Isla’s Summer

I defiantly shook my head and kicked my heels again and off we tore, back around the paddock. It was exhilarating as my body shook with each of his footfalls. I could see concern and fear on the two men, rooted to the spot, but for a change, defiance ran through me. I felt safe sat on this huge, soft animal.

They both then turned their heads towards the farm, showing greater concern. I followed suit and saw Sally running towards the paddock fence, arms waving, screaming, “Get off…” repeatedly.

Gary and Barney were imploring Sally to quieten down. I wish she would, as the dray was now reacting, shying and walking to the far side of the paddock away from Sally, ignoring my instructions.

I scratched his ears again and rubbed his mane, wrapping my arms around his neck to reassure him. He nodded as if in accord and continued to walk around, but keeping clear of the fencing that now held Gary, Barney and Sally at bay.

“G. It’s okay, he’s like you, a big softie, he just wants to be ridden.” I signed, but it had no calming effect on Gary or his parents.

After several more laps, the dray pulled over at the fence next to the farmyard, well away from the others. He walked to a stop alongside the fence, allowing me to climb over and step down to terra firma. He leaned over for a few more scratches and strokes of his ears and nose, then pulled away to return to the centre of the paddock.

Gary was the first to reach me, pulling me in his arms to swing me around in jubilation, giving me a long, passionate kiss.

“You rode the old dray… no one has ridden him in years, he is too dangerous… Look.”

I turned to see the big horse bouncing around the paddock, bucking like a young bronco. I wouldn’t have stood a chance sitting on him now.

“But he’s calm and gentle, like you, just a big soft thing. I was safe, it was okay.”

Barney and Sally arrived, with Sally checked me over like a medic.

“Did he bite you?” she asked.

“No, he was gentle and lovely… look.” Before any of them could stop me, I broke free from Gary and ran back to the fence, climbed up a few slats, and waved.

The bucking bronco stopped and trotted towards me, halting just short of me, when Gary joined me, shaking his head.

“No Gary, stay away…” I signed and to prove the point, I swung my leg over and jumped into the paddock.

The dray and I walked towards each other to meet. He craned his neck down and I stroked him. Whilst he was panting from his jubilant, bucking session, he was calm inside and allowed me to stroke him.

I turned and returned to Gary waiting at the fence, with his jaw on the floor. He helped me climb back over the fence to rejoin Barry and Sally.

“Oh my goodness Isla, you’ll be giving me a heart attack. You’re not to do that again, please… You must promise.” Sally said, “Come on everyone, we all need a cup of tea.”

I decided not to answer because I couldn’t promise, as I had come to no harm. Gary’s visibly changed. He had always been affectionate towards me, that has grown as our friendship has grown, but after riding the dray, he seemed to have raised the bar, not wanting to let me go, wrapping his arms around me…

Gary’s jubilant mood felt as if he could carry me on his shoulders to the farmhouse. Once in the garden, he walked me around to the rear patio, as Barney and Sally went into the house.

The garden was in full bloom with creepers covering a large timber gazebo, giving it a Spanish feel with terracotta kerbing. Beneath the blooming creepers were various items of garden furniture in the shade.

Raised plant beds, full of perennials in bloom, were dotted around, adding further colour. Whilst we had similar in our garden, dad focussed on his vegetable patch, but then I think that with fields of crops around them, for them to spend their spare time digging household crops would be like a busman’s holiday.

Gary stepped out of his farm overalls and pulled me onto his lap on a bench, hugging and kissing me. As Barney joined us, now also out of his overalls and in shorts and a T-shirt carry mugs and cake. I brushed Gary off, seeing his father a little embarrassed, and sat down alongside him.

I signed, “Gary, I don’t understand. Why was your dad so angry at me?”

There then came a flurry of apologies and explanations from both Gary and Barney. Barney hadn’t seen Gary bring me down in the truck, so thought I had walked through the farmyard on my own.

Barney had been angry, out of fear for my safety, saying he could never forgive himself if anyone had run me over. Being deaf and unable to hear any of the multitudes of farm vehicles coming and going around the farm.

Now I understood his anger and apologised for wandering aimlessly after seeing the dead piglet.

Gary then apologised for the piglet, causing me to apologise for my being so sensitive and walking out of the pigsty.

“G. If I am to be more in your life then I’ll have to get used to these things.”

“You want to be more in my life?” He grinned, catching me out.

“Yes…”

“And you want to get used to farm things?”

“Well, it’s hard… there are so many smelly things, including you!”

I pinched my nose, pointing at his sweaty shirt.

Sally arrived with a huge old pot of tea and poured it. Barney and Gary explained about the dray. As he had gotten older, he’d gained a temper. Recently, only Barney and Gary could get anywhere near it, which ruled it out for fun rides with children at fates or fairs.

Now he wouldn’t even let Gary or Barney near him, unless it was with food or to groom him, and even then he would bite. Barney was keen to have him humanely put down, to avoid anyone getting hurt, and he was no longer of any use.

“No…” I screamed, shaking my head, at this admission…

“G, don’t let them put him down, please?” I pleaded as Gary translated.

“But she can’t ride him around the farm, if she can’t hear traffic and the paddock isn’t large enough for him to remain indefinitely. It isn’t fair on him to remain cooped up.”

“Please G. Give me time to think of a solution?”

Barney nodded when Gary translated, his face showing he had no appetite to put any animal down.

“Thanks.”

Sally broke up the seriousness of the conversation by passing the tea around and her lemon drizzle cake, which was delicious. It was lovely to relax with Gary and his parents, sitting in the creeper’s shade with a light breeze.

After some small talk, which Gary helped support my lip-reading and translate my signing, the three of them looked across to the corner of the patio. Gary’s sisters had appeared, still in overalls and not happy, walking over to us.

“What’s this, a day off you slackers?”

Helen, the younger and larger of the two, declared. She had been in my year at school and definitely took after her father. Whilst at school, being in different classes, we barely met, with me being academic, and she sporty.

“Hi, who’s this?”

Cat, the older and slimmer, taking after her mother, requested of Gary but pointing at me with her thumb, whilst not even looking at me. Being several years older, we had never really met except when I was a very young girl.

I shot a look at Gary, curious at what he has told his sisters about me…

“Isla rode the old dray.” He declared, ignoring their questions.

“Isla? Pond girl… How could she ride the dray?” Cat demanded.

“She can lip read too, you ignorant cow.”

Gary stormed at her, whilst pointing to me, so she could realise that it was me sat there.

She shot a look at me… Then a realisation dawned across her face and her hand shot up to cover her mouth. To then remove it…

“I’m so sorry… Isla, you’ve changed so much, I’ve not seen you in years, my god, Gary never said how pretty you are.”

She came over, so I stood and we shook hands… Behind her, Helen was stepping out of her overalls to reveal her wearing shorts and a man’s shirt, both a size too small for her. Leaving her wellingtons behind and stepping across the patio in her socks.

“Oh, my God Isla, you are lovely… You have changed… as you can see, so have I.”

Helen cupped her ample bosom, squeezing them together. Although she hasn’t changed, she’s always been on the large side, but she’s always been jolly and kind to me.

I had to smile, as Helen brushed Cat to one side and gave me a big hug. Unfortunately, bringing her own farmyard smells with her, too.

“Isla, Gary never told us you were his date. I’m so sorry… It was Cat’s idea to send you to the piano bistro, or ‘The Bra’ that it’s called now. We’d never have sent you there had we known.” Helen said, purposely renaming ‘Le Brassiere.‘, whilst shooting Gary an icy glare.

My hands flew, in my reply signing, “No, Helen, that is okay, I forgive you… It made for a lovely first date.”

Cat and Helen looked blank… Gary laughed and translated, although he edited it slightly, to:

“Isla thinks you are a pair of spiteful cows to play such a dirty trick on your wonderful brother.”

Cat slapped him playfully, “No, she never, Isla is too nice.”

I shot Gary a look that confirmed his lie to Cat and Helen. Sally dashed off to fill the pot with more tea, as Cat stuffed a piece of cake unceremoniously into her mouth.

“Ignore Cat, Isla, she’s not refined like you and I…” Helen said, as she pulled a chair over into the shade and plumped herself down.

Cat, now sitting opposite, looked at me, mouth full of cake, trying to tell me something unrecognisable. I glance at a laughing Gary, who’s shaking his head in dismay.

“What?” I signed, asking Gary for an explanation.

Cat swallowed and, in turn, asked Gary what I said.

“She said that you’re talking like you’re giving a blow job, so she can’t understand,” Gary replied with a grin.

Cat guffawed, coughing crumbs out, Helen silently rolled with laughter in a chair, whilst Barney didn’t find it funny and scolded Gary angrily.

Cat cleared her mouth with one last swallow. “What was that about you riding the old dray?”

I started signing a full explanation, but as I looked at Gary, I noticed he was ignoring me and telling his side of the story. In an instant, my blood boiled. I thought better of him after all the effort he has put in to our relationship and his signing.

I slapped him hard on his arm and signed, “Gary, she asked me, not you.”

He immediately blushed, bright red, apologising, “Sorry Isla, You’re right, I’m sorry, please forgive me… I’m just excited… It’s such a big deal, you riding the dray.”

“What is his name? Surely you don’t just call it the dray.”

“No, his real name is George, but since his temperament changed, he’s no longer our old George, so we just call him… the dray.”

Cat, Helen, Barney and the newly returned Sally watched us with their mouths open in shock, signing furiously at each other. The storm cloud over me must have been obvious, as was Gary’s capitulation.

I restarted signing my part of the story and this time Gary translated it word for word. Helen and Cat listening intently as Sally poured us all more tea. Then Barney interjected, with Gary and Sally joining in, creating a true four-way explanation from each of our points of view.

Whilst everything went via Gary, it was lovely to sit with people other than my parents and communicate. The conversation clarified that there is quite a competitive streak running through the family, but I seemed to have trumped them all with my riding the one horse they can’t.

Whilst neither of the two sisters wanted to believe that anyone else could ride the dray and not them, they preferred it was me and not Gary.

The conversation got confusing sometimes, but we all soldiered on. Helen was her usual jolly self, waving whenever she wanted my attention, whilst Cat relied on Gary’s translations.

Gary kept reminding them politely of etiquette and even showed them some basic signing. Helen was pleased to remember my name from school, and demonstrated it, which spurred Cat on to copy and also learn.

I caught Sally and Barney quietly looking smugly at each other, looking pleased that their three siblings were engaging rather than competing.

