Christmas Down Under (Single Wide Female: Happily Ever After #1)

by Lillianna Blake

  “Me!” Abby jumped up and waved her hand.

  “Oh, I don’t know, Abby.” Max frowned. “That looks pretty steep, and the terrain might be too rough for you.”

  “Nonsense, she can handle it. Right, Abby?” Walt pumped his fist in the air.

  “Right!” Abby pumped her fist too.

  “What do you think, Sammy?” Max looked over at me.

  I realized he expected me to make the final decision.

  “Okay, I guess we’re all going.” I stood up and ignored the ache in my calves. There was no way I was letting Abby hike up a trail like that without me at her side.

  “Great!”

  One of the men from the group joined, along with one other couple. The rest decided to stay and have lunch.

  As we began the hike, Max hissed at me through gritted teeth.

  “Why didn’t you say no?”

  I blinked. “I thought you wanted to be more adventurous?”

  “Not this adventurous.” He groaned. “I’m tired.”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that’s what you wanted.”

  “It’s okay. I guess this is good for us anyway. Abby sure is enjoying it.”

  She was enjoying it—until about ten minutes later when the path got very steep and narrow.

  “I can’t go any farther.” Abby hung on my arm. “I just want to go back.”

  “We can’t, we’re almost there now.” Max smiled. “You can do it.”

  “No, I can’t. Mommy, please carry me?”

  I looked from my little girl to the steep path and considered my aching legs.

  “No, honey, I can’t. That wouldn’t be safe.”

  “Daddy?” Abby looked up at him.

  “Alright, up on my back.” Max scooped her up and positioned her on his back. “Hold on tight.” He coughed. “Not that tight.”

  “Sorry.” Abby laughed and relaxed her arms.

  We continued up the path. I knew that Max was exhausted, but he still extended himself to Abby and made sure she was happy. That touched me. He was more than just a great man, he was a great father.

  If Max thought Abby might do better at home, then maybe I really needed to consider it.

  Chapter 23

  We reached the top of the rock and I realized that it had been more than worth the hike. I eased Abby down off Max’s back and together the three of us drank in the view.

  As the outback stretched out before us, I suddenly understood what Max meant earlier. This was the kind of moment that couldn’t be read about or even watched in a video. It had to be witnessed firsthand.

  “Wow, it’s so big.” Abby rested her head on my arm. “I feel like I can see forever.”

  “I know, sweetie. It’s beautiful.”

  “Why don’t we live here, Mommy?”

  “Oh, I think there are things about home that we would miss. Don’t you?”

  “Like what?” She frowned.

  “Like our friends and our family and our favorite places.”

  “Yes, maybe. But this is nice to see.”

  “Yes, it is nice to see and I’m so glad that we get to see this together.”

  “Alright, let’s take a break everyone,” Walt said. “I know I need a rest before we head back down.” He clapped Max on the back. “I’m sure you do too.”

  We gathered around a small picnic blanket and shared a meal under the wide-open sky.

  When it was time to hike back down again, Abby didn’t ask to be carried. She kept pace with us, navigating just fine around anything in the path.

  We met the others, then continued down to the base of the rock.

  It was mid-afternoon by the time we were exploring the town.

  There were many little shops, as promised, but most interesting to me were the people. All were friendly, but a bit reserved. I tried to imagine what it might be like from their point of view to have all these tourists traipsing through. It was good for business, I was sure, but that didn’t necessarily make up for the invasion.

  Even if they felt that way, though, the people were quite kind.

  We toured the town, then headed back to our campsite out of town.

  As we set up for the night, Max, Abby, and I talked about the adventures we’d had so far. I couldn’t believe I’d ever doubted going on the trip together. It had turned out to be a great way for us to bond and it had been a memory that we’d be able to treasure forever.

  At sunset, Walt made sure that we all looked in the direction of Urulu. When we did, we observed the rock transformed by the sunset until it appeared to glow.

  Early the next morning, Walt woke us all just in time for sunrise and we were able to see the spectacular light show again.

  Throughout the day, we visited several unique places around the area.

  Abby’s favorite was Devil’s Marbles—two round rocks perched atop other rocks. She was fascinated by the idea that they didn’t roll off. We discussed how they might stay up and what the formation might mean to the local people. We all learned a lot about aboriginal culture.

  When it was time to say goodbye to Walt, Abby threw her arms around him and hugged him.

  “Thank you for showing us so much!”

  Walt laughed and patted her head. “Thanks for wanting to learn. Never lose that, Abby. The world is full of intriguing things. Always be curious.”

  “I will.” She grinned.

  As we headed to Melbourne I felt a slight ache to return to the outback. As Abby had said, it was tempting to want to live there for a little while. That was something I hadn’t really considered.

  Would we ever move to another country? As much as we enjoyed traveling, immersing ourselves in another culture for a year or two sounded like a great idea too.

  Along the way to Melbourne, I showed Abby all the pictures we’d taken together. She was thrilled to be able to relive each special moment. I was amazed at how much information she’d retained.

  When we reached Melbourne, we stopped at our hotel first to shower and rest for some time.

