Page 21 of Snowballing

“Let me know when breakfast is ready, you big liar.”

Yup. Puberty was definitely here.

* * *

We had just finished Christmas Eve dinner at Lane and Raquel’s when my phone rang. It was Nancy.

“I’m sorry to bother you, Eli, but I wanted to let you know Sam had a minor accident.”

“Oh my god, is he going to be alright?”

I stood up from the table, but Trey pulled on my sweater, not letting me leave.

“Just had a little fall at the house. He’s getting fitted for a cast shortly. No other damage. Just his wounded pride.”

“I’m happy to hear he’ll be okay.”

“I told him to get a taller ladder!”

I heard Sam yell something in the background and took the opportunity to whisper to the room what had happened. Trey let me go once he heard Sam was going to be okay.

“Would you mind taking Bear for the night? I don’t want him to be home alone. He probably wonders where we went off to.”

Bear was their tiny Pomeranian mix, and both of us had the other’s house key for emergencies like this.

“Sure thing.”

“Also, Eli-” she dropped the volume of her voice, “-I think Sam’s going to need more help than he thinks. I’m sorry to do this, but if you need someone to watch Trey any time soon, I don’t think it will be us. One of my friend’s sons is a part-time manny on the side. I can introduce you to him if you like.”

I certainly wasn’t going to give her the extra burden of a moody preteen while her husband was recuperating.

“That sounds great, Nancy. I’m actually going to Hawaii this February.”

“Oh my! Any room in the luggage for me?”

I heard someone else on the other end.

“Oh, I’ve got to go, Eli. The doctor’s here.”

“Text me the hospital info!”

“You’re too sweet, dear, I will. Merry Christmas, and thanks for watching Bear. Hopefully, it’s just one night.”

I hung up and walked back into the dining room where all eyes turned to me.

“Sam’s going to be okay?” Trey asked. “What happened?”

I explained everything I knew while we finished our meal, and Nancy texted me the room number. Sam was at Emerson Hospital, just a few miles away.

“You should bring them some food,” Raquel suggested. “I’ll get some plates ready.”

“That’s a great idea,” I said, standing up to help clear the table.

“I’ll get some desserts for them too,” Lane added. “No one should be left out on the holidays.”

Of course, that made me immediately think of Jayden, who had no holiday plans.

I really needed to have sex more if one night with a rando was lingering this long.