Mary and Halley (sequel to When Mary Met Halley)

thirty one

The next afternoon we took everyone and went to get the Christmas tree, then made Leif turn it every which way until it was Perfect. Charlotte and Gwen came with us and we got one for their house too, because I knew my dad and their mom wouldn't ever get around to it. The rest of the day was spent putting ornaments and lights on ours, drinking hot cocoa, and singing Christmas music. 

The teens were still doing the latter two things hours after the little kids were in bed, though their cocoa had shots of espresso in it. Leif was due home any time from work and Paramjeet was in bed, depression still dealing her the card of exhaustion all too frequently though her therapy was helping. Halley and I had just finished making several pounds of sugar cookie dough, which was now chilling in the fridge.

"No, it's like this," Char was saying from the big chair, where the three were crammed together with Nate in the middle, trying to play Christmas songs by ear. I'd thought of ordering a decent keyboard so Nate could play some form of piano after the kids were asleep, and it had come earlier. Now it was balanced on a folding TV tray table in front of them. "'In the winter we could build a snowman', which is definitely not the key you're hitting for 'a'," she finished.

"Um, I think the piano player knows better than you," my brother scoffed, drinking from his Santa mug. 

"Nah, Lottie's right," Nate mused, messing with a few keys before playing it again. His eyebrow ring caught the light. "There, like that?"

"Toldja," she said with satisfaction, smirking at Joey. She had stolen Nate's burgundy beret and was wearing it backward, her body turned sideways toward them so they would all fit in the chair. 

"Toldja," he mimicked, and she swiped at him with the instruction booklet for the keyboard. Poe was sitting on his perch above the door and he muttered in his sleep. PK was with Paramjeet and her hot electric blanket.

Nate poked her in the side to make her retreat and she swatted him with it too. "Oof, girl."

We heard Leif come in, making too much noise taking off his shoes and jacket, as usual. He filled the doorway, his white dress shirt unbuttoned halfway, his eyeliner a little smudged. He glanced at the chair and then at me with my head in Halley's lap. "Well, if this isn't domestic as hell," he summed up with a grin. "Hallmark movie channel material and all."

Char snorted, leaning into Nate so she could mess with the buttons closer to Joey. "Hallmark doesn't do queer movies, and we don't kill enough people to be in a Netflix original."

"Where is the damn lie though," Nate agreed, putting his arm around her since there was nowhere else for it. 

"Also, my twin's out front and wants to talk to you," Leif went on, pointing at me joyfully. "I told him you would not be interested and not to bother waiting, but he's been imbibing and said he wasn't leaving until you told him to go yourself."

A flash of annoyance went through me even as Halley laughed at the thought. "Let's see how long he'll sit out there," she said, meaning it.

"I say call the cops on him," Charlotte suggested blithely. "Creeper. Ow, this is uncomfortable, I can't . . . " she stood up, moved over a little, and sat back down on both of them. "You guys are my chair now, much better. Could be less lumpy but what're ya gonna do." She opened the instructions and found the page she was looking for, reading before studying the instrument again.

"Doesn't even bother asking us," my brother complained, shaking his head as their friend did the same mock-sadly. "Rude." 

I sighed loudly. "Fucking Caleb," I said, not wanting to get up and deal with it. If I didn't he'd probably be knocking on the door soon.