  Abby drew pictures in her sketchbook of all the things we’d seen so far, while Max and I stretched out on the couch together.

  “How are you feeling after all that hiking?” He brushed my hair away from my eyes.

  “I’m feeling like I got all my exercise in for the next month.” I laughed. “But honestly, not as bad as I thought. I would do it again. I’m glad you planned the tour for us.”

  “Me too.” He glanced over at Abby. “Did you notice? Not one single tantrum.”

  “Wow. You know, I didn’t. I forgot to even worry about it.”

  “Good.” He yawned and closed his eyes. “Well, two days in Melbourne, then we’ve got to head back to the States.”

  “Ugh, I hadn’t thought about that either.”

  “I know. I wish we could stay longer.”

  “It would have been nice to be able to go back to Sydney and spend some time with Cheryl and her family.”

  “You think?” He smiled.

  “Yes, I’ve got so many questions for her.”

  “So, you’re considering it?”

  “Just considering it.”

  “That’s a start.” He kissed my cheek.

  I closed my eyes and savored the sensation of Max so close to me. It was nice not to have to separate as a family. Max didn’t have to go off to work and neither did I. Abby didn’t have to rush to get dressed, eat her breakfast, remember her homework, or run out the door. We hadn’t had a single fight about where she’d left her shoes or why she had eaten more peanut butter after she’d already washed her face.

  Yes, this vacation sure had been what we’d needed.

  Chapter 24

  Once we were all rested, we decided to go out for dinner.

  Melbourne was a much busier place than we’d expected, with plenty of restaurants to choose from. We chose a place that seemed kid friendly and found out that there was an hour wait. With a hungry five-year-old and husband, I knew I had to
find us some food faster than that.

  After some searching online, I discovered a small restaurant a few blocks away.

  When we arrived it was indeed small—as in two tables and a small bar. One of the tables was occupied by an elderly couple, the other was empty. Since it was our best chance to eat, we settled right in. When they brought out the menu, however, I regretted it.

  Everything on the menu was unique and strange—from a sushi burger to a banana-topped pizza. I couldn’t even imagine taking a bite of either. What would Abby eat?

  Abby had her own menu and happily looked through it. She pointed to the picture of the banana-topped pizza.

  “I want that Mommy.”

  “Are you sure, Abby? You might not like it.”

  “Please?” She smiled as she met my eyes.

  I was too impressed with her politeness to say no.

  “We should try the sushi burgers.” Max closed his menu.

  “Really?” My eyes widened.

  “Sure, how bad can it be?”

  I had to admit that I was surprised by their willingness to be adventurous, so I decided to join in.

  “Okay, let’s try them.”

  Within twenty minutes we had our food in front of us, and the mixture of smells was a bit overwhelming to me. I eyed my sushi burger with great uncertainty. I did like sushi now and then. I did like burgers, more often than that. But a combination of the two?

  Actually, it was sushi, squished together into the shape of a burger and mushed between two buns. When I peeked under the top bun, I saw there was cheese on top.

  “Mm, this is so good!” Abby took a big bite of her banana pizza.

  If she was brave, I could be brave too. I took a bite of my sushi burger and tried not to fall over from the texture combination.

  “Hm, interesting.” Max chewed his bite.

  I forced myself to chew and swallow. Maybe my mouth had been expecting a burger because of the bun. The next bite I took wasn’t as bad as the first. In fact, it was pretty good.

  When we finished our food, the owner walked over.

  “Did you enjoy your meal?” He smiled.

  “It was yummy!” Abby smiled.

  “Yes, it was quite good.” Max wiped his mouth with a napkin. “A little unexpected, but good.”

  “It was a delight having you here. Especially you, young lady.” The owner smiled at Abby.

  My heart soared at the comment. We’d had run-ins at restaurants before, but the owner was right. Abby had been very polite and she’d eaten her food nicely. It had been possibly the easiest experience that we’d ever had eating in a restaurant with our daughter, in fact.

  As we left the restaurant, it occurred to me that Abby was calm. She held Max’s hand, but she didn’t skip or hop. She just walked beside him. Perhaps it was the first time I’d noticed her being relaxed.

  That night after I put Abby to bed, I joined Max in our bedroom.

  “How is she?” He pulled his shirt off and tossed it on the floor beside the bed.

  “Sound asleep.”

  “No fight?”

  “She didn’t even want a book.”

  “Wow.” He sat down on the edge of the bed. “This trip seems to have done wonders for her.”

  “I think so too.” I sat down beside him. “She’s so content, even though we’re in a new place sleeping in new beds. None of it seems to faze her.”

  “She knows she’s safe with us.”

  “Of course she is.”

  “Do you think she knows that she’s safe when she’s at school?” Max asked.

  “Why wouldn’t she?” I pulled my shoes and socks off.

  “We just assume she knows things. But every morning she goes off on her own and we have no idea what’s happening in her mind while she’s there.”

  “It’s not like we’re sending her off to war. It’s just school.”

  “I know that. I’m just saying that she seems so comfortable with us. Maybe she doesn’t feel as comfortable at school.”

