“Nah, I’m okay.”
I go and sit on the side of his bed. “You had a good Christmas, bud?”
“Yeah,” he says with a sleepy smile, his energy from downstairs depleting now he’s snuggled under his duvet. “It was so cool having everyone here.” His smile drops, a deep v forming between his brows.
“What’s up?”
“I did miss Nanny and Poppa though.”
His lips pull down at the corners and I reach out to stroke his hair. “I know, mate.”
“Usually we spend Christmas with Nanny and Poppa and Aunty Nelly-BellyorGrandma and Grandad and Aunty Rhi. I liked that everyone was here together, and it was really cool that you were here too.”
I place my hand to my chest. “I’m cool?”
“Yeah,” he giggles.
“Well, I thought it was really cool being here with you too.”
“Aunty Nelly should come here more, she’s fun.” His eyes close as he speaks.
“I think she’s fun too, maybe you’ll see more of her now.”
“Cool,” he sighs and I know he’s a goner.
“Night, bud,” I whisper, getting up from his bed and giving his hair another stroke. I check on Oscar and pull his duvet down a couple inches so it’s not covering his nose before I switch out the light and shut their door.
Back downstairs, Nel has moved to the two-seater sofa and Rhiannon is lying on the floor with her arms upstretched to the ceiling, talking quite loudly, everyone chuckling at her. I flop onto the sofa next to Nel and Luke comes in and frowns down at his wife.
“Whatareyou doing?”
“I’m telling Lis and Harry what mural they should paint on their ceiling,” she says like it’s the most normal thing in the world.
“Of course you are.” He sits down on one of the dining chairs brought in for additional seating.
My hand naturally migrates to Nel’s thigh, resting on her leg before I’ve even realised what I’ve done. She doesn’t flinch or move away so I let it rest there while we continue watching the other interactions in the room.
“I think, my darling, you might be a little bit sozzled,” Gordan tells his daughter.
Nel giggles, her head falling to my shoulder.
“Are you a little sozzled too, little elf?” I murmur against her hair, quietly enough for only us to hear. She nods and giggles again.
“I’ll have you know,” Rhiannon says, sitting up and swaying slightly. “I am pleasantly pickled. Nel and I were testing the cocktails. Someone had to do it, didn’t they Nel?” She turns to us and does a comical double take at our position. “Whoa,” she points at us.
“What’s up, Rhi?” I chuckle.
“I knew it!” she shrieks.
“What?” Hen asks, looking between us all confused.
“Nel and Jake are finally together?” She looks back at us in question.
“Haven’t they always been?” Hen asks, even more confused.
“No, Mum.”
“Oh, well I thought they were,” she says talking about us like we’re not in the room. “They were both at the hotel together and they share all those private looks and secret conversations.”
