Page 41 of Scrooge-ish
Zebb asked me to dinner at his place. “I make a mean spaghetti from a jar.”
On Thursday, I arrive at his house with a bottle of wine and peppermint and chocolate candy for Tam. She loves the Ashford’s winter candy mix which includes chocolate squares with a crushed peppermint inside.
Zebb answers the door with Tam on his heels. To my surprise, he leans in for a quick kiss. Tam giggles and takes the candy to the kitchen.
“Wow. What a great tree.” In the front corner of their living room is a Christmas tree that wasn’t there before. “It smells amazing.”
“Tam and I picked it out ourselves. One day I’d like to do the whole cut-down-a-tree ourselves thing.”
“I never had a tree as a kid.” It sounds pathetic but true. When you don’t celebrate Christmas—for reasons—you don’t have a tree.
When I glance over at Zebb, I smile weakly. “Don’t give me that look.” He’s giving me the same pitying look he thought I’d given him about Tam. The difference is, he really is pitying me.
“I want to change your experience with Christmas.”
I slowly nod, glancing back at the tree full of colorful mini-lights and glittering ornaments. “You are a little bit.”
Turning back to him, he stands with his hands on his hips. He’s wearing dark jeans again and a long sleeve thermal shirt. I’d like to tackle him under this tree, but I clutch my hands together instead.
“Just a little bit.” He pinches his index finger and thumb together and tilts his head.
“Well, maybe a little more than a little bit.” My face heats as I recall what’s not so little on him.
“Wine?” he asks, seeing the embarrassment on my face. I nod and follow him to the kitchen but not before noticing two stockings hanging off his fireplace mantle. And just for a moment, I imagine one more hanging there. One for me.
Shaking away the thought, I enter the kitchen. “When did you get your tree?”
“On St. Nicholas day. We always get a tree on his feast day and then our elf comes.” Tam squeezes her arms together. Her face full of glee.
“Your elf?”
“Elf on a shelf.” Tam points to an elf sitting on top of their refrigerator. “He’s watching to see if you’ve been bad or good. Have you been good this year?”
My gaze leaps to Zebb who is pouring me a glass of red wine. “I bet Eva has been very good this year.” He winks at me.
“Daddy’s going to make the naughty list again. He doesn’t ever get presents from Santa. He swears too much.” Tam smiles up at him from the stool she’s climbed onto beside the kitchen island.
“Okay, Tiny Tam. No sharing all my secrets. Go wash your hands. Dinner is almost ready.”
Tam scrambles back down from the stool. Her knee buckles, and for a second, she looks like she’ll topple over. Then she rights herself and skips off to a powder room. I can’t take my eyes off her prosthetic limbs. While I don’t mean to stare, she’s a marvel to watch.
“Her legs, as they are, is all she’s known. She doesn’t know anything different from how she is built and how her body works. The same as you or I can’t imagine how it is to be in someone else’s body.”
“I get that. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to stare. It’s just… She’s so incredible.”
“She is.” His words are a touch of warning without a reprimand.
“You’re really lucky.”
Zebb tilts his head as if questioning my sincerity.
“I just mean, she’s special. You’re a good father.”
Zebb presses his hands to the island. He stands opposite me. “Did you want kids?”
“I always hoped someday. Tam asked me the same question during tea. The issue hasn’t been a desire for children. It’s more a lack of the right man.”
“And if the right man came along?” Zebb’s hot chocolate eyes swirl.
