(Sequel) You and I | 70s Teen Dream Story

Chapter 17

"So this goes over here," I analyzed as we set up the Christmas decorations at the record store.

Though it was Sunday and the store was closed, Big Boss had the brilliant idea for us to come in when no one would be around the weekend before Thanksgiving. 

"That giant elf sign is ridiculous! But I guess it'll go by the front door or window," Johnny commented.

Levi was quietly decorating the front window display. He had found enough warped records that were Christmas with their covers intact to display in the window so it would draw in people to buy ones in general.

"What about the mistletoe discount?" I asked Johnny worried.

Johnny scanned the memo for any word of it.

"I'm shocked it's not here at all this year," Johnny replied after a few minutes. 

I was shocked! Every year Big Boss had done that but not now at all? That was strange.

"Well that's good but also strange," Levi remarked from across the store.

I chuckled.

"Maybe he has a new idea that he'll implement later in the month," I commented. 

"Or someone after all these years reported it to someone," Johnny remarked.

"That's a good point too," I replied as I sifted through the box with the bubble lights that were for the tree.

"Ok next we need to do the decorating of the tree," Johnny looked at the checklist.

I was testing the strands of lights to make sure they still worked. And sure enough, they did.

"Since the lights are ok, can you string them on the tree?" I asked Johnny.

"What why me?" Johnny asked with a chuckle. 

"Cause if I do it, either they will get tangled or broken," I told him as Johnny begin picking up the strand of lights to start stringing it across the tree.

Just about this time, Levi was done with his part of the window and decided to chime in and help us with the tree.

"So we are still decorating with the old 45's?" Levi asked as he looked in the box.

"Yes and there are also some cassette boxes we also turned into ornaments last year," Johnny told Levi.

I was preoccupied with trying to get the garland fluffed and untangled.

After a while of working on the tree, the three of us looked pretty satisfied with how Christmasy the record store actually looked.

With everything done, we headed our separate ways around 1:30.  

As I drove home, I wondered and pondered about what I should get Andy for Christmas. I still had over a month's time but trying to top the previous years was always difficult. Should I get him a new guitar or should I get him something like clothes?

I pulled up to our house and went inside rather quickly with the winds picking up off the coast.

"Honey, I'm home," I called out to Andy.

I could hear his voice faintly coming from the bedroom.

I approached the bedroom to find my husband sitting at the edge of our bed with tissue in his nose. Biscuit was staring at him.

"W-what happened?" I asked confused.

"I just have a bloody nose darling. Nothing to stress about," Andy commented.

"You look a little pale?" I asked as I came over to him and felt his forehead.

"I don't like the sight of blood so yeah I'm a little nauseous cause of myself," Andy replied.

"How long has it been bleeding?" I asked as I found more tissues for him to switch with.

"Just a few minutes prior to you coming home," Andy replied.

I gagged at the smell of the blood. I could smell the iron in the blood from his nose. Gross.

"Ok I've heard ice works I'll be right back," I told Andy as I kissed his forehead.

I ran to get some ice. I found an ice pack.

I arrived back to the bedroom quickly while Andy just stared down at Biscuit who was concerned about him.

"Ok so we have to hold it on this part of your nose," I said as I put the ice pack on the bridge of his nose.

"That's cold darling," Andy complained.

"Well no duh," I replied with a chuckle.

"How long do you have to hold it there?" Andy asked.

"I think it's like in minute intervals," I replied glancing at my watch.

"Oh that's awful," Andy replied with a sigh.

He still had the tissue tucked into his nostril. At least it was only one nostril bleeding.

I was quietly counting to 60 as Andy tried to do breathing exercises. 

After the 3rd time the ice was on his nose, he was ready to check and see if the bleeding stopped.

"Ok, I'll hold the trash can while you check," I told him.

Andy slowly took the tissue out of his nose. And to both our surprise, the bleeding had stopped.

Andy sighed in relief. So did I. I hated the way blood looked and smelled. It was one of my triggers.

"I never thought it would stop," Andy commented as he went to the bathroom to clean his face up.

He had a little bit of dry blood under his nose and he also wanted to make sure to get any leftover blood in the nostril out as well.

"It is a good thing I came home when I did or I don't know what would have happened," I commented as I followed him into the bathroom. 

"I think it would have stopped eventually darling but I mean I may have passed out because of my own trigger of blood," Andy replied with a shiver. 

"Your blood smelled so rich with iron it was terrible," I commented as I hugged Andy from behind.

We were standing in front of the bathroom mirror as he grabbed vaseline to put on the rim of his nostril.

"I know I saw you turning white at first and I was worried you were going to faint," Andy said while chuckling.

"I could of but my wife instinct kicked in to help you," I replied kissing his shoulder.

"I'm so lucky that's all I can say," Andy commented as I let go of my embrace on him.

"Now I need to get rid of that bag of trash or both of us will end up on the floor," Andy joked.

"Oh yes please love that is a good idea," I replied as we walked out of the bathroom.

A red way to end our day was not how I expected.