Helen waved and as soon as my eyes caught her, she used her palm to hide her lips from Gary, but remaining visible to me.

“So, if I place my hand like this. You can read my lips but Gary can’t.”

Suddenly she shot Gary an evil look with the rest of the family burst with laughter.

Gary scolded her, “I can still hear you… Stupid.”

Helen laughed along at her own mistake but then obscured her mouth again.”

“Has Gary been treating you right? Not like his other skanks he used to date?”

I nodded, wondering how I could talk back without going through Gary.

“If he does, tell me and I’ll kill him, big brother, or not.”

Whilst she wasn’t signing per se, she was gesticulating with her free hand, which helped. Although her mimicking strangling herself gave the game away to Gary, who demanded to know what was being said.

“I told her that if you treat her like the way you used to treat all your other girlfriends, I’ll kill you.”

“Ha, you and who’s army,” Gary responded, but this just engaged Cat.

“Don’t worry, I’d be behind her backing her up,” Cat told him, then looked at me, “If he does Isla, you call me.” She pulled her hand up to her ear in that mock phone sign.

I knew Helen was lovely from school, but ever since my first date with Gary, I felt I could be friends with both of his sisters and I was already feeling a connection.

So tongue in cheek, I copy her, bringing my phone hand to my ear and speak with a silent voice… mocking the concept, but smiling to let them all know that I’m only joking.

Thankfully, everyone realised the sarcasm and laughed. I pulled out my phone and opened up WhatsApp to show her, hoping they felt the same. Before I knew it, Helen had my phone and was typing furiously away for her to reach into her pocket and retrieve her phone.

Helen passed Cat my phone, who eagerly copied her. Passing it back to me, she dug her phone out of her pocket. On my phone, I could see Helen had already texted, then I received one from Cat. I joined the three of us into a group and text them back to confirm the connection.

Gary patted me on the knee. “That is ruder than whispering!” he nodded at my phone, smiling.

My wrist vibrated, and I looked down at my phone to see from Cat:

< You’re one of us now… haha >

I looked up to see her and Helen grinning, both chanting, “One of us… one of us…” repeatedly… Mimicking a horror film… Even I felt goosebumps running up me.

Gary slapped his forehead in a mock ‘D’oh’ expression. Shaking his head.

“Now there are three of you against me… What have I done to deserve this?”

“Do you really want us to tell Isla?” Helen joked back to a head-shaking Gary.

Barney attracted all their attention as he rose, then addressed his siblings, “Come on, we’ve wasted enough time, this isn’t getting that fence done.” The three rose and pulled overalls back on.

Sally waved to attract my attention, “Isla, help me with the cups inside then I’ll run you home, in a clean car.”

I helped collect empty plates and mugs, piling them onto a tray. Whilst the others trudged off, Gary caught me from behind, wrapping his enormous arms around me, kissing my neck that sent shivers of excitement through me.

I turned around and had a good old-fashioned snog, ignoring the working man’s musk on him, whilst enjoying one of his bear hugs.

“If all else fails with mum, write it down or put it on your phone so she can read it. I’ll text and see you later…”

We enjoy one last kiss, then he ran after his sisters. I picked up the heavy tray and followed Sally into the kitchen. The afternoon had turned out to be a fabulous bonus. Ignoring the poor squashed piglet, I’d saved a horse, won even greater admiration from my boyfriend and hopefully the friendship of his sisters.

Inside the farmhouse, the kitchen was exactly what you expected to find in any farmhouse. A huge butcher’s block dominated the kitchen, with a large dining table. A six-ring cooker next to a double-stacked oven dominated one wall.

The outside wall had three long windows to flood the room with light, beneath which are two large Belfast sinks and long counters. Two long, Welsh dressers line the other wall, filled with a mish-mash of china, cups, dishes and plates.

I headed to the sink to rinse the teapot and stack the mugs in the sink, not sure if they have a dishwasher, but it is barely worth it just for a few mugs. Once finished, Sally tapped me on the shoulder.

“Do you fancy another cup?”

I nodded, liking the idea of getting to know Gary’s mother better. She put the kettle on and reached into the cupboard to bring out more ladylike china.

She placed the cups on a large table that was covered in documents and paperwork, pushing them to one side and places the cups down. She pulled out a chair to show I’m to sit at the end of the table.

Once I’m sat, she returned to the sink, to find a smaller china teapot and busied herself finding tea bags, milk whilst waiting for the kettle to boil.

My eyes drifted to the documents spread around the table and I caught the ‘DFRA’ logo and a few other government trademarks. I could read the top sheet upside down that announced the ‘Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs,’ application for the grants Gary wanted to apply for.

Sally returned with a small tray, carrying the smaller pot and a smaller jug of milk with some sugar. As she poured milk and tea, I glanced through the first pages, picking up each loose scattered page, gathering them into order.

Sally pushed the sheets aside, saying, “don’t mind them, dear, they’re forms we have to fill in.”

She pushed them away and tidied them up, placing them further out of my reach.

I found this a little condescending, but continue to scan through the sheets I had in my hand. They were preliminary sheets, giving guidance on the form further in the document. The more I read, the more I realised that the advice was scant and misleading based on the expert advice I’d received from Stuart.

I placed the sheets down and went into my handbag to check my phone and an email Stuart had sent, confirming the correct document issue number, just in case they had been given an earlier issue, which Stuart had warned was common. However, Sally leaned over and picked the papers up, placing them with the others on the other side of the table, out of my reach.

I tried to mouth silently, “I can help.”

Sally abruptly raised her one palm to me.

“Isla, don’t worry your pretty little head about these forms. They are legal documents and very complicated, even I’m struggling to read through them.”

My blood boiled. After my birthday, I thought Sally was an understanding person, but this was the opposite. I searched for some form of communication I could use to argue my point. I know I can help. Seeing a pen and notepad, I stood up and reached across the table to claim them.

Sally was talking on, not realising that if I’m not looking at her, I can’t read her lips, but my focus was elsewhere, my mind screaming furiously. I wrote;

Sally with all due respect.

I have a degree in law.

I also have a degree in Journalism.

So I think I am qualified to read through some forms.

I can help you with these.

I looked up at Sally and slid the pad and pen across for her to read. She continued to sip her tea and ignored the notepad. I tapped the notebook to show her I wanted her to read it.

At first, she ignored me, so I rapped my knuckles on the table and pointed at the pad.

“Okay dear, if you wish I will read it.”

She tore off the sheet and read it…

“You have a law degree? But I thought you went to college to learn to draw.”

I picked the pad back up and wrote.

Yes, I have a law degree.

I held the pad up to show it to her.

“If you’re a lawyer, then why aren’t you working for a solicitor in Hereford?”

I wrote more on the pad.

Having a degree in law does not qualify you to be a lawyer.

I couldn’t get any solicitors to give me the experience I need to apply to the bar.

Instead I do research for solicitors, looking for legal presidents to help their cases.

It’s very interesting, and I can work from home.

I tore off the new sheet and passed it to her to read, but her expression showed she still didn’t fully comprehend. She then reread the original sheet.

“So what about journalism, why aren’t you working for some magazine or paper?”

I scribbled on the fresh top page of the notepad. This is far harder than signing.

I tried, it was my first job after university.

This was hard to write down in black and white, but I need her, to let me help Gary and his future.

You and I are struggling to communicate?

Imagine what it is like, trying to fit in with thirty co-workers,

none of which knows how to sign or wants to learn.

I hated it, so came home and found what I really like to do.

I write books and they sell in big numbers. Children’s books.

With my drawings in them.

I passed her the sheet and hoped this was enough to convince her, as I was running out of patience. So as she read and digested that new information, I wrote once more on the pad.

Sally, I’ve done some research and work for Stuart Longford previously.

I contacted him weeks ago about Gary, Helen and Cat’s project.

and he has already emailed me pointers on those forms.

I looked up and Sally was already waiting for my next notepad sheet expectantly. I tore it off and passed it to her. I reached into my pocket and grabbed my phone, flicking through screens I found my folder containing Stuart’s emails. There was one in particular I needed. I found it and opened the attachment.

This time Sally tapped me on my arm to gain my attention.

“You know Stuart Longford?”

I nodded, passing her my phone, so she could scroll through Stuart’s first instructions about the form. I knew she had digested it, as she reached for the sheets on the other side of the table and flicked through to find the first sheet, shaking her head.

“Isla, they’ve sent us an out-of-date issue of the application forms.”

My phone and wrist buzzed, showing a text message. I opened my phone to find a text from my mum, worried, as I was not at the pond. I quickly text back, explaining I was safe with Sally having a cup of tea and would explain once home later.

I looked up to see Sally rearranging the whole table. She had moved along one chair and my cup and notepad to where she had sat, patting the chair for me to sit beside her. It was too late in the day to contact anyone to lodge the issue and arrange for a replacement application form.

Instead, we worked briefly through Stuart’s notes and each part of the form one by one, together. As the form was out of date, but Stuart’s examples were current, we noted the application and used ‘post it’ notes for our reference, leaving them attached in each section.

The forms were complex, and even the guidance notes were scant. It took us both hours to work through the first section. It felt I was writing reams on the notepad to explain to Sally my interpretation and why hers were wrong or right. Thankfully, Gary arrived, although he was keen for some dinner.

I hastily signed an explanation of what had transpired, my contact with Stuart and all the problems we were having communicating. Sally was also bending his ear, giving her explanation and similar frustrations about our communications.

He came up with a solution and disappeared through a connecting door to return with a laptop. Plugging it and firing it up, he opened up a writing app and slid it over to me… I can type hundreds of times faster than writing on a pad with a pen.

Helen, Cat and Barney returned, coming through the door to a verbal barrage from Sally and Gary, explaining the issues we were having. I had to keep Gary’s attention to sign and have my opinions translated.

Slowly my frustrations abated, as I realised all of them, via Gary’s interpretation of my signing, were listening to my instructions, definitions, and explanations. I explained my project plan, how Stuart had talked me through the applications and how the forms had to be completed.

“Mum, I think Isla needs to take the lead in this. I hope you don’t mind?” Cat said.

“I agree, sorry mum,” Helen confirmed.

“It’s okay girls, I hate filling those forms in any way. I was stubborn at first, but working with Isla, I soon realised she is more cut out for this bureaucracy.” She turned to look at me.

“I’m sorry Isla, I didn’t realise you had those degrees. All these years I’d not heard a word your mother has been saying, just assuming you were drawing.”

