Now…
“Penny do we have any more cola left?” the old woman who just happened to be her elderly mother asked from her position slumped in an armchair.
“Nope,” Penny sighed as she looked miserably at the Star Trek: Next Generation marathon that was spewing out of TV1. Her mood wasn’t helped by the continually broken air conditioner and the oppressive heat that had therefore filled the room and was causing a small torrent to gush from her pores. Penny lifted her arm and winced at the rather obvious sweat stains on her shirt.
“I told you to save the cola,” her mother continued, unaware of Penny’s unhappiness.
“I never touched it,” Penny groused. “Perhaps it was John or one of the devil’s children that ate all our food earlier."
“That’s no way to talk about your sister’s children."
“What? You have a better name for the small, whiny brats that torture the cat, break everything and only appear at birthdays and Christmas?"
“They’re kids Penny, you were like that once,” her mother’s groused, turning up the television a little.
“No, I was poor and repressed,” Penny grumbled and glared at the array of Christmas cards that were sprawled on top of the television cabinet with a bit tinsel the cat had been playing with. Why, she wondered, did Christmas cards have pictures of jolly Santas, snow covered cities and children in scarfs when it was 38 degrees outside and not even the least bit Christmassy? In fact, they’d turned down a vast Christmas dinner with her sister to eat nachos and watch the Star Trek marathon. She wondered at what point had the Lord Almighty decided to destroy her last means of happiness and looked over at her poor cat who was stretched out on the kitchen lino trying desperately to find a cool patch. He seemed to be the only other living thing that was wondering why Christmas hadn’t been banned that year. He feebly lifted his head, looked at her with an expression of pain and then dropped his head again. “I wonder if it was before or after Dad left to become a woman…”
“What?” her mother piped up although still quite distracted.
“ Nothing Mom,” Penny sighed and rested her cheek heavily on her fist.
Then…
(two weeks earlier)
“What the fuck is the guy you very nearly married doing in my back garden?” Chris gasped looking from Tony to Penny several times and then settling on Penny.
“Well I didn’t invite him,” Penny shrugged and put her hands on her hips as if that proved her point.
“Perhaps I could enlighten you?” Tony piped up with a nervous smile.
“Make it quick,” Chris groused ,crossing his arms and glaring at Tony.
“I wanted to speak to Penny, in person and her Mum told me…”
“That woman is going in a fucking home,” Penny hissed and then blushed. “Sorry, continue."
“Not much to continue with really,” Tony shrugged. “By the way, your dog is damn scary."
“Good,” Chris scowled. “You can go now."
“Actually Chris, I’d like to talk to him,” Penny announced gingerly and Chris looked at her slightly annoyed.
“Fine,” he breathed and headed toward the door with Bear in tow. “I’m going to have a shower."
“Do you want to talk over dinner or…” Tony began and Chris stopped and looked at Penny.
“Dinner’s fine, I’ll just change,” she smiled. “Why don’t you go wait in your car or something."
“Right, sure,” Tony nodded and quickly brushed past Bear to the safety of the front garden.
“What are you going to dinner with him for?” Chris hissed, wandering into the house with Penny not far behind.
“Because I have issues with him I have to deal with,” Penny said nonchalantly. “I haven’t seem him since our very nearly wedding."
“So why do you want to see him now?"
“Because I used to love him Christopher,” Penny breathed, marching past Chris into the bedroom.
“How much ‘used to’ are we talking about here?” Chris asked his voice tinged with panic.
“I very nearly married him remember?” Penny sighed, fishing out some fresh underwear. The only spare set she had there were slightly sheer but still, she thought nothing of it.
“Are you sure that underwear is appropriate for dinner with your ex?” Chris asked, stripping down to his underwear and grabbing the towel he’d abandoned on the floor that morning.
“Well since I don’t plan on jumping up on the table and ripping my shirt off I think it’ll be fine,” Penny jeered.
“Right,” Chris mumbled, heading out of the bedroom for the shower that was seeming more and more desperate the longer he put it off. “You’re wearing a long shirt aren’t you?” he added and Penny shook her head and lobbed her dirty jeans at him.
Now…
“Well, aren’t you excited?” Angie grinned as her son sat holding some expensive, foil paper with holly on it in one hand and a set of keys to a brand new Porsche in the other.
