‘I was so naïve, Jules,’ Holly continued. ‘The signs were there that he was cheating, but I didn’t want to admit it.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘He used to have such a high libido. Throughout our marriage, he tried it on most nights. Then he lost interest. He was less enthusiastic during sex at first, but eventually he wouldn’t touch me. I tried everything: sexy lingerie, roleplaying, toys… but nothing worked. I should’ve known.’
She burst into tears, and Tom couldn’t make out the mumbled words that followed. Listening to her distress, he had the seed of an idea which surprised even himself. It was risky, and had the potential to compound Holly’s distress, but knowing the relationship he and his aunt shared, he was sure it wouldn’t.
He entered the kitchen and feigned surprise upon seeing Holly in tears. She gave him an embarrassed smile, which he returned, before taking the keys from the hook.
Tom’s first port of call was the winery, where he paid a premium for Holly’s favourite bottle, which came expensively packaged in a wooden box — something that would aid him in his idea.
His next stop was the shopping centre on the edge of town, and although doubt crossed his mind as he made his way to Ann Summers, the seed had now blossomed into an irresistible flower he had to pluck. Following a strange look from the shop assistant, he returned to the car feeling excited, certain that Holly would appreciate his gesture.
Upon arriving home, he switched out the wine bottle for Holly’s real gift, then wrapped the wooden box and placed it under the tree with the other presents for the family.
With no going back, he couldn’t wait for the big day to arrive.
*
Tom woke on Christmas morning with trepidation. Tradition in the Jamieson household was to open presents first thing in the morning before getting dressed, and as the pyjama-clad family gathered in the living room, the possibility that Holly would open the box in front of everyone became a frightening prospect. She had no need, as the branding was on the outside, but there was always the prospect of things not going to plan.
They went around the room, opening one each, until Holly pulled out Tom’s gift from the back of the tree. She smiled at him, already suspecting what it was, then ripped off the paper.
‘Aw, Tom, I love this. Thank you so much.’
‘You’re welcome, Aunt Holly,’ he replied.
‘I’m surprised you remembered.’ With a look of minor puzzlement, she lifted the box, testing its heft. ‘It’s lighter than I remember.’
‘You haven’t drunk it have you, son?’ Bill said from his chair. ‘I know you uni lads put it away like no one else.’
‘Ironic, since you’re the one with the beer belly,’ Tom teased, earning laughs from around the room.
‘Just you wait, one day you’ll be like your old man.’
As Olivia picked up her next gift, to Tom’s horror, Holly slid the lid off the box. Cursing himself for not considering the disparity in weight, he tensed almost every muscle in his body as Holly laid her eyes on the hyper-realistic, seven-inch dildo, veins and all.