When Charlie opened his eyes blearily the next morning, the first thought to cross his mind was that he felt warm. This realisation alone was unusual enough to disorientate him. Feeling as though he was still in a dream, he pushed back the soft duvet and sat there in the bundle of blankets, yawning as he rubbed his eyes clear of sleep. The warm pine of the desk and floorboards were dappled in the low light of late morning as it broke through the closed curtains. From somewhere further down the hallway, he could hear the muffled sound of a news reporter announcing that more severe snowfalls were on the way.
Charlie put a hand to his stomach as it growled furiously, wincing against the pain, and chewed his lip as he stared at the closed bedroom door. Fishing the bread roll Vasco had given him out of the pocket of his black jeans, which he had discarded on the floor, he chewed thoughtfully, working up the courage to leave the room. The bread was stale, but it drove out the worst of the hunger pains. He had fallen asleep in the same clothes he had been wearing the day before, so only needed to pull his jeans and socks back on before he padded tentatively down the hallway.
Charlie kept walking until he came upon a large living room, where Alexandra sat on a white sofa, her eyes scanning a broadsheet newspaper. The news bulletin from the flatscreen television on the other side of the room warned that security was being tightened around the city limits due to an unspecified security threat. As soon as Charlie entered the living room, Alexandra glanced up from what she had been reading.
‘Good morning,’ she said. Without waiting for a reply, she leapt to her feet and strode from the room, returning a moment later with a large plate, piled high with pancakes. ‘Did you sleep well?’ she asked, setting the plate down on the table in front of him with a knife and fork, tucked into an embroidered red napkin. ‘Here. These are for you.’
Charlie, who had sunk onto the sofa, was staring at the stack of pancakes, his mouth watering. Remembering himself, he looked up at her quickly. ‘Thank you for – for letting me stay last night.’
Alexandra shrugged with a smile. ‘The more, the merrier.’ She settled herself on the sofa beside him and took a sip from a large white mug, patterned with gold stars. ‘What do you think? Do you prefer chocolate chip or blueberry?’
‘Both are good,’ Charlie said, balancing the plate on his lap and praying he did not end up making a mess. The last thing he needed was to stain the sofa with blueberry juice or get crumbs all over the fluffy cream carpet. ‘You made these?’
‘I like to go all-out over the holidays.’ Her smile fading, Alexandra took another sip of her drink before she placed her mug on a coaster and sat up a little straighter, turning to look at him seriously. ‘So, this is awkward, but I have to ask.’ She took a deep breath, and Charlie braced himself. ‘Who exactly are you? Where did you come from? Christmas is a time to spend with family, so where are your family?’
‘I …’
‘Alexandra, do you have to do this now?’ Vasco had appeared in the doorway, leaning against the frame with a mug of coffee in his hand, his eyes occasionally travelling to the news bulletin rolling across the bottom of the television screen. ‘At least let him wake up properly before you start interrogating him.’
‘He needs to explain himself, Vasco,’ Alexandra said, twisting her dark hair into a loose plait over her shoulder as she spoke. ‘I don’t want to get the police or whoever else involved, but –’
‘Don’t call the cops! Please!’ Charlie had leapt to his feet, his eyes darting around the room for an escape route. ‘I’ll tell you whatever you want to know, but please – no cops.’
‘It’s all right, you’re safe with us.’ His arms folded in front of his chest, Vasco spoke in a low, measured voice, his eyes full of concern. ‘No one’s going to call the cops, or anyone else, I promise.’
‘You promise?’ Charlie looked wildly from him to Alexandra. ‘Both of you?’
‘I’m sorry,’ Alexandra said quickly, taking Charlie’s hand and encouraging him to sit back down. ‘I didn’t mean to frighten you. You don’t have to be scared of us – we’re friends.’ She sighed, her hands clasped together in her lap. ‘All I meant was … don’t you think your family would want to know where you are, and that you’re safe?’
‘My family aren’t around right now,’ Charlie said, his eyes on the carpet.
Alexandra was quiet for some time. ‘You’re not going home for Christmas?’
‘I don’t really celebrate.’
No one spoke for a while, until Alexandra sprang to her feet. ‘You look like you could do with cheering up,’ she said, her voice bright and a broad smile on her face. ‘Come and decorate the Christmas tree with us.’
Alexandra led them into a smaller room a couple of doors down from the living room, where a huge tree stood in front of a bay window. It was nestled into the alcove between two fabric armchairs, both of which were dark blue in colour. The scent of pine was strong in the air. Charlie’s eyes were drawn to the books lining the shelves of the many oak bookcases that were ranged around the room. He had rarely felt so out of place anywhere.
