Wanting His Girl

Chapter | 14

The sounds of a dog barking and the happy squeals that could only be from a child greeted Jack as he walked down Emily's driveway and going inside he was amazed how many Christmas decorations seemed to have taken over Emily's house. He had wondered why she didn't have any up yet but the last couple of days he was stuck at work had given her the time to turn the home into a Christmas wonderland. Green and red tinsel was draped over each doorway and a Merry Christmas banner was now hung up over her window with the waist height artificial pine tree set up in the corner by the TV with multi-coloured fairy lights twinkling from the branches.

Rosemary followed him, admiring how homely and sweet Emily's house was. It was just as inviting as the owner and as she followed Jack into the kitchen the movement of Sookie from her bed made her jump.

"That's Sookie" Jack introduced the pair as Emily came in, instantly smiling and moving in to hug Jack before greeting Rosemary.

"Come through, we're all out the back" Emily left Jack to put his beers in the fridge and the gifts under the tree and went out to introduce Jack's Aunty to her own family. Paul was with her Dad and Bryan at the barbeque, the few kilos of mussels they have picked up that morning sizzling on the hot plate. Heidi was running around with Nancy who was being kept away from Sookie and sitting under the ceiling fan everyone was already sipping on wine and picking at the nibbles on the table.

Thankfully the heat wave from the week had finally broken, and although it was still thirty four degrees after dealing with the forties it was a welcomed cooler change. Finding a Christmas cd, Emily turned on some carols and before long the food was ready for lunch.

"I tell you what, I don't miss the cold at Christmas" Rosemary commented, picking at her salad.

"But what about the snow?" Emily asked imaging how lovely a white Christmas must be.

"Over rated. Unless it's fresh it's just slush and too cold to go out! Don't envy you Jacky!" The conversation filtered out then to silence as they were all aware Jack was leaving in a couple of days. It just hadn't been mentioned and feeling awkward for bringing it up, Rosemary stared at her plate and offering her a smile Emily quickly picked up the conversation again knowing what everyone was thinking and she didn't want the mood to sink.

"Well in that case neither do I. Especially going from this heat! How does your Christmas go?" She asked Jack, generally interested. Emily imagined somewhere classy, on an estate or in a palace with a large fireplace while they all sat around an enormous, living Christmas tree like she had seen in movies and with Jacks family being well to do it had to be a lavish affair.

"Horribly. My parents host a cocktail party Christmas Eve where it's a case of who can kiss the most ass and show off the years achievements and bitch about what ever scandals happened" He muttered bitterly, remembering Heidi was there he cringed at swearing in front of her. "And Christmas is spent listening to Mother complain about her hangover, Dad goes to the club with the other members of the board and my brother and I are sent off to whatever charity Mum has arranged for us to help out at"

Now that killed the conversation and everyone went quieter than before.

"But it's not all bad. I enjoy that part and its some time off work and I get to hang out with my brother" Jack smiled at the table which stared uncomfortably at him.

"And that's why I stayed out here!" Rosemary laughed and a nervous round of laughter followed but as the conversation changed to cricket it was all forgotten and Jack helped Emily clean up the dishes and put away the food.

"Wow, sounds like you're in for a treat back home" Emily teased, loading up the dishwasher she smiled as Jack struggled with the plastic wrap over the bowl of leftover salad.