“Thrilled,” Chris sighed, dropping the keys on the coffee table.
“Christopher, it’s the latest model!” Angie snorted, her hands on her hips, her botoxed face so desperately wanting to wrinkle.
“You realise how many trees will die from the pollution from that horrendous vehicle,” Joe declared dully. “I mean Rainbow and I cycle everywhere."
“In sandals?” Chris said bemused looking at his brother’s tacky footwear.
“Sandals allow the feet to breath brother,” Joe replied. “It’s good for personal hygiene."
“Really?” Chris mused and grabbed the car keys from the coffee table. “Then you have my car, sell it and start a charity for the unappreciated podiatrial function of the sandal,” he added and placed the keys into his brother’s hand.
“CHRISTOPHER!” Angie screeched and her son got up and wandered into the kitchen where his father was half buried into a huge stainless steel oven checking the turkey.
“Gave your brother the car again?” he asked somewhere between the potatoes and the carrots.
“Yeah,” Chris giggled. “For a sandal charity."
“Oh I bet your mother loved that,” Arthur smiled, finally appearing, his face bright red.
“As much as she enjoyed my donation to Joe’s ‘Love the Cabbage’ fund last year."
“Thank god this is only once a year,” Arthur breathed, looking over his shoulder before producing a bottle of whisky from the bread bin. He poured them both a small amount in a glass and hid the bottle again. “So, other than the obvious joys of Christmas with Angie how are you doing son?"
Chris took a glass from his father and sipped the liquid, it burnt a little as it went down his throat. “Oh you know Dad…”
“Miserable as sin?"
“And not nearly drunk enough for Joe and Rainbow’s alternate Christmas carols,” Chris said with a sad smile.
“Here’s to that,” Arthur perked and they clinked glasses.
Then…
“It’s just plain wrong to see engineers in reindeer horns,” Chris mused as he followed Penny into the empty pool room.
“It’s just a novelty, Marty’ll get tired of it in a couple of days,” Penny shrugged, her mind far too distracted to really care.
“So, what’s with the secretive lunch meeting huh?” Chris asked lecherously and slid his hands onto Penny’s waist.
“Don’t,” she breathed, moving his hands. “Sit,” she ordered and he looked at her curiously a moment before taking a seat on the pool table.
“You didn’t bring me in here to make out did you?” Chris asked and Penny shook her head. “Has this got to do with Tony?"
Penny tried to look him in the eyes but ended up fiddling with a bit of felt that was sticking up on the pool table. “Tony and I, we had a really great dinner the other night. I expected we’d end up at each others throats, I really did, or that I’d throw my pasta at him but…”
“He didn’t get doused in cabonara?"
“But we talked, we talked for hours actually,” Penny continued ignoring him. “And we decided that what we had was pretty special and that we should try again.” She rushed the last part in the hope that it was be more painless.
“You’re dumping me?” Chris announced, shocked.
Penny nodded gingerly. “I was with Tony a long time and just because he had a touch of cold feet doesn’t mean that we can’t work things out."
“What about us? What about what we’ve got?"
“It’s a nice idea Chris, but really,” Penny shrugged. “We’re just too different."
“No we’re not,” Chris pleaded. “We’ve got a lot in common, we’re both engineers, we’re both attracted to each other, we both like to watch bad 70s television!"
“Chris, you’re suited to some blonde thing in designer clothes with a well connected family,” Penny soothed, gently squeezing his arm. “You can do so much better than me,” she added, gave him a weak smile and hurried out of the room.
“But you are the best,” Chris pouted and looked sadly at his slightly shaking hands.
Now…
“And then Father Joseph read out the wrong Bible passage,” Ross’s mother giggled into what was now one too many sherries.
“God, strike me down now,” Ross groaned, his paper hat falling over one eye as he rested his chin heavily on one hand. He was just thinking things couldn’t get worse than humorous Church stories when the doorbell rang, he was sure the tune was a hymn.
“That’ll be Mark and Diane,” his mother Ruth beamed, and a few seconds later in walked one of his three younger brothers with his wife and snotty little kids. “Come in, come in,” Ruth gushed.
“Merry Christmas Ross,” Mark perked, dropping a parcel in Ross’s lap and then ignoring him to coo over one of the small children.
