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There’s a knock at my door and Jerry chitters, scampering to hide in the box of decorations.
“Jerry, no,” I exclaim, trying to catch him. He’s eaten two of my salt-dough ornaments so far and I have to keep hiding the rest from him or I’m going to have little red and green Jerry poop-pellets all over the house. He wriggles out of my grasp, hiding under a pile of garlands.
The knock at the door comes again, this time more impatient.
Shit. I try to grab Jerry again, only to have him chirp angrily at me and tangle himself in the garlands I’ve painstakingly made for the last few days. If he chews his way through them… With a frustrated growl, I snatch him up, garlands and all, and race for the door. “Coming! Coming!”
I open the door, wriggling animal in my arms, and stare in surprise at the figure on my doorstep. It’s Sinath, wearing a heavy coat, snow dusting his horns and short hair. In his arms is a large brown pot with a three-foot-tall tree sticking out of it.
“Oh my god,” I squeal, delighted. “You got a tree after all!”
“I did.” He grins at me, proud, and holds it out. “I told you I would. Snagged this one off the first agriculture ship that came through Port. I hope your friend likesugatchifruit, because this is anugatchitree.”
It looks nothing like a Christmas tree. The leaves are heart-shaped and an almost neon green, the bark a pale, smooth brown, and it looks more like a jazzy palm tree than anything. Even so, I couldn’t be more thrilled. “I think she’ll love a fruit tree. Come in!”
He enters my house, stomping his feet on the mat to get rid of the snow on his boots, and then eyes me and the creature in my arms, who is still covered in colorful garlands. I fish the end of one out of Jerry’s mouth just as Sinath chuckles. “He looks like a dancing girl I saw on Haal Ui once.”
I give him a wry grin. “He’s been getting into my decorations thinking they’re treats. Give me a moment and I’ll detangle him.”
Carrying Jerry over to the cramped, alien sofa that I never use, I sit down with him and pull my braided garlands off of his round, squirming body while he tries his best to tangle himself in them again. It’s an exercise in frustration, but I finally manage to free him and set him on the floor.
He immediately scampers back toward the box, chittering his excitement at our new game. “Oh no!”
To my surprise, Sinath is there, blocking the box from Jerry’s return. He keeps his hands over it, eyeballing my pet. “Be nice,” he says to Jerry. “Or you’re going back out to the barn.”
“No he’s not,” I say, laughing. I gather up the garlands and head over to Sinath’s side. “Put those in the box. I want to get a good look at the tree and see if my decorations will work.”
“Yes, boss,” he teases, but takes the garlands from me anyhow.
I move toward the tree, touching the leaves as I consider how to decorate it. It’s a small, sturdy thing, this tree, and doesn’t look anything like a Christmas tree in the slightest, but it’s a tree. I know they’re rare here on Risda. I know how hard it can be to get something like this, and all I can think of is how Liesje is going to smile when she sees it. Tears spring to my eyes and I wipe my cheeks. “This is a tree, all right.”
“Why are you crying?” He sounds confused. Setting the garlands aside in the box, he moves to my side as I examine the greenery. “Did I do badly? It’s a healthy one. I know it’s not dead like you wanted, but I thought it might work.”
He sounds so disappointed, like he’s failed both me and Liesje. Impulsively, I turn and hug him. “You did amazing. Thank you so much.”
Sinath freezes as I touch him, and then a moment later, his arms go around me. He rubs my back, and when he laughs, I feel it rumble through his chest. “I saw the tears and was afraid you were allergic and just being near it was making your eyes water.”
A giggle bubbles up inside me, and I keep hugging him. Gosh, he’s a really nice hugger and he’s the perfect height. He’s not as tall as some of the other mesakkah, and my head rests on his shoulder perfectly. His arms are strong and reassuring, and it’s been a long time since I’ve touched anyone. Up until this moment, I didn’t realize I missed it. Now that I’ve touched him, I don’t want to let him go. He’s warm and friendly and he smells good. I breathe in deeply, my eyes closing when his hand strokes up and down my back.
A moment later, I realize what I’m doing. Oh Jesus. He showed up with a tree and here I am practically flinging myself at an alien from a germaphobic race. “I am so sorry,” I blurt, stepping away from him. “That was out of line. I swear I’ll never do it again.”
“Crying?” he jokes.
I gesture between us. “The hugging. I know mesakkah don’t like touching anything unless it’s sterilized or covered in plas-film. I really am sorry.” His coat is rumpled from my hugging, and I reach out and smooth a wrinkle away, then realize I’m touching him all over again. “Shit. Still sorry.”
Sinath gives me a puzzled look. “You’re fine. Truly. There’s no need to be frightened of me.” That silly light twinkles in his eye. “Remember me?Sin?”
That goofy fucking name. “I’ll call you Sin when you admit that I’m merry.”
“If by merry you mean weeping all over my chest, then yes, you’re quite merry.”
“Ugh, you’re infuriating.”
“So I’ve heard.” He gestures at the tree. “So how does this work? We put your ribbons on it?” Sinath turns and immediately races for the box. “Your rodent is in there again!”
“Oh no.” I snatch Jerry up before he can start chewing on another ornament. I pepper his face with kisses. “That’s not for you, buddy.”
When I look up, Sinath is eyeing me oddly.
