It's Never Too Late

Chapter 24

Joey and I got started bright and early the Thursday I said we were going to decorate. To say I was scared shitless when Joey decided to wake me up at 8 in the morning is an understatement. I've never been a morning person, I'll own up to it. The fact that I almost smacked Joey in the face when he did that says a lot about how I am as a person.

We are both now downstairs, getting the tree up and on its stand. Getting this tree out of the basement was a bigger pain in the ass than you would think it would be. With the steep steps that lead down into the basement and the fact that I am half the height and have half the amount of muscle Joey does have, a simple 10-minute project turned into an almost 30-minute project.

As Joey was putting the tree on its stand, I was trying to decide what music to put on through the stereo system I have set up in the living room. I kept going between Michael Buble's Christmas album and just a General Christmas Hits album.

"Pick whichever one you want Violet, I don't care!' Joey chuckled at the indecisive person that is me. I may have forgotten to mention that I've been having this debate for quite some time now. I groaned as I put in Michael Buble, relieved that I finally made up my mind.

"Michael Buble has been chosen!" I called out to him as I made my way back to where I had decided to set up the tree. Earlier in the week, I had cleared out space by my fireplace in the living room. When I originally picked this spot out, I never thought it would work as perfectly as it does.

"Good, now would you come over here and help me? A tall string bean such as myself can only do so much." I gave Joey a look as I got to where the tree was fully on its stand.

I picked the tree up shortly after I moved to California. It's an artificial pine tree that stands 8 feet tall. It may be difficult as all hell to move the thing an inch, but it's beautiful and that's all that matters.

Joey and I stood side by side for a few minutes, glancing up at the tree in front of us. "Remind me why you own a tree that's three times your size?"

"Do you not see how amazing this tree is?" I asked him, gesturing towards the tree with both of my hands. "Speaking of amazing tree, it's going to look ten times better once the lights and ornaments get put on it. I'm going to go get the box in the basement. " I began making my way towards the basement stairs, but he grasped my shoulder lightly and pulled me back towards him.

"Let me get the box. It'll give you more time to marvel at the tree we've been slaving away at for hours now." I found myself glaring at Joey's back as he made his way down the basement steps. As my eyes found their way towards the tree yet again, a suspicious feeling began growing in my stomach.

Why was Joey so insistent on grabbing my ornament box down in the basement? It's nothing special; just a plastic tub with ornaments I've collected over the years that I've thrown in there. Maybe he has a thing for being in dark basements with little space?

I pushed those thoughts out of my head as Joey came bounding up the stairs, the plastic tub in hand. He set the tub down in front of me, a smile on his face.

"Shall we get started?"

(A few hours later)

After working on the tree for a few hours, it was all made up in it's Christmas decoration glory. I love Christmas just as much as the next girl, if not more. Every time I set up my tree, I find myself crying a few tears of joy at the beauty it possesses. This year is no exception. Purple lights that I paid an undetermined amount of money on were hung precariously on the branches amongst the various white ornaments hanging on the tree. Everything was on it, except the tree topper.

My tree topper was in the normal star shape but was made completely of glass and shined a bright white when plugged it.

I stood on a stool with the tree topper in my left hand, Joey standing behind me to make sure I didn't fall off. His hand was pressed into my lower back before I had even started climbing the stool.