"Hannah, you can't walk. We’ll be traversing some really rough terrain and you have to be secure. I have no idea what the weather is going to do, so we’ll have to move as quickly as we can before it changes its mind and closes in again. I think I can fashion a seat for you to sit on, similar to a saddle," Bluey’s mind turned to the hut’s interior, searching for inspiration.
Hannah could see the sense in his plan and conceded Bluey was right. "I feel like a such a klutz landing us in this predicament," Hannah moaned.
"Stay positive," Bluey urged. "We need to encourage each other if we are to survive."
Hannah saluted him. "Sorry, sir!"
Her impish smile appeared again and Bluey laughed.
*~*~*~*
After removing a slat from one of the bunks and boring four holes into the wood with the point of his knife, Bluey inspected his handiwork. “That’ll work just fine.”
Then he cut two pieces of rope and made a loop, threading them through the two holes on each side and knotting them at the bottom to stop the rope from being pulled back out. The ropes would fit over his shoulders and the slat leaned against his back, giving Hannah a nice comfortable wide seat similar to a child's swing seat. He used the carry pads from TJ's pack to stop the ropes cutting into his shoulders and then the hip strap to hold Hannah against his back, stopping her from slumping or falling off.
Bluey emptied as much from his pack as he dared and would carry as many of the items as he could attached to his belt. It was a twelve hour hike through some treacherously rocky and steeply downhill terrain, so TJ would have to contend with the weight of his pack. He was almost certain there would be another overnight stop before they ventured out of the Milford Track and they’d need most of the equipment for one more night before reaching safety.
Bluey cut a hole in his plastic A-frame sheet big enough for Hannah's head to fit through and then draped the remainder of the sheet over her body, attempting to keep her dry. Then to complete the survival picture, he would place his balaclava over her head to keep her warm, making sure his inactive patient didn’t lose too much body warmth as they trekked.
Almost ready to move out, Bluey searched the shelter to make sure they’d left it as close to how they found it, bar a slat missing from one of the bunks. Satisfied with the clean up effort, he approached Hannah and fitted the balaclava over her head so her eyes were just showing.
"You really know how to hurt a girl's feelings, Bluey. If you don't like the way I look, you could have just said so."
Bluey stuttered trying to defend his actions when TJ and Hannah burst out laughing. Trying to regain his dignity, he placed the seat harness over his shoulders and let the seat lay against his back, then shuffled backwards up to the table where Hannah had been placed. With the help of TJ, Hannah threaded her legs over the seat and then around Bluey, favouring her injured foot in the process. TJ wound the waist strap around Hannah and then Bluey, handing the two open ends to Bluey for the final securing. With a wry smile, Bluey pulled the ends together sharply, trapping Hannah hard against his back, with a gasp.
"Too tight, Hannah?"
"Just a little, Bluey."
He released the strap so Hannah could still breath. "Sorry, Hannah!"
"Mmm, I bet you are! Just remember I am not a pack, Bluey, and I need to breathe," she said teasingly.
Craning his neck and nervously catching her eye, Bluey tussled whether he should speak his thoughts, but they tumbled out anyway. "Just for the record, Hannah, I like the way you look," Bluey blushed, wondering whether she would take offence.
Hannah saw the flush in his cheeks from where she was sitting and leaned up to his ear and whispered, "Thank you."
Hannah sat comfortably behind Bluey, leaning over his right shoulder to see where they were going and placed her hands in his jacket pockets to keep warm. Bluey turned around as they stepped down off the porch and bid the shelter a fond farewell, then started down the well worn track covered in a thick blanket of snow. TJ brought up the rear and followed closely in Bluey's footprints.
"Are you okay, Hannah?" Bluey spoke over his shoulder.
"Couldn't be better," she replied.
"TJ, you okay?" Bluey called after her.
"Right behind you, Bluey."
"Okay, let's get out of here."
Hannah chatted happily in Bluey's ear as he walked carefully down the stony pathway, asking him questions about himself and answering questions about herself. It was clear to Bluey he was feeling something growing in his heart for the two women who had turned his world upside down in just two days. He liked Hannah's sense of humour and her ability to accurately read his thoughts.