“Oh great, Uncle Ross is here,” remarked Harry who at eleven was the oldest of the brood. “What did you get me tight arse?"
“Little fucker,” Ross mumbled and the child gave him the finger. He moved quickly and the child leapt back.
“DAD!” Harry wailed and Mark strode back over. “Dad, Uncle Ross was gonna hit me and he won’t give me my present."
“Why do you even bother turning up to family occasions huh?” Mark groused, clutching his child to his side.
“I like the atmosphere,” Ross sneered, wishing he’d taken the youngest of his brothers Joel’s idea and backpacked around Nepal. Mark shook his head and stalked off back to his mother and Harry started roughly pawing through the Christmas presents to find the ones labelled to him.
Ross looked at the parcel in his lap and then unenthusiastically tore off the paper. Inside was a book on ‘The Don’ which he felt compelled to lob at his arsehole of a brother who seemed to get perverse pleasure in buying him cricketing merchandise every year for no apparent reason, especially since Ross hated cricket with a passion.
“Sorry, Mark thought it’d be funny,” Diane declared as she sat next to Ross on the couch. Harry was now entranced in a video game and Mark was chatting over the other side of the room with his mother and father.
“That’s because he’s a prick,” Ross smiled, feeling a slight sense of joy rise inside of him. He’d known since the day Mark and Diane met that Diane fancied him and there’d been countless opportunities where he could have screwed her to spite him. In fact, one New Year’s when they’d had quite a bit to drink Diane had pashed him behind the garden shed. She smiled brightly at him and Ross’s eyes traveled straight down her generous cleavage, brought on by her three children.
“So where’s this new girl I heard you’re dating?” Diane asked coyly, her hand moving onto his arm.
“You should have a drink,” Ross announced suddenly feeling distinctly uncomfortable and got to his feet. “I’ll get you one,” he added, already halfway to the kitchen.
Then…
“So, why are you here?” Ross asked, standing with his arms crossed and glaring at his ex-wife.
“Well, the thing is honey,” she replied getting to her feet. “I was wondering if I could maybe have a little loan."
“Loan of what?” Ross queried as Sasha moved closer to him. Her eyes wide and innocent, her lips in a small, cute pout.
“Money of course."
“Absolutely not,” Ross declared stoically. Sasha moved forward and let one of her hands slide onto his chest.
“Aw come on Rossy,” she purred and gently brushed a kiss close to his lips. “You wouldn’t deny me now would you?"
Ross felt his resolve crumbling, Sasha might have screwed him for just about everything but she sure as hell was a beautiful women and he couldn’t help but still feel something for her, no matter what ancient tribal magic he’d tried to avoid it. He uncrossed his arms and looked into her eyes and that did it. Her dark, mysterious eyes were all the convincing he needed.
“How much do you want?"
“$500,” she smiled coyly.
“Wait there,” he ordered and hurried into the bedroom where he wrote out a check. He returned and handed it to her. “Will you go now."
“Of course sweetie,” she cooed and brushed her lips against his, her hand stopping perilously close to his crotch. He closed his eyes and opened them again when the front door closed loudly. Ross took several deep breaths before remembering Kirsty was still in the shower and headed for the bathroom.
As he approached the door he could hear her humming away and whatever powers Sasha had over him evaporated instantly. He removed his rather smelly clothes and pulled back the shower curtain.
“I thought you were never gonna get here,” Kirsty mused, her naked body glistening with water. She pressed her wet flesh against his dry warm body and engulfed him in a needy kiss. “What did her majesty want?"
“Oh, just one of my CDs,” Ross lied and quickly kissed her again. “I told her to get fucked."
“Christ I hope she doesn’t make a habit of this,” Kirsty huffed and then giggled. “Here, you get under the water, you stink."
“You’re not exactly made of roses yourself you know,” Ross teased and Kirsty gasped and lobbed a loofah at him. He went to dodge it and got tangled in the shower curtain. “HELP!"
Now…
“Teddy,” the small child declared holding up a piece of Christmas paper with a bear on it.
“Yes, yes it is,” Kirsty nodded dully.
“Teddy!” the child continued unabated and held the paper up higher.
