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"EASY NOW." JOEL COACHED AS HE HELD the faulty ladder steady for Rue who was wrapping the string of lights around the last lamppost in the community.
"And..." she secured the cord firmly, "Done!"
"Atta girl." Joel helps Rue down by lending a hand which she accepts. "If Tommy hadn't switched off with you I reckon he would'a've broken a hip."
"Or two." Rue's snarky add-on caused the old man to chuckle a bit as he rubbed the scruff on his chin.
"Alright, I'll clean up here." After packing away the leftover strings of stray lights, Joel stacked two of five boxes to carry inside.
"Here, I'll help." Rue reached for a box.
"No, no, no, you've done enough as is. I've got it," he assured as he carried the boxes inside the Community Center.
Rue continued to stand outside in the cold temperature, rubbing and blowing her hands for warmth despite the gloves covering them.
"Hey there, peach!" Maria approached the teenager as she held a few Copper Peak Inn brochures she found stashed away. "Everything's coming along," she says as her eyes pleasingly danced along the lights.
"Yeah." Rue grinned. "I can hardly remember a community ever looking like this." Her lips spoke nonchalantly but it only recoiled sympathy from the older woman.
After a moment, Maria remembered what she wanted to tell Rue. "Dinner at the house tonight. I'm making your favorite."
Rue giggled. "I'll be there."
When Maria and Tommy host dinner nights, Maria'd pull out her best recipe book titled 'Never Hangry!' with Tommy, who was practically stuck to her like glue, always aiding her.
"Alright, I'll be seeing you!" Maria says, lightly swatting Rue's shoulder with the brochures before walking into the Twin Sisters market.
All the chairs at the table were occupied except for one— which normally belonged to Joel who told Maria he wasn't able to attend because "there's a movie and a deer in need of carvin'" waiting for him in his "lovely abode," to which Maria expresses how she'll "drag him off that couch and into this empty chair next to his little brother" if she had to.
Ellie tensed at their conversation as she sat next to her best friend, who she saved a spot for like usual. It was a common practice between the two; just like their constant glancing, nudging, and poking along with their quiet side conversations.
Rue stuck two skewer sticks in her mouth that made her look like a walrus, turning to show Ellie.
"Dumbass." Ellie cackled, poking Rue's outer thigh which made her drop the sticks as she giggled.