What she really meant was that she hadn’t imagined a deaf girl could be that intelligent. Under normal circumstances, I’d have blown my top, but I could see Gary’s face. He understood and his face asked for compassion, for his mother. I smiled back to acknowledge my compliance.

She came up to me and gave me a big, apologetic hug. I could feel the vibrations of her voice, but could not hear what she said. I glanced over her shoulder at Gary, who signed, “She’s asking if you can forgive her.”

I nodded and returned her hug. Helen, Cat and Gary looked through the forms and our notes on the table. All three were nodding and confirming their mother’s assessment of me. Gary could barely take his eyes off me, smiling and nodding at his sister’s comments.

It seemed days since our last drink, but Sally appeared with mugs of tea, placing on the table with more cake that the four workers wolfed down, all still firing questions at me, through Gary.

I then realised how late it was and told Gary that I needed to go home for dinner. Even though I wanted to stay and continue working through the forms.

“Stay, have dinner with us Isla,” Sally asked.

“Yes, Isla, stay. We all need to shower and we can run through all your ideas afterwards.” Gary suggested, leading me to think about the next step.

“Gary, drop me back at home… I can return with all my work and information I’ve already printed out. After dinner, I can show you all how I can help.”

Gary grinned a mile wide. “You’ve been keeping plans from me?… you’re a beautiful dark horse… Why not? But you’ve to come back for dinner. I’ll grab the car keys.”

He explained the plan to everyone else as he grabbed a set of keys from a board on the wall. Sally busied herself with preparing dinner. I followed Gary outside for him to snatch me into his arms, in one of his bear hugs and kissing me passionately, that I returned, feeling more his equal today rather than just a girlfriend.

He drove me back in the Discovery, parking in our driveway, but rather than driving off, he got out of the car with me. He handed me the key.

“To be on the safe side, use the Disco to come back to the farm. We don’t want any more arguments with dad. I’ll walk back.”

I walked with Gary through the garden, for us to kiss and cuddle before he walked down the garden and out across the field towards the farm. I turned to see mum watching me from the conservatory with a questioning look.

It took a little while to explain my adventures to mum, and dad. I ran upstairs to shower and change into another dress, my favourite blue polka dot dress with some flat shoes. I gathered up all my printouts, project plan, some larger pads and pens into my large shoulder bag and returned downstairs.

After another brief chat with mum, I drove the Discovery back to the farm. It felt strange to wander straight into the house, but the door was open. I knocked hard on the doorframe, to be met by Barney beckoning me through into the kitchen.

The warm smell of beef washed through the room. The table was now clear of all our papers and laptop and set for six places. Gary appeared in a nice blue polo shirt and jeans, cleanly shaved, smiling.

He greeted me with a hug and kiss, walking me through to the lounge where another table contained our papers and the laptop. I left my shoulder bag on it.

I couldn’t resist pulling him back into me for another round of kissing and hugging, away from his family. How I wish I could whisper sweet nothings into his ear and hear his in mine, but we have to break free, stand back and sign. For now, it was nice to just be in his arms and feel his lips on mine.

I felt a tap on my shoulder, so I relaxed and turned to find a smiling, jolly Helen in baggy shorts and blouse.

“Isla, you look so pretty, definitely the loveliest girlfriend Gary has ever had.” She said, shooting Gary a look that told him he had to be nice to me.

“I still can’t believe you rode the dray. I want to hear all about it again, over dinner.”

She took my hand and led me back into the kitchen where Sally was serving. They sat me next to Gary, trying to be kind, but it would have been easier if he were opposite, as we would have to turn in towards each other, for him to read my signing.

Dinner was wonderful farmhouse cooked beef and roast potatoes with a red wine gravy and lashings of vegetables. I ate a mouse size portion compared to the others, but then they need it with the physical work they do.

They’d set the table with a selection of beer, wine and water, allowing me to enjoy a lovely red wine with the meal. The banter during the meal built up, as the three siblings competed for every extra point, regardless of the thread of conversation.

Gary signed furiously to ensure they included me in all aspects of conversations. Throughout dinner, Cat and Helen tried to copy both Gary’s and my signing. They were quick to catch on to commonly used signs, interjecting them into their comments, mixed in with some homemade signing. The sisters made it clear that my nickname of the pony whisperer was now to continue as ‘The dray whisperer.’

Even before the end of the meal, Cat and Helen were asking questions about my project plan and my research with Stuart. Cat disappeared to retrieve her plan from the farm office and we all moved to the lounge, where I spread out my project plan and talked them through my ideas and options.

Cat’s plan was based towards the harvest, but as they knew more about their crops than I, we dialled Cat’s timelines into mine. Estimating times for completion of the various stages of the project.

I ran through the issues we will face with completing the grant application forms, based on Stuart’s advice and my research. The family was all impressed and kept congratulating me on my efforts in a field they all assumed was unique to them.

Very late, long after the meal had finished, after several rounds of coffees and teas, a plan of action agreed, with a rough timing of the project. We all slumped in loungers, sofa and chairs, surrounded by papers and scribbled notes, all yawning, pleased with the combined results.

“I think I had better take you home,” Gary signed to me, not saying anything, but Cat and Helen nodded in agreement.

I agreed, and we all collected up all the scraps of paper to stack them on the table, ready for another round on another day. As Gary and I left, I had a round of hugs from everyone, with Cat hanging back until last.

“Isla, it seems Gary has left the best girlfriend until last,” Cat said, as she gave me a big hug.

My mind span, not just to receive such a compliment from his sister, but also the innuendo… That they have us married off already.

“Last?” I asked.

The sisters nodded, both telling Gary together, “Because if he dumps you… We’ll kill him.”

Whilst everyone laughed, Cat & Helen’s eyes told the truth, they do have us both married!

The ride back home with Gary in the Discovery was thankfully short, as the day had caught up with me and I was fighting to stay awake. Once parked up in the drive, Gary shut the engine off.

Gary beamed, “You are a gem Isla… First, you ride the dray, then you pull white rabbits out of a hat. A project plan, all that research and that you’re friends with Stuart Longford. You’ve given us a real head start on those forms.”

The Discovery is frustrating, with its large cumbersome central console, that obstructs any cuddling or intimacy. I climbed out and walked around the large bonnet to Gary’s door, finding him standing and waiting with arms spread.

We embraced in a long lingering bear hug, finishing with several pecks on our lips. The temptation to pull him upstairs with me plays through my mind. I want him dearly, but the moment has to be right and I was too tired.

Gary senses it too and releases me.

“So… I’m the best?” I tease, “and last?”

“So It seems… Or my sisters will kill me.”

“You don’t seem to have any option but to keep me.”

“It seems so… But… That was my devilish plan all along.”

We embraced, and I hung on to him as long as I could, wanting this moment to last forever, but I couldn’t. I kept yawning, so stifling the next yawn to allow myself one last kiss.,I went into the house. I peeked out through the door to watch him reverse out and drive off into the night, waving.

The following morning, despite my usual early riser routine, I struggled to get up after such a busy day and late night. I couldn’t help but feel guilty as Gary takes all this in his stride and would already be out on his tractor with his sisters and father.

True to Murphy’s Law, I found more work requests online for one morning I could wish for on a perfect day. It wasn’t until after a second coffee and a pep talk from mum that I got my mind into gear and hit it hard to finish it all a little behind time.

I still had some sketching to finish for a long-term project but I could do that after some dinner with Gary and hopefully another pep talk from mum.

Sally text mid-morning to confirm she had phoned DEFRA and ordered the correct issue of application forms. Being able to quote the correct issue helped, cheekily, they’d suggested using the old form, but Sally correctly surmised that this would only delay the processes at their end once submitted and insisted on a replacement set of forms.

Mum and I had a lovely lunch, with me getting her up to date with my adventures yesterday. Mum told me she had received a phone call from Sally earlier, who couldn’t stop singing my praises about the positive effect I had on the family and farm.

I rode a cloud of pride when Gary and I met that lunchtime, feeling such an integral part of his life with the approval of his parents and, hopefully, his sisters.

“I think you’ve changed our farm forever.”

“How?”

“Instead of using our radios, my evil sisters are signing as much as they can to practice.”

“Haha, really?”

“Yes, dad is getting really annoyed. They leave their radio mics on, leaving their hands free, but simple messages elongate to over twice as long as they need to be, as they keep asking, ‘is that right’ or ‘how do I sign’.”

“That’s brilliant that they’re trying.” It is exciting to know that Helen and Cat are getting into it, giving me hope for future chats with them.

“Oh yeah, except those two farm girls overuse the V sign too much.” He grinned.

“Ha ha ha, I can imagine.”

It’s something possibly unique to the UK. Certainly at uni, very few of my overseas friends fully understood the juxtapose of the two-fingered ‘V’. Used in jest with friends, it can be amusing but with completely different connotations when used angrily.

Once I watched Sarah play hockey at uni. She was not happy with me clapping for a goal scored by another friend against her. She threw me a two-fingered Vee, with her tongue pocking out…

The friends I was with could not understand my delight at having a friend effectively telling me to `F’ off… So an in-depth explanation of the awkwardness of English humour ensued, but I still don’t think they understood.

My wrist phone vibrated, showing a text from Cat. I reached for my phone out and read.

< Morning Isla, is Gary with you? >

< Yes >

< Has he asked you yet? >

“Gary, what haven’t you asked me yet?”

Gary blushed deeply. “Those two, I’ve only just got here…”

“And?”

“Isla, would you like to join us for the Young Farmers Summer Ball on Saturday the 26th?”

I’ve only been to a few balls before, at University and they weren’t really my thing, as I can’t hear the music and friends want to dance. Gary must have seen my hesitance to accept the offer.

“No, it’s fine, they’re great fun. They start early evening and go on until dawn. They time it just before harvest really kicks off. Honest, they are great fun. They have a funfair, you can ride a rodeo bull machine, bouncy castles, rides and dancing but I enjoy the funfair… Please, it will be more fun with you and my evil sisters are bringing their boyfriends, so I need your company.”

This sounded like more fun than the ones at university, and another chance to be with Gary, off the farm. I nod in agreement.

< Ok. Cat, he’s just asked… I’ll come. >

“Are there still tickets left?”

“Oh, don’t worry, Cat has already chased an extra one down.”

Now that is a pleasant turn up for the books. Helen was more agreeable yesterday than her sister was, but it seems now Cat is taking the lead. Maybe a little guilty after her original bluntness.

