Page 135 of Under the Mistletoe with You

‘That’s a nice idea and you should do it, but know that I am also objecting to it on the grounds that it means I don’t get to eat them all.’

‘Noted.Do you need some breakfast?I’ll whip up something for us.’

‘I was just going to have some toast.And then I’ll take a few of those cookies.’

‘Biscuits.’

‘Whatever.’

They make their way back upstairs, Nash taking each step with slow consideration.Christopher regrets going ahead, wanting to hang back to help push him up.He holds out a hand, and Nash takes it, so he leads him up the last few.

‘Do you have Boxing Day in America?’

‘A free day off for no reason?Of course not.Canada does, though.I figure it’s generally pretty similar to what you guys get up to here.’

‘Usually nothing?’

‘Sounds about right.Over on Newfoundland they have a whole mumming thing.Like a parade mixed with a play where everyone has to take part, or like they go knock on doors and ask for admission.Sounds fucking dreadful.’

‘Oh, they have that here.Well, not here, but in South Wales they do that but with a horse’s skull on a stick throughout midwinter.’

Nash spins around to stare at him, an incredulous look on his face.‘I’m sorry, but the casual way you just dropped that bomb on me might be the thing that takes me out today.’

Christopher stops a step down, so their faces are level.He could just reach forward and kiss him.There’s so little space between them.‘Well, before the very fascinating culture of Wales takes you out, why don’t we go on a very small adventure?’

Nash

They bundle up in as many layers as possible before getting into the van.Christopher insists Nash adds at least another jumper layer even when he thinks he’s wearing enough, which they bicker about for a few minutes until Nash relents, the arms of his coat nearly bursting at the seams from so many layers.

To be fair, he always struggles with regulating his temperature after a seizure because his nervous system is so whacked.In LA, this isn’t so much a problem because he can just turn the air up or down.In snow, it’s a little more complicated.

Christopher drives them through the now slushy snow right onto the promenade, and Nash is briefly worried he’s going to drive right onto the sand and cause an incident, but he turns the ignition off when the truck faces out to the grey sea.

Christopher turns to look at Nash.‘We can just sit in here, in the van, if you’d like?’

‘Nah, let’s get some air.’

It’s ice cold, the wind whipping at the exposed skin on their faces.Despite the sun, it’s much colder today, way below zero, so the cold is dry for once.The tide is going out (naturally, Christopher claims to have checked the tide tables like a good Boy Scout).The sea rolls back in coils of grey and white, revealing dark sand and glistening pebbles that whoosh along together in harmony.

‘It’s kind of beautiful here, isn’t it?’Nash sighs.‘Weirdly fucking beautiful.’

‘Did you grow up near the sea in Canada?’

‘No, I’m from inland Ontario, but near the Great Lakes.LA is the closest geographically I’ve ever lived to the sea, but, like, it’s still a long drive to get there.It’s amazing to just be here in minutes.’

‘I’m really lucky to live here,’ Christopher admits.‘For however long I get to.’

‘Thinking of leaving?’Nash asks.

‘Oh, no.It’s just ...you know the statistics.So many businesses fail in their first year.The previous occupants ran a little café, and that struggled for a long time.’

‘Sure, but you’re dedicated.It’s your dream.’

‘Chasing the dream is half the fight,’ he says with a sad smile.‘You still have to live it, make it work.Turn it from a dream into a reality and keep it that way.That’s pretty hard in and of itself.Plus, making your hobby the thing you do for a living means you no longer have a hobby not tied to your personal finances.’

‘You’ve thought about it a lot.’

‘I’ve had a lot of time alone to think.’