Because I Want You

Chapter Ten: Waiting For the Son of Man

December arrived with wind and rain, temperatures dropping to a couple of degrees above freezing during the day, though the wind chill made it feel colder and in the mornings the grass would be covered in frost and the puddles would be iced over. Nick and Dave spent time together any chance they got, mostly at Nick's house. At school, where they could be seen, they behaved the way they always had, occasionally amusing themselves by staging a fight or an argument, and then meeting behind the bike shed for a quick make out after.

As the Christmas holidays approached, the two had less and less time to spend together, however, as they were both at increasing rates hijacked into doing chores and preparing for the celebrations in their respective homes. Dave's mother dragged him along Christmas shopping ('Not that I do much shopping, mostly I just carry stuff,' said Dave), and Zoë had Nick hoover and wash all the floors.

With the holidays came the snow, more of it than they had seen in a long time, and all over the country airports were shut down and train services were delayed or canceled. It was lucky, as Zoë reminded Nick, that their mother and aunt Karen would be driving. Less lucky, thought Nick, if they crashed on the way.

Since her last episode, their mother's condition had been steadily improving and, with the blessing of her doctors, it had been decided that a short visit to her children for Christmas would be both healthy and productive for her.

Nick was looking forward to seeing her, of course, but he couldn't quite help but feel nervous. He knew exactly when he had last seen her. It had been for his fifteenth birthday. All he had wanted was to see her, so in the end he and Zoë had got in the car and driven to Coventry.

The person he had met then had been nothing like his mother. She had been so thin and pale, and when she had seen him, she had burst into tears and had to leave the room. It had been the most miserable birthday of his life.

Nick spent Christmas Eve in quiet anticipation. There were no chores left to be done. Everything was neat and tidy and sparkling clean. All that remained was to wait. So Nick hid away in his room, chatting with Mel on messenger (an activity that had become so much more interesting now that they had met) and texting with Dave.

Around five o'clock, Nick heard a car pull up in front of the house. Then the doorbell rang downstairs. Nick turned off his computer and left the room.

Zoë and Craig were waiting at the foot of the stairs. When Zoë saw Nick, she smiled at him and went to open the door.

His aunt stepped inside first, shaking snow off her coat. Karen Parsons was a petite, athletic woman in her forties, with lightly curled brown hair and ever perfect make-up. She was pragmatic and strict, but very kind.

Aunt Karen took a few steps forward and then . . . There she was. Thin, pale and grey, but somehow much more alive than the last time he had seen her. Angie Parsons. Nick's mother.

Mandatory greetings and introductions and hugs took place as Zoë showed Craig off, and then it was Nick's turn.

His mother approached him slowly, smiling weakly. 'Hello, Nick,' she said quietly, and all at once her eyes, the same silver grey as Nick's own, were brimming with tears. She controlled herself, however, beaming as he smiled back.

'Hi,' said Nick. 'Er . . . Welcome.' It was an odd thing to say, he realised. This was technically still her house.

She reached out and cupped his face in her hands. 'Let me look at you,' she said. 'Oh, you're so grown up!'

Nick looked away, uncomfortable.

'Well, let's get your things inside!' said Zoë. 'Dinner will be done in just a minute.'