A Gungellan Christmas
Ingrid tugged her shirt so it lay flat across her belly. The baby inside of her kicked once and she smiled.
"Are you ready for Christmas, Baby Turner?" She rubbed the mound and was rewarded with another kick.
Ingrid turned to look at herself in the mirror. The red top Marcus had got her sparkled in the sun. The shoulders were gathered, leaving her arms bare and it draped stylishly over her stomach. It was the only present he had let her open before the rest descended on Killarney.
"Ingrid, are you ready?" Marcus came out of the bathroom, tugging on the tie he had on. "I really don't think this tie is right."
Ingrid laughed and shook her head. "Take it off. Just leave the top two buttons undone."
Marcus did as she said and leaned over her shoulder to study himself. "So are you ready for this?"
Ingrid nodded. "I just hope everything is how it should be."
Marcus turned her around and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Super vet, don't get hung up on perfection. If I've learned anything while living here, it's that even the most perfect plans have snags. As long as there is food and beer everyone will be happy."
Ingrid sighed and tried to relax. She had been in the district for two years now and she wanted to prove herself worthy of being there. She knew being Marcus's wife made her less of a new person but Marcus had only been around for four years.
"Ingrid, everyone who's going to be here tonight already loves you. They just want a good time."
"Okay, I'm ready."
"Good, because I think the first vehicle just pulled in."
Ingrid followed Marcus down the stairs and to the front door. He opened it up and Ingrid smiled. Dave and Kate climbed out of Dave's old ute loaded down with bundles.
"Hey, Kate, Dave," Marcus called. "Do you need a hand?"
Dave looked at Kate who shook her head. "Naw, mate, we've got it."
Kate climbed the steps and greeted Ingrid. "How are you?"
"I'm good. Rhonda made me sit most of yesterday and today, so I'm all good to go for tonight." Ingrid caught a present as it slipped off of Kate's pile. "Come and put these under the tree. We set it up on the back patio. It's so warm today; I didn't want to spend any time in the house."
"I know." Kate shifted the brightly wrapped presents and followed Ingrid. "But what if it rains?"
Ingrid grinned. "Marcus thought of that. We strung up a tarp so if it does rain nothing gets wet."
She turned the corner of the house and stepped back to let Kate admire their handy work. The ten foot tree was covered from tip to stump with lights, tinsel and little glass decorations that caught the sunlight. Lanterns hung from poles all ready to light when the sun set. Chairs, tables and large cushions had been strewn across the patio. Inflatable toys floated in the pool and two eskies filled with beer rested beside the barbeque that smoked only a little.
"Wow, you really out did yourself," Kate said, depositing her presents beneath the tree.
Ingrid straightened a drooping garland that hid some of the ropes and poles that held up the tarp. White flowers interspersed with red ones twined around the chairs and tables, trailing vines across the patio and onto the grass.
Dave whistled as he came around the house with Marcus. "Well, your missus did a nice job."
"My missus?" Marcus laughed. "She sat in a chair and directed everyone else. I'm pretty sure Gabe and Nat don't want to see another garland or red flower for the rest of their lives."
"It looks wonderful though," Kate said.
"Wait until the lights are on," Ingrid said. "I think there are a couple kilometres of lights hidden among the garland and tables. We had it all on last night to make sure everything was working. It looked like a fairy tale."
In an hour the place had filled with the happy voices of the family. Gabe and Pat tossed Tayler and Rose into the pool and jumped in after them. Stevie sat on the edge of the pool and held Xander while he kicked at the water. Ingrid lowered herself beside Stevie and tucked her skirt up so it wouldn't get wet.
"This place looks amazing," Stevie said. "Xander is totally mesmerized by the lights on the tree."
"Yeah, it looks good. Where's Charlotte?"
"In the house with Meg. She's getting her bathers on."
"How is she doing?" Ingrid let Xander climb into her lap and held him close.
Stevie shrugged. "She loves it here. She's been out on her horse every day, mustering, checking fences, whatever she can. We have a potty lamb and she's taking care of it."
Ingrid nodded. "Sounds like she's found her home."
"More like she's come home," Stevie said. "And how are you doing?"
"I'm really good. I love it here. It's the first time in years that I've been somewhere longer than a year. It's home."
Stevie was about to reply when someone shouted and a wave of water doused them both. Squealing, Ingrid blinked the water from her eyes. Marcus and Dave stood on the other side of the pool laughing. Matt and Jodi surfaced in the water.
"You are going to get it, Dave Brewer!" Jodi scrambled for the edge of the pool.
Ingrid gathered Xander in her arms and stood up. She headed for a drier spot and then handed Xander to Stevie.
"I'll get us some towels." She shook her skirt and tried to squeeze some water from her shirt. "And some dry clothes."
"Oh, don't worry about that," Stevie laughed.
She tugged Xander's shirt off and set him down. Then unbuttoning her shirt she revealed a mint green bikini. Ingrid grinned as she watched her friend undress to reveal the rest of her ensemble. Stevie was tanned to perfection, no tan line in sight. Someone had been swimming naked in the damn and more than once. There was a wolf whistle from the men and Stevie tossed her hair.
