Kylie & Jack 1: Humble Beginnings

2. Silly Season

Dec. 18th, 4:47 PM

Kylie and Jack swept the hall floor, laid out the old wooden pews into rows, set up the urn on the table and organised the awards, book prizes, shields, speakers and everything else in the hall. Kylie had hijacked her parents' bathroom after her Zoom meeting with Lynne at the school, to get changed into a white and floral printed summer dress and strap on her canvas wedge heels; her dark red hair had been straightened and tied back into a long ponytail, her blue–grey eyes accentuated by her black mascara, which also complemented her fair complexion rather well, even diminishing the few freckles on her cheeks. Jack had rather crudely gotten changed at the school. Kylie could tell when Jack entered the hall, because his aftershave wafted four metres ahead of him. When she teased him about it, he said he same about her perfume.

"It's Victoria Beckham. Smells better than Lynx, I can assure you, mate!" Kylie laughed.

Sixteen students stampeded into the hall, their parents hanging about outside.

"Mr Brookes! Miss Foley!" Their names were commanded at them over and over again, until they were able to hush the kids and begin their final rehearsal.

"Alright guys, let's go over our Christmas Photo piece one last time!" For the next twenty minutes, they went over the actions and words to John Williamson's Christmas Photo. As they wrapped up their rehearsal, the smell of gas and the unmistakable sound of meat sizzling wafted through the open hall, as the portable barbie from the pub was set up. All the kids – a total of twenty five, now that younger siblings and cousins from neighbouring towns arrived – hurtled for the doors, to beg their parents for a gold coin to get a sausage sanga and drink.

"No tomato sauce!" Jack yelled out the door, to a caterwauling of laughter from the adults and boos from the students.

"Right ... all we have to do now is ..." Jack turned around to see Kylie twirling on the spot, trying to collect her thoughts. He walked across the still dusty looking, but clean, wooden floor to Kylie.

"You keep spinning like that and you'll be sick."

"I'm trying to think ... what are we missing? Something's ... we've got the books, the speeches, the shields, drinks, eskies, barbie are outside, Shaz has the money box ... Brenda brought up the urn ..."

"Santa?" Jack asked, watching Kylie closely.

"Shit! Hold the fort, I'll be back!" Kylie dashed awkwardly in her dress and wedge heels towards the front double doors, where she ran right into her mother, Janelle.

"Where're you off to?"

"To see you! I totally forgot to ask you about who's doing Santa this year! Of all things to forget, lord Almighty!" Kylie said, slapping her forehead. Janelle cackled.

"You're a gronk. Everything's all sorted. Baz is gonna drive the truck and I told Steve he can be Santa this year. He's not happy about it."

"Steve? You told Steve he's doing Santa? Are you a glutton for punishment or what?" Kylie laughed, as Jack approached them with a broad grin at Janelle.

"Oh, Ma, this is Jack Brookes, Jack, my mum Janelle Foley." Jack shook Janelle's hand.

"What's the problem?" Jack asked, placing his hands on his hips: he was wearing tight fitting, beige pants and a crisp white shirt and brown leather RM Williams boots. Kylie had to admit, with his short, soft brown hair and artfully grown stubble, he did look rather dashing.

"We've got the grinch for Santa." Kylie couldn't resist the comment and laughed as she spoke to Jack.

"I'll do it, if you want." He said with a noncommittal shrug. Kylie turned to Janelle and shrugged too.