on his shoulder. “Oh no, this must be painful, it is so unnecessary. Sorry dear, does it hurt when you move your arm?”

Lyle smiles while he moves his arm in a circle. “Not so bad, Chloe. I frequently have more severe falls at my judo and wrestling classes at school.”

Chloe smiles tenderly at him: “Our Iron Man!”

Susan calls them: "Lunch is ready; will you please all come to the dining table. I want to dish up.”

While enjoying the lunch, Chloe earnestly looks at Zoey.

“Please allow me to take Lyle back to his hostel with my Cooper, Zoey. I’ve just quickly got to cancel an appointment at three this afternoon in the city. Come to think of it, I’ve never asked Mrs Kennedy for her telephone number. I will have to look it up in the directory or Google His and Her’s hair salon.”

Zoey feels guilty. "No Chloe, why don’t you rather lend me the Toyota Venture? It’s not in use and I want to take Lyle back and then you don’t have to cancel your appointment for our sake.”

She is talking about the Toyota Venture 2200 GLE that they usually use to transport workers and their families into town and back.

"My appointment can wait until tomorrow.”

“Do you want your hair done?”

Chloe wanted to keep her plans secret and would have liked to move in at her new place unknowingly, but she realizes that all have changed and a new opportunity has arisen and she instantly finds a solution for her and Zoey.

"Zoey, I’ve got an appointment with Mrs Kennedy and want to go and have a look at a house I want to rent. If it suits me, I want to move in this afternoon.”

Ronnie is unpleasantly surprised. “Where does this sudden decision come from, Chloe; what is wrong with the farm?”

“I think about Tony all the time, Ronnie. I also feel the tension between you and Leo. I want you to forget a little about me and cool off because you nearly killed each other on my birthday. You must first prove that you can live together peacefully before I will come back. Otherwise, I’ll stay away. That’s my ultimatum to my two naughty brothers.”

"Don’t be daft, Chloe. It’s your farm. I promise we will have a meeting this evening and sort things out. Where is this place and do you want to live alone there?”

"Zoey, I thought things over; I don’t want you to go back to George before Quinn calms down and sort his problems. Why don’t you move in with me at the place?”

Zoey is flabbergasted. She ponders the thought for a while and suddenly it seems as if Chloe switched on a light in the dark room of her circumstances and enthusiastically she asks: “Are you sure, Chloe? Do you really think I can move in with you?”

“Yes, why not? Then I won’t be alone on that smallholding.”

Ronnie frowns. "You want to move in alone on a plot; are you looking for trouble? It is isolated and dangerous.”

“The place is fully furnished and immediately available. Zoey, do me a favor and move in with me, then I won’t be alone and we will have fun after so many years. Zoey, please sis...”

Zoey smiles happily: “Chloe, I like your idea a lot and I will join you gladly until all my nonsense with Quinn is sorted.”

She looks at Lyle: “Don’t be worried Lyle; your dad and I must just sort things out. He’s got a lot of problems and I think distance between us will bring him to his senses and give him the opportunity to solve them. I promise you we will again come out on top.”

Lyle doesn’t look convinced: “Whatever, mom, but ...”

"I promise Lyle ..."

"Don’t promise anything, mother, you don’t have to live with him, I’ll understand if you want to divorce him. You are always fighting and I simply hate it that you’re not happy ... and look what he did today! I don’t want to let it happen to you again. Yes, stay rather with Chloe. I love Chloe, Ronnie, Leo and I love you, mother. Dad has in any case never time for me and I want to spend all my holidays on the farm with you all here. Just promise me we will be all together on the farm during my next holiday, please.”

He tries to be brave, but tears run slowly down his cheeks. Embarrassed he takes his handkerchief and wipes them.

Ronnie tries to comfort him: "Lyle, this farm belongs to the three of you and you are going to be the future owner.”

He looks at Zoey. “I’m sure Zoey will be here every holiday with you except when there’s something serious that hinders her.”

