LMPYITP: The Random Passages

He Don't Come but Once a Year

...

"What're those for?" I asked curiously as I watched her set the biscuits the plate.

"Santa." She replied quickly while she spread them out so they wouldn't be on top of each other.

They were the cut out kind, done up in shapes like reindeer, gingerbread men, and snowmen. With frosting. Red and green frosting. And sprinkles. All different colors of sprinkles.

I licked my lips at the sight. They were covered in frosting that she'd smoothed out with a knife. She'd done the coloring herself, mixing food coloring in to change the white. She let me have a couple but I still wanted more.

"No!" She said firmly as she tapped my hand to stop me reaching.

"But-"

"They're for Santa. End of." She turned around and headed to the fridge.

"Carrots?" I questioned when I saw what she got out. "What the fuck're they for?" Surely she wasn't trying to make me eat healthy. You're not supposed to worry about that until after the holidays. New Year's resolutions.

"The reindeer-"

"Oh c'mon, Blue! Why ya wastin' so much food, eh? There's no point in-"

"I'm not wasting it." She said firmly. "Stop being a Scrooge!"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not bein' a fuckin' Scrooge!" I argued. "But you've put all this food out, I'm not gonna be able to eat it all."

"You're not supposed to eat it!"

"Yes I am! I'm the one who always had to eat 'em when the boys were growin' up and now I'm gonna have to eat fuckin' carrots as well!"

"You aren't gonna eat anything!" She exclaimed as she pointed her finger at me. "They're not meant for-"

"Ya mean to tell me ya still believe in that rubbish?" I asked in disbelief.

She nodded. "It's not rubbish."

I rolled my eyes again. "Fuck off!"

She rolled her eyes right back. "If Santa isn't real then how can the news people track him on Christmas Eve?" She asked. "The North Pole's a real place and Saint Nicholas was a real person so?" She raised her hands in a shrug.

I tutted and shook my head.

"Come on." She ordered. "Let's go to bed."

We snuggled in but I couldn't sleep. I don't think it was anything to do with Christmas...well it might've been. But there was a lot bigger stuff going on. One big thing in particular.

We were off to Spain in less than a month. We were getting married then going on our honeymoon and...fuck!

My stomach growled distracting me from my thoughts. My lovely, wonderful thoughts about...I had to have one of them biscuits.

Blue was fast asleep. I was sure of it. I cuddled with her for a bit longer just to make sure...and then I was on my way.

I got out of bed as quietly as I could then tiptoed towards the door.

"Where are you going?" She asked making me gasp and stop dead in my tracks.

"Just out for a cig." I replied with a slight shake of my head.