Janice held the door open while Andy and Christina brought in the enormous tree. Wink followed carrying boxes of new Christmas lights. Christina could feel Janice’s curiosity boring into her back. Janice was an island woman, widowed a few years ago, her two daughters married and living on the island. Janice’s silver-gray hair was short but shaped in a pretty puffy shag, like a chrysanthemum. Her indigo cat’s-eye glasses accentuated her blue eyes, and she always had a modest brush of blush on her cheeks and lipstick on her mouth. She was a pretty woman, trim and active, around fifty-five. Tonight she wore khaki slacks, a blue cashmere sweater, and pearl eardrops. Christina didn’t know her well, but they were friendly as passing acquaintances. Janice had lots of acquaintances and even more friends. By midnight tonight, half the town would know that Christina was dating Andy.

Unless Christina could squash the gossip.

“Janice,” she said sweetly, “did Wink tell you she’s helping me in my shop this month?”

“Oh, yes,” Janice replied. “Wink has been talking about you constantly.”

“Tomorrow after work, we’re going to bake Christmas cookies!” Wink said.

“Lucky girl,” Janice said. “Maybe you’ll bring me one?”

“Sure!”

The living room was large, with a fireplace tiled with marble and several sofas and chairs and tables and lamps and still plenty of space for the tree.

“Let’s put it in front of the window,” Christina suggested, “so people can see the lights when they drive by.”

“Good idea.”

Andy put the stand together, anchoring its three red legs firmly on the carpet. He picked up the tree and slotted it in place. Christina and Wink lay on the carpet, turning the screws that held the trunk firmly. The branches brushed their faces. Janice left the room, returning with a watering can with a long spout. She lay down between Christina and Wink.

“This tree drinks a lot of water,” Janice told Wink. “Wink, let me show you how to do it, and then you can be the official tree waterer. Okay?”

Janice slowly, carefully, positioned the watering can so that when she tipped it forward slightly, the spout poured water into the tree holder. “Now you do it, Wink. Don’t do it fast and don’t let the water come all the way to the top or it might overflow and get the carpet wet.”

Frowning in concentration, her tongue caught between her teeth, Wink gently tipped the watering can. The three of them were so quiet they could hear the water streaming out into the holder.

“Is that enough?” Wink asked Janice.

“Let me show you how to check. Dip your finger in, touch the bottom, and you’ll feel how much water is there. That’s right. Now feel your finger. It’s wet to the second knuckle. That’s perfect.”