---##---¤¤---##---
“By this time we’ve usually decorated the tree and put up all those tiny little lamps in the window,” Lex explained to Fred, pointing in different directions of the room as she spoke. “And we put the Christmas stockings over there; and the twins’ stockings a bit lower so they can reach them… Oh, and there’s always a bowl of candy over there at that table.”
“I see.”
“And all the gift boxes lies under the tree,” she said, sighing again, for the tenth time in less than an hour. They were alone at home, snuggled together on the couch in the living room. Nostalgia had hit her as soon as she’d seen the deserted and undecorated room, making her inclined to tell Fred how it was supposed to look.
Fred, however, seemed more interested in his sandwich. “You know, Lex, I was here last year. I know how it usually looks. We could always decorate it ourselves.”
“No,” she mumbled, meeting his eyes. “It wouldn’t be the same unless the others were here to help out. I know they’re busy and all but… I was really looking forward to it.”
“I know, Lex,” he nodded, tightening his grip around her waist, kissing her gently on the side of her head. “But soon it’s the last day of school for the others. I’m sure they’ll want to hang out and make up for lost time then.”
Lex smiled. “That’s true. They’ll want to have rehearsals, right? We nearly haven’t rehearsed at all since Jeff and I got here.”
“You see? There’s still plenty to look forward to. We still have to go see when they light up the tree. We do that every year.”
“Yeah, but… What’s really the point, if there’s no snow?”
“There will be snow. Let’s watch the movie now. Maybe it’ll help you get in a better mood.”
“Fat chance,” she muttered. “To think, if this will be our last year together here, this is the way to celebrate it? This will be the memory of the last Christmas we spent here? No decorations, no tree, no cookies, no nothing. Christmas has always meant so much to me, Fred. Spending it with my family, having all my brothers and sisters here… I can’t imagine it any other way.”
“It’s only the 14th so far,” he reminded her. “Lots can happen in a week.”
Lex crawled closer to him, tracing her fingers over his hand. “Fred, do you like Christmas?”
“What? Yeah, ‘course I do.”
“No, I mean like really, really love it. Not because I like it but because it makes you happy, thinking about it; because it means something special to you. Does Christmas make you happy, Fred?”
“I’d say so,” he smiled. “Christmases with you are my personal favorite.”
Lex knew Fred considered his life to be near perfection as long as he had food in his hands. Usually she tried to have something of her own that would keep her spirit up, but with a Christmas that lacked so many important elements she doubted anything would feel right.
Pretending to watch the movie and randomly throwing a popcorn or two into her mouth, Lex spent most of the night thinking that the room looked slightly skewed when there were no Christmas lights glowing around them.