Claire
“Hello? Anyone here?” I heard Aiken echo through my house. He might as well have moved in. He was here all the time.
But who was I kidding? He didn’t want to live among all my memories.
At the sound of his voice, Smitty immediately stood like the house was on fire and rushed to the back door.
“In here, grading papers,” I called back from my chair in the front room.
“Hey, Smit. Wanna help me with something?” I heard Aiken talking to my dog, which used to be my job.
It was the Sunday after Thanksgiving. We’d survived the awkward evening at Mary’s before holing up most of Friday and Saturday nights, watching movies and eating popcorn. Aiken had left early this morning to run and do a little work.
Presumably.
“One sec,” he called back to me. “Don’t get up. I have a surprise.”
No wonder he was back so early.
“Wasn’t expecting you until dinner-ish, and you know I don’t like surprises.”
My butt itched to jump out of my chair, but I was comfortable, my legs tucked underneath me, a blanket wrapped around my shoulders.
I heard a rustling sound come from the back door. Smitty barked once, and Aiken told him to quiet.
“Ho ho ho!”
“What the what?”
Trailing behind Aiken, wrapped tight in netting, was an enormous tree.
“I figured we’d decorate.”
“Aiken, what is this?”
“A tree. Mary said—”
“I’m going to kill her. This time, I’m not kidding.”
“Nah, she said you’ve been putting up a fake tree since…well, you know. So I got a live tree this year for us to do together. We can make it??? a tradition. Oh, and this.” He pulled a swag of mistletoe out of his back pocket. With a wide grin, socked feet, and a white T-shirt under a heavy flannel shirt, he looked his age. Young, with his whole future ahead of him.
“I thought we were going to go see your dad for Christmas?”
“Doesn’t mean we can’t decorate, Richards. Lay down some traditions of our own.”
“That’s crazy. We’re making a mess for nothing.” I finally stood up from my chair, setting my papers on the table, and moved to help Aiken shift the tree in front of the window. He had a tree stand tucked under his arm, which he was conveniently placing under the tree.
“I hope you didn’t buy stuff to trim that monstrosity with…I have tons.”
“Heard that too, Richards.”
I gave him the stink eye while making sure the enormous evergreen wasn’t going to tip over.
“Hey, come here, you look cute.” He gathered me close like a tiny doll.
“What is this?” He ran a finger down my shirt.
“Um, an old T-shirt.”
