Amelia's Outback Christmas (12 Naughty Days of Christmas) Read online

  “Uh huh. I didn’t do it to try and catch you, honest. If you don’t want to be a part of our baby’s life—”

  “Stop right now. I wasn’t going to let you out of my life again anyway, especially not now.” He touched his hand to her flat belly. “Wow.” He stood up.

  “Where are you going?” she asked.

  “We’re honest around here, remember? I’m going to break the news to Ma. Don’t be surprised if you hear screaming.”

  “Seriously? She’ll be so upset?”

  “No, the screaming will be coming from me. She won’t blame you for this at all and she’ll be right.”

  ***

  “I should have known it would be too hot for her in this kitchen,” Mindy chided herself. “The girl comes over here from the cold and ends up smack in the middle of a heat wave and what do I do? I station her in the kitchen.”

  “She’s okay,” Trev said. “I just need to get her some ice water.”

  “Sorry, I was doing that.” She passed him the glass, tinkling with cubes. “I should have known the heat would affect her.”

  “Mum, I need to tell you something,” Trev said.

  “What is it?”

  “I think it might be more than the heat.” He couldn’t look at his mother but he had to tell her what his thoughts were.

  “Do you think she’s really ill?” Mindy asked.

  “Mum, once before I left to come home I, we, well it was in the heat of the moment.”

  “Trevor Harding!” She picked up a tea towel and flicked his bare arm with it. “Are you telling me that you,” she whispered the next couple of words, “slept with that young girl and then you ran home?” She flicked the tea towel a few more times across his arms and legs. “I can tell it is.”

  “Mum, you don’t understand, I didn’t want to hurt her. I didn’t know how to handle the situation. My home is here.”

  “If there’s a baby on the way young man, then your home is wherever she and your son or daughter are.”

  “I know that now. I think I knew it before she even came here. We’ll make this work, Mum.”

  “I know you will.” She kissed his cheek. “But you just wait until your dad gets home.”

  He rolled his eyes and took the water to Millie. “I know I have a lecture coming Ma, and I know I deserve it. I don’t look on this as a mistake; this is the best Christmas present I’ve ever received. As soon as we can arrange it I’m going to marry Millie and make us a home.”

  “That’s my good boy, that’s what I was waiting to hear.”

  ***

  It was almost seven when his dad’s truck rumbled down the road. This was going to be some conversation. Trev stood up and walked towards him. He would have a truck full of surprises and in his covered over ute. Maybe he would need a hand.

  “It’s okay son,” Pete called. “Well get them later when Paddy’s asleep. Just the esky with the prawns.”

  “No worries. There’s another surprise waiting for your brother at the cottage.”

  “You spoil him.”

  “No we don’t. He’s a good boy and he works hard. He deserves a good Christmas.” Pete looked at his son’s serious face. “What’s up?”

  “What makes you think something’s up?” He hefted the esky from the back of the car.

  “I know there’s something up. Spit it out.”

  “I have a visitor, from Texas. Well actually she’s more than a visitor. She’s my girlfriend, well I guess my fiancé, except that I haven’t asked her yet.”

  “Millie I take it?”

  “Yes Millie. There’s more.”

  “Oh?”

  “Dad she’s having my baby. I want to marry her, not because I have to but because I love her and I want us to be a family.”

  “Well that is a lot of news to get out in one go,” Pete said.

  “Yes, do you have anything else to say?”

  “Congratulations,” his dad said. “Sounds like you have it all figured out. Of course you should never have left that girl over there like that, you shouldn’t have slept with her at all if you weren’t intending to stay.”

  “Glad you’re not a man of few words,” Trevor quipped.

  “This isn’t funny. I am glad you’re going to work it out though.”

  “Thanks Dad.”

  “One more thing. Sleeping arrangements.”

  “I know the rules.”

  “If it was just your mother and I, it wouldn’t matter, but we need to think of Paddy.”

