“Henry, I’m so sorry to keep you waiting,” she called out as she approached, still slightly out of breath from her rush to get there.
“Don’t worry about it at all,” he said, his tone genuinely unconcerned. “I know you’ve got a lot on your plate right now with George being under the weather.”
“Well, let’s get you the perfect tree,” she said, pulling herself together. “Did you have one picked out already, or do you need to do some shopping?”
Henry gave her a small smile, and she noticed that he seemed more withdrawn than usual, as if he were in his head about something. “George had one tagged for me already,” he said. “I’ve just got to cut it down and load it up.”
“Perfect,” Mabel said brightly. “Well, let’s head out then.”
She pulled the record from the customer log in the office, figuring out what row Henry’s tree was in, and they started the walk over. Henry cut it down quickly and efficiently, and beforelong they were getting it wrapped and tied onto the back of his truck.
“How is George doing, really?” he asked as he tightened the rope around the tree. “I know you said he’s better, but he’d have to be feeling pretty rough in order to not be at work.”
The question was asked with such genuine concern that Mabel found herself giving a more honest answer than she’d given anyone else. “He’s getting better slowly,” she admitted, adjusting her end of the rope. “The doctor says he’s going to be fine. But it’s going to take time, and he’s not used to being laid up like this. He’s frustrated, I think, not being able to take care of things himself.”
Henry nodded thoughtfully. “That’s got to be hard. George has always been that kind of man. Probably doesn’t know how to let other people take care of him.”
“Exactly,” Mabel said, grateful that someone understood. “He keeps apologizing for being ‘such trouble,’ which is ridiculous because taking care of someone you love is no trouble at all.”
Henry’s expression dropped slightly, and she caught herself, hoping she hadn’t brought up too many bad memories. “That’s true,” he said quietly, tugging on the rope.
“How are Vanessa and Jackson’s house decorating plans coming along?” Mabel asked quickly, wanting to change the subject and remembering that Henry had mentioned helping Vanessa and Jackson with their light display.
Henry’s face brightened considerably. “Oh, it’s going to be quite something. Vanessa’s got this whole vision for transforming their place into what she calls a ‘winter wonderland.’ String lights everywhere, garlands, enough decorations to stock a small Christmas store. Jackson’s been a good sport about it, although I think he’s a little overwhelmed by the scope of her ambitions.”
“She’s worried about fitting in,” Mabel said. “It’s her first Christmas as a homeowner in Fir Tree Grove, and Vanessa has always been a bit of a perfectionist.”
“Well, it’s going to be great,” Henry said. “I’m happy to help.”
“What made you decide to get a tree so last minute, anyway?” Mabel asked. “I would have thought you of all people would have had your decorations done right after Thanksgiving.”
Henry took a slow breath. “I haven’t actually bought a Christmas tree since my wife died,” he said after a moment. “Just haven’t been able to face decorating one without her. But I thought maybe it was time. I see Vanessa and Jackson so happy, going on about decorations and such, and I know she’d still want me to have some Christmas spirit around the place. So I figured I’d get one and see how it made me feel.”
“Oh,” Mabel said softly, feeling a pang of guilt at her own obvious happiness with George. She was getting a whole new lease on life, a new romance, a fresh start with a new partner, and Henry was mourning his wife, still trying to move on.
“Henry,” she said softly, “I’m so sorry for your loss.”
Henry rubbed a hand through his hair. “Thank you,” he said simply. “She would have loved this tree, actually. Always insisted on Fraser firs because she said they had the best smell.”
Mabel felt the weight of her exhaustion lift off of her shoulders as she contemplated how lucky she was. Yes, she was running two businesses at the height of the holiday season and keeping house while caring for a sick George—but shehadGeorge, and it was only a flu that he would recover from. She was fortunate, very fortunate, and all her worries suddenly seemed very small in light of that.
“I think it’s wonderful that you decided to get a tree this year,” she said. “And I’m sure your wife would be happy to know that you’re helping Vanessa and Jackson with their first Christmas as a married couple.”
Henry smiled then, genuine and warm. “I think you’re right. She always said Christmas was about being with the people you love, wherever you find them. I’ve got a whole town of ’em.”
They said their goodbyes, and Mabel watched Henry drive away with his carefully secured tree. As his truck disappeared down the winding farm road, she found herself standing alone in front of the office, feeling renewed.
The weight of managing two businesses and caring for George was still there, but she was reminded that it was a privilege. She had George to worry about because George was still there to worry about. She had customers to serve and houses to keep up and soup to make because she had a full, joyful life.
By the time she made it back to George’s house, he was awake and sitting up in bed, looking a little more alert.
“There you are,” he said as she appeared in the bedroom doorway. “I was starting to wonder if you’d decided to abandon me for younger, more exciting patients.”
“Never,” she said, leaning over to give him a kiss on the forehead. “Henry came to pick up his tree. He said it was the first tree he’d bought since his wife passed.”
George nodded. “Yeah. I was glad to see he was picking one up. Makes you think about making the most of the time we have, doesn’t it?”
Mabel nodded, and squeezed his hand. “Absolutely.”