“Yes, it’s still a teddy,” Kirsty agreed with even less enthusiasm.
“Teddy!"
“Right."
“Teddy!"
“Yeah, hey Lachie,” Kirsty smiled. “Why don’t you go show Gran huh?” Lachlan let out a squeal and bolted toward the kitchen. He tripped over another piece of stray paper and smacked into a wall.
“Teddy!” he declared unfazed and hurried on his way into the kitchen to find his Grandmother.
Kirsty closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief. Surely Christmas couldn’t drag on for much longer. She looked miserably at their dilapidated old Christmas tree with its thinning branches and retro fairy in her purple and yellow dress. God she was depressed, mind you she was probably always depressed at Christmas. There are only so many hours a day you can be happy and cheerful, but after the horrendous last minute Christmas shopping and weather that allowed you to fry food on the bonnet of your car, the joy fades to the honest loathing of the whole damn holiday.
“Kirst!” her mother called from the kitchen.
“What?” Kirsty called back in no hurry to move from in front of the air conditioner.
“Come here,” her mother ordered and Kirsty reluctantly got to her feet and padded into the kitchen where the rest of her family were sitting around the table picking at bowls of nuts and bitching about the family members that weren’t there.
“Yes?” Kirsty sighed and crossed her arms. She was hoping whatever it was wouldn’t take long.
“Do you know where my purple photo album is?"
Kirsty looked blankly at her mother, she hadn’t lived at home for quite some time now and wasn’t attuned to the layout of the family photo album collection. It could have been in a number of places but why her mother wanted to look at photos from 1973 on Christmas Day was beyond her. “I’ve absolutely no idea. In fact why would I have any idea where it was?"
“I don’t know, I just thought you might,” her mother shrugged and Kirsty rolled her eyes.
“Anything else?"
“Where’s Ross?” her sister-in-law Michelle piped up and then cringed as her son went head first into the table. Lachie looked blankly for a moment, grinned and took off into the hall.
“Y’know I don’t think I actually care but I imagine it involves his ex-wife,” Kirsty announced sarcastically before turning on her heel and marching form the room.
“I forgot to mention that’s a sore point,” her mother sighed and then went back to wondering where the purple photo album was.
Then…
“Hon, you haven’t paid your electricity bill,” Kirsty announced, sipping a glass of water as she looked at the Origin Energy issued statement pinned the fridge with a ‘Big Orange’ magnet.
“What? Oh, I was gonna pay that later,” Ross shrugged, his voice tinged with slight unease.
“Babe it’s a final notice, you’ve gotta pay it now,” Kirsty countered, taking the statement from the fridge. “Besides you told me you had the cash in your account ready for it."
“Did I?"
“Yeah, you were sort of strutting around the living room, chest puffed out declaring that you were the God of Savings."
“Yeah,” Ross mumbled and ran his fingers through his hair. “I had to use the money for something else."
“Something else like what?"
“Christmas shopping."
“But you’ve done nearly all your shopping."
“I forked out for an expensive power tool for Dad."
“You said your Dad was the cardigan wearing, Bible reading, flower arranging type."
“He’s taken up a new hobby,” Ross declared, exasperated and fast running out of lies.
Kirsty crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side. “What happened to the money you’d painstakingly saved?"
“I told you…”
“What really happened."
Ross threw his arms in the air and let out a frustrated cry. “I gave it to bloody Sasha."
“What? Why?” Kirsty gasped, angry that he’d give money to his wench of an ex-wife.
“Because she asked,” Ross said pathetically, running his hands over his face. “I didn’t mean to, she just kinda, she…”
“Made a pass at you and you caved in like the spineless idiot you are?” Kirsty groused and thumped her glass down on the breakfast bar.
“It’s just a loan, she’ll pay me back,” he breathed and glanced over at Kirsty who was fuming.
“Sorry to break it to you hon but if she could afford to pay it back she wouldn’t have borrowed it in the first place."
“Well maybe I have more trust in her than you do."
“You said she was the anti-Christ!"
“Is there anything I haven’t said that you’d like to throw back in my face."
“I can’t believe you’d be so stupid."
“And I can’t believe you’re being so fucking righteous."
“Excuse me?” Kirsty hissed, hands on hips and eyes narrowed. “I haven’t given any of my money away to former lovers recently."
