On Santa's Lap *Published*

Chapter Eight

I didn't know how I ended up talking on the phone for so long but by the time I went back in the play was long gone and everyone was searching for their families. Thankfully I found Janelle before her son did and I was saved for a lifetime off "Aunt Eve, you always missed my school plays," Ha! I was here.

I placed my ten percent left phone into my pocket as I looked around for Evan.

"Where did you go?" Jan asked from beside me with a raised eyebrow. I could either tell her the truth or make some vivacious lie. Either she started telling my brother about this "Guy" i was seeing, which I was not, or she was going to just catch me out. 

I was going to take my chances. 

"I was on the phone outside,"

It sounded better than telling her I ate a chili hot dog and felt sick, well I did eat a whole punnet of strawberries myself. 

She scoffed, "Sure you were," I raise an eyebrow at her. Thought so, no one ever believes me. Probably because the last time I had a conversation that long would have to be when I was in High School.

"Mum! Aunt Eve!" We both turned to look at Evan running towards us, still dressed in his costume as he hugged his mother before brushing his hair out of his face, "Hey Aunt Eve, did you like the way I danced in the end?"

"Um," I looked up at Jan confused, did I miss his solo performance, probably, "You were brilliant," I lied. Well it wasn't really that much of a lie, since he probably was brilliant.

"Want me to teach you," he asked his eyes brightening and I patted his head, "Maybe another day, we should get going it's past your bed time,"

Pathetic Eve.

"How are you getting home?" Jan asked as Evan raced off to collect his things and say bye to everyone.

"Cab or something," I shrugged. Jan gave me a disapproving motherly look at me, "Come home with us, you can leave tomorrow,"

"But I have no phone charger,"

"Your brother will have one somewhere, tomorrow is Saturday anyway, you and Evan can go to the zoo or something" or something. The last time I had been to the zoo was I eighteen, and a Rhino head butted the bus we were in. So no thank you.

It was an "Open Range Zoo," A tour bus drove you around the different areas and sometimes the animals weren't so friendly.

I took up on her offer, only because I hadn't spent that much time with Evan and he was my favourite nephew, and only nephew, and I didn't want to waste more money on the cab home. 

"Oh yeah?" I nodded my eyes getting heavy as Evan told me about the play. "Yeah and then Robert forgot his lines so I had to take in and do them," he beamed proudly and I nodded. Somewhat bad for falling asleep on him a few times as he explained.

"Aunt Eve you're staying over?" He asked as Jan drove into the driveway. I nodded in reply and he threw his arms around me, "This is the best night! Can we watch The Grinch?"

* * * 

"You're weak," I whispered to myself as I sat on the wooden benches. What on earth made me text him? Usually he texted me, but that was the thing I was weak.

I loved my nephew, but spending the day with him at a zoo by myself would have killed me. 

And I was equally as surprised when he replied to my text, fast. I liked fast texters.

Sure, where?

I blinked twice before looking up, Evan was too busy waiting in line for the tickets.