"Well, you're going to turn some heads," Ingrid said. "Is that how you're going to look for the rest of the day?"
Stevie laughed again. "No, I have a sarong and a top to go over this. Come on, Xander, let's go swimming."
In the evening light the fairy lights twinkle and flashed, catching the glitter of tinsel and wrapping paper. Laughter filled the patio as gifts were exchanged, some practical, other's just funny.
Ingrid lifted the lid from a small box and found a silver, heart shaped pendant inside. Picking it up, she held it in her hand. There was a small hinge on one side and she opened it. There were no pictures inside but on the back where the words 'My Heart's Home'.
"It's to put pictures of those you love," Stevie said, leaning over. "Tess gave Jodi and Charlotte one and I have one. Tess has her own but we thought that this year you and the rest of the girls deserve one."
Ingrid looked up to see that Jaz and her sisters, along with Tayler and Rose held similar lockets in their hands.
"Thank you," Ingrid said. "It's beautiful. Are they all the same?"
Stevie shook her head. "No, we tried to find different ones. Yours is silver, there were a couple gold ones and one rose gold. That one we gave to Rose. It's in the shape of a rose too, so we figured who better to give it too."
Ingrid smiled. "Does yours have an inscription on the back too?"
Stevie nodded and turned the locket on her neck around. The same words that graced her locket had been inscribed on Stevie's. "The engravings are new on mine and Jodi's and Tess's."
Ingrid turned to Marcus and showed him the locket. He grinned and headed to the tree. She watched him dig through the pile of presents and emerge with a narrow box the length of his hand. He sat back beside Ingrid and handed the brightly wrapped package to her.
"Stevie told me about the lockets, so I got this to go with it."
Ingrid ripped back the paper and found the box was embossed with a jeweler's name. Inside was a silver snake chain.
"I wanted something that wouldn't break but that still looked pretty," Marcus explained.
"It's beautiful." Ingrid leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."
She slipped the chain through the loop on the top of the locket and fastened the necklace around her neck. The pendant rested against her chest and she reached up to touch it. It was cool beneath her fingers.
"We need a picture," Stevie declared. "Pat, do you have your camera?"
Patrick waved the black box over his head and Stevie motioned to the rest of the girls. "Come on you lot. Let's get a picture of the Drovers' girls and their friends."
With much laughter and shoving the girls managed to group together for a picture. Even Meg and Moira wore lockets around their necks. Patrick urged them all to stand and then smiled. Clicking quickly he took the shot and then grinned.
"Now all of you take those lockets off and hold them in your hands."
They did, standing in a circle. Patrick climbed onto Marcus's shoulders and leaned over to capture the circle of lockets.
"Now turn them up so the words show," Patrick commanded. "Are you right, Marcus?"
Marcus grunted and Patrick grinned before taking another picture.
"Thank you, ladies," he said. "Marcus, you can let me down now."
He handed the camera to Tayler and reached for Matt's hands. With a quick movement Marcus tossed Patrick into the pool.
The ringing of the phone interrupted the laughter and Ingrid hurried to grab the portable.
"Hello?" she said breathlessly. "Killarney, Ingrid speaking."
"Hello, Aunt Ingrid." Tess's voice was tired but happy. "Your new niece arrived just three hours ago."
"Congratulations," Ingrid said a smiling spreading across her face.
"We named her Summer Rose," Tess continued. "Is everyone there?"
"Yes. I'll let them know. Do you want to speak to Jodi?"
"Thanks, Ingrid."
"Jodi, it's your sister," Ingrid said, turning back to the party. "You're an aunt again."
Jodi squealed and hurried to take the phone. She stepped away from the crowd and Stevie hurried after her.
"What did they have?" Meg asked eagerly.
"A girl," Ingrid said. "Summer Rose."
The chatter turned to the newest arrival. Ingrid slipped around the crowd to check the food. The tables were groaning beneath the spread that Rhonda, Meg and Moira had put together. Patrick and Dave both holding loaded plates picked food off plates and ate as they walked away.
Ingrid shook her head and snagged a mince pie for herself. She like this kind of Christmas, informal and fun. They had no time set apart to eat. They set out the food and you ate when you wanted to.
Ingrid turned off the last of the lights and stood in the dark silent house. Everyone had left for their homes and she already missed the gaiety and friendship they had offered.
"Well, that went well," Marcus said, wrapping his arms around her waist. "You did wonderful, Ingrid."
Ingrid sighed and leaned against him, fingering the locket around her neck. "Why do you think Stevie and Jodi decided to give us all these lockets?"
"To prove to everyone that we are all family." Marcus leaned down and kissed her neck. "Women have to stick together in these parts. The lockets are to remind you where home is, no matter where you go."
Ingrid nodded. "That makes sense. So does this make me one of the girls now?"
Marcus laughed. "Hon, you were part of the girls the first time I loved you. Once you throw yourself into this crazy group we call family, you're stuck with us."
"Then I'm glad I threw myself into this craziness." She turned in his arms and kissed him. "Merry Christmas, my love."
Marcus scooped her up in his arms and carried her towards the stairs. "Merry Christmas, short ass."
She smiled and laid her head against his shoulder. This was her heart's home.