“No, you’re right,” Ross sneered. “But it’s also none of your damn business what I do with my money."
Kirsty felt the words she was about to yell get caught in her throat and she choked for a moment. “I’m sorry, did I miss the memo that said we weren’t in a relationship."
“You know I think you might have,” Ross snapped venomously. “It was between the one that said ‘you don’t own me’ and ‘butt out of things that don’t concern you.’"
“Fuck you!” Kirsty snapped back, chucked her glass of water over him before she stormed out of Ross’s apartment. “Selfish prick."
“BITCH!” Ross screamed after her as he reached for a tea towel to try and dry his shirt. It didn’t work and in a total tantrum he ripped off his now damp shirt and chucked it on the floor before storming off to find a dry one.
Now…
“I think Lynda would look lovely in a magnolia coloured dress,” sighed Julia’s Aunty Pat as she fingered a plate of crackers and cheese.
“Oh magnolia would be lovely,” piped up her mother, going decidedly gushy. “She’s actually tried on several in that colour."
“So what’s the latest venue they’re thinking of?” piped up another aunt who had been drinking cask wine since eleven.
“Oh you know that posh house up in the hills?” Faye said with mild annoyance and soon they were all in deep, half dazed thought about the name of the posh house in the hills. “Julia...”
“Ayr, it’s Ayr House,” Julia sighed and looked despondently at her half empty can of Bundy and Coke.
“Oh that sounds lovely,” chirped one of the gaggle of aunts and Julia decided to take her moment and leave the kitchen for the sanctity of the living room.
The men had all fled to the shed rather quickly to compare the power tools they’d received for Christmas and so Julia was pleased to find the living room was both empty and cool. She flumped into her favourite chair and surveyed her small pile of presents. There was some cheap shower gel, two cans of deodorant, a top that was both plain and too small and some chocolates from her father. A sigh automatically let itself out of her mouth, Julia had pointed out a nice pair of pyjamas that she’d had her eye on but as usual no one took the hint. At least Kirsty and Penny had spoiled her with an expensive array of goodies and a six pack of Bundy and Coke just for the occasion.
Julia leaned back and sipped her drink as she listened to the women in the kitchen gossiping about her sister’s upcoming wedding and how glamorous it was going to be, how lovely Lynda would look and how Julia was going to end up a lonely old spinster. Oh, she knew they didn’t think she could hear but they all whispered like elephants charging toward a large mound of peanuts. It was refreshing to know her family had so much confidence in her future really, some people’s families didn’t give a damn but no, hers were just so warm and supportive.
“JULIA!"
“WHAT?” Julia yelled not wanting to go back and quickly searching for an excuse to avoid having to face them all again.
“WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MAGNOLIA?"
“Why the hell can’t they just say white?” she mumbled and then sighed as she got to her feet. “I thought white was only for virgins and we sure as hell know she’s not."
“Julia!” her mother scorned and gave that look she always did. The one that said she was embarrassed by Julia’s existence because she wasn’t Lynda.
“Maybe she should wear something that’s more fitting for her character like whore red and black lace undies,” Julia quipped and looked at the aghast faces smugly.
“Well we can see why you’re not married,” her Nanna piped up, glared at Julia and then starting discussing invitations.
Julia felt compelled to attack the old woman with the left over turkey roll but counted back calmly from ten before backing back into the living room. She was going to have to leave soon before she really did strike people with leftovers. She grabbed an abandoned Christmas bag with a reindeer grinning on the front and slipped her few measly gifts into it, then glanced around to see if she’d forgotten anything and realised she had. Just one still wrapped parcel in shiny paper. The more she looked at the parcel the more she wanted to leave it there and forget she’d ever bought it.
Then…
“God I’m bored,” Julia sighed, staring at the television and the ten millionth sappy Christmas movie that was on. “I don’t have to live like this,” she added and grabbed her keys and purse from the coffee table. She slipped on her shoes and headed out to her car, making sure to lock the door behind her, not that there was much to steal apart from Kirsty’s CD collection, the computer and the odd cat. Julia settled behind the wheel of her car and headed in the direction of Port Adelaide and Liam’s house. Dammit, she was sick of waiting for him to make a bloody move. They’d flirted and kissed, sure, but it was killing her that he was being so reluctant to take things further. Ok, granted they’d had a few hiccups along the way but why couldn’t she get a Chris or Ross who were absolutely batty about their women.
