We jumped back in the truck and I hauled out the thermos with the hot chocolate and the cookies.
‘We better warm up before we get going. Anyone want some hot chocolate?’ I asked.
The hot chocolate and cookies were a hit with both Sammi and Renee. As the warmth of the hot chocolate warmed her up, Sammi got quiet and leaned back in her car seat. She fell asleep before we began the drive back home.
‘Thanks Petey. We weren’t planning on buying a tree this year. I’ve been out of work and I have to be careful with our budget.’
‘No problems Renee. It must be really tough to stay ahead of the bills when you’re not working.’
She nodded her head, “All I have now is unemployment and a little savings. We seem to manage somehow.” And I could hear a quiet sniffle or two as I drove us back home.
I looked over at Renee and she had leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. I leaned over and took one of her hands and gave it a squeeze.
‘Things will get better. It won’t be like this forever.’ I told her.
She squeezed my hand in return. ‘Thanks Petey. It may not seem like it but I really appreciate everything you’ve done for us. It’s just hard for me to accept charity. Maybe I’m just being too hard on myself.’
‘Let me help where I can. And it’s not charity. It’s not a handout. It’s neighbors helping neighbors.’
She smiled back at me and squeezed my hand again and held on to it all the way back.
I parked in their driveway when we got back. Reversing in, I unloaded their tree, took my chainsaw out and trimmed the bottom inch from their tree while Renee and Sammi went looking for their tree stand.
Taking off my boots, I walked their tree into their house while Renee made room for their tree in their living room. Renee and Sammi tightened the bolts holding their tree to the stand. Then I stood it upright. After a few adjustments, it looked just perfect.
‘Can you help us decorate the tree?’ Sammi asked.
‘After I get my tree up. You gonna help me do that?’ I asked.
‘Yay!’ Sammi cheered.
I jumped back into my truck and drove over to my house, driving down the side of the house to the back, lower level. What most people don’t know is that my house is a split level house. From the front of the house, the roof line doesn’t give much away but the back half of the house is six feet lower than the front half. So the ceiling in my great room is more than twenty feet tall. You couldn’t even see the bottom level from the side unless you went back far enough.
‘Wow,’ Renee said as they walked up to the back of the house. ‘I knew there was something different with your house, but I didn’t expect this.’
I retrieved my tree stand and put it on the bottom of the tree after I trimmed it. Then I dragged and carried it in while Renee and Sammi watched. I leaned it against an interior wall then slowly walked it upright. Renee had me adjust the lean, then tightened the screws while I held the tree upright.
With a couple of light strings and ornaments, the tree would look fantastic.
‘Thanks for your help.’ I told them. Sammi beamed her happiness while Renee just hugged me.
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