In Part One, I introduce Paula to my farm by taking her on a walk, aiming to show her the patch of bush on it. I go with her to the pond and then beyond to the pond meadow, which leads to the bush track.
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The Bush Track becomes darker and damper and more enclosed as we walk along it. There is a worn path that we follow, left behind from the times that the cattle have passed this way and from my semi-regular visits to these parts. Large ferns bow over the track, throwing dappled shade before us.
Glow worms live here. At night, along the bank to the right, in amongst the ferns and other plants, their small twinkling lights can be discerned.
There is a spring just ahead of us to the right. We can hear the trickling of its issue as it spills out of the bush across the track on its way to the stream below. At this point, the track is muddy, an extended section of soft clay. It is slippery and bumpy, tricky to negotiate safely and cleanly.
I am wearing gumboots. You are wearing open sandals. You hesitate about going forward. Without warning, I scoop you up off your feet, gathering you into my arms. Your arm automatically goes around my neck to stabilise yourself, then to hold yourself close to me. My left arm is under your thighs, my right is around your back. I stand while you settle solidly into my body.
I slowly venture out onto the clay. From experience I know where the firmer ground is and I know where the slope can be treacherous. At one point I slip a little and have to pause and choose a better platform before moving on. I can feel your trust and confidence in me. I don't entirely share it, but I am doing my best and taking care.
I can feel your sweet warm breath on my neck. I have to work hard to focus on my footing.
Nearly across. Then one of my feet gets stuck in the mud. As I struggle to release it from the sucking cloying clay, so my weight goes onto my other foot and it starts to sink.
You can feel the tension build in my body. I might need to abandon the gumboots. But I manage to free my trailing boot and plant it on firmer footing so that I can release the other. With relief, I make the other side of the soft clay.
Still in my arms, you turn your face up to mine. I look into your eyes, then at your mouth which is partly open, so inviting. I bring my lips to yours.
Gently I kiss you. Then I seal my mouth to yours more firmly and slowly open it to offer my tongue. I feel your tongue emerge to meet it. They touch. They caress. We breathe deeply and then raggedly at the small electric shivers being sent into our bodies. Then we taste each other.
And now my arms and back tell me that I need to put you down. Reluctantly, I disengage my mouth from yours and lower you to the ground, placing your feet back on the track.