making everything nice

 "Do you really think it'll be a good Christmas?" Cori found himself asking Megan who was bringing out all her boxes of Christmas lights and tree ornaments. She even had an artificial tree.

"Of course, it is!"

She was all smiles, but he could see the stress. She'd told him about the hot chocolate and rum.

"Seriously, no drinking." He looked at her point-blank that she better not have a private statch of tequila in her room.

Her brow furrowed and she gave him a funny look. Naturally, she ordered him to help put up the tree which meant he would be putting up the tree.

Cori sighed as he got the branches on. "I had this awful dream about you and Dylan."

"What?" She squinted making her fack look like a pouty chick.

"Well, it wasn't that bad, but it was you carrying him on your back all the way to his place," he told her and asked how he got home that night. Cori hadn't seen him when he got home late from the pizzeria.

"And why were you there so late?" Megan still pouted since she'd wished he'd been here for the hot chocolate and everything she dealt with that night.

"I just wanted to look over the supply list," he said he wasn't sure Melvin was doing everything he was supposed to be doing at work lately.

"Don't you trust him?" She asked.

"I'm only trying to help," he said and the branches were on. He went to get the lights strung.

"Is there anything special you do at Christmas?" She wanted to know as she handed him an ornament and let him put the higher ones on.

"Not really," Cori shrugged.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"You know, snow is in the forecast," she was too optimistic for her own good.

"Yeah, like I'm really ready for it," He was in no hurry for winter. November was so mild and this December was full of sunny days.

"You guys did open presents on Christmas, didn't you?" She was back to his Christmases.

"A few," he said relatives usually sent money and he'd gotten a gaming system once, but his brother had it now.

"Huh," Megan looked up at him as if she had a wonderful idea. "Why don't go get it."

"What?" Cori cracked up in laughter. 

"Is he using it? Do you know where it is?" Megan asked.

"I doubt he would know where it is, at his place, but I do," Cori looked at her glad she liked cheap thrills. He put his arms around her and she hugged him as if this was the best December ever. 

She was easy to take away the worries. He was happy to spend the holiday with her. Definitely, much happier than in all the years past.

Finally, the Christmas tree lights were plugged in. They worked. It really was a simple tree with lots of homemade ornaments. 

"It's a beautiful tree," Cori said.