“I’m not cutting into this high-powered debate,” Jorden declared as she headed out of the kitchen.

“Come back here!” Madison shouted at Jorden.

“I’ll call you next week. Enjoy the pizza!” Jorden could hear them laughing as she opened the front door.

Chapter 16: December 1969

Chapter 16

December 1969

Emma Lynn had just completed her student teaching and would graduate in one week. On top of this, the principal at her school had already offered her a job. One of the second grade teachers had to take maternity leave. This delighted both Emma Lynn and Jorden. After Darby’s wedding, they would still be roommates.

With Thanksgiving over, the Christmas decorations started coming out. Darby and Emma Lynn had their hearts set on a live Christmas tree, not an artificial one. They recruited Nate and Kyle to help them. Emma Lynn had been seeing Kyle since Darby and Nate’s engagement party in October.

Jorden couldn’t believe her eyes when she swung open the door. “Wow! What a tree!”

“Turn it around. The treetop should go in first,” Emma Lynn insisted. “Honey, move it the other way.”

“Make up your mind,” Kyle stammered under the weight of the tree.

“Hey, I got it.” Nate picked up the mid-section. “Darby, you and Emma Lynn pick up the top portion, and we’ll get this in quicker.”

“Ouch! It’s prickly,” Emma Lynn cried out.

“I’ll get it.” Darby stretched and lifted the top portion. “Got it. Let’s move it in.” They lifted it through the door and plopped it into the tree holder.

“Too far to the right, no more to the left,” they taunted Nate. Five minutes later, the tree stood as straight as it was going to get.

“It’s a beauty. We did well!” Emma Lynn exclaimed.

“We?” Kyle looked up at Emma Lynn.

“Yes, we! Hey, let’s have a decorating party.”

“Great idea,” Darby agreed. “We can partially trim it Thursday night, and Friday night we’ll have a popcorn stringing party to finish it up.”

“Jorden, you’ve got to invite Matt,” Emma Lynn proclaimed. “The more the merrier.”

Jorden wondered if he would join them. They usually saw each other only on Wednesday and Saturday nights. To her surprise, Matt accepted when she asked him Wednesday night.

Thursday night, after they partially trimmed the tree, Emma Lynn blew a kiss to Kyle. “Where’s the mistletoe?” she asked.

“We don’t have any,” Darby answered. “I’ll put it on my list.”

“We can put it over the kitchen doorway. Here—right here.” Emma Lynn pointed up to the spot. She looked at Kyle with a devilish gleam in her eyes. “Now, who can show me how it’s done without the mistletoe?”

All eyes were on Kyle as he swept Emma Lynn off her feet and planted an amazing kiss on her lips.