ENSHROUDING LIGHT

THE DARK PATCH

CHAPTER 24

THE DARK PATCH

'They desperately need volunteers for Christmas day.' Tom said as he came back from the soup kitchen. 'I've told them we'll do it.'

She raised her eyebrows. 'Oh, you have, have you?' Nevaeh cringed. She'd been more polite to Mark since their "date" but attending the kitchen again after such a long time would be awkward. However, since she'd have to invite him to her mum's for Christmas dinner for protection anyway, it was probably best she spent the morning with him as well to iron out any last creases of uncomfortableness. At least this way she would get a break from seeing Adaeze; the guilt she endured each time she was around the woman for letting her down could wait until they got back.

It also gave her an excuse to phone her mum to ask if she could invite Mark. She squealed with excitement, saying she would rearrange the whole day to accommodate them. This was a real honour. Christmas dinner was usually served at two p.m. each year after opening the presents. After almost five months of not seeing them, her mum had no problem with them coming later, stating she'd serve dinner at four p.m. and that they could open the presents afterwards.

Nevaeh put down the phone and looked at Tom peering up at her. 'She sounded okay on the phone, in fact, if anything, more than okay!'

'Maybe she's overcompensating,' he said.

Maybe he was right. The weeks leading up to Christmas, she rushed into Tom's room every night, consoling the same dream. She wanted to phone and ask if anything was wrong, but how could she without making Tom look strange?

One night as she reached the foot of Tom's bed, Tom was crying in his sleep. She shook him gently. 'Tom?'

'Mum!' He flung his arms around her. 'It's Grandma! I've never seen her cry like that before.'

'What do you mean?'

'She was hysterical. Granddad was hugging her. It was horrible. I saw in their house. Granddad told Grandma something, and she was holding him and crying so much.'

'It's just a—'

'I don't think it was! I think it was real.'

Her limbs began to shake. 'Are you absolutely sure?' Why she bothered asking she'd never know.

Tom sat up. 'Yes. There was only one thing that didn't seem right about the vision.'

'What?'

'Well, there was a white Christmas tree in the front room.'

'There you go, then.' Her voice was high and rushed, her palm sweaty as she stroked his head. 'You know they always have a real tree, and they're green, so I think it was just a dream, okay?'

'Granddad does always buy the tallest real tree each year. He loves the smell,' he said like he was trying to convince himself too.

She squeezed his shoulder. 'We'll be seeing them next week for Christmas. I'm sure everything's okay. They would've told me if not.'

'Okay.'

Christmas day soon came. Mark had to take Tom's heavy holdall filled with ninety-two hats, ninety-two scarfs and ninety-two pairs of gloves he'd bought with his spends, as well as the three of them, in a void.

'I hope I'm right about the numbers,' Tom said as they landed in the alley outside the kitchen.

'I don't think your usually ever wrong, Tom,' Mark smiled and patted his head.

Tom's smile vanished. 'So I can't also be hoping I'm wrong about other things, then?'

Mark looked at Nevaeh.