Outback Secrets by Rachael Johns

Chapter Thirty-eight

Henri woke on Christmas morning to the sun blazing in through the bedroom window and Sheila snoring softly at her feet. She smiled and cocked an ear to listen for sounds of Liam pottering in the kitchen or in the bathroom.

There were none. Not a squeak. And no tantalising aroma of coffee or toast either.

The apartment felt eerily still.

A sinking feeling descended on her as she recalled everything Liam had told her yesterday and then his nightmare. He’d scared the bejesus out of her last night when he’d been thrashing around beside her, sweating and shouting words she couldn’t comprehend, but she’d thought he was okay after their conversation.

What if he hadn’t been? Her blood went cold.

Was this what being hit by a tonne of bricks felt like?

She shot out of bed, not giving one thought to her ankle, and dashed through the apartment—checking first the bathroom, then the kitchen and the living room. She even checked the spare room, which she’d never been in before but found jam-packed full of boxes. He wasn’t there either.

‘Where the hell is he?’ she screamed at Sheila who was shadowing her every step.

As the dog stared up at Henri like she was a crazy person, she froze.

Liam never went anywhere without his faithful companion and this realisation only compounded her fears. What if he’d …?

No.She couldn’t allow herself to think like that or she wouldn’t be able to think straight enough to find him.

Call him. Maybe he’s just gone for a swim or something?

Telling herself this would be it and trying to stay calm—or at least not get any more un-calm—she dived on her handbag and yanked out her phone.

The blasted thing had died.

‘Shit!’ She glanced around but of course Liam didn’t have a landline up here. Who did anymore? And even if he had, she didn’t know his number off by heart. So much for technological advances making life better.

Lara and Dylan. She didn’t know what time it was, but it felt bloody early; still she couldn’t worry about disturbing them. Not when Liam’s life might be at stake.

She quickly threw on shorts and a T-shirt, not even bothering with underwear. But when she emerged from the apartment into the corridor, she realised she had no idea which door belonged to the English backpackers.

Shit.

Then another thought struck. Maybe Janet was downstairs giving the guests their breakfast. Or maybe … maybe that’s where Liam was! Surely he wouldn’t expect Janet to work on Christmas Day?

She hobbled down the stairs as fast as her still dodgy ankle would allow but the pub was like a ghost town. No Janet. No Liam. No anyone. Clearly guests had to fend for themselves today. Henri was heading for the phone in the bar to call Tilley and Frankie and beg them to come collect her so they could search far and wide, when she heard something. She stopped and listened hard, recognising the faintest sound of rock music coming from outside.

The studio!

Henri didn’t even remember getting from the pub to the door of the workshop, but the relief that swept over her as she stepped inside and saw Liam bent over a rocking chair was like nothing she’d ever felt before.

‘Oh my God!’

He turned at her shriek and rushed over. ‘What is it? Are you okay?’

She started pummelling his chest with her fists. Up until that moment she’d been too panicked to cry but the tears burst free now.

‘Whoa!’ He caught her wrists. ‘What’s the matter?’

‘I thought you … When you weren’t there … and Sheila was … I thought …’

He pulled her hard against him and cradled her head against his chest. ‘Didn’t you see my note?’

‘What note?’ She sniffed and pulled back to look at him.

‘It said I was down here working. I left it next to you on the bedside table.’

She shook her head. ‘I didn’t see any note.’ She’d been too distressed to register anything but his absence. ‘And what kind of person works on Christmas morning anyway? How long have you been down here?’

‘I’m sorry,’ he said, wiping a tear as it slid down her cheek. ‘I didn’t mean to scare you. I woke up early because there was something I needed to finish.’

‘Huh?’ What on earth could be so important that he’d chosen it over waking up with her?

He turned and pointed to the rocking chair, which was, if anything, even more beautiful than the one he’d made for Dolce. ‘It’s for your mom.’

She gasped. ‘You serious?’

‘Yeah. I started it the day after we delivered Dolce’s.’

‘Wow.’ She took a moment to just gaze at it. ‘Were you still going to give it to Mum after we … broke up?’

He nodded. ‘I was going to deliver it to her in the new year, but I thought you might like to give it to her for Christmas instead?’