It took almost an hour through the thick late weekend traffic to get to Liam’s. His car was parked in the driveway so at least she knew he was home. Julia parked her car in the street before making her way to the front door. She rang the doorbell and waited as the hot afternoon sun warmed her skin, turning it red. It took several seconds before she heard giggling and banging and then the door opened and Liam stood there, barefoot with a small child draped over one shoulder.
“Jools,” he gasped, absolutely surprised to see her.
“Liam,” she said shocked to see him with a child hanging from his shoulder.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, gently placing the child back on the ground.
“Well, I, I wanted to…"
“Dad can I go back to the game?” asked the child, looking entirely too bored with whatever was going on.
“Yeah, sure,” Liam muttered and the kid took off leaving just Julia, Liam and a flyscreen door.
“Dad?” Julia said then realised she was thinking aloud and really wished she hadn’t.
“Yeah,” Liam nodded. “That’s Jack, my son."
“Oh,” Julia swallowed and hoped it came across as a ‘that’s ok’ oh and not a ‘ah shit’ oh. “How old is he?"
“Eight,” Liam replied. “His mother is an ex-girlfriend."
“Right, of course,” Julia nodded. “Didn’t think the stork had brought him."
“No,” Liam agreed as the situation went into uncomfortableness overdrive.
“Why didn’t you tell me?"
“Women don’t usually go for guys who have baggage,” Liam shrugged.
“So, you just never tell them?"
“Only the ones I like."
“Oh,” Julia breathed. “Do you like me?"
“I think I might,” Liam smiled. “Does it bother you, about Jack I mean?"
“No, he looks like a cute kid,” Julia smiled back. “I think he takes after his father in that department."
“I’ll say, little shit’s already had three girlfriends this year,” Liam laughed looking proud.
“DAD!” Jack yelled from the living room amidst the sound of electronic music from a computer game.
“Yeah, anyway,” Liam breathed. “Now you know huh?” Julia nodded. “I’d ask you to stay and meet him but y’know I’m not ready for that and I don’t get to see him half as often as I’d like and…”
“I understand, it’s ok, really,” Julia nodded. “You should spend time with him."
“Thanks,” he smiled, looking relieved. They moved closer and Liam ducked his head to kiss her.
“DAD! HURRY UP!"
“Maybe next time huh?” Liam laughed breathily, brushed his lips against hers and left Julia on the doorstep. She walked calmly back to her car and slid behind the wheel.
“He’s got fucking kid!” she cried and rested her head on the wheel. “Always with the baggage."
Now…
“Dad, Dad, look at me…DAD!” Jack yelled as he dropped kicked a football into his grandmother’s herb garden.
“Jack!” Liam groaned, wondering if buying his son a football for Christmas had been such a good idea.
“My poor plants,” his mother Rosie sighed as she looked at the now broken greenery.
“I’ll fix it later,” Liam promised but his mother look unconvinced.
“Come on brother, show your son how we Pitjantjatjara men play footy,” his brother Jimmy declared, snatching up the football and handballing it to a cousin.
“Yeah come on Dad!” Jack grinned and raced over to his father, he grabbed his hand and tried to pull him to his feet.
“Oh all right,” Liam mused, getting to his feet.
“Watch my garden y’here!” his mother ordered as she sat back to watch her sons, nephews and various other macho male relatives attempt to play sport in her small garden. Rosie watched as her plants got trampled, people got injured and her grandson learnt some new words she was hoping he didn’t repeat anywhere in the near future. The game ended abruptly when Jimmy tackled Liam and then about nine other people piled on top of them.
“That was brilliant!” Jack enthused his knees red raw and his shorts sporting a large grass stain down one side.
“So I see,” Rosie breathed and wondered what the tribal elders would have thought if they’d seen their best and brightest men scrapping like children. Thank god their father wasn’t around to see such behaviour, why back in her day men were men and they worked for the tribe, now they acted more white than the white man.
“Not bad big brother,” Jimmy grinned as he helped Liam to his feet.
