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“Behave you two. I can hear all that nonsense you know.” Glen walked out of his room, scratching his head and yawning. “Did I hear you say you wanna get a tree today? I’ve been keeping my eye open and saw a sweet little number just on the back of the tree line. It’ll fit here perfect. We can take the machine and bring it in.”
“Great.” Demi pushed herself away from Whit’s hug and headed to the kitchen. “I believe a special day like this calls for blueberry waffles.”
“And bacon.” Whit called out.
“Maybe for Nito.”
Whit let out a loud howl, and while laughing, her and Glen threw pillows at him.
Soon, all bundled in their winter duds, they traipsed closer toward where Glen pointed out the Christmas tree he’d ear-marked. Considering it was thirty below, the sun shone in the blue sky and put them all in a great mood. Not wanting to be outdoors for longer than necessary, Whit went to get the snowmobile and both Demi and Glen hopped on the back, squeezing close so there’d be room. Happy, they made their way to the distant tree line and watched Nito running alongside yet keeping a fair distance between him and the noisy monster he disliked.
Once Demi sussed out their favorite specimen, Whit chopped it down. With Glen’s help they loaded it on the back of the snowmobile, making sure to tie it firmly. Deciding to grab a ride, both her and Glen held onto the branches while balancing on the skis but they fell off after Whit hit the first bump, no doubt on purpose. He laughed uproariously to see them making angels in the snow where they fell.
Then they linked arms and walked back to the cabin, Nito running alongside. As she trudged through the snow, Demi got a clear look at her home, and her heart swelled.
The small cabin nestled into the picturesque view like one might imagine a Christmas scene on a holiday card. There was smoke coming from the chimney and the unblemished snow was piled high around the log walls, leaving just the windows clear to let in what daylight they would get between mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Trees that surrounded the clearing in the distance created a charmed vision.
Once they reached the house and the men put the tree inside on the stand Whit had built, Demi took off all her outdoor clothes and headed for the kitchen. Hot chocolate had always been a favorite of hers as a child but now it had become a staple in their household. All three loved the treat, so Demi made it often. Adding a plate filled with an assortment of homemade cookies, she set it all by the fire. Time for decorating the tree.
Feeling especially happy, Demi asked Whit to play Christmas music while they took out her new decorations and made the tree glow. Deciding to cook a roast that night for dinner, Demi began preparations and wasn’t aware of what the men were doing outside again.
***
Glen pulled out the shovels he’d hidden by the side of the cabin and handed one to Whit. “Is she going to hear us on the roof?”
“Nope. I left my phone inside so she could listen to Christmas carols. She loves them.”
“No kidding. If I hear that Frosty the Snowdude one more time, I’m gonna puke.”
“Don’t tell me. Tell her.”
“You kidding? I’d rather eat shit.”
“Yep. And it’s what you’ll be eating if you say anything to her.” Whit laughed at his own joke. “Just thank God this season only comes once a year.”
“Yeah. You’re right. If it makes her happy, then what the hell? Here.”
Glen handed over the smallest shovel to Whit and then like a monkey he scurried up the mounded snow and on to the roof, Whit following slower. He went to work on the ice buildup around the trap door, making sure it wouldn’t stick. Then he joined Glen, cleaning off the buildup of snow. After a while, they stopped shoveling and stood quietly to check their efforts.
“It’s perfect. We’ll be able to get the trapdoor open from inside now. The fire has kept it from freezing in there, and I’ve picked away all the ice that would stop it from opening on this side.”
Glen’s grin filled his face. “Great. I can’t wait to show her the best nature show she’ll never forget.”
***
When they came back into the house and smelled the meat cooking, groans of appreciation made Demi giggle. “You two are ruled by your stomachs. It must be a man thing.”
Whit looked at Glen. “Is she dissing us? After all the work we just went through to give her a treat.”
“Sounds like it to me. Guess we’ll have to enjoy the view alone later.”
Demi looked from one to the other before speaking. “Have I ever mentioned just how much Nito likes moose? Him and me… we can probably finish off that roast all by ourselves.” She waited and watched as they hilariously backed off from their earlier threat.
“By the way, what were you two up to outside? I heard a lot of thudding.”
“Nothing.” Both spoke at once and then both changed the subject, which made them laugh.
Once dinner was over, she watched as Whit gathered some stuff together, put on his parka and then pulled down the ladder from the roof. He made his way up the narrow steps to push open the trap door. It stuck for a few minutes but eventually the freezing let go, and he forced it open.
