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“Why’s it called a carol?” Gus mused.
“I have no idea. Look it up.”
He passed her his phone.
She read, “Middle English, ring, circle of stones, enclosed place for study (see carrel), ring dance with song (hence, song).” Then she trailed off and said, “Do you speak Latin?”
“I don’t think anyone really speaks Latin anymore.”
“Oh. It says something in Latin and then ‘piper for dance.’”
“Cool. So the word for the circle of stones that they danced in became the word for the song.”
“Words are neat,” Gus said, handing back the phone.
“Have I told you lately that you’re the greatest kid in the known universe?”
She grinned. “Nope.”
“Well. You’re the greatest kid in the known universe.”
“What about the unknown universe?”
“I can’t be sure. But you’re probably the greatest kid there too.”
At the farm, they parked in the cordoned-off area and got out to peruse.
“Hey, there,” said a man who looked almost comically like a lumberjack. Although Adam supposed if there were any place it was reasonable to find a lumberjack it was around trees. “A last-minute shopper.”
“Yeah.” Adam snugged his hat down over his ears. “Life, you know?” he said by way of explanation.
The bearded man nodded.
“I do. So what kind of tree can we match you up with?”
“We need one that won’t die,” Gus said.
“Ah, got it. I have just the thing.”
They followed the man’s broad, flannel-clad form down a row of trees to ones that were in tubs.
“These have their root balls wrapped in burlap. You can plant them as soon as the ground thaws and until then keep them alive by watering them in the tub.”
Gus gave a nod to indicate these trees passed muster, and she went to look around while Adam paid.
“Uh, any chance you know how to attach this tree to my car?” Adam asked, and the lumberjack clapped him on the back and went to get the rope.
“How far you goin?” he asked.
“To Garnet Run.”
“Sorry, I’m not familiar. I just moved here last month.”
“Oh, where from?”
“Olympia, Washington.”
Adam nodded. “Garnet Run’s about half an hour away. It’s small. No reason you’d know it. Are you living around here?”
“Yeah, I’ve been subletting from the guy who owns this place while I work it for him. But the job ends—well, now, really. He’ll be out of town till summer, and then I’ll find another place. I’m Bram, by the way.” He held out his hand.
“Adam. Nice to meet you. That’s my daughter, Gus.”
“She likes trees, huh?”
“Yeah, she said she didn’t want to murder a tree for Christmas.”
Bram smiled. Although he was quite a large man, he had a free, easy smile.
“I happen to agree with her.”
Adam forced himself not to say, But clearly you fell trees for a living.
Bram laughed.
“You must be a terrible poker player, cuz I can tell exactly what you’re thinking.”
Adam flushed, but Bram didn’t seem the slightest bit bothered.
“Yeah, well.”
“Anyway, let’s get this puppy strapped on.”
Adam watched as Bram lifted the tree onto the top of his car and secured it. He handed Adam the bucket it came in and took his money with another easy smile.
“Time to go, Gus,” Adam called, and she came running, the tip of her nose pink from the cold.
“What was the name of that town, again?” Bram asked.
“Garnet Run.”
“Thanks,” he said. “I’ll get the lay of the land soon enough.”
“Thank you,” Adam and Gus chorused as they got into the car.
What a nice man, Adam thought. If only he weren’t totally smitten with another.
* * *
They spent a surprisingly pleasant day making ornaments for the tree and watching the cheesiest romantic comedies they could find. Gus had the idea that they could take some of the bits of metal she’d gotten at the estate sale and repurpose them into ornaments, which is how they ended the day regarding with satisfaction a Christmas tree bedecked with glittered toilet paper roll snowflakes and hunks of metal hung with paper clips.
“They really shine,” Adam said of the hunks of metal.
He lifted Gus up so she could place the tree topper, a paper towel roll snowflake covered in red glitter.
They’d snagged a few strings of lights from the side of the house to light the tree. Gus hadn’t wanted to turn them on anymore anyway. So now the tree twinkled happily in the corner of the living room.
They ate mac and cheese and leftover Christmas monster cookies in front of Home Alone. Gus had never seen it and was overjoyed that there was a tarantula in it. Adam had forgotten about the tarantula and was decidedly underjoyed to see it.
Gus was nodding off before the movie ended, so Adam shut off the TV and the tree lights, and they brushed their teeth and went to bed.
It wasn’t the most festive night, but it had definitely ended better than it had begun, so Adam considered it a win.