He listened intently to Hannah's explanation about being a pastor's wife and how having a keen sense of humour helped her survive the dramas of pastoring. He choked as he listened to Hannah describe the past four years, battling with the death of the man she was going to grow old with and the father of her child.
Mulling over Hannah’s descriptions, Bluey paused beside a stream. The crystal clear water diverted his thoughts and took his breath away, watching eel and trout swimming in the shallows and frolicking in the frigid mountain stream as clearly as if he was wearing goggles. Hannah excitedly pointed out the beauty of the bird life around them and giggled at the antics of the wekas struggling over territory, while TJ caught up and dropped the pack exhaustedly beside Bluey and flopped down on a boulder nearby.
"How you doing, TJ?" Bluey asked with concern.
"I'm alright; it's just a bit heavy going. My knees are killing me though!"
They’d swiftly descended about 1500 feet in the past hour and Bluey's legs and knees were suffering in the constant downhill trudge, too.
Hannah leaned up to Bluey’s ear and whispered, asking him to move closer to TJ. "Come over here, Bub, and I’ll massage your legs for you." From her seat on Bluey’s back, Hannah worked on TJ's leg muscles for a bit and released some of the stress in her knees.
"How's that?"
"Thanks, Mum, that's better."
Bluey twisted his head to search up the track from where they had just come but he couldn’t see the summit any longer for thick, dark cloud and it worried him. "There's another hut about four hours down the track. We’ll stay there tonight," Bluey exhaled tiredly. "I knew this part of the track was going to be tough, but I didn't think it would be this tough. Once we have made it down into the Arthur River valley, the walking should get easier though."
TJ nodded, understanding Bluey’s intention and then hoisted the heavy pack over her shoulders again, following closely behind him.
"She's a wonderful girl, Hannah; she never complains."
"She's the best, Mister Burns," Hannah whispered proudly.
Finally they made it down into the Arthur River valley and the track did become a lot easier. TJ kept up with Bluey's pace and soon they had the next hut in sight, about a mile away. Six more hours and they would be in Milford Sound and safety.
Hannah and Bluey's conversation had died down and Hannah was feeling ignored. She leaned up and pulled the balaclava over her mouth and bit Bluey's ear lightly.
"Ouw! What was that for?!" Bluey exclaimed indignantly.
"Just checking to see if you are still awake. You went quiet on me," Hannah played. "Sorry, Bluey. I shouldn't have done that."
"You're forgiven. Just speak if you want to talk, Miss Ratbag," Bluey teased.
By the time Bluey stepped onto the porch of the overnight hut, he and Hannah were laughing hard again. TJ joined in on the fun, cherishing her mum's revitalised playfulness, thinking Hannah had lost it for good the day her husband died, four years ago.
*~*~*~*
Chapter 11
By the time Bluey and TJ had the hut set up for the night, the sun was setting over the mountains, casting a dark shadow along the valley walls. The outside temperature had risen considerably and a light rain began to fall, warming the atmosphere even further. With the fire burning in the
hearth, the hut was toasty warm.
A far cry from the previous night.
Bluey checked Hannah's foot and it seemed remarkably good compared to when he’d last inspected it. "Hmm, you're healing nicely," Bluey offered.
Sitting on the table while Bluey checked her foot, Hannah peered at the big man, a question forming on her lips. "Are you okay, Bluey?" she contemplated with concern.
Bluey glanced away from Hannah, averting her perceptive eyes, knowing her ability to accurately read him. "I am just tired, Hannah."
She knew he was struggling with something but decided to let him be and not pursue it, while the night passed by without the usual frivolity and Hannah grew more concerned at Bluey's lack of engagement.
TJ and Hannah climbed into the sleeping bag on the mattresses and Bluey found a bunk nearby. He could hear TJ and Hannah whispering, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. Eventually, he quelled the accusing voice in his mind, rolled over and drifted off into a disturbed sleep. Hannah's eyes glistened in the dark; she’d become extremely fond of Bluey and was hurt by his seeming withdrawal and sudden rejection of her, so the night passed in awkward silence.
