Origins

Christmas time has arrived and I’m stuck in the shopping centre trying to find my friend’s Christmas presents whilst keeping Bronte happy. Izack is at home in Bundaberg for the week and my Aunty Emmalee will be here three days after Christmas. I am alone at the shops seeing my mum had left to go do her own Christmas shopping and my Dad was at work. I had been working lately so I had quite a lot of money in my savings account. Bronte seemed set on reaching out to touch every little thing she could even though she is only 5 months old now she’s very active and likes bright things, especially if they’re shiny as well. Bronte has gained weight, she’s a healthy baby, not too fat and not too skinny, she’s always looking around with her big green eyes and her shock of white curls on top of her head.

*

Finally I finish my shopping and I call mum to let her know, we decide to meet in the food court and we then we go to the car and home, I go up to my room with all of my shopping and place it on the floor, I grab out scissors and sticky tape and then set to work on wrapping the gifts in the wrapping paper I had bought. Eventually Bronte falls asleep on the blanket that I had laid out on the floor for her and put a few toys on it to keep her entertained. I place her in her cot and then finish wrapping the gifts. I turn the baby monitor on and then in a few trips carry the gifts downstairs to place under the tree. When I finish I take a shower and then head to the kitchen, in there is Mum and Mark cooking dinner and I smile at the fact that both Mark and Scott are now pretty much part of the family. I sit down on my stool and see Spencer walk out of the downstairs bathroom, for some reason I catch my breath and my heart begins to pound loudly. I frown at myself and then look back at Spencer who seems to have done a double take as well.

“Hey Spencer, what are you doing here?” I ask him as he slowly walks towards me.

“I’m meant to be staying over at Mark’s tonight, but for some reason we ended up here,” Spencer tells me and stands unsurely on the edge of the kitchen.

“Oh, fair enough then, are you staying for dinner?” I ask him and pat the stool next to me.

“I’m not sure, I mean I was meant to be going to Mark’s place, but Mark seemed to have other plans,” Spencer looks at Mark who begins laughing.

“Spencer you do realise that Mark pretty much lives here?” I ask him with a slight smile.

“Really? Then who is his sister?” Spencer asks.

“He doesn’t have one, I’m the closest thing to a sister he has,” I tell Spencer and frown at Mark.

“Oh, okay then,” Spencer suddenly seems like he doesn’t want to talk anymore so I frown at Mark again. After a few minutes silence I get up and walk over to Mark who is standing with his back to me.

“What are you planning?” I whisper in Mark’s ear as I put my arm around him.

“Never you worry little one, never you worry,” Mark kisses my forehead and moves the mince around so it will brown. I punch him in the arm then go to the fridge and get us each a drink. I sit back in my seat and prepare for a very weird night filled with Mark’s cunning plan…whatever the hell it is.