Previously:

When they were finished with the chopper they looked at each other, and Tom put his arm around Daddy’s shoulders, and must have warned him how stressful the grave experience had been for me. Daddy knelt down and opened his arms and I fell into them and sobbed all over again, because he was now openly crying as as well. He had lost his wife two years ago and his son a year before that, and seeing me in this state brought back all his pain once more.

Daddy was as bad as me and couldn't stop sobbing because he had been bottling up his feelings for so long that the dam just broke when he held me. We must have looked a sorry sight as we were hugging each other.

Mummy came up to us and said, “Come on you two, lets go home and have something to eat and have a quiet talk about what happened out at Jeans grave.”

We all got into the Land Rover and Tom Granger drove us home because Daddy was too upset to drive. Mummy put her arm around him and Rita put her arm around me. Tom Granger must have thought 'What have let myself into?'

When we arrived home no-one said much in case we all started to cry again, and we all had a hot chocolate drink in our hand. It was then that Tom said maybe it wasn't such great a idea to visit Jean's grave after all.

Mummy replied, “I think it was a good idea because the grieving that went on out there is exactly what we all needed.”

Tom said, “Well I’m glad that we accomplished something today and not just keeping my flying hours up. Margaret has been nagging me to buy a house in a town so that when she wants to get away from the isolation of River Downs she has somewhere to go. Seeing we have both known Bill and his late wife Ann for along time it would be appropriate to have a little look around Quilpie.”

I piped up and said, “My Aunty Bella from Brisbane has just bought a house just down the road from us.”

“Well that’s real handy for you to visit any time you feel like it Carla,”said Tom. “By the way,” he continued, “Donna where is that ex-husband of yours?”

Mummy said, “Well Tom, I really don’t care about him, but it is a shame that he has turned young John into a copy of himself. That boy was such a quiet and nice little boy till James took him out with all the grown up workmen on your station. Mind you,Tom, it wasn't your fault. It would not have made any difference if you had tried to stop James, he would have left me even earlier. I would not have lost Carla's little sister like that, if James had taken me into Charleville a week before I was due to give birth. Even if Margaret being a nurse, had been there to help, things might have been different and we would now have two identical girls.

Tom liked Mummy, and I think he was feeling a bit guilty for not doing more to make sure that Mummy had all the help that she needed. It was getting late and it had been a big day so we all said goodnight and crawled into bed.

Rita said, “Carla, how about we try and talk to Jean. Do you think you will be able to concentrate enough to be able to let her talk to me as well?”

“Dunno, she might if I try hard enough. Let's lay down and hug each other real tight and see what happens.” I didn't know if this would work. I knew I could talk to Jean any time I wanted to, but Rita had always been asleep when she had seen her.

Rita and I cuddled real tight and I said, “Rita, just relax and think of what Jean looked like the last time you saw her in a dream and it might just work.”

I closed my eyes and thought of my twin, and she was there instantly, and was giggling and said in my mind “Carla you are funny, why did you cry over a heap of bones in the ground this morning? I am here with you, I'm not in the ground.”

So I decide to get a little bossy with my clever sister on the other side of life.

I said in full voice. so Rita could hear what I was saying to Jean, “Ok smarty pants, if you’re so clever then you should be able to make Rita and Mummy be able to hear and see you too.”

Jean replied and said “Ok here we go Carla, you concentrate on Rita, and I will see if I can communicate through you but don’t fall asleep or the contact will be lost.“

This was exciting because if this worked, Mummy would be able to see her other little daughter as well.

“Alright here we go,” I said “Rita don’t go to sleep, and concentrate on Jean and if she appears to you, just start talking as though she is right here in bed with us.”

I kept quiet and let Jean talk to Rita, and low and behold Rita said, “Oh wow Jean I can see you in my mind as clear as a bell.”

Then Jean spoke to Rita and I could listen in to their conversation but kept quiet. The whole thing only lasted for about thirty seconds but was enough for me to want to try and do the same with Mummy. It was obvious that the three of us were closely connected in spirit and soul alike.

We dropped off to sleep still in a cuddle. We didn't need an alarm clock those days because I left the bedroom door ajar to let Ginger in and she came in at the same time every morning. She was usually very gentle and licked my hand, or if my foot was out of the blanket she went for that. She was a very loving animal and we had become very attached to each other.

