Page 13 of Jillaroo from Jacaranda

‘Ha, yup, that’s me,’ Angus fired back playfully.

Lizzy plonked a gift in Rose’s lap. ‘This one’s from GG.’ And off she skipped, collecting and delivering gifts until there was nothing left under the tree but empty boxes and crumpled wrapping paper.

Thankyous, hugs, a few tears and lots of laughter were shared as they opened their presents. When all that was done and dusted, the men headed outside to fire up the barbecue for their breakfast of bacon, sausages and eggs. Angus took off with his new drone and Lizzy disappeared with her new set of My Little Ponies. Rose cleaned up the lounge room then headed into the kitchen to help prep the usual sides: fresh ham from the bone, grilled tomatoes, homemade baked beans, garlic mushrooms and mountains of buttered toast.

Meeting Rose at the sink, Molly turned the radio up and mother and daughter bumped hips to the Miranda Lambert tune, ‘Somethin’ Bad’.

Molly couldn’t possibly smile any wider, and her happy vibe was contagious. ‘GG seems much cheerier than I’ve seen him this past month.’ She gazed out the window, towards where beer-wielding Trev and Kenny had now joined Heath and GG. All four men were gazing intently at the billowing smoke spiralling from the charcoal barbecue. ‘It makes me so happy to see him smiling again.’

‘Yeah, me too, Mum.’ Glancing from where she was washing up, Rose chuckled. ‘Gee whizz, how many men does it take to light a barbecue?’

‘Ha, yeah, same thing happens every year. It’s like it’s a male bonding thing.’ Plucking the chopping board from the cupboard, Molly began slicing mushrooms. ‘And how are you feeling, love?’

Rose shrugged. ‘I’m okay, I suppose.’ She wiped her hands on the tea towel slung over her shoulder. ‘Maybe Finley breaking up with me is a blessing in disguise.’ She rested a hip against the butcher’s block. ‘I mean, we haven’t been getting on for a while now.’

Molly was quiet for a few moments. ‘I haven’t wanted to say too much, because I don’t want to sway what happens from here with you two, but … I agree.’ Molly tipped the mushrooms into the heated frypan. ‘All he seems to have done is make you cry for months, and that’s not a healthy relationship.’ She offered a sad smile over her shoulder. ‘Finley isn’t the man you fell for anymore. He’s changed quite a lot. You deserve to be treasured and feel loved and happy. And you don’t need to be told what to do, how to do it and when you’re allowed to.’

‘Thanks for being honest, Mum.’ Wandering over to the Aga, Rose gave her mum an appreciative hug. ‘I seriously love you so much.’

‘I love you too, my beautiful girl.’ Molly smiled mischievously. ‘On a brighter note, tell me, is this Ty Parker a good-looking bloke?’

‘I suppose you could say he is.’ Feeling her cheeks flush, Rose quickly turned to pop the bowl of baked beans into the microwave. ‘He certainly had many women vying for his attention at the Bull Bar last night.’

‘I see.’ Molly’s tone was lively. ‘Well, I look forward to meeting him.’

Desperate to divert the conversation, Rose thought quickly. ‘Do you know what time Dad and Anna are getting here tomorrow?’ She already knew, after speaking with her father and his wife last night when they’d called to wish her luck for her barrel race, but it was the only thing she could think of to hopefully change the subject.

‘Oh, he said it will be closer to twelve by the time he gets home from his gig in Townsville. They’ll pop over for a Boxing Day catch-up.’ Molly’s mobile chimed from the counter. She dumped the wooden spoon she was wielding and plucked it up. ‘Hey, Jade! Merry Christmas, bestie.’

‘Merry Christmas, Aunty Jade,’ Rose called out as she stabbed the cooking time into the microwave.

‘Aunty Jade says same to you, love,’ Molly said before returning to the conversation. ‘So, what time are you and wifey heading over then?’

Listening to her mum’s mms and hmms, bundled between some laughter and ‘Oh really?’s, Rose moved about the kitchen, doing everything she could to take some of the load. Her dear mum always did so much for everyone else; she needed to be able to relax at some point too.

As usual, her great-uncle, Rob, came tearing down the driveway smack on nine o’clock, a thick cloud of dust lurching out behind him. Rose watched him through the kitchen window as he parked then rolled out of the front seat of his you-beaut dual-cab ute, pulled on his tattered hat, straightened his Bonds singlet then yanked his faded blue stubbies up under his beer belly. He’d been going to diet for as long as she’d known him – it was very clearly never going to happen. As Rob grabbed a massive Esky out of the trayback, Aunt Cheryl climbed from the passenger side and, after collecting things from the back seat, trudged towards the front steps, her arms filled with gifts. Heath met her there and gave her a hand. Rose hoped her aunt had made her famous orange and almond cake – it was to die for.

A little while later, Rose was caught up in the joyful hubbub of the homestead kitchen and didn’t hear another four-wheel drive pull up, nor did she hear the footsteps traipsing up the front steps and across the verandah.

‘Knock knock.’ Ty’s voice carried from the front door.

Licking butter from her fingertips, Rose dashed like bullet fired from where she’d been on toast duty. ‘I’ll get it.’

Her mum and Aunt Cheryl shared equally expressive glances.

‘Oh, stop it, you two. We’re just mates.’ Rose rushed down the hallway. ‘Hey, Ty,’ she said as coolly and casually as she could as she slid to a stop at the front screen door. Holy heck he smelt good, and as for his board shorts and collared polo shirt … man oh man, she couldn’t help but wolf-whistle in her head. ‘I wasn’t sure if you were going to make it.’ The flyscreen door creaked as she swung it open and that was right about when her breath hitched, and the butterflies in her belly he’d stirred to life last night reawakened as if high on caffeine.

‘Howdy, Rose.’ He lifted his sunglasses, and eyes as blue and bright as the far-reaching sky behind him met with hers. ‘I wasn’t going to bail on your awesome offer.’

‘Well, come in before we let Australia’s population of flies in too.’ Rose stepped back a little and waved him inside.

‘Would you like me to take these off?’ He pointed to his thongs.

She waved a hand. ‘Nah, all good.’

Wiping his feet on the welcome mat, he stepped inside. Glancing at a little gold package in his hands, he almost flung it towards her. ‘Merry Christmas.’ He awkwardly bent and pecked her cheek. ‘I got your mum a bunch of flowers, but I left them in the Cruiser, along with the beer and seafood. It was all I could find last-minute, and I wasn’t sure if it was corny of me to bring them in. So, long story short, I thought I’d check with you first before I made a big fool of myself.’

‘Oh, how sweet of you, Ty. My mum would love flowers.’ His thoughtfulness sent a zap through her before she turned her stare to the gift now in her hands. ‘I feel terrible, though. I didn’t get you anything.’