THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS TREE chapter 4

THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS TREE – chapter 4

A fictional story inspired by a non-fictional event

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Yes, I had to admit to myself, that tree was big. No, not big, HUGE!

So, there we stood! In the middle of our living room, hands on our hips facing another dilemma. Where to put the TV?

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The cable wire came in from the back wall just left of the back of the TV. Which meant, from Luke’s way of thinking, that it ran down inside the corner wall from the building’s attic where all the writing and air conditioning ducts lay and were spliced enough times to plug into each apartment. Luke said he was sure there was enough slack wire to enable us to pull some of it a few extra feet across the wall.

“Then,” he continued, “we could move the couch against the right wall.” I noticed Luke wasn’t actually speaking to me but thinking aloud.

Luke unplugged the TV’s power cord and unscrewed the cable line. Together, we carefully lifted the TV and its stand and carried them to their new home in the center of the wall to the left of where the Christmas tree would stand.

After retrieving a screwdriver from our hall closet, he removed the cable-wiring cover plate and gently tugged on the cable. It didn’t budge. He pulled a bit harder. Still nothing.

“Okay, we have a problem,” he said as he sat back on his heels and rested his elbows on his knees.

I sunk my body wearily on the couch and gave him a questioning look.

Either the wire isn’t long enough, or it has a locking mechanism on it to prevent people from yanking it out.”

His tone of voice wasn’t angry or dismayed. He sounded all too professional as if he didn’t care one way or the other – as if it weren’t his problem but that of the owner – very disconnected.

I rubbed my face with my hands and said, softly, “Okay, honey, what do we do now?”

That’s when the volcano began sputtering lava.

“Now?” he said trying to stay calm as he turned his red face toward me. “Now? Now I’m going to get a few towels and a trash bag. I’m going to soak the hell out the towels and wrap them around the damn tree! Then I’m going to put the entire damn wet mess in the trash back and tie it real tight. Then I’m going to bed!”

I guess he was a bit upset. Glancing at my watch, the time read almost one-thirty. One- thirty in the morning!

Yep, I thought, he’s tired. He gets grouch when he’s tired.

His footsteps echoed in the hall as he stomped his way to the closet and back toward our tree, which by this time, wasn’t looking so perfect anymore.

A few minutes later, as I was about to turn out the lights in the living room, I noticed how carefully Luke had wrapped the tree trunk and tied it to keep the water from leaking all over the floor. I was near tears thinking how I was about to ruin our first Christmas.

We spoke at the same time, “Look hon .”

We smiled and Luke said, “You first.”

I felt the tears begin to escape as I said, “I just wanted to say how sorry I am for all the trouble I’ve been causing. I’m ruining what should be one of our most memorable holidays. I ..” I couldn’t go on as Luke put his arms around me.

“I’m sorry, too,” he said as his hand smoothed my long brown hair. He kissed my forehead and said, “I’m just tired. It’s been a long, very long day and it just seems that for every step forward we take, we all back two and sometimes, three. Maybe we’re trying too hard to be too perfect.”

I admitted he was right but now, having the tree in our apartment, left us no choice but to finish the job we started.

“But,” I said as if a major world-affecting decision had just been made by me, “tomorrow’s another day!”

Luke smiled and gently kissed my lips. “Yes, Mags, tomorrow, I’m going to the electronics store and get a coupler and more cable wire. I kind of like the TV where it is now and I’m thinking of leaving it there. While I do that, you can pull out all those bags and boxes you’ve been hiding in our closet and begin decorating. We’ll have this house and YOUR tree looking perfect by the time our parents come for dinner.

I knew that YOUR word was a sarcastic comment since dinner with our parents wasn’t for another three days. But I didn’t argue. I hugged my husband, then taking his hand, said, ‘Let’s go to bed. Tomorrow’s another day.”

Although I’m not positive, I thought from the corner of my eyes, I saw his eyes roll toward the ceiling.

After setting the alarm, Luke looked from the clock to me and commented, “Uh, Mags, you just set the clock for 6AM. That’s less than five hours from now. I think you meant to set it for about eight, right?”

“Uh, uh, sweetie, Six, it is! I want to get a jump on the day. We have so much to do, and I don’t want to waste a single minute,” I said cheerfully.

Call me naïve, but I really thought Luke would as enthusiastic as I was, but then, maybe was more tired than I was. Whatever he felt, he made his thoughts known as he bellowed, “Maggie! Are you nuts? We’re taking tomorrow off. No work! Remember? We’ll have the whole day and the rest of the weekend to fix our tree. The whole entire weekend! Oh, Maggie, crap, I need some sleep!”

He sat on the edge of the bed, rested his elbows on his knees and raked his fingers through his blond hair.

I sympathized and compromised as I realized it was the first time he called the tree “our” tree.