< Isla that is brill news, I have a ticket reserved for you. Do you have a ball gown? >

< No, at uni, I rented one… Would that be okay? >

< Yes, we hire ours. H and I already have our ball gowns ordered, so you’ll need to book one. >

I then got a tap on my knee to see a disgruntled Gary. I put my phone down and apologetically kissed him whilst passing him his sandwich box.

“Sorry. Cat says I need a ball gown. I don’t suppose you want to come shopping?”

Gary tried his best to look enthusiastic but failed miserably, showing that same look dad gives to mum when asked the same question. My wrist vibrated, but with discretion being the better part of valour, I ignored it, at least until Gary had returned to work.

“That’s okay, honey. Mum will be more than happy to join me for a shopping trip.”

I think Gary’s gasp of relief rippled across the pond even more than the breeze.

“Oh, not that I wouldn’t want to come… It’s just that your mum will be far better company when choosing the colour and that stuff.”

I caught Gary up on his mother’s information.

“I still can’t get over yesterday. Ignoring your horse whispering, excluding family, I’ve never known anyone to be so interested in the farm in the same way as me. Now all your little questions make sense. I thought you were just pretending to be interested.”

“I just wanted to be sure… You wanted me… Not what work I could do or who I knew…”

“Oh, no… Isla, I do want you for you… You’re unbelievable, able to pull new talents out of fresh air… If anything, I wonder if I’m worthy of you…”

I laughed. What a pair, both smitten with the other, both of us unsure of ourselves.

“What’s funny?”

“Us… In a lovely way, you big duffus…”

I gave him a big hug, which he returned, but as we kissed, my wrist vibrated. Gary must have felt or heard it.

“I’d better go if that is Cat?”

He got up. We embraced and parted, walking our separate ways. I hung long enough in the field to see him mount his tractor and drive off waving. Returning to the garden, I sat with mum in the shade and checked my phone.

< We normally take mum for high tea on her birthday. She wants to ask you and your mum, so H and I thought we could shop for a ball gown for you, then sober up having tea and cakes with mums… I’ve reserved us a dressing room already xx >

Then her second text.

< Send Gary on his way, if he is still with you… cheers xx >

I was awash with mixed emotions. One side felt honoured to be invited and excited at any excuse to shop and be with people… But she had already booked us in on a date that I have yet agreed to…

< A time and date would be nice? When were you going to ask if I was available or wanted to? I have to work too but I can’t just drop my client’s; I have to work to their timetables. >

I replied.

Mum signed, “Sally called to invite us both to afternoon tea, at the Castle House Hotel in Hereford for her birthday. She said Cat will liaise with you on dates and timings, although she hoped you would be available on the fifteenth to match with her birthday.”

I felt a real heel at jumping the gun. I’m not used to having anyone, let alone new friends, taking control to organise things around me. Well, not since mum and dad dropped me off at university. My wrist vibrated, announcing a text from Cat.

< Isla… I’m sorry. I forget I can get pushy at times. Mum’s birthday is on the fifteenth. We need to choose your dress as soon as possible as they will sell out. If you can’t make the date with your work commitments, mum is happy to change her birthday tea to suit you. The hire shop can move a few days either side, we only have to confirm and we get a changing room to ourselves with a few glasses of bubbly thrown in… Sorry again, I didn’t mean to upset… talk tonight xx >

I explained to mum, and then made my excuses, as I need to return to finish my work for the day. I took a cup of tea upstairs with me and took a few minutes to gather my thoughts. A few things ran through my head, Gary first, then what Helen and Cat either said or more insinuated.

I know they were joking when they chanted `one of us’ but I’d never had a family integrate me into themselves so quickly. Previous boyfriends had never even introduced me to their parents, let alone suck me into family affairs and finances.

I know Gary was happy about going slow on the sexual front, even though a few times I had hoped we could speed things up, but on a family level, maybe this relationship was moving too fast for me.

On top of that, I felt a real spoilt brat for being so quick to jump the gun. Firing back that text to Cat when they were prepared to move dates around to suit me. This really was new ground and a little unsettling.

I set my work out around me and run over what I had done, trying to push the Barnes family to the back of my mind to focus on my work. It took a while, but gradually my creative mind kicked in and, like some form of meditation, my sketching pens and paint took over.

I’m not sure how long I worked for or sat with the finished sketches around me… Satisfied with my work. I think I more than covered the brief. Fatigue crept over me as I scanned my eyes over my work, seeing how I could improve, enjoying the fruits of my labour.

As I sat in that zoned-out state, with my mind clear of emotion, it helped to see maybe I panicked a bit and it wasn’t the speed at which Gary’s family sucked me in that scared me… It was the speed of me wanting them to like me, of wanting to be a part of Gary’s life, of showing him I wasn’t just a sexy, size ten dress on his arm.

I scanned my work into my computer and emailed the client. I switched my phone alerts back on, to see a text from Gary.

< Hi hun. Cat thinks she upset you and would like to apologise, face to face. She’s having a date night with her boyfriend and suggested we all meet up at the pub? Helen is joining us with her’s too. I can pick you up at eight. >

< It was just a misunderstanding on my part. I’ll tell you later when you pick me up xx >

Maybe it’s time to talk about us. Where we’re going, rather than this continued unspoken boyfriend, girlfriend trip. Not that I had any need to get married. In fact, apart from that moment with Cat and Helen hinting at it, it hadn’t crossed my mind.

I don’t want to go diving into the Barnes clan head-first, then scare Gary, with Cat and Helen, talking about marriage, even in fun. It may be safer for both of us to lay our cards on the table first before I commit to the Barnes clan farm project.

Dinner with mum and dad was great, both remembering the few balls they had gone to. Mum was excited about joining us shopping for the ball gown. I don’t know if that was what Cat and Helen had in mind… But mum did.

Dad offered to teach me to waltz. I told him it didn’t sound as if the Young Farmers waltzed at their balls but he couldn’t work that conundrum out. A ball without dancing?

“Dad… Aren’t you missing the obvious… I can’t hear the music.”

Mum and dad laughed, but not at dad’s statement… At mine. Both got up and held each other, ready to waltz.

“Your dad is useless at timing, so I tap out the beat to him with my finger.”

Mum and I enjoy watching the BBC’s program, `Strictly Come Dancing,’ where the competitors learn new dances each week. I love the dresses and the dancing, even though I can’t hear the music, so I know the basics.

“You know the basic 1, 2, 3 of the waltz, so I tap the beat with my finger on dad’s arms.”

They rotated around side on. Both with their arms up, mum’s hand high on dad’s bicep, her hand lifted and tapped 1, 2 then 3 and they started waltzing around the kitchen. The entire time, mum’s finger tapping the beat onto dad’s arm.

“You clever thing, mum… And I thought dad was a wonderful dancer!”

They both laughed, separated, and returned to the table.

Eight o’clock soon arrived, with me skipping out of the door as soon as my wrist phone announced the doorbell. We had a polite hug, kiss, and got into the car.

Whether I am getting used to the dog smell or whether Gary has just cleaned it, I don’t know, but at least it meant it was easier to sit and talk inside the car for a while. I squeezed Gary’s hand as he started the car and waved at him to cut the engine.

“Do you mind if we sit and chat alone, before meeting your sisters?”

“Okay,”

Gary turned the engine off and looked pensive, unsure of what was to come.

“G… I love the respect you’ve given me in our relationship. You’re very patient.”

“But?…”

Gary looked concerned, then I realised he was jumping the gun.

“No, G. I don’t mean that… I’m not breaking up with you… Far from it…”

Gary perked up, but was still pensive over what was to come.

“I’m just scared at the speed we’re going…”

His brow furrowed, again misreading my poorly thought out communication. So much for degrees in law and journalism. They don’t prepare you for this.

“No, not us… Sometimes I’d like to go faster… but that is maybe for another day.”

Gary brightened up, smiling, and I guessed what he was about to joke, but I let him say it, anyway…

“I can speed up… whenever you want…”

“I knew you were going to say that… But yes… I’ll tell you when.”

We both grinned and kissed across the centre console, which doesn’t seem to get any easier.

“No, it’s the speed at which your sister took over. I want to help you… And the farm… but I’m scared… Scared that it may get to a position that I’m more friend, confident, farmhand, adviser… And we forget why I’m really there…”

“Oh, lovely… My sisters can take things for granted, but I won’t with you… If you don’t want to come to the ball, or you want to choose your gown on your own, then tell them… Or tell me and I’ll tell them… We don’t have to meet them tonight… I can blow them off and we can pop into Hereford for a drink.”

I’m now flustered. I want to go to the ball. I like the idea of having friends around me, to choose a ball gown… It’s just… I’m not used to things happening at this speed. Maybe like Gary, going out to travel the world to grow up… I need to step out of my hermitage, just one step at a time.

“No… Let’s go… Your sisters and family are a part of you and it seems you all come as a package…” I gulped my silly fears down, hoping I made the right choice.

Gary leaned over to give me a hug and kiss, smiling, “you okay”

“Yeah… maybe I’m just being silly…”

His sympathetic look told me that maybe I wasn’t. He fired the car up, and we pulled out for the brief journey to a local pub, ‘The Trumpet,’ a few villages away.

I was okay right up until we walked through the door to see the busy bar with Cat and Helen waving at us, already with their boyfriends, over to a large table. Nerves and panic ran through me, embarrassed at my earlier texted reply to Cat.

Cat rushed to meet us halfway and signing, “Sorry,” whilst saying, “Sorry, I came over bossy.”

Giving me a big hug that drained all the panic out of me. Maybe it did me good to throw my toys out of the pram. We walked to the table, and she introduced me to the two men at the table.

Surprises never cease. Kevin, the tall, thin, confident-looking one, was Helen’s boyfriend and a short, rotund joker, Mark, was Cat’s. Whilst both very nice and politely signed their ‘hellos’ it was hard to shake off the feeling that the sisters had their boyfriends mixed up.

“Haha, I see you notice the wrong boyfriends.” Gary signed, smiling, hoping that his sisters couldn’t read his signing that quickly… Just yet.

Gary pulled a chair out, for me to sit on. Before he sat, he asked if anyone wanted a top-up, then to me, “The usual?”

“Please.”

Then I saw four, pint glasses on the table. Maybe my gin and tonic will look a little too ladylike compared to Gary’s sister’s pints. I turned to see Gary already in the huddle at the small bar, waiting to be served. He glanced back at me, so I had the chance to take advantage of not having to shout, signing across the busy pub, “Change mine to a pint of cider, please.”