‘What do you think?’ Alexandra asked. ‘We decided to put it in the sitting room because it’s cosier in here.’
‘It’s big,’ Charlie said, noticing the many cardboard boxes that were gathered in the corner of the room nearest the tree. ‘And that’s a lot of decorations.’
‘Well, yes,’ Alexandra said, a little ruefully, a pink tinge rising across her cheeks. ‘It’s taken us a while to get around to doing it this year because we only moved into this place recently and we’ve both been so busy.’ She turned to Vasco, pointing to one of the cardboard boxes. ‘Vasya, can you get started on the lights? Then Charlie and I can hang the baubles.’
A long-suffering expression settled on Vasco’s face. ‘I put them up last year. You said that –’
‘Well, you’re taller and stronger than me, and your arms are much longer than mine,’ Alexandra said loudly, lifting the box and dumping it at his feet. ‘And besides,’ she added, flashing him a grin, ‘I’m more important than you.’
While Vasco wound the lights around the tree, Alexandra delegated the responsibility of hanging up the red baubles to Charlie, while she took the lead in hanging up the gold baubles. She placed her tablet on the mantelpiece above the fireplace and streamed the video feed of the news bulletin. A tall man in a black suit was now holding a press conference, surrounded by news reporters with flashing cameras. Charlie heard him say something about the ongoing terrorist threat and the need for vigilance and resilience, but it meant little or nothing to him.
‘Have you two been together long?’ Charlie found himself asking, casting around for something to say.
‘It’s not like that,’ Vasco said stiffly. ‘We were raised together.’ His brow furrowed, he picked up another box of lights. ‘I’ll hang these up as well,’ he added, before striding out into the hallway.
‘He’s always been like a big brother to me,’ Alexandra said, as she re-adjusted one of the gold baubles. ‘He’s also my sort of bodyguard at the moment, although I heard that he moonlights at the soup kitchen on the side too …’
‘Bodyguard?’
‘You don’t see the family resemblance?’ Alexandra motioned to the tablet, where the man in the suit was still making his speech. ‘That’s my father, the mayor.’
‘Ah, got it.’ Charlie nodded, his eyebrows quirking. ‘So that’s how you can afford such a nice place.’
For a second, Alexandra looked shocked. Then she rolled her eyes and elbowed him in the ribs with a laugh. ‘There’s going to be a Christmas party in his honour tonight at the City Hall. You should come too. It’ll be good for you to go out and do something fun. Maybe it’ll help take your mind off everything else you’ve been dealing with?’
Charlie knew he was not doing a good job of keeping his thoughts about that particular suggestion off his face. ‘It doesn’t sound like my kind of scene.’
‘Don’t be silly. I’ll handle everything.’ Alexandra spoke as though the matter was already settled. ‘You’re not staying here all on your own.’
‘But –’
‘Don’t waste your time.’ Vasco had returned from putting up the rest of the Christmas lights. ‘She’s made up her mind. You’re coming with us.’
Charlie felt his heart beat a little faster than usual. ‘You’re going too?’
Alexandra looked between Charlie and Vasco, her eyes lighting up as a mischievous smile spread across her face. ‘I’m going to check on the cookies,’ she announced, and darted out of the room.
‘I didn’t even know she was making cookies,’ Vasco murmured, dragging his hand through his hair as he gazed around the room. He seemed to be trying to look anywhere but at Charlie. ‘So, um, are you –’
‘It’s only me!’ Alexandra’s voice sounded in the hallway just before her head appeared around the doorframe. The gleam in her eye was still there as she peered at them both closely.
‘How are the cookies?’ Charlie asked, fixing Alexandra with a flat look.
‘Hm? Oh, they weren’t done yet,’ she said airily, bringing in a pile of lumpy parcels tied with bows and ribbons. ‘But I thought we deserved an early Christmas present after all our hard work.’
Vasco raised an eyebrow. ‘You’re just looking for an excuse to start opening presents early, aren’t you?’
‘Hey, I’m allowed to be excited for Christmas!’ Alexandra passed one of the packages to Vasco and waited until he started opening it to tear the wrapping paper from her own. ‘Now we have matching Christmas sweaters!’
‘I should have known,’ Vasco groaned, holding up a blue knitted sweater with a huge Christmas pudding emblazoned across the front. ‘You want me to put it on now?’
‘Of course! We’re all going to wear them.’ Alexandra pulled on a white sweater emblazoned with gold and silver stars, then placed another parcel in front of Charlie. ‘This is for you, Charlie.’
Charlie blinked at her in surprise. ‘For me? You mean it?’
