25 Days of Cadnis

Day 14 • Decorating

Janis wakes up to a heavy weight on top of her, already knowing it's Cady bouncing frantically on her stomach.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake! Up!" she yells, Button yapping behind them.

"Cady, what the actual fuck?" Janis moans, looking up at her with one eye closed.

"It's decorating day!" Cady exclaims, still bouncing.

"Fuck off! Fuck off! Fuck off! Fuck! Off!" Janis mocks, shoving her off.

"Ha, nope."

"Fuck you."

"Later."

"I can work with that."

Janis had to quickly drive to their storage unit to grab the rest of the decorations that they didn't make. Cady has somehow managed to get a giant half-sphere made out of plastic and is now making a snowglobe for the snowman they made out of styrofoam whilst trying to make out a plan for the Christmas tree (which she knows will be thrown in the fire later).

She hears Janis's horn honk and she runs outside, opening the trunk and grabbing the boxes of Christmas lights and ornaments, struggling to hold them in both hands.

Janis goes to the trunk after her, grabbing two more boxes and walking inside.

Cady puts them down with a thump, taking the lid off and beginning to untangle the lights.

About an hour later, Cady (with the help of Janis) has managed to untangle the lights and is now getting started on putting them on the tree. Janis has started putting the other lights on the bushes outside and putting the plastic candy canes in the lawn.

Cady has already started blowing up the blow-up polar bear they named Mr. Snowy (Cady's idea) whilst attempting to assemble the light-up reindeer they bought about a year ago. Mr. Snowy they've had for three.

Cady isn't even sure if the reindeer still work, but she's setting them up anyway because they're pretty.

Button is a shockingly smart dog and actually started untangling the rest of the lights. Struggling a lot but helped a bit.

Janis comes back in about thirty minutes later, her face beet-red from the cold and her hands go to the other box which has fake icicles in it that go on the end of their roof.

Cady hasn't told Janis yet, but she bought an inflatable Olaf decoration and she's been blowing it up in the living room in a place where is just out of view of the dining room. Janis has not noticed yet.

She calls Janis back inside so they can start throwing on the fake pearls-on-strings together, one of their 'traditions' since they don't give a shit where they land.

Janis is more than happy to start.

A couple hours later, the Christmas tree is decorated and so is the rest of their property. Janis ran out to the store to buy 6-foot candy canes (which were shockingly affordable) and lined the stone path to their house with them. Cady finished the snowglobe and put Frosty (the snowman she made out of styrofoam) in it and hot-glued the half-sphere down to the piece of cardboard she used to put all the stuffing and more decorations on. They decided on where to put him together.

Since Cady is usually too scared to get on ladders, Janis has put the star on the tree for the last four years and she wants that to change.

"Caddie, babe?" Janis says, lounging on their sofa-seat.

"Yes, darling?" Cady answers.

"Do you wanna put the star on this year?"

Cady blinks and then stands, nodding, but she freezes.

"I don't wanna get on the ladder," Cady mumbles, embarrassed.

"I'll come up with you." Janis offers, smiling widely.

"Really?" Cady says, now smiling too.

"Really."

Janis sets up the ladder and helps Cady climb up, passing her the star and then climbing up behind her.

Cady gently puts the star on the tip of the tree, carefully balancing on one foot to reach. Janis supports her waist, smiling proudly.

Cady laughs, taking her hand off the star and putting her other foot back down.

Janis climbs back down and helps Cady down as well, grabbing the cord and plugging it in.

The star glows a deep gold, a light silhouette of it surrounding their dining room.

"Hey, Janis?"

"Hm?"

"Y'know, winter is a good time to stay in and cuddle, but put me in summer? I'd be a happy snowman. Go look in the living room." Cady speaks like a 34-year-old office man at the bar having a drink with his friends and he's telling a dad-joke.

Janis furrows her eyebrows and walks into the living room, inhaling deeply before speaking.

"Fuck. You."

"Oh, yeah. Let's go upstairs."

"That makes up for it."