The Sunburnt Country (23 page)

DAN
arrived on the Baxters’ doorstep at eleven o’clock on Christmas morning. Beside the door sat four pairs of adult workboots and another two pairs of tiny kids’ boots, all lined up against the rammed-earth wall amidst a strewn bundle of thongs. He felt nervous and excited as he put the box of wine down and raised his hand. The door opened before he could knock. And there stood Jonelle wearing her work overalls and a Santa hat.

‘Merry Christmas,’ she said before throwing her arms around him and kissing his cheek. She pulled back before he could bury his face into her shiny hair or crush her closer to him.

‘Merry Christmas, Jonelle. Um, why are you in your overalls?’

She put her arms out and then twirled for him. ‘What do you think? Pretty snazzy, hey? It was my present from Mum. She’s patched up all the holes and fixed the missing press-studs. A few years back she bought me new overalls but I just couldn’t bring myself to wear them, not with this old pair of Coot’s still in working order. Besides, these ones are special,’ she said, hugging herself. ‘I saw Coot in them every day and I just can’t part with them. I guess Mum figured she’d better try to extend their life for me. Best–present–ever!’ She reached for his hand to drag him inside.

‘Hang on. I brought something.’ He picked up the box of wine by the front door and carried it in.

‘Oh, for me?’ she asked.

‘For your family. A thankyou for letting me gatecrash.’

Jonelle touched his arm, giving it a little squeeze. ‘I’m glad you’re here. I didn’t end up getting you a personal present. It was too hard.’

Her eyes burned bright, twisting his gut. ‘I had the same problem,’ he said. He was hoping she could be his present.

‘Come and meet everyone.’ She led him into the dining room. The huge table was covered with an embroidered Christmas runner, cloth napkins, fancy decorations and crackers. In the corner stood a massive tree decorated right up to its sparkling star on top, and underneath were unwrapped gifts and garbage bags full of wrapping paper. There was lots of talking coming from the group in the kitchen and two kids buzzed past at breakneck speed.

‘Dan’s here,’ said Jonelle, as she walked into the huge kitchen, which seemed cosy once you added the whole family.

Zac, Renae, Jonelle’s parents, Ted and his wife, Monique, were all discussing how cooked the roast was or should be. Zac and his father had Santa hats on too. Sandra wore a red apron with a big festive tree on it and Monique was wearing one with
Ho Ho Ho
down the front.

Daniel felt as if he had time-warped back into his childhood. He could remember his old family house, his uncles and aunts and parents clustered together like this with ridiculous Christmas outfits and food galore.

‘This is my other brother, Jonathan,’ said Jonelle, introducing Dan to a tall, well-built bloke.

Jonathan held out his hand. ‘G’day. I’ve heard lots about you.’

‘All good, I hope,’ he said, shaking yet another hard, callused hand. His own must have felt so soft in comparison.

‘Daniel, welcome and Merry Christmas,’ Sandra said next, stepping in to hug him after Jonelle took the box of wine. Then everyone got in on the act.

‘Mate, good to see ya,’ said Zac, shaking his hand.

It was loud, as everyone was talking and cutting in over the top of each other, laughing and having a great time.

‘Who’s going to give Dan his present?’ shouted Zac over the top.

The congregation moved towards the tree and he was powerless to resist the tide. Dan felt the heat burst into his cheeks. ‘No, you guys shouldn’t have.’

‘Jonny and I thought it was appropriate,’ said Zac with a twinkle in his eye.

Sure enough, under the tree was one wrapped box he hadn’t seen. Ted’s lanky dark-haired little boy dived under before anyone could bend down. ‘I’ll get it,’ he yelled.

‘Xavier!’ said Ted, trying to drag him back out by the feet.

The eager boy’s big eyes lit up as he gave Dan the box with the pretty ribbon. ‘I can help you. I’m real good at unwrapping presents,’ he said.

Monique pulled Xavier back. ‘It’s all right, Xav, he knows how to do it. Why don’t you go and shoot the birds in the fruit trees with your Nerf gun?’

Xavier’s mouth dropped, as if he couldn’t believe he wasn’t already doing that, and then he ran off.

Dan felt everyone’s eyes on him. He wasn’t used to being in the spotlight. Quickly he ripped apart the wrapping and opened the box to find a brand new pair of Redback workboots. ‘What?’ He grinned uncontrollably as he lifted out one of the leather boots.