Bluey was even more distant in the morning and Hannah tried to engage him, only to be met with a forced smile and curt silence, avoiding her troubled deep blue eyes.
The giant cleaned up the hut efficiently, helped TJ balance her pack and then set up Hannah's seat on his back. She climbed onto her seat and TJ wrapped the hip belt around them while Bluey grasped the two open ends and gently pulled Hannah close to his frame and asked if she was comfortable.
She responded with a broken, "Yes."
TJ caught the worried expression in her mother's eyes as they departed from the hut and made their way back to civilisation.
Whatever Bluey was struggling with, it was affecting them all.
Four hours passed without a single word between Hannah and Bluey. In desperation, she laid her head on his broad shoulders, shoulders she had come to rely on and to love; and now, he was withdrawing from her again.
They finally broke out of the track onto Sandfly Point and the jetty from where the daily water taxi rendezvoused with trekkers. Bluey recognised the taxi tied up at the pier and wondered whether anyone was about, but a gentle snore came from the cabin of the boat and gave away the occupant’s activity.
"Hey, anyone here?!" Bluey called.
The boat skipper choked on a snore as the voice woke him from a deep sleep. "Weren't expectin' to see anyone today," he replied, as if he had been caught doing something he shouldn't. "Bad weather closed the track. Where in tarnation did you all come from?"
"It's a long story," Bluey said as he paid the fare back to Milford Sound.
By the time they’d caught a bus from Milford Sound to Queenstown, Hannah was feeling quite ill and sure Bluey was contemplating something she didn't want to hear. He lifted her gently from her seat on the bus and carried her a couple of streets, then walked up the footpath to the Queenstown Hospital. TJ volunteered to run ahead and ask for a wheelchair, giving the two adults a chance to talk. By the time she returned, she met them near the hospital entrance but her mother's expression was quiet and grim, just like the time she received the news about her husband.
TJ's heart sank.
Bluey placed Hannah into the wheelchair and accidently glanced into Hannah's eyes. They were almost grey and moist with worry. A battle raged inside the giant’s head; his heart was with Hannah, but his head kept telling him she could never love a man like him and the best thing he could do was to back out of her life and let her find someone more deserving. The voice savaged his mind and shredded his confidence, convincing Bluey he was doing the right thing for both Hannah and TJ.
I..I..I've gotta go!" Bluey blurted out, then grabbed up his pack, swiftly turned and walked back down the footpath, leaving the two women openmouthed as he strode away.
"Mum...?" TJ mimed, not believing what had just happened.
Hannah's eyes ran over and a large tear dropped into her lap while her shoulders exploded in a painful, silent convulsion. TJ turned the wheelchair toward the entrance to the hospital and started to walk inside, both women numbed by Bluey's hasty retreat.
Bluey hurried down the path away from Hannah and TJ, then slowed and stopped, realising the further he walked, the greater his heart tore and the bigger mistake he was making. His heart and head were in full blown conflict until he realised... What am I doing?! He spun on his heels, driven by the desire to make things right and ask the most outrageous question a man could ask a woman under the circumstances.
"HANNAH... TJ... WAIT!" Bluey's booming voice stopped TJ in mid stride and she turned the wheelchair to face his breathless voice.
Closing the distance quickly and puffing heavily, Bluey blurted out, "Hannah..I..I don't think I can live without you." Bluey dropped to his knees in front of the wheelchair. "Life without you and TJ just hasn't any purpose. I know it's quick and I know you don't know me very well but can you, will you, marry me?!"
Hannah's eyes sparkled with delight, instantly turning a deep blue. She reached for his face and drew him to her. "Yes, Bluey Burns. I would be proud and happy to be your wife," she replied, tears of joy slipping from her eyes. "But don't you ever... walk away from me again… ever!" she chided.
Dumbfounded, TJ couldn't believe what had just taken place. She had grown exceptionally fond of Bluey and now, he was to be her stepfather. The happy radiance on her mother's face said it all and she engulfed the two people she loved the most in a huge hug. Bluey lifted TJ off the ground in excitement, squealing in absolute delight while Bluey twirled her around and around, whooping as they spun.
