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

by Lillianna Blake

  “Abby, would you be sad if, instead of going back to school when we get back home, you stayed home with us to learn? Daddy and I would be your teachers?”

  “No! I would be happy! Are you going to do that? Really? Please say it’s true!” She looked between us both.

  There it was, the final piece I needed to make my decision.

  What Max had sensed for a long time, I could finally see clearly. Abby wasn’t a bad student, she wasn’t behind the other children academically or developmentally; she was just different—just like her mother and just like her father. Max and I had never fit any molds, and she was gearing up to have the same challenges.

  She wanted to learn; she just wanted to do things her own way. Who was I to think that was a bad idea? After all, my entire life had changed based on my desire to do things my own way.

  I was still nervous, but as Abby threw her arms around my neck, absolutely thrilled by the idea, I was just about as excited as she was.

  After about ten minutes more of the movie, Abby fell right to sleep. Max carried her into her room. Then we went to work to surprise her.

  Abby hadn’t expected us to have a Christmas tree since we were traveling, but Max and I picked one up when we’d returned to Sydney. I thought it would be a way to brighten up the holiday.

  We spent quite some time trying to figure out how to set the tree up, then realized we’d done it all wrong.

  “See, how can we homeschool her if we can’t even set up a Christmas tree?” I groaned and began to pull the artificial limbs off the tree.

  “Teaching isn’t always about knowing how to do something. Sometimes it’s about knowing how to fail and then figuring out how to do it right.”

  “Hm, clever.” I eyed him. “You’re getting so wise in your old age.”

  “Old?” He plucked the branches from my hand. “You’d better take that back.”

  “And if I don’t?”

  “Well, I guess I’ll just have to remind you how full of vim and vigor I am.” He raised an eyebrow and pulled me close. “Are you going to take it back?”

  “I’d rather not, but since we do have a tree to put up and presents to wrap, I guess I will.” I laughed.

  “Good choice.” He kissed me, then began to put the limbs on the tree in what we thought was the right position.

  Once the tree was set up, we decorated it with a few strands of lights and some items we’d picked up along our journey, including a bunch of little koalas that attached to the branches.

  “I think we should make this a tradition.” I handed Max a koala.

  “Koalas at Christmas?”

  “No, not exactly. Celebrating Christmas a little differently each year. Sometimes we can travel for Christmas, and other times we can just celebrate the way they do in other cultures. What do you think? It would be a great way to introduce her to different traditions and even different religions.”

  “I think you’re already thinking like a teacher.” He grinned.

  “Good point.”

  By the time we had everything decorated and wrapped, we were both exhausted.

  Max led me to our bed, and as we curled up together, I was certain that I would hear him snore. Instead, he kissed me—softly at first.

  When I returned the kiss, he shifted closer to me, and the kiss became more passionate. Despite our exhaustion, we were too enamored with one other to resist.

  Chapter 30

  At the crack of dawn I heard Abby squeal. I jumped out of bed and Max followed after. There were numerous gifts under the tree, but she hadn’t touched them. Her attention was only on the little koalas wrapped around the branches.

  “Merry Christmas, Abby,” said Max.

  “Or Happy Christmas, as they say in Australia.” I grinned.

  “This is great!” She hugged us both, then headed straight for the presents.

  As we shared hot chocolate and exchanged our gifts I felt calmer than I had in a very long time. Even though we were faced with a new adventure—one I wasn’t sure would end up being successful—I wasn’t worried. I wanted to see what happened next.

  We spent most of the day lounging in the living room with our gifts and eating a buffet-style lunch. Later that afternoon, I received a text from Cheryl.

  If you’re not doing anything for dinner you’re welcome to join us. We’re having a traditional western-style meal—with ham!

  My mouth watered at the thought. I’d done pretty well on my diet the entire time we’d been in Australia, but the thought of a full Christmas dinner just waiting to be eaten made my stomach rumble.

  “Max, do you want to join Cheryl for dinner?”

  “Sure, I guess we could.” He smiled. “What do you say, Abby?”

  “Absolutely!” She jumped up and ran out of the room. When she returned, she had three of her brand new toys. “We can bring them presents!”

  “Abby, how sweet. I don’t think they’re expecting us to bring gifts though.” Max patted her head.

  “Please, I want to give them something.”

  I was amazed that she’d picked the three toys that had been at the top of her Christmas list.

  “Abby, if you give them your toys you know that you don’t get to take them back, right?”

  “I know, I want them to have these. Is it okay?”

  “It’s okay.” I grinned and nodded to Max.

  We helped her rewrap her gifts, then headed to the address Cheryl sent us. The large home they’d rented was right on the beach.

  When we arrived at Cheryl’s, all the kids came to greet us. Abby clapped her hands with delight as the kids opened their presents. I could tell Hawk was not exactly thrilled with the princess pony he’d received, but he still smiled and thanked her for it.

  As the kids ran off to play together, Cheryl stood close to me.

  “You have a wonderful child there.”

  “Thank you. And you have three wonderful kids yourself.”

