Marlin-Rae

"Rush?" The twelve-year-old boy glanced away from the window and towards his sister, who was nudging a bauble into place on the travesty that constituted their Christmas tree. Rush knew his older brother had 'acquired' it from somewhere or the other, but he hadn't wanted to ask too much about where. It made Scarlett happy. That was the main thing. "Yeah?" "Are mummy and daddy coming back this year?" Rush sighed, trying to ignore the tight sting in his chest. "No, 'Letts. They thought it'd be fun to let us all celebrate on our own again." Her forehead wrinkled, and he added, hastily, "They popped back the other day to talk to me and Christ