“Right, then you can’t expect me to work with shotty Christmas lights. I’m not giving up my position in the competition this year.”
I point to the house across from mine. “Ol’ man Gilbert just snuck something into his house the other day. He thinks I didn’t see it, but I know the department store box. He bought new holiday decor. They think they have a chance of beating me with new stuff.”
I tut. “You would think he knows better by now.”
It’s not until I hear Ellyn laughing that I turn her way again. She’s covering her mouth with her hand.
“What?”
She waves her hand, shaking her head. “You really are so caught up in all of this. It’s, um, well, it’s adorable.”
My head jerks backwards. “Adorable? My grandbaby, Amelia, is adorable. The holiday competition iswar.”
That really gets her going and she starts cracking up. Which, in turn, makes me crack a smile. I do enjoy the sound of her laughter.
“Well, the least I can do is help you out in this ‘war’ as you call it. Let’s try unraveling the lights and testing them out.”
With a nod, I make my way over to the box and pick up one of the largest piles of lights and start to unravel them.
Together, Ellyn and I go through pile after pile of lights, testing which ones work and which ones either need new bulbs or are just completely shot.
“These are beautiful,” she comments after we finally get to the third and final box. “I’ve always liked white lights as opposed to the red and green colored lights.”
“Always?” I ask.
She nods. “Mhmm. But the kids and their father preferred the colored lights. Meghan’s favorite color is red while Shanice’s is actually green. They would always fuss if I even suggested changing out the lights for a different color.”
A whisper of a smile crosses her face.
“Then one year their father came home with blue lights. I’d asked him to buy some new lights on his way home from work. Even told him the specific aisle they were in and to make sure to get the red and green lights.”
She sucks her teeth.
“Of course, he came home with the wrong color. I had to go to the store myself and get the right ones. I swear to this day he did it on purpose.”
I grunt. “Sounds like an ass,” I say without thinking.
“He was,” Ellyn agrees with a snort. “I shouldn’t talk about my kids’ father like that.”
“Why not? He’s not here,” I say while winding one of the working light sets around a plastic holder to keep them from tangling up again.
“And if he was, I guarantee he wouldn’t say a damn thing. Not if I had something to say about it. And I would have something to say about it.”
Ellyn gives me a half grin.
“Gina loved green and red lights, too,” I say at the same time I go back to securing the lights. “I prefer the white lights. We compromised and alternated each year.
“When the boys got older, we let them decide,” I tell her, a ghost of a smile crossing my lips.
“Gina. Your wife?”
I nod. “She was always better at this sort of thing than I was.”
“Looks to me like you’re doing a pretty good job at it yourself, Mr. I’ve won the neighborhood competition three years in a row,” Ellyn says, glancing around.
“I had a good teacher,” I reply before rising to my full height. “Thanks for your help with the lights.” I move closer to her and stretch out my hand.
When she places her hand into mine, I tighten my hold and help her to stand. Ellyn’s breath hitches when I pull her up to stand, bringing our bodies within inches of one another.
