‘Come on, let’s put the truck away then get to tree decorating. You guys need any help?’ I asked.
‘You can help me put the ornaments on the top of the tree,’ Sammi told me.
Renee smiled, ‘yeah, why not. Come on over. We can always use the company.’
I laughed, ‘Ok, I’ll put the truck away and shuck the coat and boots then I’ll be over.’
Renee had their decorations out of storage by the time I got there. Sammi was helping her put the light strings up but needed my height to reach the top of their tree. They could have done so with a chair or step stool but my height made it easy to do so.
I hoisted Sammi onto my shoulders and handed her the light string. She shrieked at first then began to giggle and laugh as she leaned over to the tree and laid the light string in the upper branches.
Renee was smiling the entire time watching both of us. The rest of the decorations took another hour before we called it quits. And their tree looked magnificent.
‘How about your tree Mr. Petey?’ Sammi asked.
‘I think we’re running out of daylight and it’s almost time for dinner so I think I’ll get to it tomorrow. Want to come over to help tomorrow?’ I asked.
‘Can we mom?’
Renee nodded her head, ‘I think it’s only right that we help since Mr. Petey helped us with our tree.’
‘Yay!’
‘Do you two have any plans for dinner?’ I asked.
‘Oh, no, but we couldn’t impose….’ Renee started out.
‘Nothing special. I just have a beef stew in the fridge that needs to be warmed up.’
‘Can we mom?’ Sammi asked, bouncing up and down as only a four-year old could.
‘Pete, remember what I said about charity?’
I smiled, ‘Just being neighborly.’
Renee smirked, ‘Ok, but you have to let us bring something.’
‘Your appetites?’
‘Seriously.’
‘Yes, seriously. I have everything else.’
Renee sighed, ‘I don’t think you’ll take no either.’
‘Nope. You two are my most favorite neighbors in the whole world.’
Sammi laughed and hugged me. ‘Mr. Petey, you’re my favorite neighbor also!’
I went home to clean up a bit and took the stew out of the fridge and put it on the stove to heat up. Rolls from the pantry went into the oven to heat up. Then the doorbell rang.
I let them in and it was the first time they had been in my home besides the great room in the back.
‘Wow,’ Renee said as she took in the open floor plan that led to the great room downstairs. You could see the top part of the Christmas Tree from where they stood. Off to the right were a guest bedroom and bathroom. To the left was the kitchen, dining room, master bedroom, another bedroom and another bathroom.
‘Come on in. We’re eating in the kitchen.’ I told them as I showed them into the kitchen.
‘Nice home Petey,’ Renee mentioned as we walked to the kitchen.
‘Thanks. I had it built when I moved back.’
We sat around the kitchen counter with bowls of steaming beef stew and rolls.
‘This is good,’ Renee remarked after several minutes.
‘Thanks. Glad you like it.’
‘Thank you Mr. Petey for today.’ Sammi said. ‘I really like the Christmas Tree that you got for us.’
‘Yes, thanks Petey. We really appreciate everything you’ve done for us.’
wpDiscuz