Chapter 5: Chapter 5: A family Christmas

'Hi, fellas, where's mine?'

Noel walked into the family home on the bay overlooking Coogee Beach midmorning on Christmas Day. Her two younger half brothers, Neil, fifteen and a male version of herself, and Peter, nine, blond and chunky like his father, were in the lounge testing their presents: Neil, a new laptop and Peter, some type of hand-held computer game he was having difficulty with because Charlie, the family dog, an over-sized half-grown mix of poodle and something else undefined but obviously huge was as interested in it as he was.

'You haven't got any,' Peter said, not looking up from the game and elbowing Charlie.

Wresting Charlie away Noel gave him an energetic scratch and rub between his front legs. He stiffened in a paroxysm of ecstasy; back legs trembling and eyes rolling up under his lids. She grinned. 'I guess neither have you then.'

'They're out by the pool.' Neil meant their parents.

From brothers who could expect more? Noel grinned again, gave Charlie a parting pat and went to find her mother and stepfather. Like Neil said, they were out by the pool in their swimming togs under a large umbrella, with champagne and strawberries on the table within finger reach.

'This looks wonderful,' Noel said with feeling, bestowing kisses on both before dropping into a spare chair. 'How's things?'

'Perfect.' Pat Chisholm, her brothers' father, poured champagne into a long flute and offered it. Her mother stretched and smiled. 'You can say that again. How are you, darling? You're looking better than the last time we saw you.'

Noel raised her glass. 'Cheers. I'm good. Keeping busy was what was needed, and work is always busy.'

'How's William?'

'Fine.' She added too casually, 'He's invited me to his New Year's Eve party.'

Pat's eyebrows shot up. 'I thought you couldn't stand the man.'

'It's work.'

Pat and her mother exchanged looks they didn't attempt to hide. 'New Year's Eve?'

'I'm after an account he manages,' she said defensively. 'And there's no harm in being pleasant, is there?'

'None at all.' Pat backed off, hands in the air, and before he could say anything else had his attention diverted by Peter shooting out of the house with Charlie on his heels bouncing with the joy of being played with, mouth wide with happiness, tongue hanging to one side as they raced around the pool and table.

'For crying out loud, slow down and get ready for lunch.'

Lucy was laughing. 'It's better than having his head stuck in that game.'

'You shouldn't have bought it for him then.'

Lucy winked at Noel. 'Come and talk to me while I get lunch ready.'

Lunch was cold and eaten by the pool. Afterwards, when the boys had ripped open their presents from Noel and, briefly showing their affection, waited anxiously for her approval of their presents to her before disappearing over the road to the beach to meet up with friends, and when Pat was prone on the family room settee, Noel and Lucy cleaned up and went back out to the umbrella and fresh air.

'Is something the matter? You look preoccupied.'

'I'm fine. Delayed reaction, I guess. I'm trying not to think of it but I just don't seem to be able to put it out of my mind.' She took a deep breath in through her nose and released it through her mouth, not looking at her mother. But when Lucy sighed too and said, 'I keep thinking things have got to get better for you and then something else happens,' Noel sat up.

'Come on, it isn't all doom and gloom. I have two brothers who aren't always horrible, reasonable parents ...' She ducked as Lucy made a swipe, 'I'm intelligent and not too bad looking - don't snort, if I can't believe my mother who can I believe - and I have a decent job.'

But sidetracking Lucy wasn't so easy. 'I've been wondering more and more lately whether we did the right thing.'

Noel took a sharp breath. 'We did what you've always said is the right thing to do; help, rather than hurt. Evan paid for it; his parents were as good as their word. He spent three years in that institution and he's okay now, he said so, and that he was sorry.'

'I wonder.' Lucy watched her daughter. 'There's something wrong, isn't there? I know you're not happy.'

It was not something Noel wanted to discuss. 'Let's get off the subject, huh? Have you decided about this trip yet? If you don't make up your mind soon Pat's going to tell you to forget it.'

Lucy didn't want to let the subject go but was smart enough not to push it. 'You know how much I've always wanted to go to India, but Pakistan's so close É' she stopped, thinking about it. 'Would we be safe?' She shook her head to clear the thought, 'And I'm worried about leaving the boys for so long with Leigh and Caroline. I know they said they'd like having them, but six weeks is a long time with those two.'

'Mum, you'd be perfectly safe.' Noel sounded exasperated. 'And if Leigh and Caroline have said they want to have Neil and Peter then that's because they want to have them. That's all there is to it. I'd come and stay but you know I couldn't be home all the time. Neil's old enough to take care of himself but Pete isn't. Just accept the offer and go and enjoy yourself. You and Pat never have any time to yourself. You didn't even have a honeymoon.'

Lucy erupted. 'And who's fault was that? You created blue murder when you thought you were going to be left behind.'

Noel laughed as well. 'You should've just told me to shut up and gone. I'd have got over it.'

'At the time we didn't want to risk it. It was bad enough losing your father, without your mother deserting you too.'

'It would hardly have been that.'

'To an eight year old it's all the same.' Lucy checked her watch. 'I'll rouse Pat and we can go for a walk? Exercise some of the lunch off.'

They bought drinks and ice cream and had them stolen by Neil and Peter as they met up with them body surfing on the waves. The heat eventually drove them back to poolside and a seafood feast for dinner. They lingered by the pool until well past midnight with Noel eventually admitting she was in no condition to drive home and dropping onto the cool sheets in her old bedroom to sleep.

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