(Sunday) Rita and I dragged ourselves out of bed, had a shower and went into the warm kitchen. It was winter and the only warm place was in the kitchen because of the combustion stove that never went out. Tom was coming with us to church and he was already in the kitchen and started cooking breakfast for us all to save Mummy from having to do it. That was a big change from when we lived on River Downs because Mummy did all the cooking back then.

Rita and I were already dressed so we sat down and ate and decided to walk to church that morning and take Ginger with us and we would tie her up outside the church till the service was over. We left the adults to do their own thing and strolled down the road to the church and when we got there it was half an hour before the service was to start, so we sat down on a bench and let Ginger run around and sniff all the places where some other dog has left their calling card.

The Smith family turned up just before Tom, Mummy, and Daddy arrived and as we were walking towards the entrance to the church, us kids hung back so that we could find a seat away from the oldies for a change. I don’t know if Mummy approved but it was too late now because Father Brian was already at the pulpit. When the service was finished we slipped out to the games shed to have a quick game of darts. The adults always wanted to talk for a while and have a cuppa and some cake in the hall, so we were safe for a little while to have some fun. We went home and did some cleaning and washing before Rita and Mummy went to work at the restaurant and give Linda and Alice a well deserved break. Tom and Daddy went off to have a look at the house that Tom was thinking of buying so I was left to do my own thing once more.

I decide to to sort out all the clothes that were bought for me in Brisbane, and the things that I received for my birthday. All had to be ironed and put away in the wardrobes and drawers. It was nearly five pm when I finished doing that, and I was dog tired and sat down in Daddy’s favourite lounge chair and promptly fell asleep. Daddy and Tom must have been real quiet when they saw me asleep, because when I woke up at six thirty I had a blanket over me and a pillow under my head and Ginger laying at the side of the chair watching over me.

Tom came in to the lounge and said “Hello Sleeping Beauty, awake at last! Your Daddy was going to carry you into bed, but Ginger wouldn't have a bar of that and growled at him when he went to pick you up, so he got a blanket and pillow and made you more comfortable where you were.”

Daddy had made some sandwiches and brought them into the lounge for me to eat, so I just stayed in his big chair.

He said, “Sweetheart, Ginger is so protective of you now that even I can't touch you when you're asleep, so no-one is ever going to steal my little princess are they?”

“Daddy what am I going to do when I have to go to normal school? She will cry all day till I come home.”

Daddy said, “Well Carla, I don’t think we will have to worry just yet because I think your Mummy wants to home school you a bit longer till we sort out your medical problem.”

I replied, ”Yeah I know, as long as I can have some friends over sometime it wont be to bad I guess.”

“Well! have you asked that little Jenny over yet? I know her dad pretty well, and I think it is a good idea to invite her to stay over for a whole weekend. I'll tell you what, I’ll ring her Dad tomorrow and see what we can work out.”

Mummy and Rita walked through the door at nine o'clock, and they both looked really tired and said seeing that they had eaten at the restaurant they would just go to bed. After the kitchen was cleaned up that is what the rest of us did as well.

(Monday) Everything was back to normal this morning people rushing around getting ready for another day of toil. When all the workers gave me a hug and said “Be good today” I was a little bit depressed not to be going with them.

Tom Granger was still there and could see how I was sulking and said, “Carla, how is your school-work coming along?”

I replied, “Well I am so far in front that if I went on a months holiday to Surfers Paradise I would still be ok.”

“Ok” he said, “I’m going to give your Mum a ring and see if you can come with me this morning to get your approval of the house down the road that I will buy before I fly back to River Downs.

I thought 'Wow he wants me to approve of the house he is going to buy.'

Mummy must have said it was ok because he came back from Daddy’s office and said,“Ok Kiddo lets go and have a look to see if the house meets with your approval shall we?”

I replied, “Sure boss let's go.”

Tom was using Mummy's Land Rover to get around while he was in Quilpie and said as we got in “It's good to get behind the wheel of this old girl again.”

I said “Yeah, Mummy loves to drive it better than Daddy's automatic car.” We arrived at the house and it was only three doors down from the house that Aunty Bella bought the other day. Won't that be handy for me to go and visit them when I take Ginger for a walk?

The estate agent was waiting there for us to turn up.

Tom said “Good morning Jill, I brought a little friend of mine along to give her approval of the house, because she will most likely be spending some time here as well.”

It was a large rambling old Queenslander with verandahs all the way around.

'I'm going to own one of these one day' I thought to myself.

“Well!” said Tom, “What do you think Carla? Is it the right one for me and Margaret to spend some time in?”

I replied, “Will I be able to bring Ginger inside when I visit you?”

