The Most Magical Gift of All (17 page)

Imogen held Sophie's hand as she waited her turn. ‘Did Jack have to go to the hospital?'

Sophie nodded, wondering if she'd be struck down for the half-truth. Jack had gone to the hospital to get changed into the Santa costume. She wondered if all the padding and the white whiskers were enough to fox her very intelligent daughter. ‘He'll be here for your concert.'

‘Great to see you here, Sophie.' A proud and smiling Max passed by, cuddling his new daughter.

Elsie Stephenson, her arm linked through her husband's, gave her a wave. ‘You did a great job on that costume, Sophie.'

Sophie smiled and waved, pinching herself at the fact that this was her town and these were her people.

Christmas Eve in Barragong was a community event and everyone in the district was there. The aroma of onions floated through the air as the Rotary Club cooked up a score of sausages and hamburgers for the hungry crowd. The stage was the flat bed of a huge Mack truck; the primary-school choir sang
Six White Boomers
and
Rudolph
, and the high-school band had done a stunning version of
Joy To The World
. The talented young soloist had reduced Sophie to tears with
When a Child Is Born
.

Imogen had held her hand and said, ‘Christmas is happy, Sophie.'

Jack had hugged her, saying, ‘It's in our future.'

‘Who's next?' Santa's deep voice boomed.

‘It's my turn!' Imogen ran up to Santa and sat on his lap.

Sophie took a photo; the moment she got home, she'd upload it and email it to her father. Jack had insisted she ring him as soon as they'd had a celebratory glass of champagne with his family. She'd spoken to her dad and each of her sisters, and Minty had said, ‘I'm so glad for you, sis. Dad was starting to worry I'd put you off kids, but I told him you weren't that silly!'

Then Jack had seized the phone and spent ten minutes talking to her father. When he'd hung up, he'd said, ‘He sounds like a good bloke and I invited him for next Christmas.'

She loved the idea of that.

Min wandered over, tanned and healthy from her cruise and a lovely smile on her face. ‘I loved my Pacific holiday, but there's nothing like a Barragong Christmas.' She passed Sophie a glass of wine and then raised her glass. ‘I've wanted Jack to find this sort of happiness for a very long time, so thank you.'

Sophie felt the tears hovering again. ‘I broke his heart.'

Min's nodded. ‘But you mended it, and that's all that matters.'

Imogen ran back to them holding a lolly on a stick. ‘Look what Santa gave me.'

Min smiled. ‘I can mind that for you, because I can see your kinder teacher getting all the kids to line up for the concert.'

Imogen's eyes sparkled. ‘Is it time for me to be an emu?'

‘It's time.'

Ten minutes later, Sophie felt an arm snake around her waist. ‘How did it go?'

Jack grinned. ‘She never suspected a thing.' He grabbed her hand. ‘Come on, shake a leg and hustle; we need to be at the front to take photos of our daughter's very first concert.'

The music started and the children came on dressed as kangaroos, wombats, emus, bilbies and possums. They gathered around the manger and baby Caitlyn was a true professional—she slept through the entire play. Imogen, as the emu innkeeper, carried her tray and said in a loud voice, ‘We are full, but you can sleep in the stable.'

Sophie thought her heart would burst with pride.

As the nativity play ended, the evening star rose high
in the sky and everyone lit their candles and joined together to sing the Aussie version of
Jingle Bells
.

Min held Imogen in her arms and Im carefully held her candle, gripping it in the plastic holder, while singing lustily and off-key.

Sophie leaned back against Jack, whose arms wrapped tightly around her.

He whispered in her ear, ‘Do you miss the cold and the snow?'

‘Not at all. I love all these new Christmas traditions.'

He grinned like an excited kid. ‘I can't wait to give you your present in the morning.'

She turned in his arms and gazed up at him. ‘I don't need a present, Jack. You've given me yourself and Imogen, and you've given me back Christmas. I'm the luckiest and happiest woman alive.'

He hugged her tightly. ‘Merry Christmas, my darling Sophie.'

‘Merry Christmas, Jack.' And she hugged him right back.