“Stowford Press?” He mouthed for me to nod in agreement.

Helen tapped me on the shoulder. “I can’t wait until we can sign like you and Gary.”

I wanted to tell her that ‘I’d prefer to hear her’ but she meant it in the nicest way. In truth, it was warming to realise that not only was Gary making the effort, but his sisters were as well. Guilt ran through me, knowing now I had jumped the gun earlier.

Gary returned and joined us at the table, just as Cat announced to the ‘wrong’ boyfriends my joining Gary at the ball. It was nice with all five raved about how much fun previous balls had been, with Gary signing and reading my signing trying to help keep up, with Cat and Helen trying to repeat the little signing they had picked up.

Wanting to contribute to the conversation, I signed to Gary that I had to convince mum and dad that there wouldn’t be any ballroom style waltzing the night away, like the BBC’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’. They all laughed at the notion, as Mark half stood and pretended to `dad dance’ doing the twist.

Helen waved, “Oh, Isla. It’s not strictly true because, after the meal, they kick the evening portion of the ball off with a waltz as the first dance. They use it to choose the ‘Belle Of the Ball’, so we all have a go, you’ll have to join us, it’s great fun.”

There then ensued the same argument I had with dad, about my not being able to hear the music. Whilst everyone was distracted, Helen glanced my way, possibly to check and see that I wasn’t offended. I winked and tapped my nose, letting her know I had a secret.

Her eyes lit up, and she mouthed, “Can you dance?”

Seeing everyone still deep in the technicalities of dancing, whilst not being able to hear the music and that it was about time Gary actually danced at a ball.

I mouthed, “Can Gary?”

Helen smiled with glee and gave a small nod in confirmation. Helen smiled, silently agreeing to keep the secret. Although I could see, she was bursting to ask more.

The conversation ended when Gary refused to be drawn into dancing at the ball. There, then followed a few snippets from previous conversations or in-jokes. That would take some difficult explaining, but when Kevin asked Gary, “Are you booked into Wellend?” I had to ask.

“W, e, l, l, e, n, d?” I had to spell it out, which confused everyone else but Gary, seeing seven signs.

“Oh, sorry love, Wellend Steam Fair. We go every year, with it being the largest local steam rally. It’s the weekend before the ball. We used to show the dray there and give rides, but now we’ll take Fergie and, as always, Bessy.”

Kevin piped up, exaggerating his annunciation for me, “And you can show your ‘old spot’ piglets too this year, they will be a great advert.”

“It’s ok Kev, Isla is brilliant at lip-reading, so you don’t have to talk like a BBC robot.” Helen laughed, hugging him.

I signed the simple ‘ok’ sign to Kevin and mouthed ‘thanks’, as he meant well and at least he tried.

I knew the steam rally well, having gone many times with mum and dad, as a young girl.

“I need a translation G… Should I be jealous of Fergie and Bessy?”

No soon as Gary translated, Cat and Helen Laughed, Kevin and Mark kept quiet but both obviously knew.

“Don’t worry Isla, Fergie is dad’s vintage tractor. It’s a Massey Ferguson and Bessy is an old shepherd’s hut that dad uses to sleep in whilst at the show over the weekend.” Cat explained and tried dropping in a few signs. Although ‘sleep’ was just her laying her head on her hands as a pillow.

Gary then said, “I was going to ask if you fancied joining me in Bessy for that weekend?”

Both Cat and Helen screamed, “NO,” loud enough for Kevin and Mark to jump out of their skins. They promptly both broke into two conversations, one aimed at Gary chastising him and one in sympathy towards me. Both trying to talk me out of being conned into a weekend of destitution, camping in an old shepherd’s hut with Gary.

The trouble was, the more they described it… The more I found it appealing. I used to enjoy camping with mum and dad. I love summer steam rallies, with Wellend being the largest local one, and the novelty of staying in a twee, old shepherd’s hut with Gary, seemed to be the icing on the cake.

Helen started laughing, almost hysterically, saying to me, “You’re considering it? I can’t think of anything worse.” The look Kevin gave her told me he had considered something similar too, but now choosing to remain quiet.

“Don’t agree to anything until you see Bessy…” Helen was adamant, as Gary scanned his phone, searching for photos.

“Don’t listen to them, it’ll be fun. I’ve signed up to give kids rides in the trailer and we can show the prettiest of the piglets.” Gary tried to win me over.

“The prettiest of the piglets?” I giggled.

“You know what I mean…”

Gary turned his phone to me, showing me a picture of a large green shepherd’s hut on four cast iron wheels, with a little porch and stairs running up to it. It was exactly as I envisaged it, high up, with a corrugated, galvanised steel roof with a crooked chimney. A few flowerpots sat on the porch, with small windows on either side of the door.

Cat tapped my arm, “No, Isla… a girl needs a spa weekend, not a night in a field, smelling of burning Welsh coal, tractors, and cowpats. Helen and I have been there many times. It isn’t as fun as you think.”

Helen now cut in, “communal showers and toilets, three fields away in trailers, lots of drunk, sweaty men in the evenings, singing silly songs. Yuk…” She pulled a face, mimicking having eaten something nasty.

If she was trying to dissuade me, it wasn’t working. Judging by Kevin and Mark’s expressions, they were looking forward to it.

“G… Before I agree, I’ll need to see B, e, s, s, y, in the flesh.”

“Oh, my god Gary. Has she agreed?” Cat questioned Gary, unable to understand my signing. I nod, waving my hand in a wobbly gesture, trying to indicate, ‘maybe’. Gary confirmed.

“Right, so I assume you boys are in cahoots. If so, then I think you need to treat us girls, to a spa weekend once harvest is over.” Cat demanded. I couldn’t help but smile and nod. This seemed a fair exchange.

Helen smiled, “Absolutely… Although we’ll be working, if Gary is swanning off for the weekend. Isla, make sure you’re happy with the deal after you’ve seen Bessy…”

“Right, so tomorrow I’ll take you to see Bessy… I’ll meet you at the usual time, at the usual gate.”

“I’ll bring the sandwiches…”

The evening was far from a bust, being one of the best evenings out I’ve had in a long time (excluding the one’s alone with Gary). Cat and Helen were proving to be far from the evil sisters Gary portrayed, but then I think I knew that already.

It was nice that the group didn’t rely solely on Gary’s translations and spoke directly to me. Gary was fabulous as my signing back up, pulling silly faces to amuse me, when he wasn’t sure of the sign or if he couldn’t keep up.

Cat and Helen were picking up more and more, although able to second-guess my signing rather than signing to me. I don’t know whether Gary had spoken to them before going out, but I felt included and welcome to the group that seemed relaxed rather than uptight about my lack of hearing.

Even if my drinking was a lot slower than the others, I took my turn in buying a round. Gary came with me to the bar to help, not just to translate but knowing I couldn’t manage four full, sleeved pint glasses. Even in the busy bar, the staff were sympathetic and patient, as I ordered via Gary.

Okay, it wasn’t a late night out, as we all have an early start in the morning, but I certainly enjoyed it and was more comfortable with Cat & Helen’s friendship. Gary and I sat in the car when he dropped me off back at home, once more separated by the central console.

“You enjoyed the night okay,” Gary asked.

“Yes… Sorry, I was a nervous Nelly earlier.”

“Well, my evil sisters can be scary.”

“There, not that bad, honestly G, you exaggerate.”

“I’ll still get it in the neck later, or over breakfast.”

“For what?… Threatening to take me out in Bessy, or that you called me ‘Love’ in front of them.”

Gary gulped.

“Ah… you noticed? Do you think they did?”

“Yes, I noticed and I’m pretty sure that if you spoke it out loud, they would have too.”

Gary shook his head. “I don’t think I said it out loud. I meant it only for your eyes.”

Had Gary just ramped up our relationship? Going from boyfriend, girlfriend and names to ‘love’. Something not lightly thrown around here, not like ‘my lovely’ in South Wales or ‘my lover’ in Bristol.

“You don’t mind?… Do you?”

“No, I don’t…”

I actually quite liked it… leaning over that blasted console to kiss him, underlining my consent.

Not for the first time, at the end of an evening, I wanted to pull Gary out of the car, into the house, upstairs to spend the night with me. Living at home is easier for work, finances and being close to mum and dad, but it isn’t convenient for my love life.

Although whilst I think our relationship is ready for it, I still don’t think mum and dad are ready for that surprise tomorrow morning. I’m finding myself dreaming more and more for that moment to come. Although not just for sex, as much to just lie in bed and wake up with that big, strong, lovable softie.

The last thing I wanted was to rely on a furtive groping session in a layby, or down a lane, in the back of this dog smelly car. A weekend in Bessy could be a nice romantic way to kick start this into a sexual relationship and I’m already looking forward to it.

That then begged a question, “How come, this car stinks of wet dog but you don’t have any?”

“Helen looks after Kevin’s one dog because it’s useless as a sheepdog. He sticks like glue to Helen, riding in tractors and cars. The trouble is, she often brings his other dogs home with her as well.”

Once more we hugged and kissed over the console and I watched Gary leave from the house doorway. In bed later, I felt lonely led there on my own. I tried to keep my thoughts away from Gary and ran over the nights’ conversations.

Once more tomorrow, I’ll be relying on Gary to bus me in and around the farm. I need to find a solution or I can never roam safely around the farm and the lack of a solution could condemn the poor old dray horse, George, to the knacker’s yard.

Then I had a lightbulb moment. Logistic and delivery companies track their lorries and vans through modern apps and transponders. We don’t need to track vehicles around the farm, but just warn me when they are close. I’ll research this tomorrow.

It took a while to drop off to sleep, churning over this idea in my mind and the possibility of a romantic weekend with Gary, mixed with the comfort of having Gary’s sisters as two new friends and an already growing summer schedule of events.

The following morning was even harder to get motivated than yesterday. I must have tossed and turned later into the night than I thought. Thankfully, I only had one pressing work requirement, I cleared that quickly. I also did some research on my new pet project and emailed a supplier that could adapt an existing logistic transponder app to my specific requirements.

Coffee time with mum was full of questions about last night and the Wellend Steam fair. Mum agreed with Helen and Cat, asking me to see Bessy before I agree to anything. Over the morning I had received several WhatsApp messages, with various old photos of the two sisters in wellingtons, knee-deep in mud, frowning. Whether in front of Bessy or some ancient trailer toilets that had seen better days.

