After the wonderful response from the #CareandControl Christmas vignette, I decided to do a cheeky vignette involving Connor and his fellow residents from Robin Hill Children's Home.

Happy New Year, wonderful people!

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Connor lay on his bed, staring at his phone. It was fifteen minutes to midnight on New Year’s Eve. The two night staff for Robin Hill Children’s Home were in the office downstairs, having their own mini-celebration. Connor didn’t begrudge them. He imagined that they had better places to be tonight.

His phone chimed. Go-time.

Connor pulled on his coat and trainers then left his room, making sure the door closed silently. He tiptoed down the stairs then crawled past the office door on his hands and knees. When he reached the door to the laundry room, he snuck inside and closed it quietly behind him.

The air was cold. Without turning the light on, Connor made his way to the far end of the room. Ariana and Jimmy had left the window slightly ajar for him. He climbed on top of the washing machine and slid out of the window feet first.

Connor landed ankle-deep in the fresh snow. He gritted his teeth as the cold seeped into his feet.

“Connor!” He looked up as Jimmy hissed his name. “Hurry up, man!”

A metal ladder slid down from the roof. Connor scaled it quickly. When he reached the summit, Jimmy drew the ladder up. They scurried across the roof to the top of a dormer window, where they joined Ariana.

“Yay, you made it!” she squealed, kissing Connor on the cheek.

Connor sat down next to her and Jimmy squeezed up next him.  Beyond them, the city glittered in all its finery and the stars shone like jewels in the December sky.

Jimmy reached into his rucksack and handed them each a can of Red Stripe. “Happy New Year.”

Connor cracked his can open and toasted his fellow residents. “Happy New Year, arseholes.”

They sat quietly for a moment. The city looked pretty in the snow, elegant and silent. From here, Connor felt like anything was possible.

“Come on then, lads,” said Ariana, swigging her lager. “Resolutions for 2025.”

“Visit London,” Jimmy said without hesitation. “I’m gonna go to London, stand outside Buckingham Palace and wave at the King.”

It would have been easy to disabuse Jimmy of his fantasy.

“Just don’t moon him,” Connor grinned, nudging Jimmy with his elbow.

“I want to move into my own flat,” Ariana announced. “I’m going to have panda wallpaper and a kitten.”

“Eh? You’re allergic! exclaimed Jimmy.

“Fuck it, I’ll buy a shit-ton of Piriton,” Ariana shrugged. “Go on, Connor-bobs. What’s your 2025 resolution.”

Connor took a deep swallow of his lager then replied. “I’m going to train to be a paramedic.”

Ariana squealed with excitement. “I can just see you driving an ambulance!”

“Short-arse is gonna need to see over the steering wheel,” muttered Jimmy.

Connor waved his hand in the air, dismissing the scepticism. “I’ll sit on a cushion.”

Their attention was drawn to the horizon as fireworks started to launch.

“We should do fireworks next year,” said Ariana.

Connor and Jimmy snorted in unison. Connor said, “Yeah, if we want to end up in hospital. You nearly set yourself on fire making beans on fucking toast.”

“Could happen to anyone, mate,” Ariana huffed. “Anyway, if you want to be a paramedic you should be able to deal with people on fire.”

Connor rolled his eyes as Jimmy pulled his phone out and said, “Here we go!”

In the distance, church bells started to chime midnight. A plethora of fireworks streaked across the sky. Connor wrapped his arms round Jimmy and Ariana’s shoulders as they kissed him on the cheeks.

“2025 is ours, knobheads!” cheered Connor, raising his can into the air.

“Happy New Year, Dr Connor-bobs!” Ariana laughed, swigging her lager.

“Can we make a snowman?” Jimmy asked.

”Let’s do it!” said Connor.

Lagers in hand, the children began to pile up snow and form it into a snowman as the sky exploded in the distance.