‘Hell yeah. This is much better than the ugly vase I bought her. I’m shooting right to the top of her favourite child ranking. And you, you are going to be very much in her good books as well.’

‘I like the sound of that. Your mom can be scary sometimes. A bit like you.’

She laughed and wrapped her arms around him. ‘Is it ready now?’

‘Yep. All done. Was just giving it one last polish.’

‘Good. Because I think we’ve still got a few hours until we have to be at the farm, and I have an idea of what we can do to fill in the time.’

He slid his hands up under the back of her T-shirt—which was actually his T-shirt—and palmed them against her bare skin. ‘And what would that be?’

* * *

They were almost late to lunch, and although Henri didn’t seem to care, Liam didn’t want to make a bad impression. He was anxious enough as it was about actually celebrating Christmas for the first time in thirteen years.

‘Are you okay?’ Henri asked, as the sign for Bungara Springs appeared ahead.

‘I think so,’ he nodded, despite the tightness in his chest.

He hoped so, but now that they were this close, the enormity of doing Christmas—of celebrating Christmas, of spending it with someone else’s family—felt more than a little overwhelming.

She reached out and squeezed his knee. ‘We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. I want to spend today with you, but that doesn’t have to be with my crazy relations if that’s too much, too soon. They’ll understand.’

Liam wasn’t sure they would but that was beside the point; he wanted to do this, for Henri, but also for himself. He wanted to be a part of a family again, he wanted to feel like he belonged.

‘No, we’re doing this,’ he said firmly, squeezing the hand that was still resting on his knee. ‘You’re not using me as an excuse to get out of Forward family festivities. I’m hoping to hear lots more embarrassing stories from your mother.’

Henri laughed. ‘Why do I have a bad feeling about this?’

‘Remind me how many nieces and nephews you have,’ he said as they bumped along on the gravel track towards her mom’s place.

‘Seven.’

‘Sheesh! How am I ever going to remember all their names?’

‘Don’t worry about that. I’m sure they’ll be too busy fighting over their presents to even notice you.’ She pointed to a gum tree as the homestead came into view. ‘Park over there, under the tree.’

He did as she instructed. ‘Shall we take the rocking chair in now or—’

‘We exchange gifts after lunch. We’ll leave it till then. Hopefully no one wonders what’s under the tarpaulin.’

They climbed out of the ute and almost got ambushed by Nerf guns as they headed through the garden gate.

Henri gasped and pulled him back out of the way as a line of kids ran past them. ‘Oh my God, I’m so sorry,’ she said, her face pale, as she surveyed the tiny foam bullets scattered all over Fiona’s usually immaculate garden. ‘I’ll get them to stop. They can play with something else.’

‘No! Don’t. I’m fine,’ Liam assured her. If he was honest, the sight was a little triggering, but he didn’t want his issues to affect some innocent little kids enjoying themselves. ‘Really. They’re just toys. Don’t ruin their fun.’

And the sight was pretty amusing. He couldn’t help chuckling as the very smallest child—who was maybe too little to join in—toddled along behind the others, collecting them all up. At least he was trying, but his hands were so tiny he could only hold a few before he dropped them again.

Henri finally smiled. ‘That’s Joe. Callum and Hannah’s youngest. Don’t tell anyone, but he’s my favourite.’

‘I don’t blame you. That’s one pretty cute kid.’

As predicted, none of the children appeared particularly interested in their arrival and so, hand in hand, they continued on towards the house.

‘Wow,’ Liam said as they stepped up onto the verandah and his gaze fell upon a ridiculously long table, with a smaller one off to the side. The chairs around it didn’t all match but aside from that, it looked like something out of a movie or a magazine. White tablecloth, gold runner down the middle, red and green cloth napkins, cutlery wrapped in ribbon, festive-patterned plates, Christmas crackers, glittery glassware and vases filled with native flowers from the garden. And this was only the beginning.

‘Did I forget to tell you Mum goes all out?’ There was a twinkle in Henri’s voice as she squeezed his hand. ‘If you think this looks good, wait until you taste the food.’

