14. August

Chapter 14

August

“ D addy! Daddy, wake up! It’s Christmas!”

AJ groaned and buried his face in his pillow. “Poppet, it’s early, ” he complained. “Go back to bed for a bit longer.”

“No! I want to see what Santa brought me.”

AJ was torn between attempting to discipline her for the moment of bratty defiance, or letting it go because it was Christmas.

In the end, he gently chided, “You sound a little like the naughty girl from the chocolate factory movie.”

Ava gasped. “I don’t! She was a bad egg!”

“That she was.” AJ nodded, making a mental note to thank his sister for suggesting Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory as a movie Ava might enjoy. It had become her new favourite, which had blessedly meant there were no more Christmas movies on repeat in his house. It did have the side-effect of him humming the oompa loompa song day in and day out, though. Bailey had caught him humming it on the pitch and had thought it was hilarious. AJ had made him run extra laps for the cheek.

They hadn’t seen each other outside of work since their interrupted night, and AJ missed Bailey. But a week apart had given AJ a lot of time to think about how he felt and what he wanted from life, and he knew he needed to have a serious conversation with the younger man. He just couldn’t bring himself to do it at Christmas.

“Can we please go look at the presents, Daddy? I won’t open them. Not until Bailey’s here.” Ava had climbed onto the bed and was bouncing on her knees. “Can you call him and tell him to come over now?”

“Bailey will be here at lunch time.” AJ reminded her, grouchily adding, “He’s probably enjoying a sleep-in like most normal people.”

“Sleeping is boring. We are more fun than sleeping.”

Speak for yourself, he thought, then sighed. Giving up on the dream of sleeping, he rolled over and tickled Ava’s sides, making her squeal and giggle.

“You’re right,” he declared, giving her a moment to catch her breath, “we are more fun than sleeping.”

And if he sent Bailey a text telling him he was welcome to arrive anytime…well, what was the harm in that?