Free Red Dirt Diary 2 by Katrina Nannestad Page B

DON’T KNOW.
    Monday, 29 January
    Peter reminded us all at breakfast that, next week, he, Sophie and Gavin are returning to boarding school.
    I hate boarding school. All it does is rip families apart and drag them away from the land where they belong.
    At least I’m not being banished from Hillrose Poo. Mat, Ben Simpson and I will be starting our online tutoring for year seven at Hardbake Plains Public School. Thanks to three years of drought, no-one can afford to send more kids off to boarding school. This is obviously a good thing, but Matilda Jane the Mature thinks it’s as devastating as global warming.
    â€˜Another year at Hardbake Plains with all those silly children will be torture ,’ she moaned. ‘I need to get away from here or I’ll die. You’re so lucky, Sophie. Boarding school is as cool as.’
    Yeah right! As cool as a poke in the eye with a blunt stick, or boils on your bum.
    Wes and Fez brought the three-legged dead sheep from the dam home this afternoon.
    â€˜We’ve got big plans for her, Blue,’ said Wes.
    â€˜Her name’s Wendy,’ said Fez.
    As if that explains it!
    Tuesday, 30 January
    Mat, Sophie and I were climbing on the hay bales beside the driveway today when a big black car arrived. Out popped Miss McKenzie followed by MRS WELSH-PEARSON AND JAMES!!!
    Sophie and Matilda Jane the Mature flew at them, squealing and blowing so many air kisses that I thought they might start a dust storm. Mum, the big fat traitor, invited them all inside for a cuppa.
    James, Miss McKenzie and Mrs WP sipped tea. They laughed and chattered as though nothing in the world was wrong …
    As though Miss McKenzie hadn’t nearly cried herself to death with a broken heart …
    As though James Welsh-Pearson wasn’t the biggest doofus in the whole wide world …
    AS THOUGH THE ENGAGEMENT HAD NEVER BEEN BROKEN OFF!!!
    â€˜Of course the wedding will be here at Hillrose Poo!’ Mrs WP cried. ‘It was all just a silly misunderstanding.’
    â€˜Katherine is the love of my life,’ James declared.
    Spew central! It was an absolute disaster and I was sick of listening to all the drivel — wedding, wedding, wedding, love, kissy, kissy, blah, blah, blah …
    It would have gone on for hours if it wasn’t for the Flying Ferals and their latest catapult stunt. Suddenly there was an enormous bang, as the dead sheep from the dam slammed against thedining-room window. It slid slowly down the fly screen, leaving bits of decayed eyeball and maggoty wool behind as it went.

    Sophie screamed and hid her face in the tablecloth. Mat started to retch and ran from the room. Mum sighed wearily and poured herself another cup of tea. James and Mrs WP stared in horror, speechless, and Miss McKenzie burst out laughing.
    â€˜That’s Wendy, the Flying Ferals’ new assistant,’ I explained.
    I went outside to congratulate the boys. I was elated. I thought that would be the end of it. I was ready to tell Wes and Fez that I love them and that they were the cleverest boys in the world for driving the Welsh-Pearsons away from Miss McKenzie FOREVER.
    But they hadn’t.
    Half an hour later, James and Miss McKenzie left, arm in arm, making googly-goggle eyes at each other. Mrs WP followed behind, chatting to Mum and smiling. She didn’t even snarl when Dad drove by in the ute, yelling, ‘Hello Jacinta!’

    And that’s when I realised. The Welsh-Pearsons really do want Miss McKenzie to be part of their family and they will do anything to make sure it happens. And why wouldn’t they? She is just wonderful and warm and cheerful and kind and generous. No-one would ever want her to walk out of their life once they had her there.
    But she’s going to walk out of our lives.
    Soon.
    What a lousy, rotten bummer of a day.
    Wednesday, 31 January
    Mat and Gavin have both gone home. Mat tried to leave without taking Sheba, but Mr Sweeney