Her pulse increased as the phone rang. Building new friendships should cause her anxiety, but she still had work to do on trusting people and opening herself to close relationships.
Just when she expected the call to go to voicemail, Hollie answered. “Hi.”
“Hi.” She twisted a strand of hair around her finger.Get it together, Sybil. You’re a grown adult. It’s okay to reach out to people. “I know it’s short notice, but I was wondering if you’re free this afternoon.”
“I am now. I just got home from helping my niece with a bake sale and was trying to decide what to get into.”
“Would you want to come over? I bought some Christmas decorations earlier, but then decided that putting them up by myself would be horribly lonely.”
Hollie chuckled. “I understand all too well. Every year when Christmas rolls around, I have my sister and niece help me.”
Sybil released the breath she held. “I can offer you hot cocoa as payment.”
“That sounds like a good deal. What time do you want me to come over?”
“Any time is fine.” A depressing laugh escaped. “I’ll be here all day fighting my pity party.”
“Text me your address, and I’ll be there within an hour. I’ll bring candy cane fudge to go with the cocoa.”
“Yum, and I’ll text it to you after we hang up. Thanks.” Her shoulders no longer slumped when she hung up the phone. They stood straight and proud, acknowledging her victory of reaching outside of her comfort zone.
While she waited for Hollie, she opened the box to the Christmas tree. She pulled out the contents, and multiple pieces fell to the ground.Aha. That’s how they fit a five-foot tree into a two-foot box. She peered inside for directions and found a folded slip of white paper. After stretching her arm to reach the bottom, she grabbed hold of the paper, pulled it out. The instructions seemed simple enough. Attach the feet to the base, screw the sections together, and then fluff the branches.
She’d had her doubts about the final product before she’d started, but a transformation took place as she bent the branches into place. In less than five minutes, she had a beautiful tree to decorate. Though it wasn’t fancy enough to pass for a real tree, she loved it. She admired it once more, then positioned it in the center of her front window for anyone driving by to see.
Hollie hadn’t arrived yet, so Sybil moved on to the lights. Starting at the top, she wrapped the string about the tree. Excited to see how it looked with the lights turned on, she went to plug the strand in. Except she’d tucked the plug behind a branch at the top.
Hmm. I didn’t think this through all the way. She undid her work and restrung the lights, making sure the cord remained at the bottom this time. Holding her breath, she inserted the plug into the outlet.
When the tree brightened, she exhaled. She’d done it. Though not finished, she’d decorated her first-ever Christmas tree.
Hollie arrived, and Sybil showed her all she’d bought.
“You’ve been busy.” Hollie picked up one of the ornaments and studied it. “These are cute.”
“Thanks.” The validation of her choices boosted her spirits. “When I saw them, I envisioned reading a children’s book about forest critters preparing the woods for Christmas.”
“Now that you say that, I can see it.” Hollie set the fox back on the bubble wrap. “Where do you want to start?”
“The tree first.” She smiled halfway, embarrassed by her overly enthusiastic response. “Then whatever until we finish.”
“Do you have any Christmas music we can listen to?”
“I downloaded a new album from various artists this morning.” She connected her phone to the stereo and opened the music player. In seconds, “All I Want for Christmas” played. “If you can’t tell, the Christmas bug got to me this morning.”
“Nothing wrong with that.” Hollie grinned and grabbed a star. “Do you have ornament hooks?”
“They’re somewhere in this mess.” She rummaged through the bags she hadn’t unpacked and handed them to Hollie after she’d found them. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.”
Working together, they finished the tree in under fifteen minutes.
Sybil handed Hollie her phone. “Don’t laugh, but will you take a picture of me next to it?”
She wanted to remember this moment forever. Her first tree. Her first Christmas with friends who truly cared. Her last Christmas before having a child.
Later that night, long after Hollie had left, Sybil laid restless in bed. Staying occupied had helped pass the time, and Hollie had been a terrific guest, but now that she was alone again, the ache resurfaced.