  “They can be a handful but I do enjoy them.”

  “Do you think I could talk to you about homeschooling a little bit?”

  “Sure. Are you interested?”

  “I think we’re more than interested. I think we’re going to give it a try.”

  “Oh, how nice! Well, the first thing to know is that there is no wrong way to do it. Every family is different. Some are academic, some are eclectic, some even participate in unschooling.”

  “Unschooling?” I laughed. “That sounds like fun.”

  “I’ll give you the rundown, but really it’s about finding what works for your family.”

  After dinner, Cheryl, Jerome, Max, and I sat around the fireplace and discussed their experience with homeschooling.

  I opened up to Cheryl about my concerns and I expected her to laugh or even be insulted, but instead she nodded.

  “Yes, those are all things to be concerned about. Honestly, you won’t know if it’s a good fit for you until you try it out. My best advice is to be willing to be flexible. Don’t expect it to be perfect—don’t expect it to always go right—because it won’t. Your daughter will probably love the idea to begin with, but when you actually begin practicing it, she may resist, she may rebel, she may even throw tantrums. This is new and different for her, just like it will be new and different for you. That’s why it’s usually a good idea to take a little break between taking her out of school and starting your home education. Let her have fun and show you her interests. Learn to trust your instincts as well as hers.”

  “It sounds so much like the way I want to live my own life. It just seems a little scary to have that same attitude with education. Education is so important.”

  “Yes, it is. Although some students and some schools do very well—and there are some amazing teachers out there—there are also those students who get left behind because they simply aren’t getting the attention they need.”

  “I guess we’re going to give it a try. I mean, it’s worth a shot, right?”

  Jer
ome nodded his head. “We sure think so.”

  Cheryl smiled as she spoke. “It certainly is. My oldest was in second grade when I decided to make the change. I was terrified and thought for sure I’d fail at it. But what I discovered, was a wonderful relationship with my son and many of the talents I didn’t even know he had. I think he’s enjoyed it as much as I have, and though I’ve given him the option, he has no interest in going back to school. That may change in the future and we’ve always kept an open dialogue with him about that. We’re figuring this out as we go, even so many years later.”

  “Thanks for all your advice. I’m feeling calmer about this.” I took a deep breath. “I guess we’re going to jump in with both feet.”

  “Four feet.” Max winked at me. “Don’t forget, we’re in this together, honey.”

  Chapter 31

  The next day we met up with Cheryl and the kids again. They had a barbecue set up on the beach, as did several other families. There was lively music, dancing, games and, of course, swimming. Abby and her new friends spent half the day building a new sand city and the other half splashing in the waves. Max and I lounged on beach chairs, kept an eye on Abby, and enjoyed the warm day.

  As the sun began to set, Abby ran up to us and threw her arms around me. “I’m so happy, Mommy.”

  “Me too, Abby.” I kissed the top of her head. “We’re going to go back home and things are going to be a little different.”

  “I know. I can’t wait! Can we leave tomorrow?”

  “Maybe, or maybe we’ll stay a few more days and learn a little bit more about koalas. How would you like that?”

  “I would love it!”

  “Me too.” Max patted her back.

  As Abby ran back to join her friends, Max glanced over at me. “Can you feel that, Sammy?”

  “What?” I looked over at him.

  “Freedom. We’re going to be living our lives the way we choose, and Abby gets to be part of that.”

  “I’m excited and nervous—and downright scared, Max.”

  “That’s okay.” He took my hand and squeezed it. “We’ve been there before, haven’t we?”

  “Yes, we have.” I gazed into his eyes. “Just like everything we’ve faced before—together, we can do anything.”

  We both watched as Abby splashed through the waves at the edge of the water.

  Max leaned over to give me a quick kiss. “Yes, it’s a new beginning—one I think we’ve all been waiting for.”

  I picked up my phone to snap a picture of Abby and noticed a new e-mail notification from my blog. It was family time and I’d promised Max that I was leaving work back at the house, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself once I’d seen the subject line.

  Onederland goal realized and an invitation!

  I smiled and held my phone out for Max to read when I saw him looking at me with his eyebrow raised.

  “Go ahead.” He grinned.

  Max knew what the Onederland reference meant without my having to tell him. He’d watched me encourage so many of my readers who were on a quest to see the number on the scale finally go from the two hundreds to the one hundreds. He’d witnessed my own journey into Onederland so many years ago, and Max knew the significance of such a thing to a woman battling her weight.

  Chapter 32

  I opened the e-mail, anxious to read the note from the woman I’d never met, yet felt that instant connection with—that same connection that I often felt with the readers of my blog.

  Dear Samantha,

  You may never read this, but just as I’ve done with so many things in my life lately, I know that I owe it to myself to take a chance—to let you know what an impact you’ve had on my life.

  My name is Alexandria. No! My name is actually Alex!

  (My favorite book of yours is Becoming Zara and I really took the name change to heart—new me, new nickname!)

