people there were an elderly couple sitting at the
front and they didn’t seem to care. After the movie I bought a
pizza and drove home.
The comforting hum of the furnace welcomed me
when I walked inside, and already the edge of the chill had been
taken off, but I still had no lights. I lit the candles I’d bought
in the mall and arranged them around the living room, well away
from anything that could catch fire. Curly folded up in my lap with
an unusual show of affection—maybe the dark unnerved him a
little—and I stroked him with one hand while I scrolled through my
phone with the other. What did people do in the evenings before
electricity and 4G networks? Go to bed and rise at the crack of
dawn, no doubt. I didn’t feel tired though; my nap in the theater
had done me a world of good.
“Well, merry Christmas, Curly.” He purred in
response.
When my phone buzzed and Ashley’s name
appeared on my screen, it made my heart flop around my chest like a
baby bird trying to take flight.
I just wanted to say Merry Christmas. I hope
you’re doing well. I’m only a block away if you need anything.
Ashley x
I agonized over my reply. What did the ‘x’
mean? Just a Christmas thing? Did he send kisses to everyone? It
hadn’t appeared in any of his other texts to me. What was he doing
right now? Was he with his family? Would they all stay at someone’s
house so they could open presents early in the morning and have
breakfast together? Maybe they’d hang out and watch movies all day
before a big turkey dinner.
The pang of longing had me reaching for the
antacids.
In the end I sent, Merry Christmas to you
too, Ashley. I’m doing fine. How are you?
The hour I waited for a reply was agony. My
pulse raced when my phone finally chimed.
Sorry, no phones allowed at the dinner
table. I’m all right.
It seemed an abrupt text, and it left me
staring at my screen at a loss. Was I supposed to reply? Or was
that a cutoff? I nearly dropped my phone when it chimed again.
Been thinking of you.
Me too , I replied before I could
change my mind, my thumbs flying. The screen was bright in the
candlelight, and I stared at it, willing a response. Again an
agonizing five minutes without a reply, and then three texts came
so fast they all flooded my phone together.
Hello, are you Uncle Ash’s boyfriend?
God, I’m so sorry, my niece got hold of my
phone .
I’m so embarrassed .
I laughed, the sound odd in the silence.
How rude , I sent back.
Very .
Try and steal hers, see how she likes
it .
No reply, but I was relaxed this time. I sat
back on the couch, grinning like a fool while Curly eyed me
suspiciously.
Done , the next text said. She threw
an almond at me. It hit me right between the eyebrows .
Before I could reply he sent another one.
Can we meet up soon?
I held my breath and typed, Yes. Are you
busy tonight? Chewing my lip, I stared at the message screen.
It remained blank for a long, long minute. Of course he was
freaking busy tonight! It was Christmas Eve, and he was with his
family like every other normal person. Well, not that everyone
celebrated Christmas, but whatever.
Then the reply bubble popped up. Disappeared.
Popped up again.
I can get away for a bit. What did you have
in mind?
My heart did an almighty swoop, bounced off
my stomach, and hit my chest cavity at a canter.
Not much. I’m pretty bored. Don’t have
electricity .
Seriously? No heating either? You should
come over to my parents’ place. Why didn’t you say something?
I froze. That hadn’t been my intention. I
didn’t want him to think I’d been trying to wheedle an invite out
of him and intrude on his family time.
Want to go for a drink somewhere? I
hit send before I really thought it through, and realized that
might sound like I was asking him on a date.
Ashley’s reply came swiftly. Sure, meet at
the Mill in half an hour?
There weren’t any gay bars on our side of
town, but I knew the Mill was pretty mellow. See you there ,
I
front and they didn’t seem to care. After the movie I bought a
pizza and drove home.
The comforting hum of the furnace welcomed me
when I walked inside, and already the edge of the chill had been
taken off, but I still had no lights. I lit the candles I’d bought
in the mall and arranged them around the living room, well away
from anything that could catch fire. Curly folded up in my lap with
an unusual show of affection—maybe the dark unnerved him a
little—and I stroked him with one hand while I scrolled through my
phone with the other. What did people do in the evenings before
electricity and 4G networks? Go to bed and rise at the crack of
dawn, no doubt. I didn’t feel tired though; my nap in the theater
had done me a world of good.
“Well, merry Christmas, Curly.” He purred in
response.
When my phone buzzed and Ashley’s name
appeared on my screen, it made my heart flop around my chest like a
baby bird trying to take flight.
I just wanted to say Merry Christmas. I hope
you’re doing well. I’m only a block away if you need anything.
Ashley x
I agonized over my reply. What did the ‘x’
mean? Just a Christmas thing? Did he send kisses to everyone? It
hadn’t appeared in any of his other texts to me. What was he doing
right now? Was he with his family? Would they all stay at someone’s
house so they could open presents early in the morning and have
breakfast together? Maybe they’d hang out and watch movies all day
before a big turkey dinner.
The pang of longing had me reaching for the
antacids.
In the end I sent, Merry Christmas to you
too, Ashley. I’m doing fine. How are you?
The hour I waited for a reply was agony. My
pulse raced when my phone finally chimed.
Sorry, no phones allowed at the dinner
table. I’m all right.
It seemed an abrupt text, and it left me
staring at my screen at a loss. Was I supposed to reply? Or was
that a cutoff? I nearly dropped my phone when it chimed again.
Been thinking of you.
Me too , I replied before I could
change my mind, my thumbs flying. The screen was bright in the
candlelight, and I stared at it, willing a response. Again an
agonizing five minutes without a reply, and then three texts came
so fast they all flooded my phone together.
Hello, are you Uncle Ash’s boyfriend?
God, I’m so sorry, my niece got hold of my
phone .
I’m so embarrassed .
I laughed, the sound odd in the silence.
How rude , I sent back.
Very .
Try and steal hers, see how she likes
it .
No reply, but I was relaxed this time. I sat
back on the couch, grinning like a fool while Curly eyed me
suspiciously.
Done , the next text said. She threw
an almond at me. It hit me right between the eyebrows .
Before I could reply he sent another one.
Can we meet up soon?
I held my breath and typed, Yes. Are you
busy tonight? Chewing my lip, I stared at the message screen.
It remained blank for a long, long minute. Of course he was
freaking busy tonight! It was Christmas Eve, and he was with his
family like every other normal person. Well, not that everyone
celebrated Christmas, but whatever.
Then the reply bubble popped up. Disappeared.
Popped up again.
I can get away for a bit. What did you have
in mind?
My heart did an almighty swoop, bounced off
my stomach, and hit my chest cavity at a canter.
Not much. I’m pretty bored. Don’t have
electricity .
Seriously? No heating either? You should
come over to my parents’ place. Why didn’t you say something?
I froze. That hadn’t been my intention. I
didn’t want him to think I’d been trying to wheedle an invite out
of him and intrude on his family time.
Want to go for a drink somewhere? I
hit send before I really thought it through, and realized that
might sound like I was asking him on a date.
Ashley’s reply came swiftly. Sure, meet at
the Mill in half an hour?
There weren’t any gay bars on our side of
town, but I knew the Mill was pretty mellow. See you there ,
I
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