  “I know. Millie can sleep in my room and I’ll take the sofa.”

  “Good man,” Pete said, patting his son’s shoulder.

  “You know what, maybe you and Millie should drive out to the cottage later tonight and bring back Paddy’s surprise.”

  “Okay, if you like.”

  “Your Mum phoned me. We do live in the twenty first century you know,” Pete said with a chuckle. “You might find a few surprises up there for you, too. Look in the top drawer of the dresser. You know it’s a shame that that cottage just sits there empty. We could do that up a bit, make it nice.”

  Trev shook his head. “Why did you make me go through all that stress of waiting for you?”

  “Because you deserved to sweat a little.”

  “I’m sorry I let you down, Dad.”

  “You didn’t let me down. Every man makes mistakes. It’s how you handle your mistakes that makes you a good man.”

  ***

  Dinner was to be tea. Mindy had explained that with all the preparations for the next day in play it was hard to prepare a hot meal. This confused Amelia but she wasn’t really hungry so it didn’t worry her. It was yet another experience that was different to the ones she’d grown up around. “Can I help Mindy?” she asked.

  “No love. You gave me a scare this afternoon. Why don’t you go and sit on the back porch swing and we’ll look after you.” She patted the girl’s head affectionately.

  Millie wandered outside and sat. Her eyes popped at the amount of food that was making its way to the large table on the back porch. There were porches on every side of this house and apparently they often set the meals on one or the other depending on the weather. It had been hot all day so they were eating on the back porch where a cool breeze was just beginning.

  “Paddy? Set the table please,” Mindy said. “They’ll be here soon.”

  “Who’s coming, Paddy?” she asked.

  “The aunties and the uncles and the cousins.”

  “Do they live near here?” Millie asked.

  “Not far away, but they stay here.”

  “Where?” Millie was intrigued and a little scared. It was one thing to meet Trev’s immediate family but to meet a whole heap of aunties and cousins was scary. What if they didn’t like her? Would they tell them about the baby? She noticed that they hadn’t said anything around Paddy, maybe they were ashamed.

  “There’s two spare rooms and sometimes the uncles sleep out on the verandah. They drink beer and pretend they’re camping.”

  “Okay then,” Millie said. “Hope they don’t scare Santa away.”

  “I’m twelve,” Paddy said. “I know Santa isn’t real.”

  “Aww. That’s sad,” Millie said. “I thought he would still be able to find me here.”

  “You’re a ratbag,” Paddy said.

  “I’m a what?” That sounded like a terrible insult but by the look on Paddy’s face it wasn’t.

  “A ratbag, you know. Like nuts because you’re an adult and you still believe in Santa.”

  “Oh.” Well, Millie couldn’t really take offense at that could she, she was nuts sometimes. “So what the hell are those things, Pad?”

  “These?” he asked holding a puma paper cylinder. “They are bon bons.”

  “In America a bon bon is like a chocolate. That doesn’t look edible.”

  “No silly, two people hold an end each and then you pull. A cracker goes bang and one person ends up with a bigger end. Inside is a paper
hat, a toy and a joke.”

  “What a neat idea,” Millie said.

  “It is! The kid’s table is around the corner. We usually pinch all the spares.”

  “Naughty,” Millie said. “Come on, I’ll help you set the rest of the table.”

  “Thanks.”

  ***

  Within a half an hour the farmhouse was filled with relatives. There were only two other kids, both boys. One was older than Paddy and the other looked about the same age as Pad. There weren’t any really little kids.

  “Hi. Pleased to meet you,” Millie said for what seemed like the hundredth time.

  Trev’s family seemed to like her and she liked them. What she loved, was that Trev sat beside her and held her hand under the table. As the copious quantities of food were passed around, he explained what all the ingredients were and took all the food she didn’t like onto his plate. He was making her feel so safe and loved.

  “Time for crackers,” he said, holding up a bon bon.

  “I thought they were called bon bons.”

