I'll Be Home For Christmas by Tess Thompson

Author:Tess Thompson [Thompson, Tess]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: 4kids5cats Editions

6

Jack

I’d always loved Christmas. Decorating, the scent of the tree, cookies and feasts. Yet there had always been a sadness that accompanied the holidays. Once upon a time, Jennie and I had loved the season together, doing everything we could think of during holiday breaks as if we were in a Hallmark movie.

“Should I drag the tree in here?” I asked Jennie now. If I didn’t do something physical, I might not be able to stop kissing her. “Or open the wine?”

“Open the wine and then get the tree,” Jennie said.

I grabbed a cork and two glasses from my wet bar. As I opened the bottle, I explained that I’d put the tree under the covered patio. “I wanted it to dry off before I brought it inside.”

Jennie picked up her glass and took a sip. “I can’t wait for the smell. I love the smell.”

“There’s one problem. Besides lights, I don’t really have any ornaments.” I dragged an armchair closer to the couch to make room for the tree. “Is this a good spot?”

“Looks good to me. How come you don’t have any ornaments?”

“Malinda took them all. Along with most of the furniture. Everything you see here is new.”

“We could make some ornaments,” she said.

“With what?”

“Do you have any cranberries or popcorn? Tissue paper?”

“I think I have all three, actually. And wrapping paper. Would that work?”

“We’ll see what I can do.” Jennie rubbed her hands together. “I used to make all our ornaments when Crystal was small. I was so broke back then. She always thought they were magical. Let’s see if I still have the touch.”

I went out to the patio where I had the tree already in a stand. It had seemed important yesterday to get a tree for my first Christmas without Malinda. She’d always insisted on using our fake one. She hated needles and all the mess of a real tree. This year, I’d promised myself, I’d get what I wanted. However, once I’d gotten it home, the house felt too empty to put it up.

“I thought you said it was small,” Jennie said. “This has to be six feet at least.”

“It looked smaller on the lot.” I plunged my hand into the branches, and grunting, hauled it inside to set it to the left of the fireplace. “I don’t know what I was thinking. Why would I get a tree when no one will even be here for Christmas?”

“I’m here.” She smiled and came over to stand next to me.

“So you are.” Had I been hoping all along that I’d get enough courage to ask her to spend time with me and that she would agree? “I still can’t quite believe it’s you.”

“It’s hard for me to believe too. Now, time to get moving. We have to get this decorated before midnight or Santa won’t come.”

I grabbed the bag of cranberries from the refrigerator. “I bought a bunch of stuff to make dinner tomorrow. I have no idea why. Brandi and Trapper are spending tomorrow with his parents.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.