At that moment, the screen door opened and Callum and Andrew emerged from inside. They both wore shirts that looked as if Hawaii and the North Pole had had a love child. Maybe next year, Liam would get one too.

‘What took you guys so long?’ asked Andrew.

‘Mum’s stressing about the turkey getting overcooked,’ added Callum. ‘She was about to send out a search party.’

‘Liam was finishing Mum’s present,’ Henri told them. ‘It far surpasses anything you two idiots could have got her.’

They exchanged a look with each other.

‘Of course, you have no idea what you got her because Hannah and Janai handled that for you.’ Henri shook her head. ‘Hopeless, absolutely hopeless. Anyway, will you guys look after Liam while I go and get changed. Promised Mum I’d wear a dress today.’

‘Sure,’ Callum said, raising his can of Coke. ‘Can I get you a drink, mate?’

‘Mum won’t let us crack the beer open until we sit down to lunch,’ Andrew apologised.

‘A Coke would be great,’ Liam replied as Henri kissed him on the cheek before disappearing into the house.

He endured a few awkward minutes while Andrew and Callum got all big brotherly and grilled Liam on his intentions towards Henri before she emerged again, this time with the other adults in tow. Not that he really saw any of them.

‘Jesus,’ he hissed as he drank in the sight of Henri.

He loved her in her usual shorts and T-shirt, he loved her in her swimsuit, he loved her when she wasn’t wearing anything at all. But the sight of Henri in a hot pink, sleeveless dress that hugged her curves and finished just above her knees did insane things to his insides.

If they weren’t surrounded by her family, he’d have marched right across to her and taken it off.

‘We don’t take the Lord’s name in vain around here,’ said Henri’s mother, before turning back to smile at her daughter. ‘See what happens when you wear a dress.’

Henri grinned and did a little twirl.

‘Sorry, Fiona,’ Liam said, not feeling sorry in the slightest.

She stepped up and gave him a hug. ‘You’re forgiven, but don’t made a habit of it. Merry Christmas.’

‘Merry Christmas to you too. Thanks for having me.’

‘So, how’s this actually going to work between you two?’ Tilley asked after Liam had been welcomed by everyone else.

‘Well,’ Henri looked to him, ‘I’m going to make sure I fly home between contracts …’

‘And I’m going to take time off to go see her when I can as well.’

In between other pursuits, they’d spent the morning working out logistics. They weren’t silly enough to think this was going to be easy, but where there was a will there was a way and Liam had never wanted anything in his life to work more.

‘Aw, isn’t that sweet?’ Tilley said, pressing her hand against her chest. ‘They’re already finishing each other’s sentences.’

‘It’s very sweet,’ Fiona agreed, her eyes gleaming as she grinned at them, ‘but if we don’t eat soon, the lunch will be ruined.’

Liam noticed that while he’d been gaping at Henri in the dress, the long table had filled with food, almost like a miracle.

The kids were summoned, and everyone took their places—Fiona Forward at one end, the other empty in respect to the absent but much-loved Fred. The rest of the adults sat along each side and the children at their own table nearby, all except Joe, who sat in a highchair between Hannah and Callum, banging a spoon on the tray.

‘Can you say grace please, Andrew?’ Fiona asked, and everyone reached for each other’s hands and closed their eyes as Henri’s brother began.

Liam felt Henri’s eyes on him and opened his to find her looking at him. She leaned in close and whispered, ‘You sure you’re okay?’

He nodded. His anxiety had completely evaporated the moment she walked out in that dress. It was impossible to have any dark thoughts with her sitting beside him wearing it.

Finally it was time to eat. In addition to the turkey and roasted vegetables, there was a leg of ham, prawns, potato bake and at least four different types of salads. Henri hadn’t been kidding when she said her mom went all out. The only things missing were a green bean casserole and a yam and marshmallow one, but this was an Aussie Christmas not a Silver Ridge one.

He only allowed himself a moment’s reflection before picking up his cutlery and getting stuck in.

Life might not have turned out the way Liam imagined—he’d never get over the brutal loss of his family—but maybe it was finally going to be another kind of good. Although it was Christmas not Thanksgiving, he sent up a silent prayer, thanking the powers that be for gifting him Henri.

He couldn’t imagine another present that could ever top that.