  After having possibly the roughest year of my life—I won’t go into details now, but to say that I’d lost everything would pretty much sum it up—I’ve managed to shed fifty pounds and finally start living my life in a way that is truly wide open to what I believe is my destiny.

  Just as you have inspired me, I hope to also be able to inspire women who find themselves feeling less than who they are meant to be.

  Next month is the grand opening of my new cafe, Common Grounds. This cafe/bookstore is truly a labor of love and my biggest dream in life come true.

  I want to extend an invitation to you in the chance that you’d be willing and able to speak at my opening. I can’t promise much in terms of turnout, but I can tell you that one of your biggest fans will be there in the audience and I will do everything in my power to fill the space with other women deserving to hear your words of wisdom.

  You have truly inspired me. I admire your strength, your determination, and the brave way you step outside of the box so often. Whether or not you are able to make it, please know that your words have power—that they’ve helped me through some very tough times.

  Thank you for being you!

  Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in making an appearance at my opening and if you’re not able to, I will most certainly understand.

  Sincerely,

  Alex

  I reread the e-mail and couldn’t stop smiling. Alex was exactly the kind of woman that I’d hoped to reach with my books. Circumstances had taken everything from her, but she’d survived, and more than that, it sounded like she’d blossomed into her true self.

  “Max, look at this.” I handed him my phone so that he could read the e-mail.

  I waited for him to finish, all the while thinking that the letter was a sign of what was to come—of what we’d now be doing together as a family.

  Max looked up from my phone with a big grin on his face. “Looks like we’re going to be traveling again sooner rather than later.”

  “Looks like it.” I looked back at Abby as she splashed in the water.

  In that moment, I knew that the best education I could give my daughter would be to allow her to witness the beauty and inner strength of the amazing women I was blessed to come into contact with on a regular basis.

  As I replied to Alex’s e-mail, I was certain that Max and I were making the right decision.

  We’d given one another the greatest Christmas gift imaginable—the gift of freedom and the gift of our family’s being together. We’d be able to roam and our hearts could be filled with the inspiration of the people we’d meet all over the world.

  Our lives were never going to be the same again. I could feel it and I was ready for it!

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  Chapter 1

  I guided the sign over the hooks on the front door and felt my heart flutter. It was official. Common Grounds was no longer just a dream, but a reality.

  “Where do you want these books, Mom?”

  I turned to see my daughter, her arms full of books, near the front counter of the cafe. Rachel, with her golden hair and her bright green eyes, looked at me with pride. It was a wonderful feeling to see that in her eyes.

  “Right there on the shelf beside the counter. We’ll make that section the lending library.”

  “Great idea.” Rachel turned to shelve the books.

  Just as I was about to turn back to the front window, the door swung open and in whisked my best friend.

  “Alex! Oh, the place looks astounding!” She clapped her hands, which caused the multitude of jewelry she wore to jingle.

  “You just saw it yesterday, Willow.” I laughed and hugged her.

  “I know, but each day you add something new.” She hugged me in return. “I’m so excited for you.”

  “Thanks. I’m excited too. I can’t believe this is finally happening. And to think—when I first told you about the idea, I didn’t see how it could ever work.” I smiled at her. “But you were so supportive—never letting me give up.”

  “Well,
I am always right.” Willow grinned. “By the way, have you heard from Samantha yet?”

  I was still pinching myself that Samantha Bradford, author of the B.I.G. Girls Club series, had agreed to come speak at my event. Her books and blog, Single Wide Female, had inspired me so much throughout all the changes I’d made.

  “Not yet. She’s supposed to arrive any minute. It’s still hard for me to believe that she’s actually coming here.”

  “Why? You’re an inspiration, Alex.”

  “I don’t know if I would go that far.” I shrugged and smoothed my dark hair away from my face. “Maybe I should have gotten my hair cut.”

  “Your hair is perfect.”

  “It’s not. It’s mousey and thin and outdated.”

  “We’re outdated, love.” Willow laughed. “Your hair suits you at that length. Besides, this is all about you embracing you, not you trying to look a part.”

  “True.” I smiled. “Maybe the real me wants to go purple.”

  “Purple. Hmm, I like that idea.” She fluffed her short, layered hair and showed off the black streaks beneath the dark red tendrils. “I can get you in to see my stylist.”

  “Let me get through my first week here, then we’ll see.”

  “Alright. Now, how can I help?”

  “If you’d like to line up the coffees so they face the customers, that would be great.”

  “I’m on it.”

  As Willow walked away, I nearly pinched myself. I was so excited, but I was also a little nervous. Most businesses failed in the first few months. I knew that. Even with my business degree and background, it would be a struggle. But, I was taking a chance—perhaps for the first time in my life. The thought filled me with anticipation and some dread as well.

  The door swung open and I turned to find the woman whom I’d admired so much from afar. I’d read so many of Sammy’s books and blog posts over the past months that I felt as if we were already friends. I still couldn’t believe that I’d gotten up the courage to invite her to speak at the opening of my cafe, and even more incredible, that she’d agreed to it.