  “Maybe not, but I’m sure she’ll get used to it, Max.”

  “So, you’re really not considering it?”

  “I didn’t say that, Max, but I think we need to be realistic here. There’s nothing wrong with school. You went to school, I went to school, all of our friends went to school. It’s not as if people don’t send their kids to school all over the world. In fact, let’s not forget that people had to fight for an education in the past, especially women.”

  “Sure, because they had no other options. They had to go to school to learn, because in most cases, their parents hadn’t had the luxury of education. But we do. So why can’t we do it?”

  “Because it’s going to be hard!” I flopped back against the bed and closed my eyes.

  Chapter 25

  “If you want me to be honest, then I’m being honest. I don’t think I can do it, Max. I don’t think I have the education to be able to do it. I don’t think Abby and I will work together well as teacher and student. When will I have time to write? When will I have time to just relax and drink a cup of coffee? I’m sorry.” I looked up at him as he gazed down at me. “I know I sound so selfish, but I just don’t know if I could do it.”

  “You keep thinking you’d be doing this alone. I’ll do it with you. I will make sure you have your time to relax and write and whatever else you need. We can work together to create an education for our daughter. What could be better than that? We can show her the world, just like we promised her—with all the beautiful things in it.”

  “Max, I don’t know.” I sat up and took his hand. “What if we take her out of school and she hates it? What if she hates us for it?”

  “I think she’s made it pretty clear that she doesn’t enjoy learning in a traditional way. Just look at how much she’s learned on this trip. And she’d have the chance to learn more if we didn’t have to get back in time for school.”

  “Let me sleep on it.”

  “I’m not trying to pressure you, Sammy.” He stood up from the bed, then shook his head. “Actually, maybe I am a little. I really like this idea, and I am her father, after all. I should have some say.”

  “Wow.” I stared at him. “You’re really passionate about this, huh?”

  “It’s not a whim, if that’s what you’re thinking. I saw our little girl come out of her shell, embrace learning and completely relax for the first time—maybe ever. How can that not inspire passion in you? We live our lives outside the lines, why shouldn’t our daughter?”

  “I’m not saying that she shouldn’t, but this is a huge decision, Max, not one that we can make lightly.”

  “So, why don’t we just pull her out this year? She doesn’t need to go to kindergarten. We can see how it goes, and if we like it, we can stick to it. If we don’t, we can send her back in first grade.”

  “And if she’s not ready for first grade?”

  “You really believe you don’t know enough to teach kindergarten?”

  “I’m not exactly experienced in that department.”

  “Think of all of the things you’ve taught her already, Sammy. It’s not like she’s just turned into a five-year-old with no assistance from us.”

  “I know, I know.” I sighed and shook my head. “Honestly, I’m not sure what the problem is. I guess I just don’t feel confident enough.”

  “Are you confident about anything when it comes to parenting?” He sprawled out next to me and looked into my eyes.

  “Gee, thanks, Max.” I frowned.

  “I didn’t mean it that way. I just mean, no one feels confident as a parent. We’re all just trying to figure it out. You don’t have to be an expert at everything.”

  “Let’s talk about it in the morning.” I kissed his beautiful lips, then turned over in the bed away from him.

  Max was determined, I could tell. I didn’t want to disappoint him, but I also didn’t want to commit to something I wasn’t sure I could do.

  When I woke up the next
morning, Max and Abby were already up and had breakfast ready for me.

  “She helped me with all the cooking.” Max smiled.

  “You mean the spreading?” I grinned as I bit into peanut-butter-covered bread.

  “Yes, the spreading. And counting how many pieces of bread we would need. And estimating the amount of peanut butter to use.”

  “That’s wonderful, Abby. Good job! It’s delicious.” I smiled at her.

  Max set a cup of coffee down in front of me.

  “You know, I was thinking, maybe we should extend our trip by a few days. Tomorrow is Christmas, and it seems silly to rush home right after. I mean, it kind of ruins the magic, doesn’t it?”

  “You know that Abby will need a few days to get back into routine for school, Max. We can’t push it out any further.”

  “Right.” He set some milk down in front of me. “Except, we don’t necessarily need to worry about that. I mean, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be here. We might as well take advantage of it. So what if she misses a few days of school?”

  “Max, it’s important.” I took a sip of my coffee.

  “No, it’s not!” Abby sighed. “It’s so boring. Boring, boring, boring!”

  “Abby, you have all your friends there who are waiting to see you.”

  “Not really.” She frowned. “I like the other kids, but some of them are mean, and some just don’t like me.”

  “That’s okay. Not everyone gets along. But it doesn’t mean that you can’t make friends.”

  “I guess.” She took a bite of her own bread.

  “I see.” Max nodded.

  The tightness in his tone made me look across the breakfast table at him.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “No, it’s fine. You’ve decided and that’s that.” He turned to pour his own cup of coffee.

  “Max, it’s not like that at all.”

  “Isn’t it?” He turned back to look at me, and his expression was as tight as his voice.

  Alarms began to ring in my mind. Max got angry so infrequently that when he did, I knew something major was up.