The Summer We Said Goodbye [Installment 22]
The First Flakes of Winter
I hadn't invited anyone over to the house in a long time, what with all the upheaval and my mom’s moodiness.
So much had changed that I'd been having a hard time being myself, especially around my friends.
But Aris wasn't a part of that. She was different – like a clean slate – and not at all the "girlfriend" Billy obsessed over.
Plus, I felt sorry for her. Her situation wasn't that different from mine when you got down to it, even if she could be pushy and opinionated.
As much as I hated to admit it, she'd been right to suggest buying more lights and enlisting Mr. Rossi's help. I would have never done that.
And now, here we were, having a grand old holiday time!
As soon as we were home from the Ace, we jumped right back into the outdoor lights and then tackled the blades for the candle spinner.
Aris traced their outlines onto the veneer, and I sliced them out with my Exacto knife, sanding down any rough edges before handing them off to her for a quick coat of polyurethane — a regular, well-ordered assembly line.
While we waited for the blades to dry, we moved on to the spinner, cleaning the drip pans of caked wax and readying them for fresh candles.
It was invigorating. I had never seen the nativity carousel in action and was eager to see if our ingenuity would pay off.
And then, just as we were wrapping it all up, my mom had two turkey sandwiches from yesterday's leftovers ready for us, slathered in cranberry and stuffing I hadn't realized she'd pinched from my sister.
"It's like a four-course Thanksgiving dinner all at once!" Aris gushed.
I was ravenous — exhausted, too. Dawn at the lake seemed like a million years ago. So much for dark tidings.
When it was time, my mom served us another mug of cocoa, and we suited up to go back outside.
The sun had finally set, and whatever light remained was muted by a heavy sky.
I ducked behind the shrubs as Aris and my mom took up position in the front yard.
"Ready?"
"Yes!" They cried before initiating an impromptu countdown.
As they hit "one," I shoved the plug into the socket and was showered in a rainbow of lights.
"Ooooh…"
"It's wonderful, Cosmo! Hurry up, you have to see."
I scrambled out to join them, accepting the mug Aris was holding for me.
The extra lights added an undeniable heft, and the nativity carousel spun with abandoned just inside the living room window, casting a menagerie of twirling shadows across the full breadth of the lawn.
It was beautiful, and we high-fived and toasted all around.
"Is that a smile I see, Cosmo Brodmerkle?" Aris teased.
I raised my face to hide my grin just as the first flakes of winter began to fall.