Page 16 of Merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal
“Yup. And all your clothes are in the house as well. Your mom helped the movers pack everything you might need. They didn’t unpack though. That’s on you.”
“I... I can’t believe this,” I say, looking through the windshield at the quaint cottage. “This all seems too good to be true.” I turn toward my uncle in the car and ask, “Why are you doing all this?”
“What do you mean?” he asks, looking genuinely confused. “You’re family. And we help family out.”
“But this is helping out a lot. You’re giving me a job, a salary, a place to live... This is more than just helping out.”
“You’re not the only one getting something out of this,” Uncle Dwight says. “Remember, you’re making a dream into a reality by helping me. I’ve been holding on to this land for a long time, waiting to do something with it, and now is the time. So consider it helping each other out.”
“Well, it seems like I’m getting the better end of the bargain, but I guess I won’t fight about it and just take it.”
I step out of the vehicle and walk up to the small wooden porch, where I run my hand over the evergreen bushes in the flower box.
The door is painted a deep red, something I didn’t notice until I got closer, and there is a wreath hanging from the door, welcoming me in.
Uncle Dwight holds the keys to the house in front of me. “Go ahead. Let yourself in.”
Feeling giddy, I unlock the door and open it up. Immediately, I’m hit with warmth. The entire cottage is covered in wood, from the floors to the walls to the kitchen cabinets, but it’s broken up by greens and reds scattered all throughout the space with rugs, furniture, and curtains.
I run my fingers over the back of a green velvet wingback chair.
“I hope it’s okay that I went with the Christmas cottage. I thought it was appropriate.”
“I love it,” I say as I move into the small open-concept kitchen, which consists of a fridge, an oven, a dishwasher, and an island that looks out over the living space. Behind the kitchen is a bathroom with a vanity, a shower, and surprisingly a combo washer and dryer. That’s a really nice touch.
Back in the living room, there’s a stove in the corner, which is generating the heat, and stairs off to the right, which seem to lead to a loft bedroom.
“This is... this is amazing,” I say, taking it all in.
“The kitchen is fully stocked with everything you might need to cook. The bathroom has the essentials. And the bed upstairs is a double, because that’s what could fit up there given the height of the ceilings.”
“That is perfect,” I say, taking one more spin around. “Oh my God, you brought Buzz too.” I rush over to my tarantula’s aquarium, which is bordered in a crocheted scarf, a little present I made for him before I left.
“Yes, miraculously his enclosure was movable.”
I hug the aquarium, feeling all sorts of joy. “Thank you, Uncle Dwight. This is... this is wow.”
He smiles. “I’m glad you like it. Just a heads up, Oh-Kay Plumbing will be by tomorrow to do the last installation in theshower. They were missing a part, so don’t use the shower until they stop by, or else you might flood the house.”
“Oof, don’t want that. Might stop by your place then to shower.”
“By all means. I also added a desk under the stairs over there so you can work on all the plans for the property. I wanted to give you your own space as quickly as I could because I know that my house isn’t necessarily the ideal place to find creativity.”
You could say that again. It’s like living in a home that Delia Deetz fromBeetlejuicewould design. A touch cold and very unimaginative, which is why I’m so surprised by this house. It’s warm, inviting, charming, and so much better than my parents’ basement, where the furnace has a life of its own. And this might sound crazy, but I will swear on my left breast that one night, the furnace whispered my name.
“I love it,” I say. “Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome. I hope you’re able to start a whole new chapter of your life here.”
I nod, looking around again. “I think I will.”
Max
I finish tying my boots and then wrap my scarf around my head, covering my exposed facial skin; if anything, I’ve got to keep the moneymaker protected. Then I strap on my favorite knitted winter hat, with red reindeer, making sure my ears are covered by the wool-lined flaps. Just like any typical Colorado day, the weather changed on a dime. And instead of the simple flannel I wore earlier, I’m bundled up from head to toe, ready to make the trek.
Word around the farm is there was some noise heard out on the property behind ours. Construction-type noise. And once again, the hairs on the back of my neck were raised, so I waited until the farm closed, ate a hearty meal of Thanksgiving leftovers, and then made a plan.
My brothers might think I’m crazy.
