Page 7 of A Different Kind Of December
The patio door once again opens, and this time it’s George who sticks his messy head out.
“What are you doing?”
“Just talking,” Cam responds.
“It’s freezing. Why are you talking out here?”
“Don’t worry about it,” I tell him. “We’re coming in now. You can go back to bed for a bit if you want. You’re all staying home today.”
I watch as my son’s eyebrows pull down into a frown as he looks between us.
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. I just wanna spend the day with you all. We’ll put up the trees and the decorations, and then we’ll go somewhere nice for an early dinner.”
“But it’s...that’s what you wanna do today?”
I smile while watching my son’s handsome face screw up in confusion. “Yes, that’s what I wanna do today. Now go inside and tell your brother.”
George’s eyes do one more dance between my and Cam’s faces, and then he heads inside.
“I warned them all last night to give you a bit of space today and reminded them of the date.” I wrap my arm as far around his hip as I can and squeeze us together tightly.
“Thank you.”
“Thank me later. Let’s get inside, I need a coffee.
O
ur boys both turn inour direction as soon as they hear the door.
George, who has had a bit of a growth spurt over the last few months, is now only just a little shorter than Harry. They look more like twins than brothers who were born almost a year apart.
George turns back towards the toast he’s in the middle of buttering, but Harry eyes me warily.
“Morning.”
“Morning,” Cam and I both respond.
“George tell you you’re all staying home today?” I ask.
“Yeah, what’s that all about?”
I shrug, let out a long sigh and give him a small smile.
“I’ve not finally lost the plot if that’s what you’re worried about. I just want you all close today. I thought we could do the trees and decorations and then go out for an early dinner.
George turns around, and I watch as the boys share a look.
“What? Why you two looking at each other like that?”
“Mum, you go mad if we mess with your Christmas trees or decorations, so I think you’re lying. You’ve definitely, finally lost the plot if you’re gonna let us anywhere near them.”
Cam passes me my coffee, but his eyes don’t meet mine as his lips fight a smile. George is staring at the floor, also, it seems, fighting the need to smile. Harry’s full-on grinning while my eyes dart between the three of them.
Noise travels from the mudroom, and the girls appear, talking and giggling, and then stop dead in their tracks as they take us all in.
“What’s wrong?”
