by Eva Scott
Up until now, Lexie hadn’t realised a person could be this happy. She rubbed her belly, feeling tiny feet pressing against her hand. Her little boy was engaged and ready to go. Any day now, the doctor said. She couldn’t wait to hold him in her arms and argue with Geoff about names.
She managed to get the tray of drinks out to the veranda before another wave of pain hit her.
‘Bea,’ she said in the calmest voice she could muster. ‘Do you think you could drive me to the hospital when it’s time?’
‘I’m happy to, although I’ve no idea how that would work as I’m hours away. Wouldn’t it be better if Geoff took you?’ She looked from Lexie to Geoff, confusion on her face.
‘Geoff has been drinking,’ said Lexie, digging her fingernails into the doorframe as another contraction washed over her.
Bea turned to Geoff, shock all over her face. ‘You’re an alcoholic?’
‘What? No. I can drive you, honey.’
‘No, you can’t,’ Lexie muttered between clenched teeth. ‘Drinking.’
‘You are an alcoholic,’ cried Bea. ‘I knew you were too good to be true.’
‘What on earth are you talking about?’ Geoff shook his head.
‘I told you Bea’s bonkers,’ said Lexie. ‘Now please get the keys to the car.’
Charlie, Bea and Geoff all froze for a microsecond, then all hell broke loose with each one of them running off in a different direction, shouting.
‘I’ll get the keys.’
‘Where’s her bag? You do have one packed, don’t you?’
‘I’ll get the towels.’
‘We don’t need any bloody towels, Charlie. You get the kids.’
‘I can’t find the damn keys.’
Lexie calmly walked through the kitchen, grabbing the car keys from the fruit bowl where they’d been dropped, and made her way to the front door.
She walked down the steps to the car, unlocked the door and pressed the horn.
In seconds, her family came tumbling out the front door.
‘Why didn’t you tell us you had the keys?’ Bea grabbed them. ‘Why don’t we go in my car? Much more comfortable.’
‘No, I want to go in my car if you don’t mind.’ Lexie doubled over.
‘Good idea. I don’t want your waters to break all over my upholstery.’
‘They’re coming closer together,’ Lexie gasped.
‘Get in the car.’
‘I’ll get in the back with Lexie,’ said Geoff.
‘We won’t all fit,’ said Charlie. ‘What about the kids?’
‘Put them in the boot,’ said Bea. ‘Tie them to the roof rack.’
‘I’ll follow behind in our car,’ said Charlie.
‘Good man,’ yelled Bea as she spun the wheels, sending gravel flying in all directions. ‘Last one to the hospital gets the afterbirth.’
‘BEA!’ Geoff and Lexie chorused together as they began their biggest and best adventure yet.
Thanks for reading A Tale of Three Christmases. I hope you enjoyed it.
If you liked this book, here are my other rural romance titles; Lonely in Longreach, Red Dust Rebel, Red Dust Runaway, Red Dust Dancer, and Red Dust Dreaming.
You might also like my historical romances Barbarian Bride and The Last Gladiatrix.
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ISBN: 9781867211174
TITLE: A TALE OF THREE CHRISTMASES
First Australian Publication 2018
Copyright © 2018 Eva Scott
Previously released in the anthology OUR COUNTRY CHRISTMAS in 2018.
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