CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
We hadn't really answered questions from the people around us as to what we would be doing: where we would get married, where we would live, etc.
Billy wanted to stay in the US and for me, I was happy to stay here for a few years at least before heading back to sunny Australia.
Billy was hesitant to agree with me but when I pointed out all the benefits of raising a family in Australia: the universal health care, the free education until eighteen then cheap (compared to the US) college with interest free student loans, the clean air and water, the improved standard of living, higher paid jobs, etc. Billy did agree with me in the end that a move back there would be good when we were ready to start our own family.
"I am happy to live here until we have our children." I told Billy and he agreed with me. Australia would be an easier place to raise children, but the US would have more career opportunities for the both of us right now.
After we had both had a break in New York for a short while, we were both feeling restless, wanting to get back to work. It's nice to be on holiday, but when you're caught between a rock and a hard place like I was, you want more than a few weeks off, you want to get your career into gear and start doing something with your life.
I hadn't minded taking care of the ranch's books, but mostly because I had liked the slow pace of work. After discussing it with Billy, we agreed that we would find another ranch where I could manage the books and he could be a rancher.
Of course I could earn more money in a city like New York but after being here for a while, I had felt the novelty wear off and seen the grit underneath the New York dream. It wasn't all roses and butterflies in the park here, and I didn't want to trade in my beautiful ranch life for this.
Billy started looking for a ranch that would take the both of us. In a few days' time, he had three offers: two ranches that said they would take both of us but that I would need to do cleaning and cooking (like Mama had) as well.
Obviously it wasn't just the ranch where we'd met that put doing the books down as a low priority after things like cleaning and cooking.
The third ranch understood that I was a college graduate and that they would be lucky to have me, they also ran tours of the ranch and took school groups and tourists alike who they would show ranch living to.
The third ranch too wasn't far from a capital city. We would be able to go into the city a few times a month if we needed to, so this would be the best of both worlds.
Plus, the pay was higher than we had previously been offered at any of the other places. We would be able to save for our wedding much quicker this way.
We didn't go back to the original ranch because of how we had left things, and also because they didn't need anyone to look after their books now.
It wasn't until a few days before we were starting our new job that we heard from the ranch owner of the ranch where we had first met. He called Billy to try and talk him into coming back. Billy wasn't interested after what had happened to me when I left and how dangerous it had been, he said no without hesitation apparently and thanked the owner for his call.
Over the next few days, the ranch owner called a number of times, each one he would tell Billy that he should come back. Each time Billy said he would not.
In the end, I answered the phone one day when Billy was in the shower.
Recognising who it was quickly after telling him I was fine and asking how he was, I told the ranch owner, "I'm sorry, but we have found jobs elsewhere."
"I know." Said the ranch owners voice down the phone, "But I really need the two of you here, plus, Mama misses you."
I sighed at the obvious attempt at manipulation. "She might," I agreed, "But we can't come back. We have already committed ourselves elsewhere, and it wouldn't be fair on the other ranch."
"You know I always liked you." The ranch owner said, "Even as no-one else did, I always liked you."
Rolling my eyes I told him, "It doesn't matter who you like, we are going elsewhere."
The ranch owner wasn't listening as he went on, "I did get rid of those other guys, too. They won't be gambling away all the money anymore."
"Huh?" I asked, "They were gambling away money?"
"Yes sir, that's where it went." He told me.
I didn't feel so bad reporting them then, and it was good to have things confirmed anyway.
"But you knew they were gamblers?" I asked.
"Yes sir, I did. Everyone in the whole town knew." He told me.
"How did you think they were getting the money then?" I asked as it occurred to me how strange it was that these guys had never been pulled up before, then when they were it was a huge drama and I had to leave the ranch so quickly.
There was silence down the line. I think the ranch owner knew he was caught in a big old bear trap (as he would say himself).
"Listen," I started as I realised Billy was finishing up in the shower, "Billy and I really do appreciate your giving us jobs, and your wanting us back, but we really do need to move on to other things now. We're getting married soon, and we need to have permanent jobs to look better to immigration so I can stay here. I'm sorry, but I don't think working for you could ever be permanent after what happened. The boys just wouldn't like or trust us."
Another silence as the ranch owner thought over what I had said, "Okay." He agreed, "I understand."
"So you won't call here again?" I asked, my voice firm.
The ranch owner agreed, "No, I won't. Good luck with your new job." And his voice sounded earnest, which did surprise me a little.
"Thank you, good luck with everything in the future to you too." I told him as I hung up the phone.
Right then, Billy exited the bathroom and seeing me holding his phone he gave me a quizzical look, "Who was that?" He asked.
I gave him a little smile, "Someone who won't be bothering us again." I told him.
Billy nodded. "That's good news." And leaned in to give me a little kiss on the forehead before getting ready for one of our last days in New York City.