Dom: Is that what you did?
Henry: Kind of.
Henry: Anyway, we’re going to get a tree on Saturday, but don’t want to pay a fortune since we’re poor ex-students. Or get a crap one that sheds its needles everywhere. And since you’re an expert...
Dom: You want to know where to get one?
Henry: Yeah. I know you’re way down in Somerset but figured you probably know places up here, right?
Dom grinned at his phone.
Dom: As it happens, I know just the place.
* * *
They spentthe rest of the week texting back and forth about all sorts of things that had Dom laughing throughout an otherwise gruelling workday. He’d broken his rule of keeping his phone on silent during the day, eager for Henry’s messages.
Judging by the frequency that they now came, it seemed Henry had done the same.
If anyone noticed his sudden addiction to his phone, no one mentioned it.
Dom had Friday off, and Thursday evening couldn’t come soon enough.
He was knackered.
Ducking under the sprigs of mistletoe adorning every door at work, Dom went in search of his brother to tell him he was done for the day.
His phone chimed, the familiar sound producing a smile every time he heard it now. And sure enough, Henry’s name lit up the screen.
Henry: Hey, I know we haven’t talked about this, but fuck it, I’m just going to ask anyway. Do you fancy meeting up? Coffee, beer anything. I’d really like to see you again.
“Dom?” His mum called him from behind, and he turned to see her rushing down the path towards him, her harried expression having him instantly wary. “Oh, thank god I caught you.”
“What’s wrong?” Dom immediately slipped his phone back in his pocket and gave her his full attention.
“Your Uncle Mark’s had an accident.”
“Fuck, is he all right?”
She didn’t even comment on his language, so he knew it wasn’t going to be good news. “Broke his leg in two places. They’ve got to operate on it to fix things.”
“Ouch.” Mark was his dad’s brother and they were alike in so many ways. Always active and would rather be outside than in. This was going to be torture for him.
He also owned a garden centre up in north Bristol very similar to theirs. Dom had a sinking feeling he knew what his mum was going to say next.
“You know how busy it gets this time of year, and with Mark out of action for a good few weeks...” She gave him a commiserating look. “I know it’s not what you want to be doing especially this close to Christmas, and I wouldn’t ask, but your brothers aren’t as well rounded as you. Chrissy will need help with everything, and you’re the first person I thought of.”
He groaned.
Not that he minded helping out family, but he’d gone all out this year, decorating his house like a bloody scene from a Christmas card, and he’d hoped to have people round, not leave it empty as he spent the run up to Christmas in someone else’s house.
His sigh must’ve spoken volumes because his mum put her hand on his arm.
“It’s fine. I’ll talk to your dad, we’ll sort it out between us.”
Yeah, that wasn’t happening. His mum suffered on and off from a bad back and his dad had the start of arthritis in his hands. That was one of the reasons he and his brothers all worked there.
“It’s fine, Mum.”
