He also became renowned in the market circuit as the "Baby Conjurer". He would know when a woman was going to have a baby, even before they knew it. There were times that there were women lined up at our market stall just to see him, word had spread about the boy.
Mostly these were women who had experienced trouble in conceiving or had multiple miscarriages. One of our fellow marketeers, Jacqui, had 4 miscarriages and on the verge of giving up when she came to see Drue. He told her that she would conceive a baby girl naturally in 20 months time and another baby girl would be born 18 months later. Be happy with both girls as there will be no more he said to her. She skipped and clapped all the way back to her stall. 20 months later, Elli was conceived, when Elli was 18 months old she had Abigail.
I wasn't planning on having anymore children. Drue, then 16, was drinking a cup of coffee in the kitchen when I walked past, he asked "So when is my sister coming?". Thinking he was referring to my oldest daughter, I told him she would be home after school naturally, "Not that sister, the other one" Taken back a moment, he said "She's here already, I can feel her". I wasn't aware that I was pregnant, but he did.
Late into the pregnancy, we were going off to see a play with a large group of friends. Drue came after me with my 'bag' and placed it into the boot, with a 'you'll be needing this' remark. After we left, and playing baby sitter to young Ritch, he told the others not to go to their friends house's that night as the baby would be born. Half way through the play, I went into labour. A few hours later Little Miss Mischief was born, 6 weeks earlier than intended.
A couple of years ago when Drue was backpacking around Europe, he rang me just before Xmas to say he wasn't going to make it home in time. Sadly I told the other kids, I went outside to drag the washing off the line with Little Miss Mischief. Half a load off, she jumped down from her chair she used to reach the line and raced towards the house, calling out behind her that was going to wait at the front gate for Drue.
Sigh.
10 minutes of standing at the front gate with her, trying my earnest to explain time frames and coaxing her inside, she cemented herself to the gate and refused to budge. She wasn't going anywhere until Drue came come, she was adamant it would be very, very soon. I threw my hands up in the air in defeat, leaving her there, there was still the rest of the washing to get off the line, diner to cook and everything else mums needed to do. She would get bored with waiting soon soon enough.
A few minutes later, I heard high pitched squeals of excitement coming from Little Miss Mischief, who was still waiting at the gate for her brother. Drue had indeed arrived home. Calling me from our local station, his way of surprising me. I told you, I told you he was coming home she declared jumping around him.
Yesterday Drue, now working in another state, rang me to say he would would be home just after Xmas for a few days. The Xmas days spent working would be more than valuable to him, I was expecting that. Little Miss Mischief told everyone in our office that Drue would be home tomorrow. I had to correct her, 'Nope, tomorrow night' she said.
Drue rang me just a few moments ago, boarding a work plane that was bound for Sydney and with a few days off decided to catch a free ride home. A spur of a moment decision made just a couple of hours ago. Little Miss Mischief is right again. "Well your sister knew you were coming home before you did" I said, he chuckled at that.
Best get the spare room ready.
There are times she would wait at the phone, or even have the phone in her hand already, when he rang. The odd thing is that he never rings at a regular time like my oldest son, who rings every Monday night at precisely 7.30pm, yet she knows when it's Drue, even saying "hello Drue" before really knowing who is at the other end of the line. One time she got it wrong, and told the person to hang up because her brother was about to call. She'd had already hung by the time I got there, I had to hurdle a couch to do so. As she hung up, the phone rang again, this time it was Drue.
I guess there will always be an empathic bond between the two even with the 16 year age difference.
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