Upon returning to my office, I had an email from the app designer. It turns out he has a very simple similar app, that he could adapt and asked if I could phone him. I replied to explain that the app was for me and that I was deaf, so a phone call would be fruitless.

He was very considerate and within half an hour, a series of screenshots of the app appeared, with instructions of how it could work and asked what equipment I would want it synchronised with. All the vehicles would need were some simple transponders that could also act as security tags that could be tracked if the vehicles were stolen.

I replied with a few questions and amendments, confirming my phone and smartwatch manufacture and software date. Quickly he replied with a reasonable cost and delivery. I explained my dilemma and asked if he could improve delivery. He immediately responded that once he received payment, he would prioritise my project and hopefully improve on three weeks. I sent him his payment and patted myself on the back for a great, simple solution.

After lunch, I walked across the field to wait by the gate, sandwich box in hand. Gary came up in the Toyota pickup, grinning, and we drove to the farm. This time, instead of heading for the house, we turned off, driving through a host of farm buildings until we reached a tall barn.

Gary explained that the tall barn was one of the older buildings on the farm. It had two large doors and a smaller human-sized one at the side. Gary stepped through into the gloom and turned some lights on, inviting me inside.

Tightly packed in the back corner was Bessy. Although looking smaller than the impression I had in the photo. Gary walked to the back and opened the similarly large rear barn doors that opened out to another concreted yard. Light rushed in to brighten the dark interior.

Bessy, in the photo, was in its heyday. Now it looked sad and old, having seen far better days, with paint peeling off it. Gary’s face betrayed even he hadn’t expected it to be in this state.

“Ah… I’m sorry. I’ve not seen this in years. I think dad has let it go a little. Never mind, mum would have kept the interior up to scratch.”

Gary guided me around the back to the small porch and pulled the steps down. He climbed up in trepidation and peeked inside, his demeanour not improving. He disappeared inside and the door side windows flew open, then the hut’s main window. His frame dwarfed the small doorframe as he stood in it, inviting me in.

I was nervous as I climbed, the steps were strong enough but the interior looked dark and dank. The musty, damp smell inside didn’t improve it, it was certainly a lot smaller inside. Cupboards and shelves had collapsed down onto the table and bench seat that looked mouldy.

Gary touched and held my arm, seeing my face must have spoken volumes to him.

“I’m sorry, honey. This isn’t how I remember it. You can’t spend the weekend in here. I’m sorry.”

Phew, that saved me from letting him down. It is a shame, though, but it needs more than just some spring cleaning. The little potbelly stove looked sorry for itself, its front door hanging off, with soot and ash spilling onto the floor.

“What about Fergie?”

“Oh, she’s okay, she’s in the other corner, come on, I’ll close up this disaster area.”

I stepped down as Gary closed the windows and door. His face was still gloomy once we were back on the barn floor, and I gave him a consolatory hug and kiss. Afterwards, I looked around but couldn’t see a tractor, only some trailers and a battered low loader.

“Where’s Fergie?”

“Just over there.” Gary pointed to the corner on the other side of the open barn doors. I couldn’t see any tractor until we approached closer to the corner. Behind the battered lorry there stood the cutest grey tractor I ever saw. It was the epitome of a tractor, exactly as any child would draw.

This was the perfect tractor for my book. It had a sad look, but by sketching the radiator grills upside down will give it a happier facade. The little crooked front wheels gave it that quaint country cuteness and the large rear wheels gave the image of strength to satisfy any budding farmer.

It had an old-style metal seat pan and large rounded mudguards. Fergie was a perfect model for my book. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of this style. I’ve seen so many at various steam rallies and fairs. I was so fixated on Gary and his huge modern tractor I’d forgotten about these early vintage tractors.

I quickly took some photos with my phone, much to Gary’s surprise.

“Fergie, is that good that you’re taking photos?”

“Yes. I want to photograph so I can sketch later. It is perfect for the next children’s book I’m writing. I’ve already written some shorts on my Patreon site and now I have a tractor I can share.”

“Patreon? Is that like a Patronus in Harry Potter?”

“No, silly.”

Seeing Gary deadpan faced, I thought I’d better explain, not knowing if he was winding me up.

I quickly explained how Patreon works, with my few hundred patrons, well, mainly parents of kids who like my books. I charge little, keeping it to pocket money size payments. It doesn’t make me an actual income, but it helps market and supports my books.

I was keen to see more of her and climbed aboard.

“Where’s the ignition?”

“It’s that lever there, by the battery box.”

I was keen to start her, but when I pushed the clutch in and flipped the lever, nothing happened. I held my hand onto the bonnet but couldn’t feel any vibrations.

“It’s disconnected, so the battery doesn’t go flat.”

“Can we connect it and drive it?”

He shook his head.

“No, it will need fuel and to be primed, first, which all takes time that I don’t have this afternoon. We will need to test it before the fair though, so maybe you can drive it then.”

I felt a bit like a spoiled child for asking, but he seemed to understand my excitement. He pointed to a low trailer nearby with what looked like a set of small railway carriages.

“That’s what we tow to give rides around the fields.”

The carriages were small enough to sit inside, two to a seat. Although, rather than having railway steel wheels, each carriage had large wheelbarrow wheels hidden beneath. It looked like such good fun for kids.

Something else popped into my head. I knew Gary was busy but I couldn’t miss the opportunity… Especially as now I was here on the farm once more…

“G… Can I see George?”

I wanted to use his name. If I could also encourage them to use his name, it may help to win them over on extending his stay of execution.

“Yes, of course. Come on.”

I jumped down off Fergie, as he shut the large barn doors, turned the lights off and we backtracked to the car. It was a short drive around various buildings to arrive at the farmhouse and the corner of the paddock.

George was on the far side of the paddock, eyeing the car with distrust. As I climbed out, he perked up and started walking across the field towards us.

“Come on G. Come with me.”

I wondered if I could live up to my dray-whispering nickname. I held Gary’s hand and walked him to the large paddock fence. George met us, staying about five metres short, looking nervously at Gary.

“G, e, o, r, g, e, this is G, a, r, y… G, this is G, e, o, r, g, e.”

I stepped up one rung of the ladder-like fence, encouraging Gary to step up too. George stepped back. Gary stepped back and George stepped forward. This seemed to be a Mexican standoff, then I wondered.

“G, when you used to approach him with tackle, did you use to show it to him or hide it?”

“We used to show him tackle first. When he got difficult, we hid it behind our backs, but that only worked for a short time.”

“Hold your arms clear, so he can see your hands are empty. Don’t look him in the eye.”

I held up Gary’s hand I was holding and Gary raised his other, showing his empty hands, as he stepped back up the first rung of the fence. George stayed put, not moving, seeming more relaxed. I climbed over the fence and Gary joined me, still showing his hands.

George was definitely nervous, but he hadn’t moved. I stepped forward and Gary followed until I reached George and petted him. Gary stayed an arm’s reach away. Whilst George was skittish, he appeared more comfortable.

I pulled Gary closer, bringing his hand to George’s nose, with our hands still entwined. Hoping that George smelling both Gary and I, would connect us both with fun and not work. I stroked George with Gary’s hand and scratched his ears.

George nuzzled me, but still allowed Gary to stroke him. Gary looked at me with amazement and a little nervous about receiving one of George’s famous bites… The longer we stayed, the more relaxed both George and Gary became.

George slowly nudged me back towards the fence, with Gary giving me a concerned look.

“It’s okay. He wants me to ride him.”

Once at the fence, I climbed up the fence and George turned side-on, so I could slip over onto his back. Once on and holding his mane, he walked back past Gary, as if he had won a prize, his head held high.

I rode George around the paddock and Gary. George not paying him any attention, but monitored his hands. We had cracked it. George had decided he wanted to retire and just didn’t want to work anymore. Staying away from anyone bringing him tackle and work.

I could ride George right up to Gary, for him to pet and stroke him, but if he held his hands behind his back, nothing could encourage George close to him. I saw Gary glance over to the paddock fence and wave to Sally stood there, leaning on the fence, amazed at this turnaround.

Gary walked over to the fence, climbed up, and beckoned me over. I rode George over and, whilst George became a little nervous, he understood. Standing side-on, allowing me to climb off him, he remained stationary for Gary to mount him.

I went around to his head to help calm him, with Gary now on his back. Gary kept patting and stroking him, letting George know his hands were still empty and they rode off into the paddock. Gary soon had a smug look on his face as they trotted around the paddock.

I walked over to where Sally was standing. She proudly watched her son ride what they thought was an old, unrideable beast. We both signed ‘Hi’ with the fence separating us.

Every couple of laps regardless of what Gary wanted; George would come to me and nuzzle me for reassurance. On one lap, I pulled them over, closer to Sally, so she could pet him. George turned side-on to the fence.

“I think he’s had enough G. Time to get off,” I warned.

Gary climbed off and the three of us fussed over George until he wandered off to jump and leap like a bronco once more. I climbed back over the fence to receive a big hug from Sally.

“Oh, Isla. I thought no one could ride George safely again. The girls will be so jealous.” Sally said.

Gary beamed, realising that he had on up on his sisters.

“G. Tell your mum the trick to riding George. No tackle. I don’t know whether he will accept a saddle, but for now, let’s stick to bareback.”

Gary explained to Sally, and she beamed with surprise, giving me another hug.

“Wow, Isla, no one ever thought it was as simple as that. Come on, your two, I think this deserves some tea and cake.”

Gary ran back to the beat-up Toyota to retrieve his sandwiches, and I walked with Sally back to the farmhouse. Upon entering, Sally lifted a large brown envelope from the sideboard and gave it to me. It carried a DEFRA address label.

“That came this morning.”

I pulled it out and checked it was the correct issue of application forms that we needed. As Sally made tea, I quickly flicked through each page, checking it was what we expected. Gary joined us and started wolfing his sandwiches down.

Gary was keen to return to work, so asked Sally if she could drive me back home. He poured his tea into a travel mug, gave me a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek, and dashed out the door.

Bringing two cups of tea over to the table with some cake, Sally and I sat together. Sally produced a notepad and pen, placing them between us, smiling. I was about to return my attention to the forms when Sally placed her hand on them to catch my attention.

“Isla, I’m sorry, I wasn’t very nice the last time we sat at this table.”

I tried to sign to her it was okay, but she held my hand’s mid signing.

“No, I wasn’t very sympathetic, and I was short with you.”

I again tried to say that ‘it’s okay’, but she continued, ignoring my lips while she still held my hands.

“Isla, I just wanted you to know… I was jealous… My son has never spoken of other girls in the way he talks about you.”