  “They’re called both,” Trevor said.

  “Of course they are,” she giggled. Although they all spoke English she felt a little like this family was speaking another language. They talked so fast and they used words that she hadn’t heard before.

  “Anyway, time to pull ours,” Trevor said.

  There were a couple of different kinds on the table so it didn’t occur to Amelia that hers was any different from anyone else’s. She held her end and they counted and then pulled. She ended up with the bigger end. “Yay, I win,” she said.

  “You have to put on your hat,” Trevor said.

  Millie dug into the small cylinder and came out with a pretty red hat. She plunked it on the top of her head and grinned for the picture Trev was taking on his phone. “Nicest hat I’ve ever worn.”

  “Don’t forget your joke and your toy,” Trevor said.

  She dug into the bon bon again happily hunting for her treats. “Found it,” she said holding up a bag. She opened it and found a toy ring, also inside the bag was her joke.

  “Read it out loud,” Trev said.

  Millie undid the folded piece of paper and started to read. Tears came to her eyes when she saw what was written on what was supposed to be a joke note.

  Millie I love you, will you marry me? I promise to get you a real ring as soon as I can.

  Everyone on the table cheered and the kids came running around the corner to see what was happening.

  “Are you going to get married?” Paddy asked.

  “I hope so, she hasn’t said yes yet.”

  Everyone watched her and Millie started the half laugh cry that made her particularly unattractive in front of the people who were going to be her new relatives.

  “Yes,” she said finally. “Of course I’ll marry you.”

  “One more thing,” Trev said. “We’re going to be parents.”

  For a split second there was silence and Millie was afraid to breath Then, there was a giant guffaw of laughter and cheers.

  “You don’t do anything by halves, do you young Trev?” His Uncle Josh said.

  “We thought you were never going to give your Mum grandkids,” Auntie Jean said.

  “Wait, does this mean I’m going to be an uncle?” Paddy asked.

  “It sure does champ,” Trev said.

  “Yes,” he said to his cousins. “Next year I’m off the kid’s table.”

  ***

  When the Christmas Eve tea was over, Trev stood and took Amelia’s hand. “We’ll see you all in the morning. We have to go somewhere.”

  “Where are we going?” Millie asked. “I thought we were in the middle of nowhere.”

  “We are kind of. We aren’t going off the property. We’re going to the cottage. It was the first house that was on this property when my grandparents bought it. When Mum and Dad got married they built the big house and my grandparents continued to live in the first house.”

  “Oh, and we’re staying there?”

  Trev grinned. “We’re visiting for a while, if you want to,” he said with a chuckle. “But what we’re here for is Paddy’s present.”

  “Oh that’s interesting.”

  “I have a pretty good idea what that is: a pony,” Trevor said.

  “Oh that’s lovely. Does he have one already?”

  “He has an old mare but he’s getting older. It’s probably about time he had a young pony that will grow up to be a bigger horse. They can grow together.”

  “Good idea.”

  “Here it is.” Trev pointed to the cottage that was just coming into view.

  “Whoa. That isn’t a cottage.”

  “It’s just what they called it. It would actually make a pretty decent home if it were renovated. In fact, Dad said we could live here after we’re married, if you’re okay with that of course.”

  “I would love that,” Millie said. “Of course we would have to visit the States, too.”

  “Of course and there’s plenty of room here for your dad to come and stay.”

  “I’d like that. So would he.”

  “You haven’t even seen inside yet. Come on.”

  “It has porches all around like your house,” Millie said.

  “Yeah, we like our verandahs.”

  “It’s furnished?”

  “Yeah well it’s old stuff but my Mum comes down here and dusts everything and covers it back up again. We could get some other stuff if you want.”

  “No, this is lovely furniture,” Millie said. “It suits the house.”

  Trev took her hand again and they walked from room to room, stopping finally in the master bedroom. “I have to look for something,” he said. He pulled open the top drawer in the otherwise empty dresser and found an envelope, which he opened and read out loud.

