Work Text:
The house was cold.
That was the first thing Tim had noticed when he walked into the house. How cold it was.
When Mrs. Mac was there, she always kept the house only a little bit too cold. She wasn't there though, she was off visiting her sister for the holidays; she wouldn't be back for days. Tim hadn't asked how many (he had long ago forgotten to expect an answer).
But none of that was supposed to matter tonight, because it was Christmas and his parents were coming home to spend it with him like they did every year.
Mom couldn't stand the cold, and she knew he couldn't either. She would swaddle them both in blankets and sit in a cozy armchair him in her lap, and they'd drink hot chocolate while she told him stories about her adventures abroad.
(When he was seven his father had said he was too old for that anymore. Mom had argued. Tim pretended not to notice the bruises on Mom's arms the next morning, and they hadn't done it since.)
His parents were supposed to come back for the holidays. There was no car in the driveway. The heat was off and the house was frigid.
Mom hated the cold.
There was a voicemail on the phone. (He didn't remember walking into the kitchen.) Tim listened to it.
"Hey, Champ! Merry Christmas. Or, what do they want you to say nowadays? 'Happy Holidays'? Hah! And I thought this was America. Well anyway, I'm just calling to tell you that your Mom and I encountered a last-minute delay, something important popped up and a dig site and well, you know how it is. So we're not gonna be able to get there on time, kay Champ? Your Mom was worried you'd be lonely, but I told her it'd be fine. I mean, you're 13! That's old enough to understand that there are more important things going on, but you know how women are. Well, I've gotta go now, Merry Christmas Champ!"
Click.
Tim stood in the kitchen and tried to pretend he was surprised. Angry. Shocked. Anything but numb.
The clock chimed midnight. It had been seven when he answered the phone. (Tim was sure it had only been a few minutes)
The house was cold.