Chapter Twenty-One
Liam’s hand held Angie’s tightly as they opened the gate at the edge of the driveway of Garth and Lucy’s house. In his other hand he carried a Santa sack full of gaily coloured presents, and Angie clutched Willow’s new lead. The little pup had grown and now she pulled, anxious to get to the house. The garden was a riot of colours and fragrant flowers. Angie smiled. It reminded her of Lucy’s exuberance. Snapdragons, phlox, marigolds, and zinnias were clumped together haphazardly but the effect was as soothing as Lucy’s personality. The fragrance of summer roses filled the air, and the working dogs watched mournfully through the fence as Willow was allowed to walk across the soft green lawn to the house.
Lucy’s smile had been like the cat that got the cream the morning that Liam and Angie had driven out to tell her they were a couple. When she related the story to Sebastian and Jemima after they arrived a couple of weeks ago, Lucy had taken full credit for them getting back together.
Angie’s stomach twisted with excitement. It was the first time she’d been to a family Christmas party since she was a small child. Sitting with Liam on the floor of her living room—he and Willow had moved into town to Angie’s house as soon as Sebastian had come home from Europe in the middle of December—wrapping presents over the past week had been fun, even with Willow getting tangled in the coloured twine.
“Angie! Liam! Where have you been? Everyone else is here.” Lucy’s excited voice reached them from the verandah as the smell of roast pork wafted around from the barbeque area that Garth had built especially for the Christmas party. “Gran won’t let me open one present until everyone’s here.”
Angie let go of Liam’s hand and climbed the steps of the verandah.
“Merry Christmas, Lucy!” She hugged Lucy tight. “And thanks so much for inviting me. You have no idea how special this day is to me.”
“Of course you’re here. You’re one of the family now.” Lucy kissed Angie’s cheek. “Now, Angie, you come inside. Gran is holding court in the kitchen and Jemima is pouring the wine. Liam, you put the presents under the tree and then go out and rescue Garth. Pop is telling him the best way to keep the new Webber hot. They’re roasting enough meat to feed all of Spring Downs.”
“Yes, ma’am!” Liam put his arm around Angie’s waist and dropped a kiss on her lips. “How crazy are we to have a roast dinner when it’s going to be a stinker of a hot day?”
“It’s an Aussie Christmas. And we’ve got plum pudding and custard, too,” Lucy protested.
“I’ll be back in a minute. I have something for Angie, and I want the whole family to see it, too,” Liam said with a smile.
Angie frowned. “See what?”
“Be patient, woman.” Liam dropped another kiss on her lips and headed inside with the presents.
“I wonder what he’s up to now,” Angie said.
“It’s Christmas Day, so I’m sure it’s something special.” Lucy smiled.
“You know, don’t you?” Angie nudged her as they walked towards the kitchen. “I know that secret smile of yours, Lucy.” Angie detoured via the laundry and put Willow in the basket that was kept there for her.
“No chance, girlfriend. I kept your secret about Grant, the non-boyfriend, so I’m keeping Liam’s secret for him.” Lucy walked behind Angie into the kitchen.
“Hugh, not Grant!” Angie’s giggle was loud.
“Yes?” Gran turned around, wiping her hands on her apron.
Angie and Lucy laughed louder.
“Gawd, you pair, you’re laughing like loons already and you haven’t even had a Christmas wine yet.” Jemima walked over gracefully and hugged Angie. “Merry Christmas, Angie.”
“Thanks, Jemmy.”
Angie gasped as she looked into the dining room adjacent to the kitchen. A long table was set with a white damask tablecloth, and silver cutlery shone beneath red candles that were already burning brightly. Red bonbons were at the side of each plate and a crystal wine glass completed each setting
“Oh. It’s beautiful! I’ve never seen anything so lovely.” Angie clapped her hands with delight.
“It’s a Christmas tradition,” said Gran who had followed her to the door of the dining room. “This is the first time we’ve had a proper Christmas out here for a long while, but Lucy insisted I bring over the family Christmas tablecloths and the special cutlery.”
The door from the verandah opened and Liam came in, followed closely by Garth and Pop. James gurgled from the port-a-cot in the family room, the flickering lights of the Christmas tree keeping his attention.
“Present time.” Lucy jumped up and lifted James.
After Garth and Pop had greeted Angie they all made their way to the family room. There was a quiet air of expectancy, and Angie wasn’t surprised when Liam stayed standing in the centre of room as the others all took a seat.
“What’s going on?” she asked suspiciously.
Liam came over to her chair and stood in front of her. “This is your first Christmas with our family and I wanted to make it special and memorable for you,” he said.
“On your knee, Liam,” Lucy called out and the rest of the family smiled.
Heat ran up Angie’s neck as Liam dropped to one knee and pulled a small silver box from his pocket.
“I know you’ve already got an engagement ring of sorts, and I know you thought we were going to Narrabri to the see the jeweller next week.” Love shone from his eyes and Angie blinked away the happy tears that threatened as he leaned close enough to whisper in her ear. “I love you, Ange. More than life itself.”
He raised his voice and smiled at her. “Now I really want you to feel a part of our family today and I could think of no better way than this.”
Angie smiled up at him and whispered, “I love you, too, Liam.”
“Ange, will you do me the honour of accepting your real engagement ring, and let me tell you how much I love you in front of everyone that matters to me?”
Angie looked around at his family. The love in the room was there, and she knew it was for her, too. Even Pop wiped away a tear as he and Gran sat together on the sofa.
“Of course I will, Liam.”
Liam slipped the plain silver key ring circle—it had been on her finger since the afternoon in the motel—from her finger and put it on the table. He flipped open the small box, pulled out a ring, and slid it onto her finger. Sun shone through the window and Angie looked down at the brilliant light flashing from the sapphire and diamond ring until Liam’s head got closer to hers. Everyone apart from the man she loved disappeared from her view as Liam’s lips clung to hers and Angie closed her eyes.
She had a family. She had come home.
To Prickle Creek Farm. For Christmas. For life.