Right As Rain by Tricia Stringer

ag course at uni rather than management and marketing.”
    â€œAnd I was wrong to do it. They have to make their own way.”
    The screen door banged and Louise could tell by the footfall it was Patrick. She lowered her voice.
    â€œWe’ve been over this already. We can’t tie our daughter to this place, Lyle. It’s not fair.”
    â€œIs it fair to Patrick?”
    â€œShush!” She started cleaning down the bench as Patrick stomped into the kitchen.
    â€œIs what fair to Patrick?” he said.
    Louise thought fast. “Another trip into town,” she said. “I’ve got some food to deliver for the church trading table.”
    â€œI may as well. I’m only the errand boy,” he snapped and moved to the sink. He filled a glass with water, drank it down and thumped the glass back on the bench.
    â€œWhat’s up, Patch?” Louise said. Underneath the spiked thatch of died black hair his face was mottled red. He had a bee in his bonnet about something.
    â€œDid you find the pipe?” Lyle asked.
    Louise glanced from Patrick to her husband. Lyle had no idea something was bothering his son.
    â€œI found all sorts of things,” Patrick said.
    Louise focused back on him. “What things?”
    â€œWe need to fix that pivot,” Lyle said. “Where’s Mackenna?”
    â€œSmooching up to Hugh.”
    â€œWhat?” Louise gasped. Hugh McDonald had been a close childhood friend who happened to be male. Mackenna had always made that clear. Had something changed?
    â€œThe two of them are sorting out the rams,” Patrick said as he slumped into a chair. “Hugh thinks they may have barber’s pole worm, whatever that is.”
    â€œHow could that happen?” Lyle stood up. “Is it bad?”
    â€œHe thinks it may have been caught early. Reckons he needs to check the test results.”
    â€œDamn!” Lyle punched the flat of one hand with the fist of the other. “We can’t afford to lose those rams.”
    â€œHugh also said those early crossbreed lambs are probably the result of Mackenna not shifting last year’s lambs out soon enough. The little buggers bonked their mothers.”
    â€œPatrick!” Louise found that kind of talk distasteful.
    â€œI thought we must have left them too long,” Lyle said and sat down again. “It’s the only explanation.”
    More footsteps at the back door announced Mackenna’s arrival. Patrick stood up as she entered the kitchen.
    â€œI’ll go and fix the pivot,” he said.
    â€œDo you want help?” Mackenna turned to follow him.
    â€œI can manage a bit of pipe.”
    â€œI know, but I want to check where it broke. There might be an underlying problem.”
    â€œI reckon there must be a bow in it somewhere,” Lyle said. “Perhaps I should take a look.”
    â€œLyle.” The exasperation in Louise’s voice made them all stop and look at her. She spoke more gently. “You’ve done quite a bit outside already today. Let Patrick handle it.”
    â€œI’ll take a look, Dad,” Mackenna said.
    Patrick shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
    Louise listened to the sound of her two children making their way out of the house. When they were little, Patrick had followed his big sister everywhere hanging on her every word. He was a grown-up now but Mackenna still treated him the same.
    â€œPatrick should head back to the city soon.”
    Lyle’s voice brought her back to the present.
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œI don’t think he wants to be here.”
    â€œHe and Mackenna are just testing each other. They’ll settle down.”
    Lyle sighed. “It doesn’t come naturally to him.”
    â€œYou can’t blame him for that worm infestation.”
    â€œI don’t. Just like I don’t blame Mackenna for not shifting the lambs early enough. Things happen.”
    â€œWhat then?” she