Presents, wrapped with paper of a myriad colours, were stacked beneath the tree, which was coiled with tinsel and strings of lights that flickered brightly. More tinsel slung across walls and atop picture frames, an explosion of festiveness.
Christmas has arrived in full force to the Henderson household. Sam beamed as he looked upon the decorations his parents had plastered across the living room, giving the whole place a festive and welcome feel.
“I’m home,” he called out.
Mum bustled in from the kitchen, draping a dish cloth over her shoulder. “Sam, you’re back,” she said, enveloping him in a deep hug. Then she stepped back, examining him at arm’s length.
“Look at you. You’re wasting away, clearly not eating enough.”
“I’m fine, mum,” he said with a grin. “It’s not like I’m eating nothing but bread and cheese at Uni.” If anything, Sam had filled out in the months since he’d been away from home, and the beginnings of an actual beard were on his jaw.
Mum glanced down at the cases by his feet. “I suppose that’s washing, is it?”
He shrugged guilty.