Tane was homesick, he hadn’t said as much but he kept talking about home and how Christmas was as a kid.
I could order some New Zealand food and treats and surprise him.
Christian was at the checkout, so I went in back and fired up my work computer. I Googled what kind of snacks and drinkswere unique to Aotearoa. People seemed to agree on a few things: Some kind of chocolate drink called Milo, a spread called Marmite, various brands of chocolate and candy, something called a chocolate fish, and a pre-made Pavlova were included along with cookies and a drink called L&P, I had no idea if these were his favourites, but I’d give away the surprise if I asked him.
My usual suppliers didn’t have anything like that, so I went to a dedicated New Zealand imports place and made a nice big order through there, adding a couple of extra candy items that the website automatically suggested.
I put the order through and sent up a little prayer to the universe that it’d arrive in time.
I got a text from Aster, my recently-out-as-trans younger brother.
Aster: I’m an hour out big brother, hope you’re ready for a surprise! Train ride is taking foreeeeever
My stomach clenched with sudden fear that Aster had brought home a partner and I hadn’t planned for enough food for Christmas day. Let alone a gift. Oh god, wouldn’t Aster have told me if they’d met someone?
Dillon: what kind of surprise?
Aster didn’t reply immediately and I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry.
Dillon: Aster?
Aster: it’s a good one, I promise, not to fret darling bother
Aster: *brother, sorry
My jaw tightened, and I took a slow breath.
It’d be fine.
If it was something big, Aster would have forewarned me, he knew that our autistic minds needed time to adjust... right?
I checked the clock, almost closing time. I went back out front to relieve Christian and close down the store.
***
Well, closing on time didn’t work out. I had a flurry of people hurrying in just at closing time and I didn’t have the heart to turn them out. One young guy, a regular from the new game design place,Queen Gaming, was buying a stack of fancy boxes of chocolates I’d ordered in for the holiday season.
“Stocking up?” I asked, giving him a smile so he’d know I was teasing.
“Haha, yeah, gotta post everything before the cut off date. My family are all over the place now.”
“Ah, mine too,” I said.
It was well past Aster’s arrival time and I hoped Tane had met him at the train station like I'd asked.
“I sent some stuff to my folks but they keep on moving around, last I heard they were in Vermont for a true white Christmas but I have no idea if they’ll get the stuff I sent or they’ll decide it’s too cold and move on.”
The guy laughed. “We can only hope.” His gaze flicked to the donation box and his smile grew. “Oh hey, that’s a great idea... do you mind if I grab a couple more things to add to that?”
It meant longer before I saw my brother, and found out what this mysterious surprise was, but I couldn’t say no.
Not when the cause was so good. “Of course, take your time.”
Ten minutes later, the guy added chocolates, cookies and some cans of food to his order. I rang it all up and packed his things, the rest he put straight into the donation bin.
“Come along to the fire hall on Christmas Eve, if you have time,” I said. “There’s going to be a bit of a party and there’ll be live music.”
“Hell yeah, I love that. I’ll tell the others at Queen Gaming, maybe we can do an office collection.”