Zoey turns towards him and hugs him tenderly and kisses him on his forehead. “I love you so much, Lyle. Chloe is right. You are our iron man. I promise we will all be here during your holidays.”

“Yes, I also promise, Lyle. Zoey, I’ll get the salon’s number and arrange another appointment. I want to take Lyle back to school.”

Zoey is not convinced. “No Chloe, you go and check out that place today. I’ll take the Toyota Venture. Tony gave you the Cooper and now the Toyota sits here idle. I want to take Lyle. If we depart now, I will be back before midnight.

"That means you will drive over the mountain passes and will only return after dark! That road is so narrow with sharp bends and the cliffs are breathtakingly high. It’s dangerous, Zoey, especially for a woman alone on the passes and you are my only family. I don’t want to lose you too. It will simply drive me to insanity!”

"Don’t you worry, Chloe. I have done it many times before and I’m still here. I will drive slowly and carefully over the passes as usual, because I know how dangerous it is. I definitely don’t want to fall off the edge.”

"I don’t like the idea and wish that Ronnie or Leo could accompany you, but they are both extremely busy and I cannot expect this of them.”

"Please Chloe, you are the one that always wants to be independent and now you want to prescribe.”

“Okay. Promise me you will drive with a cellphone with a full battery and that you will phone me when you reach the hostel and also when you are about to return.”

"If we go now, we will reach the school before dawn and I promise I will phone when I dropped Lyle off. I’ll be back before midnight.”

Chloe gives in at last. “I’m going to take only a few basic items if I decide I like the place. I’ll tell you when you phone at around seven. If so, I suggest that you phone me again about thirty kilometers from town and I will then fetch you at the garage and you can follow me home. If everything goes according to plan, we sleep in our new home tonight!”

They smile at each other excitedly but Ronnie is worried. “Why all this haste, Chloe? You don’t need to move in today; try to find a better place.”

“I don’t want to give you and Leo the opportunity to nag in my ears like you are doing now. I will pack my suitcase now with all that I need and clothes for a week. The rest I will pick up the next time I visit the workshop. Don’t worry, Ronnie. You’ll see me when I bring stock and orders. In the meantime, my sweet brothers will have to learn nicely to make peace, okay dearie?”

Ronnie shakes his head. "You are so stubborn, Chloe, I want to join you when you go to the place.”

"No ways, Ronnie. Sam will be here this afternoon with the delivery lorry to pick up stock and you must ensure they upload the right items. Just look in your file. You’ve got a lot to do this week.”

In the meantime, Chloe starts to look up Leo’s number while she speaks to Zoey: “I must tell Leo and warn him that you are from now on using the Venture. They each have their own 4x4s but he must use the Van instead of the Venture. I want to reserve the Venture for you so that you will be mobile when we move to our new place and not feel stranded when I’m away.”

She places the phone against her ear. “Hi Leo, I’m glad you are taking my call. Can we talk now?”

Leo is sitting across from his workers busy with his hamper. They are upgrading the farm’s fences.

“It’s okay, Chloe. We are having our lunch break. Any problems?”

“No problem, Leo. Ronnie will tell you everything that expired here, but Zoey wants to take Lyle back to school with the Venture. They are going any minute now.”

"Why? Something wrong with their car? Why is Zoey taking Lyle? Where is Quinn?”

"Ronnie will fill you in later and it is high time that you two converse like civilized human beings. You have always got along just fine with each other in the past but now you act like two snots. I just want to tell you that you must use the Van as I reserve the Venture for Zoey. Right, brother?”

"Okay, I will use the Van for the family’s trips.”

“Thanks and enjoy your work, I must go now …”

"Chloe ..." She cuts him short by disconnecting the call.

~. ~. ~

"They are leaving the farm now in a Toyota Venture, registration number BZD 959 EC."

Joss sits in his big lorry with the phone against his ear: “Fine. We are all set, brother.”