Their modest tree had an assortment of presents piled underneath. Paula looked over those labelled for her family and searched for Dan’s. Her parents were coming early in the new year and they would share gifts then and take the rest back to her sisters in Sydney. Today was different from any Christmas Paula had experienced. It was nearly midday and they hadn’t opened their gifts.

Last night they had gone to the Christmas service held at their little local church. Celebrating the Christmas story had been more meaningful for Paula, carrying her own child – but even more special was her prayer of thanks that her last doctor’s visit had been all good news. Blood pressure back to normal and everything else as it should be. Her relief had outweighed her disappointment that the news had come too late to make it to Sydney.

Heather and Ted were also at the service and seeing them reminded Paula she had so much to be thankful for. They’d made a tough decision but it was easy to see by their manner it had been the right one.

The church had been full and by the time Paula and Dan had accepted all the Christmas wishes and chatted to people, some of whom Paula hadn’t seen since the last service, they had been late home.

This morning they had slept in, then enjoyed being together without Dan dashing off to work. They would probably still be in bed but her mother had rung.

It had been the next best thing to actually being with her family. They were all gathered at her parent’s house and she’d spoken to each one of them individually. Susan had even managed to get baby Rupert to make some gurgling noises into the phone. While Paula was talking, Dan had made brunch which they’d eaten in bed.

Now they were up and dressed and sharing parcels.

Paula gave Dan the gift she had prepared for him and snuggled in close. “Open it,” she said.

“You first.”

“Okay.” She was suddenly eager to open what was probably going to be her only parcel today. Rowena was in Adelaide and they had decided to get together in a couple of days’ time, when she came back.

Paula eased off the ribbon and slid her nail under the sticky tape.

“Christmas will be over before you’ve opened it,” Dan said.

She stopped. “I haven’t put the turkey roll in the oven.”

“We’ll do that in a while. It won’t take long to cook and,” he nuzzled at her ear again, “we’ve got all day to eat it. Now come on, little lady,” his voice changed to that awful American drawl she hadn’t heard him use in a long time, “open the dang thing before it passes its use-by date.”

“Slow down, farm boy.” She winked at him. “Good things come to those who wait.”