Chapter 3: An Aussie Chrissie – Part 1

Thanks to all that have read and reviewed my story.

I hope you like this part.

Two and a half weeks after the birth of Corrie it was Christmas.

Jasmine, Ace and Bailey had arrived at Drovers 3 days after the birth of Luke and Jodi's daughter.

It was Christmas Eve and all the family was sitting on the veranda of the main Drover's Run homestead.

"Lissie, darling get me another beer," said a quite drunk Alex Ryan to his daughter.

"Um…dad…I think you have had enough beer already," Lissie told her father with her hands on her hips. This made her look very much like her mother and it scared people often.

"Don't do that to me. Don't do that. Your mother does that. Please Melissa Rebecca McLeod-Ryan. Please – pretty please. For you handsome, caring, loving father that made you – please!" Alex said getting down on the ground begging his daughter for a beer.

"Get up Alex! If you want one that much get it yourself!" Claire said coming to the rescue for Lissie.

With that Alex got up and walked into the house mumbling something that sounded a lot like 'no fun'.

After the little show by Alex for a beer everyone started to leave.

Lissie walked into her room that she shared with Fly. She changed into her pj's and went to the bathroom.

She cleaned her teeth, brushed her hair and washed her face.

Lissie finally got to sleep at 12-30am that night (or should I say morning) because Fly was texting her boyfriend, Tom until all hours and her parents and Jasmine and Ace were all downstairs putting presents out under the tree.

The next morning Lissie woke up the yelling and screaming.

She sleepily got up and walked downstairs. There in the lounge room was her family.

He dad had a BBQ apron on and some new boots on his feet. It looked quite strange because he was still in his pyjamas.

He mum was walking around in her best jeans and a new top that she had bought last week when the family had gone to Melbourne to do some last minute shopping.

Her oldest sister Charlotte was there with her niece, Natalie's daughter. Natalie had gotten pregnant to a man that didn't want anything to do with her or her daughter and then she had died giving birth to Gabriella.

Everyone had been really shocked to find out that Charlotte had custody of the little girl. After all she was only Natalie's half-sister.

But Natalie, Alana and Charlotte had always had a special bond. They knew that they had different families and that they didn't like each other but they were always there for each other. Alana was already married and had triplets though so Natalie thought that she would be too busy to look after another child.

Charlotte was sitting with Gabriella, or as she was called Gabi, on her lap and was helping her open a present.

Imogen was there looking at a saddle that Lissie decided that she had got for Christmas. It was a nice saddle that must have cost her parents loads.

Fly was also there opening presents. Her and Bailey were comparing their presents and the things they had wanted.

Lissie walked over to her parents and gave them a kiss and a hug. Her mother than gave her a present.

"This is from your father and me," she told Lissie.

Lissie opened it and found a pick mobile phone.

"We thought you could use it around the farms so we know where you are and of course you are now old enough to have one." Her father said.

"Thank mum. Thanks dad." Lissie said and hugged her parents again.

"This is from the Johnson's," said Charlotte and she gave Lissie another present.

It was a pencil case and stationary.

"Oh…please thank them next time you see them from me BOM," Lissie said to her oldest sister. Even though Charlotte was now legally an adult everyone still called her BOM. She didn't mind at all. Charlotte was the type of person who liked to make people feel good about themselves.

"And this is from Gabi and I." And Charlotte handed Lissie another present.

Lissie opened it and gasped.

"I love it. Thankyou so much!" Lissie said opening the photo album she had just received.

It had pictures from Lissie's parents from when were only just 8 years old to pictures of Corrine and Gabi.

Next was Fly and Immie. They gave Lissie a new skirt and top, both brand names. Lissie loved dressing up but also wore jeans a lot because she lived on a farm.

Her father and Uncle Nick would say she was half-and-half of Claire and Tess.

Finally Jasmine, Ace and Bailey walked up to her.

"Our present to you is outside actually." Jasmine told her.

"Really?" Lissie said and Bailey grabbed her hand and dragged her outside…