“Well if that is all it takes to meet your approval than of course you can bring Ginger inside!”said Tom.

After that, Tom followed the estate agent back to her office, which was two doors down from Mummy's restaurant and he said, “Sweetheart, you go and say 'G'day' to your Mum while I sign some papers so I can get back to River Downs before nightfall.”

I walked into the restaurant and saw Alice wiping down some of the tables and said, “G'day Alice, can I give you a hand with that?”

She replied, “What are you doing here Carla?”

“Got bored so here I am.”

“Ok, here's a dry cloth. You dry after I wipe the tables.” Mummy was out in the kitchen so she didn't know that I was there.

Just then Tom walked in and said to Alice “A coffee and a couple of scones please.” Mummy heard Tom and came out to where I was still wiping the tables and said, “Carla, you know you should not be out here working. Some one will think I am using child labour.”

Tom winked at me and said “Yeah and we will all have to go to jail.”

I replied, “OHH” and promptly sat down and said, “But I’m a customer officer.”

Mummy shook her head and said, “Ever the joker! That's my Carla.”

Tom had his morning tea and called Daddy to take him out to his chopper. He gave me a big hug and a kiss,and said “See ya” and he was gone.

Mummy said “Right Missy! I’ll drive you home so you can do school work, and not wipe down tables in a restaurant.”

I replied “Mummy I'll walk home.”

“No Carla, I don’t want you walking around town without Ginger being with you, do you understand?”

“Yes Mummy” I replied. I thought 'What does she think, some one is going to kidnap me or something?' ''rolling eyes.''

The rest of my day was normal, and I did as I was told like a good little girl and finished all my set work for the day, and took Ginger for her daily walk to the park.

The rest of the week went by pretty quickly. I met Jenny at the park on Wednesday and she was all excited that her Mum and Dad said she could have a sleep over on the upcoming weekend.

(Thursday) I saw Ricky at the park and we were sitting on the double swing and he pulled the swings together and kissed me full on my lips. 'OOHH boy, I am never going to wash my lips again.'

Ricky said, “Yummy, you taste nice Carla.”

I couldn’t speak for a full minute and said, “Um -um Ricky, Mummy said we are only supposed to be friends and no kissing is allowed.”

Ricky replied “Yeah, but what they don't know won't hurt 'em.” I went home with shaky legs, and kept licking my lips. 'So much for just being friends I thought.'

I told Rita about Ricky kissing me and all she said was, “Yeah! did you like it?”

I replied, “What if Mummy finds out?”

“You don’t have to tell her do you?”

“But if I lie too much God will punish me won't he?”

“But Carla, kissing someone is not a punishable offence.”

“Oh, ok then, - and yes it was really nice. “

“Yeah I know! Peter is a real good kisser too.”

Mummy came into our bedroom but didn't hear what we were talking about because we were almost whispering about our kissing episodes.

Mummy said “Your Uncle Tony and Aunty Bella are coming to inspect the house that they have bought tomorrow morning, and they are coming in a small private charted plane and we will be putting them and the pilot up tomorrow night. They will fly back to Brisbane on Saturday morning.

I said,“But Mummy, Jenny is supposed to be coming to stay for the weekend and there will be nowhere for every one to stay.”

“Carla don’t be such a drama queen. You can put that bed you used for Samantha back in your room ok?”

“Yes Mummy.”

Rita said, “Mum, now that you are here do you want to try and see if we can get Jean to communicate with you through Carla? It is working with me.”

Mummy said, “It is getting late, but if Carla really wants to try this then ok, lets try it.”

I said “Ok Mummy, you haven't seen what she looks like, so I will have to concentrate on her first and see if she is willing to have a go at making you see her in your mind.”

Rita stayed on her bed, and Mummy came and cuddled me and then I began to concentrate on my sister, again she was there instantly and she knew what I was trying to do. I told Mummy to just close her eyes and think of the day that she saw Jean after the birth while she was still alive.

Through me it was happening. Mummy started to tremble and I knew then that she had seen Jean her twin daughter in her mind. There was no talking and it only lasted for thirty seconds but Mummy started to cry with emotion so Rita came and hugged Mummy from the other side. This was a very emotional experience for all three of us. Mummy had seen Jean in her pretty blue and white gown and was overwhelmed by the whole experience and went to sleep with me in my bed. Rita went out to Daddy and told him what had happened so he wouldn’t be worried.

To be continued

Next time: Jenny's stay and Rita’s sweet sixteenth birthday. Maybe more ''kissing.''