The other side of the world (Bondi Rescue Fanfic)

Chapter 45 - Merry Christmas

The next few days build up to Christmas was a happy, fun time as Shannon and her friends got a cheap but cute tree and decorated it with the most mismatched, crazy decorations they could find.

Shannon had found a lovely frame for Rachel and Darren's present and had bought Tristan and Jamie a copy of a CD of a band they had discovered while out there and had become obsessed with.

Kailan was more of a problem however. Her ideal present was to buy him a plane ticket to England but there was no way she could afford that.

She decided to use all the photographs she had of them together and make a huge collage in a frame. She wrote messages on the frame too that were quite soppy for her but she wanted to tell him how she felt and figured this way, he would always know, even after she had gone.

Darren and Rachel had managed to get a huge turkey and they had all decided to give the lifeguards an open invitation to join them after work for Christmas dinner.

"If they all have other plans and it's just us and Kailan then it just means we'll be eating turkey every day till we leave" Tristan laughed when they were discussing it.

Christmas Eve arrived and everyone was meeting for drinks in the evening. Shannon was emptying her wardrobe trying to decide on what to wear when she heard a knock at her bedroom door.

"Hey Shan, just check.....What the hell are you doing" laughed Jamie as he stuck his head through the doorway

"Trying to find something to wear" she sighed

"Yeah coz you have no clothes at all do you" he laughed

Shannon smiled and threw the dress she had in her hands at him.

"Come on, I'll help" he said as he came to sit next to her on the floor and started sorting through the pile of discarded clothes.

Within minutes, he had passed her a lovely red strapless bodycon dress and a pair of black wedge shoes

"Red is oh so Christmassy" he explained as she gave him a thank you hug

Jamie stayed to help her put away all the discarded clothes and they were going over the plan for Christmas dinner – everyone was to be assigned a job to make sure it all went smoothly!

"So Kailan's working but coming to us for dinner yeah?" Jamie said

"Yep" she confirmed "Thanks for having the dinner later so he can come by the way"

"It's fine, honestly" he replied "I mean how many of our friends back home can say they spent Christmas day on the beach"

"Yeah" laughed Shannon "It will certainly be different that's for sure"

They put the last of her clothes away and then went into the kitchen to reward themselves with a nice cold beer.

"Right, is everyone here" shouted Rachel as she came into the kitchen "Daz! Trist!" she called

"Think they're outside" said Jamie

"Right well come on, follow me" ordered Rachel as she went outside to the pool where Darren and Tristan were having some sort of race on inflatable crocodiles.

"Listen up you two" said Rachel as she opened up the notepad she was holding

"Oh no" moaned Darren "She's gone into sergeant major mode"