Page 56

Unbelievable!
After a moment, I take a deep breath instead of saying what I think.
“It never occurred to me I had to call you to buy a Christmas tree,” I say.
Eric looks at me and evidently realizes I’m getting angry. He tries to soothe me by taking my hand. “Look, Jude, this isn’t my favorite time of year. I don’t like the trees or the ornaments everyone insists on putting on them. But if you wanted a tree, I could have ordered a more elegant fir.”
The three of us turn to look at my bright red tree.
“Well, I’m sorry you don’t like the holidays, but I love this time of year. And I don’t like the idea of cutting down firs just because it’s the holidays. They are living things that take a long time to grow and shouldn’t be cut just because we humans want to decorate our living rooms with firs.” Uncle and nephew glance at each other. “I know some of those trees are replanted later, but most end up in the trash, all dried out. I won’t do that. I’d rather have an artificial tree I can use and put away for next year. At least I know it won’t die or dry out in its box.”
Eric’s mouth begins to arch up. He’s amused by my defense of the fir trees.
“You really don’t think this is a very original and pretty tree?” I ask.
“No,” he says with his usual sincerity, arching his brow.
“It’s horrible,” whispers Flyn.
But I refuse to surrender. I ignore Flyn’s comment.
“What if I told you it’s our wish tree?”
“Our wish tree?” asks Eric.
I nod. Flyn is touching one of the wishes I hung on the tree.
“She wants us to write out five wishes, hang them on the tree, and read them on Epiphany so they’ll come true. But I don’t want to do that. That’s girl stuff.”
“It would be too much for you to like it,” I whisper a bit too loudly.
Eric scolds me with a look.
“And, anyway, Christmas trees are green, and they’re decorated with ornaments!” Flyn screams. “They’re not red, and they’re not decorated with wishes!”
“Well, I like it red, and I like decorating it with wishes,” I insist.
Eric and Flyn look at each other, and I can see they’re communicating. Goddamn it! But well aware I want my red tree and that I’m going to have to deal with these two grouches, I try to stay positive.
“Come on, you guys, it’s Epiphany—Christmas!—and it wouldn’t be anything at all without a tree!”
Eric stares at me. I pout. Finally, he smiles.
Annoyed, Flyn starts to walk away, but Eric grabs him by the arm.
“Write out five wishes, like Jude has asked you,” he says, pointing to the notebook.
“I don’t want to.”
“Flyn ...”
“Damn it, Uncle! I don’t want to.”
Eric squats. He’s face-to-face with the boy.
“Please, it would mean a lot to me if you did it. This Epiphany is special for all of us, and it would be a good beginning with Jude here in the house, all right?”
“I hate that she takes care of me and orders me around.”