Ethan
I went up to the attic to get down all of the decorations— and the tree. Lyla watched me with excited eyes. She had her hands behind her back and bounced up and down. I knew she was excited. This was a first for her, so I had to make it as special as I could. I didn’t want to leave anything out. Any little detail of this whole thing she had to experience. I would have to ask my mom about all that just to make sure that I was not missing anything. If I overlooked something, I was going to be mad at myself.
When I came down the stairs the last time with the tree box, my mom was standing next to Lyla with her hands on her hips.
“Why don’t you go out and get a real tree? I’m sure Lyla would just love the smell of fresh pine.” My mom sniffed the air, and I groaned. She was sort of messed up from her cancer meds, so she acted weird.
All. The. Time.
But that didn’t make me love her any less. I loved her more than anything in the world.
“I think that’s a good idea.” I said, looking at Lyla. “Did you want to go out? I know it is cold, but—”
Lyla cut me off with a laugh. “Ethan, the cold is okay… let’s get going. I want to go pick out a tree. I want it to be really cute and little and frilly and all that good stuff.
It’s going to be my tree, and I’m going to call it… Berry,” she said while shaking her head and smiling, letting me know she was kidding.
My mom clapped her hands together. “Yes, Ethan, Berry is a good name! It almost sounds like mine, Cherry!” Her name wasn’t actually Cherry, but that’s what she had people call her, so whatever. What I was going to do about it?
I went back up the attic stairs and dropped off the faux tree, and then clomped back down the stairs. My mom was gone. Lyla held out her hand for me to take, and I did. Her hand was small in mine, but I liked that. It was sort of comforting having someone’s hand to hold.
We went to the front door and shoved on our coats and winter boots. I snatched my keys off the hook and called out a goodbye to my mom. I didn’t know where she disappeared to. Knowing her, she was reading or making tea or something of that nature.
By the time we pulled into Frank’s parking lot, Lyla was so thrilled. I couldn’t help but smile at her. Aside from everything I told Lyla earlier, Christmas was a time for love. My stomach fluttered slightly. I took in her long brown hair, rosy cheeks, small button nose, slim waist… I climbed out of my truck feeling the blood from my brain leave and go into a different area entirely.
We met on my side of the truck, and took each other’s hands. Our boots crunched under the fresh snow, and the air was frigid and smelled good. I’d always loved the winter smell. I don’t know if it was because my body was winter, or it was because I actually liked it, liked it without any ice magic influence. I wondered which season Lyla preferred?
“Lyla, which season do you like better?” If she said summer, it was probably because of her fire.
“Fall. You?”
I sighed. At least I didn’t like winter because of my body. “Winter.”
“That’s cool.”
“So, what size tree did you want?” I asked Lyla, coming to a stop.
Frank’s was a place that I’d come to since I was a little kid. It was a mix between an apple orchard and pumpkin patch, and there were animals and greenhouses. They always had something going on. It didn’t matter what season it was. They even put the carnival out here during Toledo Days.
She looked at me. “I think one that’s five-feet tall will be great.”
I nodded and tightened my hold on her. “That will be perfect.” We usually got a bigger one, but I was letting Lyla run the show this year. I was sure she was happy, women always liked being in control… hmm, not a bad thought… okay, enough, I told myself. None of that crap here.
We walked around for at least ten minutes before Lyla jumped and squealed and took off running. She almost slipped in the snow, but managed to catch herself. God, she was so hyper sometimes. She pointed at a tree, and I knew she’d found the one she wanted.
After we found a worker and they cut it down for us, I paid, and they helped me tie it onto my roof. I was worried about it scratching up my truck, but whatever. Scratches could always be fixed.
When we got home, I set the tree up, and added water in the thing that it sits in. I didn’t remember what it was called, but that was okay. I didn’t think it really mattered; I wasn’t getting tested on this…
I started sorting through the tote with things that I made in school as a child. I pulled out the angel that was made with a white lunch-bag for the body, yellow pipe cleaners for the wings, and a white foam ball for the head, googly eyes, and brown yarn for hair. The thing was so badly damaged that my mom had to glue it together these last couple of years. I really had to make another one and put this one away. I don’t even remember making the thing, but I always felt so special when I looked at it that I couldn’t even begin to explain why.
“What the hell is that?” Lyla demanded, pointing at the droopy-headed angel.
I hugged it to my chest. I felt as if she had made fun of it… her. I patted the angel’s head. “I made this when I was in first or second grade. She used to be prettier.”
Lyla’s gaze softened. “Aww, that’s sweet, Ethan.”
I nodded and set it gently on the mantle. “Well, I’m going to get the other stuff. You can look through that box if you want.”
While I pulled down all of the ornament boxes from the second floor, Lyla yelled that she was going to go get changed. She complained that she was too hot.
That she was. Not gonna lie.
I started taking out little glass snowmen, elves, various Santa’s, deer, and a bunch of weird stuff that I always forgot we had until I opened this box in December. I clipped on the hooks, and lined them up on the side of the tote so Lyla could have easy access to them.
She came flying into the living room in a pair of short shorts and a tank top. I swallowed hard, and turned my attention away from all the bare skin. Why did girls always seem to torment us guys? Why? It wasn’t fair!
“So, Lyla, did you want to help me put the lights on the tree?” I pulled gently on the twisted cord until it unraveled. I plugged them in to test the bulbs, and Lyla laughed.
“Oh my God, I love this! How come we didn’t ever have this back home? What is wrong with those people? The Summer Solstice sucks big time!”