‘Those are for the next time you visit, or in case you get sent out to another bush town. At least then you’ll blend in better.’ Zac smiled.

‘Wow, I don’t know what to say. Thank you.’ He was flabbergasted. Suddenly he’d wished he’d been born into this caring family as he watched them chatting and teasing each other. Jonelle’s dad put his good arm around his wife and kissed her cheek. His other hand was still bandaged up and he held it close to his chest, careful not to get it knocked. He saw Dan staring at his hand.

‘Don’t worry about that. It’s all good,’ he said, brushing him off. ‘I would’ve been disappointed if I’d had to stay in hospital for Christmas, though.’

Sandra smiled at her husband. ‘We would have just brought Christmas to you, dear.’

‘Yeah, Dad. Wouldn’t be bloody Christmas without you,’ said Jonelle.

Summer wove through all the adults to get to Sandra. ‘Nana, Uncle Rex is here,’ she said with glossy lips. Her eyes sparkled with glitter and her nails were painted different fluoro colours. She turned to Renae and tugged on her hand. ‘Nae, can we do my toes now, please?’ she begged.

‘All right, let’s go,’ she said, as Summer dragged her off.

Renae was looking gorgeous in a long, slinky, red dress. Dan realised he wasn’t the only one eyeing her as she walked away.

‘Might want to wipe your chin, mate,’ he said to Zac quietly, but Jonelle overheard. Zac glared at them both but it was hard to take him seriously with the white pompom of his hat resting above his eye. He turned his back to them.

‘Nice one,’ said Jonelle, holding up her hand for Dan to high five.

But Dan held onto her hand for just a bit longer. He glanced at the box of boots. ‘Thanks for these. They’re perfect.’ Her smile was worth everything, even worth disappointing his father when he told him he wasn’t coming home for Christmas. John had just assumed he’d be home and he actually sounded disappointed. Dan had almost been touched until John revealed the reason for his disappointment: he had wanted to surprise Dan with the news that Dan had got the big job he’d applied for. He should have figured there was a work-related reason that John was upset he wasn’t coming home. It made Dan glad he’d decided to stay. It felt like a real Christmas at the Baxters.

‘Come on, you lot. Why don’t you move into the games room and play some pool while we get lunch organised?’ said Sandra, shooing them all with her hands like they were sheep.

‘Do they need any help?’ asked Dan, as Zac led him to the pool table and Monique and Jonelle headed back to the kitchen.

‘Nup. Old Baxter tradition. The girls put on their fancy lunchtime feast with all the trimmings and for Boxing Day it’s up to us fellas to fire up the barbie and organise a feed of yabbies. Not that we have any this year, we lost them all to the drought. Oh, and we do the dishes after lunch,’ he added before they stepped into the huge games room.

‘This is nice.’ Dan went from wall to wall, looking at old photographs of the farm, black-and-whites of older family members, colourful ones of the Baxter family growing up. Once he started with one, he had to see them all. It was like delving into their history. He felt like he knew them so much better. Zac with blond hair and no teeth. Jonelle with her hair cut boy short in her early teens. And so many shots of the kids playing football with their dad. Charlie was never absent. It said a lot about Dan’s family photos. His dad was only ever in the Christmas ones and that’s because the industry shut down on Christmas Day.

Uncle Rex came into the room and greeted them with a firm handshake. He had on a festive red shirt, his belly stretched through the material causing it to gape at the bottom, and there was a Christmas hat covering his hairless head. His face seemed less wrinkled today, maybe it was his smile. And there was a spark in his eyes. He roughed up Jonathan and hit him up for a game of pool.

‘Come on, Rexie. You know you can’t beat me,’ teased JB.

They never decided on the winner as they were called to the table for lunch. Dan stood, uncertain where he should sit.

Jonelle’s hand slipped around his. ‘Come sit by me,’ she said. ‘I was last born so I’m the furthest from Dad.’

Charlie was at one end, Uncle Rex at the other and everyone else sat in between. Dan sat down to the biggest array of meats and salads he’d ever seen. Even the smaller table the two kids were on against the wall was decorated and covered with food. Dan thought if they had any more food they’d need another huge table.

‘Here, grab your cracker,’ Jonelle said with a nudge.

