I grinned. She always knew just what to get me. “Ah thanks, Mum.”
“You’re welcome. Your father wants to talk to you. Be good and we’ll try to call again soon – maybe New Years Day? I love you,” she cooed.
“Okay cool, yeah, love you too,” I replied and waited for my dad to come onto the phone.
“Alright, Max?” he said, sounding exactly the same as when I’d last spoken with him. I didn’t talk to my dad nearly as often as my mum – the last time was my birthday, back in August.
“Hey Dad, how’re you doing?” I asked.
“Just fine, thanks. How’re you? Having a good Christmas?”
“Yeah, it’s been pretty good. I’m just glad to have a break from work,” I replied.
Dad chuckled on the other end of the phone. “How is work? Getting on alright?”
“Yeah, it’s fine.” Thoughts of Rowan sprung to the forefront of my mind, but I pushed them away.
“I’m glad. When do you go back? After Christmas? Or do you get the whole week off until New Years?”
“We’re shut for the whole holiday this year. It’s one of the perks of working semi-privately,” I replied.
“Ah I see, that’s good then. At least you get a proper break,” Dad answered. “So, what happens if someone breaks a tooth on their turkey?”
“They go to the hospital. I think some of the private practice dentists have an on-call emergency service, but I bet they chargeridiculousmoney for that.” I laughed.
“Christ, I can imagine. The dentist is expensive enough as it is. I didn’t know the place you were at was private practice.”
“It’s proper posh in there. Everything’s brand new and top of the range. It’s amazing,” I replied.
“Is the dentist you work with any good? I assume he’s with the NHS rather than the private?”
“Uh, he’s pretty cool, yeah,” I stammered, looking at the floor. “We’re both NHS. I don’t think they can put a private practice dentist with an NHS nurse.”
“Well, I’m glad it’s all working out for you, lad. You sound happier than last time I spoke to you.”
I smiled. “Yeah, I’m good. Listen, I’d love to chat all day, but I think Oliver’s family are waiting on me.”
“Aye, and you’re costing me a bloody fortune as usual!” Dad teased. “Alright, well, you have a good Christmas and we’ll be in touch again soon.”
“You too. Bye, Dad,” I replied.
“Bye now.”
I hung up and stared at my phone for a moment by myself, pushing down the empty, lonely feeling I always had after speaking with my parents. I missed them a lot but shook myself off. I could be sad later – right now, I was a guest at someone else’s Christmas, and I wouldn’t ruin it by moping.
Christmas at my house, back when my parents still lived in the country, was great. Sure, Mum would always manage to turn some part of the meal to charcoal, and Dad would refuse to take off his Santa hat, but it was fun. I had been embarrassed by my parents as a teenager, but now found myself smiling, remembering some of the funnier moments. They always said you would miss a good thing when it was gone. That being said, I was glad my parents were in Greece now. It had been a lifelong dream of theirs to move out there someday, and even though I missed them, I was happy knowing they were happy.
The rest of Christmas Day was great. Oliver and I spent most of the day lounging around, playing on the Xbox and eating our weight in Christmas-themed chocolate. Andrea’s cooking was, of course, fantastic. I’d eaten so much I didn’t think I’d ever need to eat again. She had joked about filling myself and Oliver up until the next time we visited, but I reckoned she’d made a pretty good go of it.
Chapter Five
The week leading up to New Years was a hectic blur. Whether it was visiting friends or family, I was flitting in and out constantly. I felt relieved that New Years marked the end of all the Christmas chaos.
“Have you spoken to Becca today?” Oliver asked me.
I looked up from scrolling on my phone. “No, not yet – why?”
“No reason, really. Is she still coming tonight?”