This was a surprise… Her eyes displayed shame, unable to meet mine.

“Whilst he was still away, in his email confirming he was returning home, he asked about you. Then when he arrived home, he asked about you first and then it became his first argument with his father. He’s never spoken about anyone as much as he has about you.”

I could feel myself blushing as Sally continued.

“Honestly Isla, no other girl has turned his head as you have… More surprisingly, Cat and Helen have taken to you. They’ve never accepted any of Gary’s previous girlfriends. They even let him talk about you…

You are special, Isla… You’ve helped with George. It will be nice to have him retire with us rather than send him to the knackers’ yard.

All the research and help you’ve given us… We… No, I need your help with these forms…

I hope you don’t mind me poking my nose in… I’ve just never had my son so smitten with anyone before.”

My head was reeling from all this information. Is Sally interfering or is this her way of saying that both Gary and the family like me as well?

Sally released my hands and picked up her tea to drink, showing that she had finished. I’d met none of my previous boyfriend’s mothers before, let alone had them tell me how much their son and family liked and accept me.

With Tea and cakes dispensed with, Sally asked if I was free that afternoon, as she wanted to get on with the new application forms. To stay and get a fresh start was appealing, but I still had some unfinished work of my own to do.

I made my apologies, signing first, then writing them down on the notepad. After Sally read them, I repeated the signing. She half-read my lips and half-watched my signing, already knowing the content gave her a boost, and she nodded, making the connection between the three.

She agreed, as she had unfinished things to do, so we agreed to clear our desks and start on the forms again tomorrow. After I had done my work for the morning, Gary was to bring me down once more at the usual sandwich time.

Whilst I was still jotting my side of the conversation onto the notepad, Sally was paying more attention to my signing and she seemed to understand. With communications easing between us, it bode well for our working together.

Sally drove me home in her car, a nice Volvo, minus any wet dog smells. I invited her in to chat with mum, whilst I returned to my sketching for my client. The afternoon flew by, but I finished the work, emailing the scans off to the client.

After dinner with mum and dad, I started reviewing the photos of Fergie and sketching ideas out for my book. Gary text and popped round for us to sit in the conservatory to chat about everything and nothing whilst I also shared some of my sketches of Fergie with him.

Whilst it has taken time, dad was at ease with having Gary around, with them both sharing pleasantries before dad drifted up the pub to meet with Barney. Mum made her excuses and watched something on TV, leaving us alone to cuddle up and chat.

Gary couldn’t stay too long as we both were soon sharing a yawning competition. Despite the shortness of the evening, it felt like another landmark in our relationship. Both of us were comfortable enough to sit, chat, and cuddle with the odd kiss in my parent’s home.

The next few days flew by, with me working in the morning, to meet Gary after lunch, then go to the farm and work on the application forms with Sally. Then Gary would drive me home for dinner, or I’d stay for dinner with them, sometimes with us popping up a pub for a drink.

The added complication was that now, with the schools on holiday, I was getting some research work. With solicitors and barristers’ own researchers going on their holidays, they were passing me more and more work.

Some were simple quick checks, others more in-depth, requiring me to log in to libraries or request sections of legal documents. One technical search had me logging into various university development projects and checking with the patent office. All of which were very interesting, but all gobbled up my time.

On the days I had a free evening at home with mum and dad, they taught me to waltz. I soon got used to feeling the tap of dad’s finger on my shoulder blade. He’d catch my attention and beat us in to start, using his entire hand, then just use his finger.

I soon developed an internal metronome that would work regardless of dad’s poor timing or a slipped handhold. Mum was delighted with my progress and kept tweaking my steps. Soon I was getting the same lift and bounce that we had seen by contestants on ‘Strictly.’

As my dancing improved, I spent more evenings working on my ‘Fergie On The Farm,’ book and sketches. My Patreon were all excited about the new book, as I was. Gary seemed to be happy about the reduction in evening contact.

Obviously, there are two ways to read that, I chose it to be a valiant boyfriend allowing me my space, although dad chose a more dubious intent, hinting that Barney wasn’t saying much about it. Thankfully, I ignored the insinuation that Gary may have returned to his old nocturnal self.

All the time Cat and Helen kept in touch, even sending me short videos of them signing to me. Helen, as always, making me laugh. Often in various states of undress, not caring and always with a dog leaping across madly or knocking her phone over.

Keeping Gary, two new friends and my existing friends up to date with things, was a chore I wasn’t used to. Mum was pleased, with me now being less of a hermit, especially with social events on the horizon.

Soon, we’d completed the main form filling and now had to map out the different areas on the farm for each application. I hadn’t really thought this far ahead. Sally explained that previously they would use existing Ordnance Survey maps that show heights above sea level and sketch over them.

This could be laborious, as they would have to walk the land and mark points on the map, then join them up to create the areas included in the applications. Sally showed me some previous examples, which looked more like childish scribbles. If Sally couldn’t explain them to me, how could DEFRA understand them?

Something the app designer wrote about in one email struck a chord with me. Using my phone, I emailed him. He was quick to reply, explaining that I could download the basic program by logging into his website. This would enable us to record a route, whether walked, cycled or driven, using the GPS feature on my phone. Then we could export the route and convert it to overlay onto an online map.

He included a link, with a login and initial password. Within ten minutes, I had logged in and downloaded the app. I set it to record a route, and then Sally and I walked out around the farmyard to test the app.

An hour later, we were sitting at the laptop back in the kitchen, looking at a map of the farm, with our route clearly shown on it. Sally was ecstatic. Later, when everyone returned for dinner, we proudly showed them our first trial map.

Cat soon took control, as she and Helen had already walked the routes in their initial planning she sketched out the major areas and agreed to meet the following afternoon to begin the first full working walk.

Over the next few afternoons, Cat and I walked miles, outlining the multiple areas that made up the application. Cat had a brilliant grasp on the limits of what they wanted and the GPS location mapping had us inch-perfect. It was nice to spend time with Cat. Her signing, whilst still rudimentary, allowed us to converse adequately without shouting or too much scribbling on notepads.

I’m now working late into the evenings on my research commissions at the same time and early mornings on my cartoon caricatures and sketches, whilst also writing my book. If I time my book right, I could catch Christmas sales perfectly.

The following morning for my wrist phone announced the doorbell. Knowing mum was downstairs, I didn’t pay it any attention until it buzzed again with a text from mum.

< Parcel for you. xx >

I skipped downstairs, hoping it to be the equipment from the app programmer, although far sooner than expected. Seeing a rather small parcel on the kitchen table was a disappointment, but the return address was his.

I opened the box with trepidation, with mum looking over my shoulder, keen to see what I had brought. There was the usual bubble wrap hiding fifteen small, wristwatch sized transponders, looking disappointingly smaller than expected.

Also inside was a charging unit, to charge the transponders that would need topping up every six months. Currently, they’re charged and numbered. So I could identify each individual vehicle on the app.

The bonus was that I could be tracked too, using my phone’s location facility, by anyone logging in and accepted by me as the administrator. This would allow them to see my location and all the other transponders, enabling them to send the closest to me should I press the alarm function.

He’d included a CD and some setting up instructions. The full app and additional software were on the CD, but I could also download from his website for convenience. The instructions explained where to place the transponders on any vehicle.

I returned to my office to finish that morning’s work, whilst also updating my phone with the app. Downstairs, mum was doing the same on her phone. Over lunch, we both sat working our way through the setting up procedure and the settings. We could quickly confirm all the transponders were in our kitchen and mum could see me, sat with them.

Afterwards, I exported each recording of our walks, convert and stitch them together. Overlapping the results onto the map of the farm, creating an effective display of the areas covered by our application. It was then just a simple export and email to Cat, so we can pick it up on the laptop at the farmhouse.

I text Gary, explaining that I had sent the map file to Cat and asked him to pick me up after dinner, so we could all meet, as I had something I wanted to show the family. I was now excited because I could now move around the farm without a chauffeur and I could argue to ride George out of the paddock.

Gary text me when he was on his way, so I could meet him at the top of the farm’s drive, with my box of transponders. It was lovely to see his grin as soon as he saw me, being able to meet briefly once more. Climbing in, we kissed over that annoying central console.

As we drove down the drive, I could see where he and Helen had been trimming the hedgerows on either side, in between their farm work. The farm has a responsibility to keep their lanes free and the local council allows them a subsidy for keeping hedges tidy around the property that encroaches on public paths and highways.

The hedgerow verges and the farmhouse lawn have changed colours, from early summer daisies, whites and blues to buttercups and softer yellows and pale blues of later summer wildflowers.

The fields around the drive are all now browning off, nearly golden. Fields in the distance that caught the sun all day were already golden brown, with one field half cut, showing proof of that day’s hard work.

Once parked and out of the car, Gary looked at my parcel that I had to place on the bonnet of the car for us to enjoy a quick hug and more passionate kiss.

“What’s in the box?”

“Ah… It’s a surprise, I’ll show you once we are inside with everyone.”

I led him into the farmhouse, smiling, whilst also noting George looking over the fence inviting me to ride him. Inside, the kitchen was empty, so I looked in the lounge to find the family seated with Barney eager to leave to meet dad for their evening’s pint and chat.

After a round of greetings, I had to hold Sally back from leaving the lounge to fetch me a drink, as I wanted them all to see. Kneeling down at the coffee table in the centre of the large sofa and chairs, I tipped the box full of transponders onto it, to a room full of curious eyes.

“These should allow me to wander the farm unhindered and without you worrying for my safety.” I signed with Gary translating. It was good to see both Helen and Cat watching me sign rather than waiting for Gary to tell them.

“What are they?” Came the unanimous reply.

I raised my wrist and, with the other hand, flicked my phone app to detect, and my wrist immediately vibrated a warning with a small picture of a tractor.

“Transponders, with one in every farm vehicle, they will warn me when one is within twenty-five meters.”

I switched my screen onto map view and after a few seconds, the farm map displayed showing all the transponders and me at the farmhouse… I zoomed the screen in and passed it around.

“The red dots are each transponder and the green flag is me.”

There was a flurry of questions and everyone took turns in viewing the screen, with Cat and Helen both zooming in and out, looking impressed. Barney and Sally looked dubious at this new technology.

“Helen, Cat, if you each take one and walk in opposite directions around the farm, we will track you from here.”

I gave Cat number one and Helen number two, switching off detection of the other transponders. As the women left the room, at first there was no change to the screen, but once we heard the front door close, the two red dots moved.

