He puffed up, just like I knew he would. “Right, shall I start the call?”
We were six hours ahead of New York right now, so that meant the family had probably gathered at Aoife and Finn’s, gifts would be opened soon, and lunch had yet to be served.
“You’re not wearing your glasses,” I snapped when he squinted at the screen. “Put the damn things on. I bought you that chain to use around your neck. Why don’t you wear it?”
“Because it feels like it’s choking me!”
“I’ll choke you if I see you squint at that phone again. Wear your damn glasses!”
“Ma, are you giving Uncle Paddy a hard time?” my eldest greeted.
“Hopefully, he’s givinghersomething hard?—”
“Star! Jesus Christ,” Conor yelped.
“You eejit, Padraig. You hit connect!” I snatched the phone and ordered, “Get your glasses or you won’t be able to see anything.” To Aidan, I complained, “Four days I’ve had to put up with this one and his refusal to wear glasses. What on earth did he buy them for if he won’t wear them?”
“Because they make my eyes ache!”
“Because you haven’t worn them enough.” I studied him now that he’d put the frames on. “You look very dapper, Paddy.”
His eyes widened. “I do? Well, if you like them, I’ll make sure they’re glued to my face.”
“Should have told him that before, Ma. He’ll wear them in the shower now.”
Ignoring my eldest and refusing to admit that both Paddy and I were blushing like Shay did whenever Kat smiled at him, I remarked, “You do, Padraig. And I can tell you now that you don’t when you scrunch your face up at the screen.”
Conor snorted. “Ma, cut the man some slack. It’s Christmas Day!”
“I’ll cut him some slack when he’s dead. He chose to come with me, you know? That means he likes it when I’m mean to him.”
I heard Star chortle in the back. “Bring it on, Lena. Show him who’s boss.”
The two of us didn’t always get along, but sometimes we held similar opinions.
When she peered over Aidan’s shoulder, I asked, “Now, what’s this about me giving someone something hard?”
Aidan spewed out his drink. “Ma!”
I blinked. “What?!”
“Oh, my god.” Conor groaned.
With a suspiciously wicked grin on her face, Star grabbed the phone. “Don’t worry. You won’t have to talk to me for long. I’m just setting up the projector.”
“We’re going to be on the big screen?” I asked in excitement.
“Easiest way for you to see what’s going on. If the call disconnects, don’t worry. I’ll call back.”
“Why are my boys in the middle of conniption fits?”
“Because males are the emotional sex, Lena, why else?”
Because we agreed about that too, I simply peered around her when I saw someone bounce into shot and squealed, “Cameron! How’s my boy?!”
“I thoughtIwas your boy, Ma,” Brennan drawled over on the sofa with Camille, of course.
I swore those two were stitched together at the hip. But I wasn’t complaining. A part of me remembered the days when Aidan and I had been like that. A few inches between us had been a few too many.
