“Burl helped us.”

Grady grunted. “Of course he did.”

They’d run into Burl in Credence when they’d stopped at the feed store to check out the Christmas trees in the lot that was apparently used for this purpose every year. Burl, knowing Grady would be out all day, had offered to help transport the tree they’d purchased and, when Suzanne had said she was decorating the cabin as a surprise for Grady, he’d stayed on and helped with the myriad lights. Suzanne was damn pleased they’d taken him up on his offer. The lights alone had taken Burl a few hours of pottering to complete, which had freed up her and Winona to complete the indoor decorations.

Suddenly, as if becoming aware of his surroundings, Grady’s eyes skimmed the room. They landed on everything. Acres of garland and tinsel hung from every surface possible. From the exposed beams of the ceiling to the edge of the mantelpiece to the kitchen bench and the coffee tables. His gaze took in all the tinsel and holly and mistletoe, his eyes widening as he saw the lurid paper chain of butt-ugly fish in elf hats fringing the bottom of Zoom’s tank.

Ornaments graced almost every flat surface. And not classy, elegant ornaments like her mother might choose if she ever slipped and hit her head and decided Christmas was worth celebrating. These were cheap, made-in-China imports, all plastic and tacky. Suzanne’s favorite was fat Elvis in his worst kind of Vegas gear, including cape and a Santa hat, riding a reindeer. That one was in pride of place on the mantelpiece and actually played “Blue Christmas.” Her next favorite was a snow globe with a Dunkin Donuts shop in it.

“Oh dear god,” Grady said, his gaze growing ever wider as he pivoted slowly around. When there were very few surfaces not touched by Christmas, it was a lot to take in.

“Isn’t it perfectly, horribly wonderful?” Winona enthused. “Just needs the tree decorated now, and it’ll be complete.”

The eight-foot tree had been left bare—Suzanne was keeping that as a family affair. Her mother would love that. Not.

“It looks like the Christmas fairy threw up in here.”

“Good.” Winona sighed. “Our work here is done.” She stood, leaving a half glass of wine untouched. “Well, I better get going. I have a date with Bob and Ray at the old folks’ home tonight.”

“I’ll be off, too,” Suzanne said, also standing, seeing her opportunity to escape.

She wasn’t sure she wanted to watch the differing shades of horror constantly shifting over Grady’s face as he spotted some new insult to Christmas. And she really didn’t want to be here when he discovered that she’d switched his toilet seat out for a special festive one. Nuts and holly and red berries were encapsulated in the clear plastic ring, along with Santa in a laden sleigh being pulled by reindeer.

And then there was the super kitschy snowman toilet lid cover and mat. The lid cover was the snowman’s head, complete with a pipe for a nose, and the mat on the floor that sat snug around the pedestal was the snowman’s body. Maybe worst of all was the three-foot inflatable Santa that currently sat in the Adirondack chair on the front porch, some green tinsel tied jauntily around his neck. She definitely didn’t want to be here when he spotted it.