27
Alex is coming out of the bathroom, scrubbing his hair with a towel when Ben stirs.
“Sorry, I was trying not to wake you,” he says leaning over to kiss Ben’s cheek. “Go back to sleep.”
Ben grabs his wrist and tugs him down on the bed, burying his face in Alex’s hair.
“It’s early,” he says, “come back to bed.”
Alex laughs and twists his head around to kiss him again, then pulls away. He puts the towel away and goes to the door.
“Your mom and Polly are up,” he says. “Yesterday, I said I’d help with the cooking for tonight.”
#
In the kitchen, Allie and Polly are making a list of errands to be run. He kisses them both, pours himself a cup of coffee and asks what he can do. Allie pulls him to the fridge, flings open the door and stands back.
“I normally glaze the ham, bake some potatoes, and make a salad. If you think you can work some magic with what’s here, knock yourself out kid.”
Next to the ham is a medium sized turkey, a large bowl of salad greens, a paper bag of mushrooms, another one of green beans, and one of zucchini.
“Potatoes? Yams?” Alex asks poking at the vegetables.
“Pantry.”
“Dessert?”
“Melinda.”
“Someone will be pleased to hear that,” Alex says and closes the fridge door. For the next ten minutes they decide on menus, Alex getting up from time to time to check things in the pantry and Allie making notes on her list. Part way through Polly announces she has some proof reading to finish and excuses herself, leaving the two of them to lean against the kitchen counter and discuss the merits of mashed potatoes over baked ones.
Allie places her hand over Alex’s and smile.
“I’m glad you’re here,” she says.
“Thank you, so am I.”
“I heard about Thanksgiving,” she says. “Alex, I am so sorry.”
Alex finishes his coffee and rinses his cup.
“Thank you,” he says finally. “Ben’s very lucky to have you and Polly. And I’m really lucky to have him.”
“Yes, you are,” Allie says nodding, “but he’s lucky to have you too. He’s much happier than I’ve seen him in a very long time, Alex, and I know that’s because of you.”
“I don’t really get that,” Alex says turning to lean against the sink. His fingers slide along the edge of his watch strap. “I’m not complaining but I don’t know what he sees in me Allie.”
Smiling, Allie joins him at the sink, resting on her elbows and looking out the window.
“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit, Alex. I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you.”
She turns and takes Alex’s hands in her own, runs her thumb over the watch face.
“He phoned me and told me about what happened to you when you were a teenager,” she says, “and he wanted to know how he could make you understand how much he loves you. I told him the only way he could do that is to show you. Hopefully when you look at your hand now you are reminded of the love and not the pain.”
Alex takes a shaky breath and scrubs the back of his hand over his eyes.
“I am, Allie, thank you,” he says when he can trust his voice to be steady.
“You’re welcome.”
“Welcome for what?” Ben asks from the doorway. He’s wearing, Alex notes, Alex’s U2 shirt.
“I was just thanking your mom for letting me share Christmas with you guys.” Alex drops two slices of bread in the toaster.
“And I told him he’s always welcome,” Allie says accepting a kiss from her son.
“Don’t tell me I have to fight you for him now too?”
“Possessive, isn’t he?” Alex says. He begins rinsing breakfast dishes for Allie to stack in the dishwasher. Ben looks up from smearing peanut butter on his toast to suggest that perhaps the problem is that Alex is more interested in his mother, his grandmother, hell even his car, than he is in him.
“Poor baby.” Allie kiss his forehead. “You’re so neglected.”
“Yes, yes, I am,” Ben replies. “It’s Christmas vacation and I couldn’t even get him to stay in bed and snooze with me or anything.”
“Spare me,” Allie snorts, rolling her eyes.
Blushing Alex shakes his head at Ben and tries to distract him.
“It’s Christmas Eve, there are things that need to be done.”
Ben refills his coffee cup and grins.
“Yeah, me. I’m a thing that needs to be done.”
“Okay then, let’s keep this a family show, shall we?” Allie says flicking Ben with the dishcloth and Alex flashes her a grateful smile. “Alex, I have to go into the village, is there anything else I need to get you while I’m there?”
“Actually, there are a few things. Why don’t I make a list and you could take Ben with you while I make a start?”
“I have a better idea,” Ben says, “why doesn’t Mom take Polly and I’ll stay here and help you.”
“I’m not sure if what you do in the kitchen could be called helping, Ben,” Alex says. He taps the end of the pen against his chin for a moment then begins to add things to the list.
Ben steps behind him and slips his arms around his waist, wriggling his hands into the front pockets of Alex’s jeans.
“Well who says I have to help in the kitchen?” he asks against Alex’s neck.
Sighing, Alex pulls his hands out of his pockets, takes Ben by the shoulders, and pushes him away.
“No. I need you to go with your mom so I can start cooking.”
Crestfallen, Ben says nothing for a moment, then nods and goes to the door.
“Okay, I’m going to go for a walk and stay out of your way,” he says pulling a jacket from the hook behind the door. “When I get back I’ll take mom shopping.”
The door bangs shut behind him and Alex watches him walk down the path. He turns to Allie and sighs.
“Did I just screw up?”
“No,” she says, then sighs. “Well, maybe a little. Alex, he’s not that hard to understand. You’re a smart boy, I’m sure you can figure it out.”
Alex rubs the back of his neck and looks out the window. He can see Ben standing at the water’s edge, not moving.
“Go on,” Allie says, “we’ve got plenty of time.”
Not bothering with a jacket, Alex pulls open the door and jogs toward the beach.