The Bet

Chapter 69

James's POV

I carried Riley bridal style down to the living room and placed her on the couch. I put a blanket over her and made sure she was comfortable before I got to work.

I assembled the tree without a hitch, but than came the lights. Luckily, they were all working fine, but than I just had to untangle them.

After thirty difficult minutes later, all the lights were untangled and on the tree. Now came the garland. Fortunatly, it was untangled and in good condition. After that was on, next came the ornaments.

"Can I help?" Riley asks hoarsely.

"Yeah, come on." I reply, helping her up. She was still pretty weak, but she was able to help with some stuff.

All the ornaments were old and held some kind of meaning, unlike the fancy, exspensive, decorative ones at my house.

There was ones saying stuff like Riley's 1st Christmas, and Emily's 1st Christmas and so on. There were some hand made, obviously done by Emily or Riley when they were younger. I smile down at a Christmas frame ornament, an old family picture of Riley, Emily, and their mother and father in it.

"Aw, you were so cute." I tease her. She looks up from the tree, takes a glance at what was in my hands, and smiles at me.

"That was my favorite ornament." She comments. "I usually don't hang it up anymore though."

"Why not?" I ask.

"Ever since mom died, I haven't. It was our last family Christmas picture. Dad couldn't stand to look at it." She explains sadly.

"Oh." I mumble, taking one last look at the picture before putting it back in the box. I look up, and that's when I notice the tears strolling down Riley's face as she silently cries.

"Riles." I say, hugging her.

"No, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She repeats, wiping away the tears.

"Why don't you lie back down again?" I ask her. She nods.

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea." She says quietly.

After another half hour, I had the ornaments finished, and all was left was the star.

"Do you want to put the star on?" I ask. She nods, smiling weakly as she gets off the couch. I hand her the star.

"Ready?" I ask. She nods again and I lift her tiny and unsurprisingly light body up so she can reach. She puts the star on and I pull her into my arms.

"There." She says, smiling proudly at the tree.

"Here." I say, turning the main lights off and the tree lights on.

"It's perfect." She says quietly, wrapping her arms around me. I wrap my arms around her, pulling her close to me.

"Do you want to lie down again?" I ask her.

"Can you lay with me?" She asks. I kiss her head.

"Of course." I reply. I place her down on the couch and climb on it with her.

~~~~~

I didn't even realize that I fell asleep, until my eyes opened and the clock read 11:30 PM. Riley's father stood by the couch.

"You two did a nice job on the tree." He comments.

"Uh, thanks. How did you know I helped though?" I ask.

"Riley has been so sick she can barely move. I didn't think she put a tree together on her own." He chuckles.

"Oh, but she helped too." I tell him. He nods, and that's when I notice him eyeing Riley curled up against me, my arm around her.

"Oh, sorry I'll get up." I say.

"No, you can stay there if you want." He tells me. "Although, you got nerve to be cuddling with Riley when she's sick."

"She's worth it." I reply, not taking my eyes off my little angel.