Everyone was holding their cracker with the person next to them, arms twisted over each other as the bangs fired off willy-nilly. Dan was trying to do one with Jonelle and the other with Monique. One tore in half, flinging the contents across the table and narrowly missing Sandra. Meanwhile Zac and JB were letting off the party poppers, covering the table in coloured streamers.

‘Boys,’ Sandra cried with a smile. ‘Hurry up and dig in, everyone,’ she urged.

But no one started eating until all their coloured party hats were on and the jokes from their crackers had been read.

‘Those are the worst jokes ever,’ Dan said.

‘Of course! It wouldn’t be Christmas without the crap jokes,’ Jonelle said.

Dan loaded up his plate as the salads were passed around.

‘Which ones did you make, Jonny?’ asked Zac with a smirk. ‘So I know to avoid them,’ he teased.

Charlie gave Zac a clip around the ears with his good hand. ‘Be nice to your sister, or you can go without.’

‘You always favour Jonny,’ Zac complained like a child, teasing his father as JB leaned across and started cutting up his dad’s ham and chicken.

‘Someone has to look out for her with three older brothers,’ Charlie said.

‘Come on. She’s tougher than us,’ said JB. ‘Just about,’ he added with a smirk.

Charlie brushed JB’s hand away. ‘All right, all right. I think I can manage from here. I don’t need it pureed. I’ve still got me teeth.’

Dan felt a tap on his leg. He looked at Jonelle. ‘You having a good time? Glad you stayed?’

How could he not be, with her gorgeous face beside him. Her hair was down, shining soft blonde waves that framed her perfect face and made her eyes glow so bright. ‘I’m having a blast.’ He couldn’t really say any more without the whole table hearing so he gave her a wink and tucked back into his meal.

After their lunch, with full bellies, they all congregated in the games room for drinks. Some played darts, others pool and the rest watched and sledged. Dan realised that sledging, teasing and everything in between was a big show of affection in this family.

By late afternoon Rex snored loudly on the couch, the kids were watching a new DVD, and everyone else was playing a game called Squatter. That was when Jonelle dragged him outside. She had changed out of her overalls by then and was wearing denim shorts and a Christmas singlet.

‘Where are you taking me?’ he asked hopefully. ‘Another present?’

‘Ha, you wish.’

She guided him around the house to the lawn area. It sloped down away from the house, making the most of the beautiful land. They sat down under the shade of the arbour at the end of the garden.

‘I just wanted some quiet time with you before you leave. Our house can get a little nutty at times.’

Dan lay back on his elbows. ‘You know, I thought I liked being alone at Christmas, but I really enjoyed today. I forgot how much fun it is to be involved. And your family’s pretty cool.’

‘Yeah, I think so too, but I’m biased.’ She heard a noise back up at the house and turned around to see her parents. ‘Hey, you two lovebirds. No secret stops at the shed now,’ Jonny yelled out, teasing them.

Dan watched as Charlie and Sandra walked hand in hand down the little pathway at the side of the house.

‘Mum and Dad always go for sunset walks, not every night but as much as they can. I think it’s sweet that they make time for themselves. I can’t wait to have my own sunset walks.’

Dan knew what she meant, and wished he could have been her someone special to walk with. The thought of Jonny hitching up with someone else hurt so much it felt like he’d taken a pair of pliers to his guts. ‘You’re lucky to have them. They look so in love, even after all these years. Nothing like how my parents behaved.’

Jonelle shrugged. ‘Hey, they can fight like the rest of us. Mum didn’t talk to Dad for a whole week once, something to do with not telling her he’d got caught up with some fellas and come home at midnight drunk while she’d been worried sick. But they’re always there for each other when it counts. A bit like Dad is for us. There are times when he couldn’t come to our assemblies or sports days but he’d make it up to us by taking us camping or just playing with us outside. We never felt like we missed out.’

‘Yeah, total opposite of my father.’ Dan couldn’t help his tone. He thought back to a question Jonelle had asked him once. He hadn’t been ready to face the further interrogation his answer would have brought. ‘You asked me about my mum before and . . .’ Jonelle waited patiently for him to continue. ‘As far as I know, Mum only cheated with this one guy, Derek. They ended up getting married after the divorce went through.’ Dan had never wanted to talk about his mum for fear of upsetting his father, as if he was betraying him, but things felt different now.

‘Oh, so your Mum’s not a big bad wolf after all. She just did something totally human and fell in love with this other guy. Did you think that maybe your mum wasn’t happy with your dad? Was he easy to live with?’