December 1985. Dolly and Kenny are on the radio belting out Christmas songs.
The Banks house is in full decorating mode. Old and new decorations covering every surface of the kitchen. Homemade, ceramic, plastic they had it.
A new tradition had emerged in the last few years. Decorating two Christmas trees. A fake one Cill loved, and the real one her mother, Lee had insisted on ever since she moved in.
The fake tree stood in the family living room, where Santa left the presents. The real tree was in the other living room, the room that Grandma Lee reigned over.
Lexi was in charge of making popcorn garland this year. She threaded the needle through each piece of popcorn. Occasionally sneaking a handful when she thought her mom wasn’t looking.
“Lexi, don’t eat to much of that popcorn! It’s for the tree, and it’ll spoil your dinner!” her mom called from the living room.
Lexi giggled. “Okay, mom!”
In the living room her mom and grandma were carrying on the tradition of arguing over what branch went where. Lexi could hear every word.
“Lee, can you hand me the branch in the corner?” Cill asked.
“Here, Cill. But that’s the wrong branch. It looks to short. I think it goes toward the top.”
“Lee, it is the right branch. See? It is painted orange at the end… I think.”
“If you say so Cill, but it looks red to me. And it’s your tree. That’s the great thing about real trees. You don’t have to assemble them.”
Lexi could tell her mom was rolling her eyes, while making sure Grandma Lee couldn’t see her.
“Yes, Mother, I know what it looks like, but I am right. It is orange.”
More interested in the commotion, Lexi peeked into the living room. But her grandma saw her.
“How’s the garland coming?” Grandma Lee called out.
Lexi took the garland to show her. Grandma made a big show of inspecting it, and Lexi knew it was all for fun. Grandma Lee always likes whatever she made.
“Very nice, child. Now grab that branch by the chair and give it to your mom. That’s the one she needs.”
Lexi tapped her mom’s leg and held up the branch. “Here, mom. Try this one instead.”
Cill huffed, took the branch and slid into place. It fit perfectly.
Lee stood up, grabbed her cane and Connar Hat, and declared, “Well, my job here is done. I am off to my card game.”
With a little flourish, she placed the hat on her head and hobbled out of the living room.
“Okay, Lexi, help me put the garland on the tree.” Cill said. Lexi tossed the garland at her and ran to the kitchen to grab her little step stool.
Cill was up on the stool, wrapping the garland around the top of the tree. Lexi set her own stool across from her mom’s and waited for the garland to reach her.
When the garland was finally low enough for Lexi to reach, they took turns passing it back and forth around the tree.
“Mom, why do you and Grandma bicker like that about the tree and other stuff? Grandma’s usually right.”
Cill laughed. “Well, Lexi, we’re mother and daughter. I really don’t know. Your dad says it’s because we’re so much alike. And your grandma is not always right. She’s just been on this earth longer than me.”
“So… does that mean you and I will bicker like that? And you’ll think you’re right all the time too?”
Cill paused to adjust the front of the garland before handing it to Lexi. “Yes, Lexi, I suppose we will. But you should know I’m going to be even more ornery than Lee at that age.”
Cill reached over and started tickling Lexi.
Lexi laughed so hard while trying to squirm away that she forgot the garland was wrapped around her arm, tugging the tree with her.
The tree wobbled, then started to fall.
Cill lunged to catch it, but her foot caught the stool, and she and the tree crashed to the floor together.
“Damn tree falls every year. I hate this stupid thing.” Cill muttered from beneath the branches.
“Mom, are you okay? Do you need me to get Aunt Amelia?” Lexi asked, hovering close.
Suddenly, the tree rolled, and a few branches clattered loose. Cill stood up, hair a mess, popcorn and fake pine needles stuck everywhere.
Cill stepped over the fallen tree and then flopped unceremoniously into a chair. She pushed her hair back and glared at the mess on the floor.
“Lexi, you should know… I truly hate this tree. If I wasn’t so stubborn, we’d have two real trees or at least a newer, easier one to put together.”
Lexi set down beside her mom and gently picked a couple of fake pine needles from her hair. “Can’t we afford a new tree? Are real trees that expensive?”
Cill pulled Lexi into a hug. “No, sweetheart. This is the tree we bought the Christmas before your brother Geo left. He loved it.”
Lexi looked at the fallen tree, then back at her mom. “Oh… okay. So Geo loved the tree?”
Cill set up and nudged the tree with her foot.
“Honestly, I don’t know.” Cill admitted. “But I do know he thought it was beautiful when it was all decorated.”
Lexi sighed. “Was it because Santa leaves all the presents under it?”
Cill swiped away a tear.
“Honestly, I don’t know exactly why he loved the tree. But that was probably one reason.”
Lexi got up and started collecting the fallen branches, gently laying them on the couch. Cill stood and set the tree upright again.
Lexi couldn’t hold back the giggle. It slipped out before she could stop it. For a second, Cill thought she was crying.
“Alexandra, are you laughing?”
Lexi fell into the chair, laughing even harder.
“Sorry, mom. But I think Geo would’ve gotten a kick out of the tree falling on you.”
Cill laughed as soon has she heard Lexi giggle.
“Oh, I’m glad your grandma wasn’t hear to see this.” she said. Then dissolved into another fit of laughter.
“You. know what? I think we’re done with this tree. It’s clearly trying to take your mother out.”
Lexi jumped to her feet.
“Yes, Mom! I can help pick it out?”
Cill’s heart melted.
“Yes. We’ll go this weekend. And we’ll get two real trees to decorate.”
With love from the town of Silas.
Written by Calden Knox (my pen name and the one you’ll see on my books)