We watched the two dots, with their corresponding numbers, separate and move away from the farmhouse. One moved down the lane past the paddock towards the woods and the other zig-zagged across the farm, moving around farm buildings that aren’t on the map.

I flicked the map selection from Ordnance to an aerial view and the Google Earth aerial view popped into view, showing the most recent farm buildings from above. Cat’s number one was now walking between the two outlying buildings. Helen’s number two was almost at the woods and the piglets.

Barney picked up the screen and, using his two fingers, copied what his daughter’s had done to zoom out then back in again. The two women were now well outside the initial twenty-five-meter range, so I asked Gary to text them to return.

We watched the two red dots turn and move back towards my green dot, still inside the farmhouse. As soon as either of the dots broke the set twenty-five metre perimeter, my wrist vibrated its alarm and a perimeter circle appeared around me on my phone’s screen.

Barney, now impressed, passed the phone to Sally to see the same. Gary stood behind me, pulled me into a tight hug, and kissed me on the cheek.

“You’re so clever. How long has this taken you?”

I then explained to Gary about the app designer that I approached a few weeks ago. Then told him we needed to put a transponder inside each vehicle as soon as possible, to give me the freedom to move around the farm without a chauffeur.

As Cat and Helen returned, I was about to tell them to keep their transponders… Then thought again. I gave Gary the number one from Cat and told him to put it into his beat-up Toyota truck.

I got numbers two and three, but I didn’t want either sister fighting over who was number two… so behind my back I held each transponder in my fists and held them out to the two to choose, hidden inside both of my hands. None of us knowing which transponder was in which hand.

Cat’s hand shot out to pick my left hand… I turned my right hand over and opened it to see number two sat in the palm of my hand… passing it to Helen. Handing the number three in my left hand to Cat, who shrugged in defeat.

“Put them in your cars.”

Then, not wanting to offend Sally, I gave her number four to go inside her Volvo. Barney picked up the fifth with a shrug…

“I always knew I was last in this family!” He joked. “Right, I’m off up the pub. Where in the car should I put it?”

“The instructions say anywhere, just not too close to the engine, so glove compartment, sun visor if it has a pocket, or just in the door side pocket. We will have to recharge them all in six months. I will get a warning when the power in them gets low.” I explained.

Barney kissed Sally and disappeared. I switched on transponders one through to five and we could watch number five leave the house and speed up the lane. Zooming out, we saw it stop in the village next to the ‘PH,’ Public House sign on the ordinance Survey map.

“You realise we may need more transponders, we’ve already used five up,” Gary noted.

“It’s okay, I can order ten more.”

Cat and Helen quickly prioritised which vehicles to assign transponders. With so many additional people helping through harvest, it couldn’t be as easy as each person having one in their pocket.

They agreed on a common location for the transponders in each vehicle, so if they parked one up not to be used for a while, they can swap the transponder into any new vehicles being brought into use.

Gary scooped up the remaining transponders, and we returned to his beat-up truck and started off visiting each of the agreed vehicles to receive transponders. At each one, I logged which vehicle and included it on the map.

By twilight, we were on the far side of the farm, just where they had finished their day’s harvesting. Parked in the harvested field with the combine, support tractors and grain trailers.

Here we were at possibly the highest part of the farm, looking back across the farm. I could see my house in the far distance and the farmhouse partly obscured by the various barns.

It was a nice warm evening with birds flocking to pick at the bugs around the field, rising in the evening’s cool. Crows were pecking along the freshly cut field, taking advantage of the newly exposed soil. The odd bat swooped from the woods nearby, venturing out in the cooler evening.

The vista was lovely, and it was nice to soak it up, leaning on the front bumper of the beat-up truck. Gary must have realised the mood…

“How is your romantic A, B, C lessons coming?” I asked.

He was about to jump in the truck to return to the farmhouse, as I wrapped my knuckles on the car’s bonnet to sign, “not very well, so it seems…”

Grinning, catching my hint, he returned to me, pulled me into him, for us to kiss and cuddle. It was nice to have his muscular arms around me again… His hands ran down my sides to my hips and lifted me up onto the warm bonnet. He jumped up, and we wriggled up to lean back on the windscreen.

I then realised the benefit of his battered truck, not having to worry about scratching or spoiling the paintwork. It was nice, with the warmth of the engine keeping the evening’s chill off, as the sun dropped below the horizon, catching the few clouds hanging over Hereford, hidden by the hills in the distance.

“How this for romance?” He asked, pulling me in close.

“I’m not sure Toyota had this in mind in their adverts… With their dolly birds draped over their cars.”

“You’re the prettiest dolly bird that’s been on this bonnet.” He joked. I knew what he meant, but I couldn’t resist a tease…

“You’ve had other dolly birds on here?”

No soon as I had said it, I felt a little guilt. It was unfair, as he had been transparent about his past.

But he immediately responded. “No… Never… Unless you count Helen or Cat standing on it as a ladder to reach something in the barn.”

I quickly hugged and kissed him, trying to avoid my shame at doubting him. It was beautiful, if a little unconventional, lying there, cuddle up, watching the sun go down, whilst trying not to slide off the bonnet.

After a while, we both gave up and slid off the cooling bonnet, laughing, to stand once again. Gary dug back in the van and returned with the rug he used to cover the passenger seat and we sat on that.

“We aren’t going to win,” I laughed, rubbing my bum as the stubble of the field stabbed through my thin summer dress.

“No fear, Stand up…”

No soon as I had stood up off the rug, Gary led down and rolled back and forth over the rug flattening the stubble underneath. I led down next to him, still giggling, feeling like a naughty teenager, with any romance having gone from the moment.

Soon we had snuggled into a hollow in the ground, ignoring the dog smell from the rug. It was lovely to lie there together, looking up at the stars, peeking through the breaks in the clouds above.

My head nestled on Gary’s shoulder with his arm wrapped around me. His warm breath blew across the top of my head as I felt the romance returning. I enjoyed the rise and fall of his chest and his hands stroking me as we watched bats flying overhead in the dark purple sky.

Gary’s hand softly drifted over my thighs and hips, causing my mind to drift to lustier thoughts, with us being alone and now in a more romantic, less visible position. Thinking through my mind how I could take the lead, rather than signing that, now was the time for him to take things a little faster…

I felt a few vibrations through his chest, thinking he was trying to say something I placed the side of my head to his chest, whilst looking for any signing he might try in the darkness. The rhythmic vibrations soon made themselves clear… He was snoring…

Whilst initially indignant at the situation, they were all working long, hard hours, so maybe it was a good sign showing how relaxed he was with me. This didn’t really help, as I couldn’t leave him here to sleep and it isn’t as if I could lift him into the car to take him home to his or my bed.

At first, it was comfortable, but Gary’s arm soon dropped off me, leaving me chilly and I couldn’t even enjoy the romantic view anymore… I gave up and nudged Gary deep in the ribs with my elbow. He woke with a start, sitting up, which threw me off the rug, onto the damp stubble, stabbing at me again, causing me to jump up.

“Oh, sorry Isla, I fell asleep… I’m so sorry… I’ll take you back.” Gary stammered.

“No, that’s okay. It’s a first for me.”

“What?”

“To have a boyfriend fall asleep… Before sex.”

“What… No?” He then mustered his thoughts, realising the implication he gave a nervous laugh. “I’m sorry… But… Don’t tell my sisters… Please?”

For once he dropped the ‘evil,’ tag to his sisters, but I have no intention of telling anyone, as it could reflect as much on me as him.

“No, don’t worry… I won’t.”

Gary got up, shook the rug and folded it up to return it to the passenger seat. Thankfully, the lights worked on the truck and we bounced our way down the field to the gate.

Gary drove me home, with the both of us now tired and me a little disappointed on two levels. The one, Gary fell asleep and also we couldn’t show everyone the results of the evening. My phone screen now showed all fifteen red dots scattered around the map of the farm.

Parking up on our drive, once again I wanted to lead him upstairs, but like me, his face showed he wouldn’t be comfortable.

“I’m sorry Isla… It’s just… We’re working long hours and, it was so nice to be up there with you… With you led on me… It was so…”

“Romantic?”

He shook his head. “No… Well, yes… But… It felt so calm and peaceful after a long day… being there with you and only you.”

In the light of the reflected headlights and the security light on the house, I saw him blush.

“See you’re getting there… Slowly.”

I leaned over for a hug. He released the seat belt and pulled me over onto his lap. Without the Disco’s central console, it was far easier, although I had to bend my head onto his shoulder with the low roof, made even lower by the dent in it.

With our arms wrapped around each other, I could now fall asleep myself and once more, I yearned to pull him upstairs to bed. I twisted around to kiss him on the lips, my bum on the steering wheel, but as we kissed, Gary’s hands pulled me into him and then almost threw me back onto the passenger side.

It was quite a shock to find myself facing my door, sprawled on the seat. Within the confined space, I had to open the door to shuffle round to look angrily at Gary. But he was laughing hysterically, pointing at the house…

The curtains of mum and dad’s bedroom were open and I could see a head leaning out of the windows.

My dad’s hairy hands and arms protruded into the light. “You okay?”

“Yes…” Although I looked at Gary with daggers, as he, still laughing, signed back…

“Your bum sat on the horn.”

The light in the bedroom came on and mum joined dad at the window.

I quickly signed up to my concerned parents, “It’s okay, it was an accident…”

Mum, seeing my blushes, quickly added two and two together and came up with the answer. She spoke sternly to dad, whose face slowly made a shocked `Oh’ of realisation as mum drew the curtains closed.

Gary was now out of the battered car, lifting me out onto the drive.

“You blasted the horn for ages. I tried, but in the end I had to throw you off. Sorry lovely.”

He pulled me into a tight embrace and we smiled at each other… Giving each other Eskimo kisses with our noses before embracing once more. Once again, I was soon standing in the front door frame waving goodbye, as Gary reversed out, laughing and waving, driving off into the night.

The following morning, I found it easier to follow my usual early riser routine. I had an interesting commission for an instruction manual from a new customer, so would have to allocate extra time to fit that in.

It was a relief to share coffee with mum when the time came. Mum was as excited as I to view my phone screen to see all the transponders moving around the farm in a silent dance. We could zoom out and confirm my location in our house.

“I showed my app to your father last night, it impressed him as we saw numbers one and two moving around the farm. Then later, you and number one move around the farm to end up in the top field. Dad was worried you had got stuck, as you were there ages after the additional numbers appeared.”