  Your mother and I have waited for this day since you were a little fella. When Nanna died, Pop gave me her ring and told me to keep it until you were ready. So reach into the back of the drawer and you’ll find the engagement ring you need. It is a wedding gift from Nan and Pop.

  Trev’s eyes filled with tears.

  “What’s wrong? Is it bad news?”

  “No, it’s lovely news or at least I hope you think so.” He passed her the note to read for herself and dug into the back of the drawer to find the small velvet box. When he looked up Millie was crying.

  He dropped down to one knee and opened the box. “Millie will you marry me?” he asked.

  “Yes, I will.”

  “I know that the ring isn’t a new one, but we could probably have it remade if you want.”

  “Hush your mouth,” Millie said. “I want it just like this. I can feel the love in this ring, I’m honored to have it just the way it is.”

  Trev pulled her into his arms and kissed the tears form her cheeks. “I hope I can make you happy, Millie,” he said, his lips moving to kiss her more deeply.

  “You already have.” She deepened the kiss and they stayed locked like that kissing and touching, taking advantage of the privacy of what was to be their new home.

  “Someone’s made the bed,” Trev said. Thanks Dad, he thought. He sat on the edge and pulled his new fiancé to face him. “This is how it should have been your first time. Our first time.” He slipped his fingers into the singlet she’d stripped down to as the day got hotter and pulled it over her head, exposing her pretty little pink bra. He noticed for the first time how much bigger her breasts had grown since the last time he saw her. He undid the clasp, allowing them to spill free.

  “Beautiful,” he said, kissing each nipple and suckling the sweet tips. He let his hand run down her belly stopping to feel where their baby would grow. There was no sign yet, just the same flat belly she’d always had. He bent to kiss it. She had donned a skirt before dinner and he was glad for the easy access. He could feel her bottom through the thin material, but it wasn’t enough, he wanted to feel her flesh. Trevor gave it a pull and watched as the skirt dropped and
pooled at her ankles, leaving her standing before him wearing nothing but a scrap of lace.

  “This is embarrassing,” Millie said. “You used to hate me showing myself.”

  “No, I hated you showing yourself to other men.”

  “Oh, so now it’s okay to ogle me.”

  “Oh, I will never get enough of ogling you.” He slipped his fingers inside the lace and tickled her mound. “Or feeling you.”

  He slipped a finger between her wet lips and circled her swollen nub. “Very nice.” He pulled down her panties and she climbed onto his lap.

  She kissed him, letting her small tongue tease open his lips and then delving inside. “I love you,” she said softly.

  “I love you, too.” His hands kneaded her soft bottom. The sting from her earlier belting must have faded because she didn’t pull away. In fact, she ground against his leg. It nearly finished him. Her soft lady parts dripping all over him but not where he needed them. He pushed himself back onto the bed, holding her tight so she moved with him.

  “Shouldn’t I lay down there?” she asked.

  “Not necessarily. Climb on top and then you can take it as deep as you want as slowly as you want.” Trevor flicked a nipple with his tongue as she poised herself above him. When he sucked it hard she sunk down on him, groaning as he filled her. “That’s it baby, move it.”

  She moved slowly at first.

  “Good girl, so soft.” He massaged her bottom, then gripping her hips he rolled her around in circles, smiling when she gasped. “You like that?”

  “Yes.”

  “You want it deeper?” He thrust up towards her.

  “Yes deeper.”

  Trev flipped her onto her back, and rose above her, kissing her deeply before pushing deep inside her. “Ah, Millie,” he said. He felt her hand dip between their bodies and he lifted to allow her access.

  “More,” she said, raising her body to meet his. “Please.”

  That small please was all he needed. He surged inside her over and over, relishing the soft flesh that was engulfing him. When he felt her shudder beneath him, he let go, filling her before he collapsed beside her and pulled her to rest on his chest. “Oh baby, Merry Christmas to me.”