The Wash House
"Hey, I’m a working man." Travis grinned from the bottom step. "I’ve been branding."
"You can’t come into the house looking like that, Tomalee would spit you on the barbie."
"Grab me a towel and some soap and I’ll go over to the wash house."
Toni walked with him to the wash house. "I’ve had a visitor."
"I saw that, Libby Tyler. You don’t’ sound too happy about it."
"I’m not, I wanted to shake her until her teeth rattled but fortunately I was holding Cole."
Travis gave her a side look and grinned, "what’s got you so upset?’
"She spent the better part of the visit telling me what a great guy Richie is and how much in love with him she is and how she will do anything to make him happy. I tried to talk some sense into her to warn her but she’s so far off the deep end there’s no hope. I’ve had Nonnie and Libby here now and I’m about sick of it. Nonnie might have a good thing going with him and there’s Libby out there trying to interfere."
"Did you tell her to fuck off?"
"No, maybe I should have I certainly won’t be drawn into that conversation again."
Travis shed his clothes and stepped into a shower stall. "Are they coming to you for advice?"
"If so it’s falling on deaf ears." She sat down on a wooden bench and rolled his clothes up.
"Did she say why she took off?"
"Took off where?"
"Rumor has it," he looked over the shower door, "she had a beef with your ex and took off to Brisbane. He went after her and brought her back. More rumor has it that Ex and Nonnie had a set
- to out in the middle of the street.""Ha! I hope she bloodied him,"
"You are vicious aren’t you," he smiled and stepped under the shower head rinsing the soap from his face and hair.
"Where did you hear all this?"
"Kelp,"
"Is that what ya’ll do sit around and gossip?"
"Nell is his newsfeed, guys got to talk about something while gelding," he smiled broadly over the door.
"Oh while I’m thinking about it we need to get some guys over to Coffs and clear out Dad’s flat. He’s not going to be living there and I’d like to see his personal possessions removed. Maybe he can sell it then."
"Sure anytime let me know."
"I’ll call him and set it up, get the keys from him."
"Okay, wanna hand me the towel." Travis dried himself off and came out with the towel around his waist. "You didn’t bringt me any clothes."
"You didn’t ask for any."
"Well, what did you think I was going to wear?"
"I think you look fine as you are." She stood up and smiled tugging at his towel.
"You better watch out…"
"I’m safe for another two weeks." She looked up into his eyes.
"It’s going to be all the more special for having to wait so long."
"I know, I love you." She kissed him and picked up his dirty clothes and walked toward the door.
"Toni don’t leave me like this."
"What do you mean?"
He looked to the side a moment and tightened the towel around his waist, "doesn’t bother me to walk across the yard in a towel with a hard on."
"Travis McGee!" she ran out of the door and giggled all the way to the house.
