Adam started counting. I rushed to catch up.
Findingthree trees was apparently no easy feat. The trees weren’t planted in neat little rows. They were spread far and wide with varied shapes and heights.
With the first one I suggested, Adam told me it wouldn’t fit in any of our houses.
“That tree has to be fifteen feet tall.” He smirked.
It looked a little taller than me, but three times? “No way.”
“Trust me, everything is much bigger than it seems on the hillside.”
I glared toward the tree, still unconvinced.
Adam chuckled and nodded. “Go stand by it.”
I trekked up the hill to stand next to it to prove him wrong.
He wasn’t wrong.
This tree seemed small compared to most. The vastness of it all was overwhelming.
We strolled over hills and around large rocks. Every tree Danny or I thought would be good, Adam refused. Finding a tree that was straight and had branches all around it that met Adams standards was like Where’s Waldo in the wild.
“This is it!” Adam circled a tree. It was full and round and was, in fact, quite perfect. It looked like it was from a tree farm with its straight spine and bushy branches. He smirked, proud his perfectionist efforts paid off. “Now, that’s a Christmas tree.” He gestured toward the tree.
I rolled my eyes. “All right, I will give it to you, the tree is pretty good.”
“Good?” Adam scoffed. “It’s perfect!”
Adam helped Danny start sawing the tree down, I walked around for another Adam-standards tree nearby.
I wasn’t sure anymore existed.
“Hey Faith.”
I heard Adam call out my name, the sound echoing easily down the hill. My breath caught. I’m pretty sure that was the first time he hadn’t called me Ms. Faith, but just Faith. My heart picked up speed and I wanted to squeal.
“Faith.”
Oh right, answer. I turned to the sound and saw Adam near the tree, holding up the hand saw.
“Do you want to try?” Adam’s voice called in my direction.
I looked back to the tree and Danny was no longer sawing but making snow angels farther down the hill.
“What?” I tilted my head.
“Do you want to cut down the tree?”
Like use the saw? Yes? No? Kinda.
Adam must have sensed my indecision and chuckled. “Come here.”
I trekked back toward him. I mean, what’s the worst thing that could happen, right? He taught Danny how to use it safely.
Adam handed me the saw and pointed to the tree. “Have at it.”
Wait, what? That’s it. I held the saw away from me at an awkward angle.
