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Maddie’s been more in the Christmas spirit than ever since they had their daughter. Jee-Yun was finally old enough to enjoy Christmas presents and getting into the spirit, too. Don’t get him wrong, Chimney loved Christmas and seeing his girls so happy. It’s just – He hasn’t been feeling the holidays as much this year.
Jee-Yun was three years old. She was obsessed with the idea of the Korean traditions that Chimney shared and the suspense that Maddie was building about presents coming on Christmas day.
It was time to pick out their Christmas tree. This year, there would be no Doug to hide from. There would be no pain or fear from not knowing where Maddie was. This year, they were all together. And happy. Not just happy, but joyous. It was the most wonderful time of the year for a reason.
The “most perfect tree” had been picked. Chimney had used his axe to chop it down himself, after Jee-Yun insisted it would look better that way. The tree had been dragged to their car, and then dragged up the few steps to their house.
And now it was in the living room, ready to be decorated to Jee and Maddie’s content.
The ornaments had been placed on the tree with care and Jee was milk drunk from too many cups of hot chocolate, a mustache of whipped cream almost permanently underneath the little girl’s nose.
“Daddy, Daddy. You gotta put this one up.” Jee insisted, her voice thick with sleep. She handed him an ornament that was at first glance a blob of red. Looking closer, Chimney identified it as a fire truck.
“I sure do. You want to go on a truck ride this week, Jee-Jee?” Chimney took the fire truck ornament in one hand and picked Jee-Yun up with his other. She giggled and nodded.
“I’ll make it happen, Sweetpea. I promise.” And nothing would keep him from breaking this – or any – promise to his little girl. Not ever.