Page 77 of Seeds of Christmas
“Show-off,” I mutter.
“It’s not my fault you have the fine motor skills of a toddler.”
“Rude.”
“True.”
She makes three perfect stars while I struggle through one lopsided attempt.
“Mine are better than yours,” she says, not looking up.
“You’re cheating.”
“Yours have wrinkles.”
I hold up my latest attempt. It’s got more folds than it should and one point is definitely longer than the others. “This one’s my favorite. I’m naming him Steve.”
“You’re naming your paper star Steve?”
“He earned it. Look at that determination. That asymmetry. That’s a Steve Star if I’ve ever seen one.”
She’s laughing now—actually laughing—and the sound fills the cabin in a way that makes my chest feel warm.
I grab another piece of paper and crumple it up in frustration, squeezing it into a tight ball. Then I pause, looking at it in my hand.
“You know what?” I hold up the crumpled paper ball. “This is basically a bauble.”
Rhi stops mid-fold, looking at me like I’ve lost my mind. “That’s crumpled paper, Carter.”
“No, hear me out.” I crumple another sheet, studying the compressed ball. “Use your imagination! This is a snow ball bauble. It’s modern art.”
“You are officially the worst at homemade decorations,” she declares.
I grin, tossing the paper ball at her.
She gasps and throws it back at me.
“Come on,” I say, gathering our collection of stars and my beautiful baubles. “Let’s hang these masterpieces.”
We don’t have string so we just place them where we can. I place while Rhi directs me on placement—higher, lower, no that one doesn’t match, try this branch instead. She’s bossy about Christmas decorations, which shouldn’t surprise me.
When we’re done, we stand back and look at our work.
The branch is lopsided and covered in wrinkled paper stars that are definitely not Pinterest-worthy. There are pine needles all over the floor. The vase is propped up with rocks and will probably tip over by morning.
It’s absolutely terrible.
“I love it,” Rhi says quietly.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” She’s smiling at our disaster of a tree.
“Merry Christmas Eve, Rhi.”
“Merry Christmas Eve, Carter.”
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