Page 72 of Campaign Season
“Pivot left!” Scott barked.
“Iampivoting left!” Jameson shot back. “If I pivot any farther left, I’ll be outside again.”
Marianne appeared in the doorway, arms crossed and grinning. “Oh, this is going to be good.”
Another thump followed, accompanied by the distinct scrape of bark against wood.
“Hold it steady!” Scott shouted.
“I’m holding it steady! You try wrestling a twelve-foot spruce through a door made for normal people!”
The tip of the tree suddenly lurched into the room, scattering needles across the floor as Jameson’s muffled voice rang out: “Okay, I’m officially stuck!”
Candace set down her coffee cup and shook her head, her lips twitching. “Of course you are.”
Michelle groaned dramatically from the sofa. “Every year. Every single year.”
Brody and JJ raced to the door, hopping with excitement. “Can we help? Can we help?”
“No!” came Scott’s emphatic reply. “The last thing I need is more elbows in my ribs.”
Jameson’s head finally appeared around a branch, her hair dusted with pine needles. She gave Candace a sheepish grin. “Honey, a little help?”
Candace arched a brow. “Should I call the fire department, or do you want to keep pretending you’ve got this under control?”
That earned a ripple of laughter from the whole room.
“Just… guide the top!” Jameson called, her voice muffled again as the tree pressed her back against the frame. “If we can get it angled, we’re in.”
“Or you could just cut it down to size before dragging it inside,” Michelle muttered, earning an approving nod from Marianne.
“Blasphemy!” Jameson hollered. “It’sperfect.”
Candace sighed, shaking her head as she moved toward the door, a smile tugging at her lips. “Every year,” she murmured, “at least you didn't fall off any ladders."
"I fell once!" Jameson exclaimed. "And I wasunderthe tree, Candace. How would I fall?"
"Good thing it didn't fall on you," Michelle said.
"Not helping, Shell."
Pearl entered the room and shook her head. "Every year. When are you going to learn to get a smaller tree?"
Another shove, another thump, and still the tree refused to cooperate.
“Angle it left!” Michelle called.
“Your left or my left?” Jameson’s muffled voice came from somewhere behind the wall of pine branches.
“Pull up the bottom!” Jonah barked.
“Iampulling up the bottom!” Scott grunted, wedged against the trunk. “It’s her up top that’s the problem.”
“Excuse me?” Jameson’s voice shot back. “I’mstuckin the doorway!”
Candace leaned against the counter, arms folded, shaking her head with a chuckle. “Every year,” she mumbled again, though her eyes shone with affection.
The kids were no help, shrieking with laughter and running circles around the adults. Brody and Amanda shouted instructions like referees at a chaotic sporting event. Even Pearl was laughing, rolling her eyes at the unfolding chaos.