‘Well, as long as Vasco doesn’t mind,’ Alexandra said, looking at him quickly. ‘I bought more than one because I wasn’t sure which one you’d like best, but I’d like to give this one to Charlie, if that’s all right with you.’
‘I’d like that too,’ Vasco said, his eyes fixed on the carpet. He cleared his throat.
‘You heard him,’ Alexandra said, turning back to Charlie and beaming. ‘Open it, Charlie. Do you like it? Try it on. I think it might be a little too big – you’re so thin.’
‘Alexandra …’
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean –’
‘It’s great,’ Charlie said quietly, the sweater soft in his hands. It was bright red, with a Christmas tree taking up most of the space on the front. He swallowed hard before continuing, his throat hot. ‘I can’t remember the last time someone gave me a present.’
Alexandra stood up quickly. ‘Let’s all open another one!’ she said, her voice sounding oddly strained. ‘I think the cookies are done,’ she added, before all but running from the room.
‘It is a little big, isn’t it?’ Charlie said, grinning sheepishly as he pulled the sweater over his head. The sleeves covered his hands.
‘I like it.’ Vasco met his eyes, a shy smile on his face. ‘You look … sweet.’
‘I like yours, too,’ Charlie said, his cheeks burning. ‘It looks warm.’
The rest of the day passed by in a pleasant blur. They unwrapped one more present each: Christmas-themed socks, which Alexandra insisted that everyone had to put on at once. Charlie and Vasco dragged the sofa from the living room into the sitting room, then they lit a fire in the grate and played old movies that Charlie had never seen before. Alexandra – who seemed unable to sit still for more than a few minutes at a time unless it was to read something complicated and serious – went back and forth into the kitchen, making hot chocolate with marshmallows, collecting baked goods, and snacking on pickled onions.
The daylight began to fade in the middle of the afternoon. They turned the Christmas lights on throughout the house, watching drowsily as they twinkled on and off against the red and gold baubles on the tree. After that, Alexandra disappeared for a while, and it was only when he heard the sound of the front door snapping shut that Charlie realised he and Vasco had fallen asleep together on the sofa while she had been out.
Feeling more relaxed than he could ever recall, the smell of pine and woodsmoke filling the room as he leant against Vasco’s arm, Charlie spoke his thoughts aloud before he could stop himself. ‘Do we have to go to the party tonight?’
‘We’ve got everything we need right here,’ Vasco agreed, as Alexandra’s face fell. ‘What d’you think, Alya? We could always say you’re sick. I’ll make the call to your father for you – I’m used to him yelling at me.’
‘It would be nice just to stay cosy like this, wouldn’t it?’ she murmured, before shaking her head and getting to her feet. ‘But we’re expected. Charlie, I’ve run a warm bath for you and laid out something for you to wear to the party. Vasco, you and I should start getting ready too.’
When he was done in the bathroom, Charlie shaved the sides of his head, hoping that if he tidied up his undercut he would make something of a good impression that night. As he stood in front of the huge gold mirror, he told himself to stay calm, and that even though he would be going somewhere unfamiliar that night, there was nothing to worry about, because Vasco and Alexandra would be there with him. His eyes were ringed with blue shadows.
Returning to Vasco’s bedroom, he found a navy-blue suit, white shirt, black tie, and black shoes waiting for him. He dressed quickly, trying hard not to think about the night ahead.
‘You went out and got these for me?’ he asked, finding Alexandra waiting in the hallway for him, spritzing herself with a bottle of perfume.
‘I told you I’d handle everything, didn’t I?’ She smiled at him before smoothing her dress and checking her hair and make-up in the hallway mirror. ‘Don’t forget your tie. We’re leaving soon.’
‘How are you feeling about this?’ Vasco, dressed all in black but for the same crisp white shirt as Charlie, had flattened himself against the wall to let Alexandra charge past him. He came to a halt beside Charlie, meeting his eyes in the mirror, his hands in his pockets as he watched Charlie attempt to tie his tie. ‘I like what you’ve done with your hair,’ he added, with a fond smile.
‘I just don’t know about the kind of welcome I’m going to get in a place like that,’ Charlie muttered, fumbling with his tie, and finding that his hands were shaking. ‘Is there some way I’m supposed to do this? I don’t know how to –’
‘Listen, we don’t have to stay long if you don’t want to,’ Vasco said softly, helping Charlie with his tie. Charlie felt some of the tension drain out of him at Vasco’s words. ‘Whenever you want to leave, tell me, and we’ll go.’
‘Can I stay with you, and – and sit next to you, or whatever?’
‘You want to –’ A small smile tugged at the corners of Vasco’s mouth. He lowered his eyes and nodded. ‘Sure. I’d like that a lot.’
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