“Thanks little brother,” Liam laughed, feeling cleansed after sweating out the frustration that’d been building inside of him for weeks.
“I’m going to be captain of the school footy team this year,” Jack declared proudly as Rosie poured them all glasses of water.
“Of course you will be,” Jimmy nodded. “Just like your Dad was before he went all accountant on us."
“Ah get stuffed,” Liam chided and pushed Jimmy out of the way.
“Hey!” Jimmy yelped and shoved him back and half a second later they were wrestling again.
“Boys,” Rosie announced. “BOYS!"
Jimmy and Liam stopped and panted as they looked at their mother. She motioned behind them and they looked to see Jack’s mother Tessa standing looking unimpressed.
“Mum!” Jack beamed and raced over to hug his mother. Liam’s face fell, he hated when Jack had to go home.
“Hi kiddo,” Tessa smiled. “Did you have fun?"
“We played footy,’” Jack said excitedly as Liam sauntered over.
“That’s great,” Tessa perked. “How injured is he?"
“Just a bit grotty and scraped, he’s fine,” Liam winced as he caught his breath. “You don’t have to take him you know. He can stay the night with me."
“Can I Mum?” Jack asked expectantly.
“Sorry honey, not this time,” Tessa replied and ruffled her son’s hair. “I’m taking him to my Uncle’s for a couple of weeks."
“But your Uncle lives up in Arnhem Land?” Liam gasped angrily as Arnhem Land was up near Darwin a rather long way away.
“It’s only a couple of weeks and I think it’ll be good for the boy to get back to his roots,” Tessa said sternly, missing Jack’s look of total despair.
“Fair enough,” Liam sighed, realising it was useless to argue. He pulled his son into his arms and gave him a long hug. “Be good for your Mum ok."
“Yes Dad,” Jack said miserably before being led away by his mother toward her waiting car.
Liam let out a sad sigh and sat down on the doorstep. The weather might have been perfect, the day one of the best in his life but at that very moment he just felt very lonely.
Then…
“Please be home, please be home, please be home,” Liam muttered, mantra-like as he approached Julia’s front door. He gingerly rang the bell and waited nervously on the doorstep. He knew it was late and she’d probably be in bed but he just couldn’t stand another night alone in his house. The place creaked, his bed was cold and everything just seemed so much bigger when you’re on your own.
The door opened slightly and Julia peeked around it before she opened it fully. A piece of shiny wrapping paper was in one hand and she looked surprised.
“Liam, what on earth are you doing here?"
“I was in the neighbourhood,” he lied as she opened the flyscreen door and let him in. “Wrapping presents I see."
“Huh?” Julia said then noticed the wrapping paper and present tags on the floor. “Yeah, thought I’d get it done, y’know."
“Nice remote controlled jeep,” Liam smiled, noticing the half wrapped gift on the floor. “Jack’s been on at me for ages to get him on like that."
“That’s why I bought it for him,” Julia said casually. “He said you’re a paranoid freak."
“He’s a charming young man, really,” Liam laughed, a wave of gratitude toward Julia sweeping over him. “You didn’t have to though. He wouldn’t have survived without it."
“I wanted to,” Julia shrugged as she leaned back against the wall. Liam let his eyes look over the singlet and loose pyjama pants she was wearing and licked his lips instinctively.
“Jools,” he breathed, stepping forward and brushing a stray curl from her face. He had a list of things planned out that he was going to say. He was going to tell her that he didn’t want to play their cat and mouse game any more. That he was incredibly attracted to her and that he didn’t want to be alone any more but he couldn’t find the voice to put the words together and instead he brought his lips to hers. Julia kissed him back hungrily, her hands searching out his body to hold close to hers, something she’d been aching for for weeks. His lips moved from hers to her neck and she pulled away. He looked taken aback until she took his hand and led him down the hall to her room.
“Jools…” he began but she hushed him with another kiss and helped him gently remove his t-shirt. “Wait!” Liam ordered, using all his strength to pull away.
“Oh god what?” Julia gasped suddenly feeling like she’d done something wrong or gone to far.
“Wait right there,” Liam breathed and dashed out of the room. She watched as he dead-latched the doors, took the phone off the hook and switched off both their mobiles. “Right, now, where were we?” he smiled flirtatiously and pulled her back into his arms.