Page 26 of Santa of the Creek
“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?”
“Either, both. Okay, itisa long time ago, but there’s no age limit on mourning someone. Look at Queen Victoria.”
Silence.
“Did you…just say…Queen Victoria?”
“She was the only one I could think of on the spur of the moment. I mean, there’s my Great Nanna Penelope, but you wouldn’t know her.”
“I don’t know Queen Victoria either. I’m not that old,” Dean says with an edge to his voice.
Great, now I’ve offended the guy by implying he’s ancient.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I know it wasn’t. I’m sorry. I’m just feeling raw after Gloria’s call and then my brother’s visit.”
“You should tell them both to fuck off,” I say without thinking.
“I did. Gloria listened, kinda, Danny didn’t. He’s a hard man to say no to.”
“Are you going to play Santa?”
“Yeah. It’s not like Danny will let it go.”
He sounds so defeated that I want to get in my car, drive over to his house, and hold him tight.
“Hey, do you want to come over?” I offer on impulse.
There’s a hesitation, and I wait for him to say no, but he says, “I’ve got to go to the Tree Lighting Ceremony. Danny asked me to.”
“Asked or insisted?”
“It’s expected,” he says. “Family support is important to Danny.”
I make a noncommittal noise. I know what small towns are like.
“Danny’s a good man.” Dean can apparently read minds from a distance.
“But is he a good brother?”
“He is.” He pauses for a moment. “He is a good brother. He just thinks I need to start living again.”
I’m not going to throw an old British queen at him again. “Get over here and keep me company before I go up the wall.”
“It’s only been one day,” he says, clearly amused.
“That’s long enough.”
“Are you always on the go?”
“You know what it’s like at Randy’s. There’s never a dull moment.”
That ten-thousand-steps-a-day thing? I blow through that in the first half of my shift.
“I’ll come over. Do you need food?”
“I’ve got frozen burgers and fries, that’s all.”
