“It has,” Cora agreed softly, her gaze going up the stairs. There was a short pause, the air heavy with the unspoken. “We can take the boxes from the attic and put them in the family room. Then, we can start setting it up when Jo and the girls get here. Mom’s resting. Hopefully, she’ll be strong enough to take this on with us,” she suggested.
Rory followed her mother and aunt upstairs and to the end of the hall. She watched as Cora pulled the door latch and a steep ladder unfolded from the ceiling. Then, one by one, they ascended into the spacious room between the roof and the second floor. Rory dodged and swatted the cobwebs covering the space. Light streamed from two large windows on either side of the gabled roof, highlighting the particles of dust swirling in the air and collecting on the wooden floorboards.
“It looks like no one’s been up here in years,” Andrea said, running her finger along the surface of a mahogany chest before lifting it to her eyes for inspection.
“Drea, look at this.” Cora picked up a book from a box and blew the thin film of dust from its cover. Andrea walked over to Cora, and Rory followed.
“Is that…” Andrea’s eyes widened with shock as she stared at the booklet in Cora’s hand.
“Yeah, it’s our Christmas Calendar from thirty years ago,” Cora replied, smiling as she flipped the pages.
“That was the year dad had us dress up like Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer for the twelve days of Christmas countdown,” Andrea chuckled. “Remember how mortified I was because I had to wear the outfit to school around my crush?”
“I do. You wouldn’t get out of the car. Dad threatened not to buy you the camera you wanted for Christmas before you finally got out,” Cora snickered.
“I think he was catching on to me liking someone; that’s why he made me wear it,” Andrea tapped her chin thoughtfully.
“That would mean Jo and me were punished because of your crush.”
“Maybe,” Andrea smirked before the two burst out in laughter.
“It was Jo’s idea for the outfit. She enjoyed that Christmas more than anyone,” Cora smiled softly, and Andrea joined in.
It brought a smile to Rory’s lips as she stood back, watching the women talking and laughing, their reminiscing taking them back to happier times. She was glad to see her mother smiling. With all that had been happening to Becky, none of the sisters, it was necessary that they found moments in between to do this and be appreciative of all that they did have. She wished she would have more time with her grandmother too, but she had been preoccupied with the wedding planning, Lenora, and everything else. As a result, she became a prickle of guilt.
“We should show it to mom. Maybe we’ll get a laugh out of her,” Andrea suggested. Andrea nodded her agreement.
Rory felt a tickle in her nose, and a sneeze followed almost instantaneously.
“That’s a sign we need to hurry up and get out of here,” Andrea said.
The women went back to their search for the boxes of ornaments. When they found them, they brought them downstairs to the family room. Cora started dinner, and Andrea helped. Rory opted to sort the decorations. When Erin and Jules came home, they joined her.
“Yay! Grandma’s here,” Rory and the others cheered as Jo helped her into the room.
Becky’s lips turned into a smile as her eyes surveyed the room. The decorations were strewn over the chairs and the boxes sat on the floor, ready to be hung on the small branches of the tree or draped around it. Jo helped her settle in the recliner close to the tree, and Andrea draped a hand-knitted quilt over her lower half. The fire crackled in the fireplace sending small embers up the chimney.
“Y-You…You’ve b-b-been busy,” she smiled, her face brightened by the orange glow of the fire.
“We just wanted you to have a beautiful Christmas tree, Mom,” Andrea replied with a small smile.
“A memorable one,” Cora added, caressing her mother’s cheek.
Becky smiled appreciatively, and her eyes glistened.
“It a-alreaaady is,” she replied, slowly raising her thin hand to rest her palm on top of Cora’s. “I have y-y-you all here.”
Cora kissed her mother’s temple. Then, Andrea and Jo walked over to her and did the same.
“We love you, Mom,” Jo said.
Rory placed her palm on her heart at the loving gesture between her grandmother and her daughters. It was an endearing moment where she could tell they were choosing to have this happy moment with her, free from their constant worry.
“Okay, let’s get this tree looking like a winner,” Andrea slapped her palms together.
Becky, her daughters, and her granddaughters spent the next two hours decorating the tree. The tree was a sea of colors. Candles, ball ornaments, candy canes, tinsels, and Santa's reindeer hung from every branch. Finally, Cora stood on a stepladder and placed the star on the pinnacle.
“Now it’s complete,” Erin said.
