Page 26 of Game Winner
“He seemed quieter than usual and sad, but okay. My aunt brought out her tarot cards and he got excited for a reading. Then my grandmother said she used to read tea leaves before my mom was born, which none of us knew about, and she wanted to see if she could still do it. So we’re sitting there, all seventeen of us, cutting the tops off of tea bags to make loose leaf tea.” Laughing, he sits and takes off his boots. Another pair of holiday socks cover his feet. Pterodactyls wearing Santa hats.
Soren grabs us three beers from the refrigerator. “Well, could she still read them?”
He shrugs. “Don’t know. The dredges of everyone’s leaves looked the same to me. She told me that my future looked bright and good things were coming for the band.”
“Maybe I should have her read for me.” I take one of the beers and lean back on the couch. “See if I’ll stay healthy for the rest of the season.”
Shaking his head, Bax smiles and rubs my shoulder then takes the beer Soren offers. “How was your Christmas with your family, Soren?”
“Really good. My uncle and his partner were the only family there. The rest were their friends, but the group has been the same for years so I know everyone pretty well. Stockholm is seven hours ahead of us, so I called my parents this morning.”
I pat the space beside me, and wait for him to sit. “Was your brother there?” He and Johan don’t have the best relationship.
“Yeah. Went on and on about his new car, asked if I still had myold wreck.” He rolls his shoulders like he can’t get comfortable. “Nils and Brian helped me buy my car when I came to the States. So what if it’s older and a little dinged up? Why would I get rid of it?”
Bax slides his arm behind me to reach Soren’s shoulder. “I have cousins, not siblings, so I can’t completely understand what it’s like, but I’m sorry if he’s being a dick.”
“Seconding what he said,” I angle my head in Bax’s direction.
Sighing, Soren leans into me in an effort to get closer to both of us. I like being squished between them. “Thanks. Hey, I want to give you your presents.”
While he gets them, I grab the bag with Bax’s gift and hand it to him. He tears into it, pulling out two pairs of drumsticks.
He takes a pair and begins drumming on one of the throw pillows. “These are the exact brand I use.”
I nudge the beers farther back on the coffee table so they won’t be in the way. “Sage and Soren helped me pick them out.”
“Thank you.” He slides his hand to the back of my head and urges me forward and into his kiss.
Soren lays two flat squares wrapped in red paper on the coffee table. “Before you open these, let me show you what Tyler gave me.”
He unrolls the black yoga mat. At its center is a light gray illustration of a hand forming devil horns, surrounded by little lightning bolts and music notes. “Isn’t it great?”
I’m so happy he likes it so much. “Soren is the only person I know who does yoga to heavy metal, so when I saw this, I knew it was meant for him.”
“If I were to start yoga, that’s the mat I’d want.” Bax gives an approving nod.
Soren carefully rolls it up then props it against the other mats in the corner. “Open your gifts.”
The hard lines of the square and bit sticking up on the back, I’m sure it’s a picture frame. With the first tear in the paper, I see pine trees, and immediately think of the photo series on Soren’s wall. A gasp from Bax wrenches my attention in his direction.
Balled up wrapping paper beside him, he stares at a photo framed in black metal. I lean in for a better look. It’s of him on stage, in a group hug with his bandmates. The lighting looks really good and artistic. His surprise shifts into a watery smile and he sniffs then clears his throat. “This was the first show after Layne’s dad died. Damn, this is nice to have. Thank you, Soren.” He reaches out his hand for Soren to grasp then pulls him down for a kiss.
Soren traces his fingertip along Bax’s cheek. “At the show, he didn’t mention his dad, but the way you all kept looking at each other, I knew something was going on. I’m really glad I took that now."
I finish unwrapping my gift. The photo is from the series he took of the woods at the cabin. Nighttime, with hundreds of stars in the sky. “I love it. I’ll hang it as soon as I go upstairs. Do you think we could go someday? It looks so peaceful there.”
“I’ll ask Rhys. If not his cabin, we can rent another place.”
Bax gets up and picks up his coat from where Soren left it hanging on his desk chair. “Your presents are in here.”
He returns with two gifts of the same size and wrapped in the same paper. “Don’t worry, they aren’t identical. Just really similar.”
Soren and I share a curious glance, then tear into them. We both hold a copy of the latest Gargoyles Gateway games. Soren has the holiday version and mine is the special release they created for Pride month.
His features pinched with nerves, Bax drags his foot along the rug. “You don’t have them already, do you? I know they’re popular…”
“I don’t have this one.” I scan the back of the case. “They sold out too fast. I’d read they were restocking in time for the holidays, but didn’t think I’d be able to get my hands on it.”
