Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 92062 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92062 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“Yeah,” I assure, shaking my head and fighting away the stinging of my eyes and the pinch in my nose. “I’m just... It’s, you know, strange being home.”
“Well, you don’t do it often enough,” he mentions as he walks around the tree with the lights. “Your parents miss you.”
“Trust me, I get calls daily with a mandatory guilt trip.” I smile at him, walking to the tree. “Pass me the lights from the back, we can tag team.” We work in unison, putting on the lights, and we’re at the end and he plugs it in, I can’t help but smile at our hard work. “It’s so pretty,” I state, folding my hands together and putting my hands to my chin.
He stands by me as he takes it in. “Not bad. Now let’s get this motherfucker decorated.” I throw my head back and let out a laugh.
“Okay,” I agree looking in the totes that are all open. “Why don’t we put your favorites in the front,” I suggest, “and then the rest in the back where no one sees them.” I walk from tote to tote, seeing all the special ornaments his parents picked out, and I’m sure he has memories with all of them. “Which ones are the most special?” I look in and see him reach a tray of ornaments.
“These,” he says, holding one up and it’s painted gold but in the front is a family with a mother, father, and son on a sled. “My mom made these herself,” he explains, looking at them. “Every single year she would paint a couple more.”
“Then those go right in the middle,” I tell him, grabbing the one from his hand, “so you can see them.”
He doesn’t say anything as I hang the first one. “What do you think?” I ask him when I walk back to him as he looks at the tree.
“I like it.” He looks down at me. “I like it a lot.” I smile up at him. “I’d like it a lot more without the music, but now I’ll forever have this memory.”
“Put them on.” I take the box from him. “Don’t worry, I’ll let you know if you aren’t putting it on the right spot.”
“I have no doubt you will,” he replies, taking one out and arranging it, and each time he tells me a little story about the ornament.
It takes way longer than either of us thinks it will to finish decorating. When it’s all done, it looks like a tree that is filled with love and memories and not the ones that look like they just came out of a catalog. “What do you think?” I ask him as I step back.
“I think this is the best tree I’ve ever had.” He sits on the couch next to Whiskey, rubbing his head.
“Good.” I smile at him. “I’m going to go and get in the shower, then head to sleep.”
He just looks at me and I’m about to walk out of the room when I stop. “Good night, Nate,” I say, and he nods at me. I know I should just leave it at that. I know I should leave it alone, but something in me stops. “For the record,” I start, wringing my hands together out of nerves, “I didn’t know about you and Britt because I didn’t want to ask about you, but not because I didn’t want to know. I just couldn’t.” His mouth opens. “Just thought you should know.”
CHAPTER 14
Nate
YOU MAKE IT FEEL LIKE CHRISTMAS
December 18th
My eyes flutter open to the sound of Elizabeth’s voice. “Did you sleep good?” Her voice is soft. “I’ll let you out and then I’ll fix your breakfast.” I turn over on the bed and look out the window, seeing it’s light outside. When I reach over to grab my phone from the bedside table, I see it’s just after eight thirty.
I put my phone back on the bedside table before just staring off into the distance. Last night was a good one. One filled with lots of memories of my parents. Some I forgot about. Some I’d remembered so vividly it was like I was back with them again. It’s never happened to me before. I would remember things time and time again, but I have never talked about the memories with someone. They just sat lingering in the black box in my mind, untouched, where I had put all my precious memories I’ve had in my life, including the night that I spent with her.
I sat on the couch I don’t know for how much longer after she left me. Her words penetrated through and then brought up all these questions I wasn’t sure I wanted the answers to. I had to let it go.
“Get out of there,” I hear her hiss and look over at the open door, “if you break anything…” Her hiss is now a growl. “I will toss your ass outside.” I flip the covers off me, getting out of bed. “Oh my God, what are you doing?” Her voice is frantic, and I walk out of my bedroom door and down the steps. “Get the fuck out of there.” She is back to hissing. “I’m locking you out of my bedroom tonight.”