*~*~*~*
By the time the hospital released Hannah, it was dark outside. She had a cast on her right foot and a clean bill of health otherwise. Bluey had disappeared for a couple of minutes, leaving his pack with TJ as a surety that he was coming back.
As she was wheeled into the waiting room, Bluey couldn’t believe a beauty like Hannah had consented to be his wife. With his heart pounding with sheer joy, he carefully lifted her from the wheelchair and stared into her innocent blue eyes. Hannah reached her arms around his neck and drew him into a kiss that kept his heart racing for hours. Bluey was floating and couldn’t get enough of Hannah. Reflected in her eyes was their future as they fell deeply in love.
TJ wept tears of joy, watching soul mates proclaiming their love, until Bluey floated down to Earth, realising they needed to catch the last bus for the night. Holding Hannah in his arms, Bluey had a surprise, but they had to go now.
"We still have a little bit of a journey until we arrive at our accommodation for tonight," Bluey explained, but he really couldn’t care where they slept as long as they were together.
*~*~*~*
The small bus rumbled and groaned its way down the dark mountain passes. Hannah had her head resting on Bluey's arm and TJ leaned over the seat behind them, pondering in her heart the unbelievable turn of events. Hannah was contentedly asleep when the small bus finally came to a stop. Bluey gently picked her up in his arms and carried her off the bus, as she moaned a sleepy moan. Reaching a small house, Bluey stepped onto the porch and knocked loudly while an excited voice from inside squealed.
"They're here! Quick, open the door!"
A skinny man followed by a skinny woman greeted Bluey with his bride-to-be in his arms.
"Hello, Hal… Anita. It's good to see you."
After the initial excitement had subsided, Bluey took TJ and Hannah and showed them their room. Allowing them time to shower and prepare for supper, Bluey returned to the lounge room.
"Hope you don't mind the lounge room floor for your bed tonight, Bluey," Hal apologised.
"I could sleep anywhere as long as my girls are safe and warm," Bluey's eyes sparkled.
"Well, I gotta hand it to ya, Bluey."
"What's that, Hal?"
"You're the only man I've ever known to enter the Milf
ord Track on one end, single and on his own, but come out the other married and with a family." Hal scratched his head.
Bluey laughed a contented laugh.
*~*~*~*
Chapter 12
Casey wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "What an amazing story, Aunt Tabbie."
"Oh…! The story gets more amazing yet, dear."
"Really? What happens next?"
Tabbie glanced over to the door and checked the young policeman still sitting reading and then a nurse buzzed around the door also and mouthed, "Are you okay?"
Tabbie smiled and nodded.
"Well, Bluey and Hannah flew back to Sydney and about three weeks later they were married. It was a rather unusual wedding, with Bluey carrying his bride down the aisle, beaming proudly. Hannah was radiant and happy which was evident by some of the really fun antics she got up to, making the audience laugh. She was, by the way, still hobbling around on her cast, too.
"They honeymooned for a week and then moved into a new home. Hannah felt like she was past raising babies, but wanted to help orphaned kids and so they decided to try and adopt a child. In the process, they became foster parents also, offering a safe haven to kids from turbulent homes. Bluey and Hannah's house was known among the kids as the house of fun and love; and if you were sent there, it was like being sent to Disneyland."
Casey interrupted Tabbie in a moment of distraction. "I wish I had had a mother and father like Hannah and Bluey."
"Do you, dear?" Tabbie waited expectantly.
Casey peered deep into Tabbie's warm and safe eyes while a battle raged in the girl’s mind. If Aunt Tabbie knows my past, she might not want to be my friend, she thought. The fear of Tabbie's rejection clouded her decision and the moment passed.
"Nothing," Casey whispered.
Palmer rose from his seat at the door and knocked on the glass and pointed to his watch. Casey heard the knock and knew it was time to go back to the institution and her face sank. The time with Tabbie was precious and she loved the stories of Bluey and Hannah.