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He looks confused. “I mean he’s probably bought you some jewelry or something, right?”
“Oh, yes, I mean I don’t know. Maybe.” Blushing, I lean forward and give him a big hug. My eyes prick with tears. He walked, on his own, without crutches. Oh my God. I feel as if someone’s handed me a million dollars.
“Tell him I’m in bed,” he says.
I give him a final squeeze and move back, trying to hold in my emotion. “All right, but the poor guy didn’t come here to have you monopolize him.” I cup his face. “You’re doing so well and working so hard. I’m so proud of you. You know that, right?”
“Aw, Mum.”
I laugh and ruffle his hair. “All right.”
“Can you move the chair closer?”
Smiling, I pull the chair in the corner over to the bed. “See you in the morning.”
“’Night.”
I return to the living room to find Alex standing looking at our Christmas tree. I pause and lean against the doorway for a moment, studying him. His hands are in the pockets of his jeans, but as I watch, he reaches out to examine a Rudolph decoration whose red nose is on a wobbly spring. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was trying to apply Hooke’s Law to it. I know his brain is constantly working.
His hair is almost shaved at the base of his neck, but grows longer until it flops over his forehead, which bears a slight frown. He’s so serious, and so in control. I want to sink my hands into his hair and kiss him until his frown disappears. And I want to have sex with him… oh, so much. He’s like a big red bow on a sparkling Christmas present, and I want to pull him undone.
He looks over at me at that moment. “Finn in bed?”
“Yeah.”
He crosses the living room to stand before me. “Everything all right?”
“He just walked a few steps to his bed without his crutches.”
His eyebrows rise, and then he gives me a beautiful smile.
“See, why don’t you do that more often?” I scold, lifting a hand to cup his face. “You’re so gorgeous.”
He gives me a quick, fierce kiss. Then he strides away, clearly wanting to talk to Finn.
I don’t know how many different emotions I can feel today. All mixed up and still a tad tearful, I collect the empty coffee cups, take them into the kitchen, and stack them in the dishwasher. I wipe a cloth around, then spend five minutes writing out a shopping list for tomorrow for some last-minute food. Carly and Sean are coming over on Christmas Day this year, so I want to make sure I have everything ready for a top-notch dinner.
When I’m done, I go back into the living room. Alex still hasn’t returned. Oh God, has Finn captured him? Maybe Alex is too polite to say he’s had enough?
I walk quietly along the corridor. The bathroom door is ajar now, so Mum must be in her room. I stop just before Finn’s door and listen. The two of them are talking.
I should go in. But I know Finn loves talking to Alex, and to be fair, Alex doesn’t sound as if he’s trying to escape.
“…go to high school,” Finn is saying, “especially because you get to go to other classrooms for different lessons.”
“Yeah, it’s much better than staying in one classroom all day, right?”
“It’s a bit scary,” Finn admits. “There are over a thousand kids there, and I’ll be one of the youngest.”
“That’s true. But you’re a good-looking lad, and you’re intelligent and funny. I don’t think you’ll have any trouble making friends.”
“It’s going to be weird not having any girls there.” He’s going to an all-boys school, mainly because it’s the closest to us.
“You get used to it. I went to an all-boys school, too. It’s easier to concentrate when there aren’t any girls in the class.”
“Yeah, I guess. Robbie—my best mate—is going to be in my new class. He’s cool, you’d like him. He’s like me. He’s got an older brother called Mark. He smokes. Have you ever smoked?”
“No.”
