Christmas Lights

Marti looked out the window and sighed. She turned around to see if her husband Tom had noticed, but his eyes were still on his book. She sighed again. By the time she seemed in danger of hyperventalation, he looked up.

"what's the matter?" he  asked his pregnant wife. He really didn't want to hear the answer. He loved her and loved the unformed idea of the child they had created together, but sometimes these days she went away inside herself to a place he couldn't follow.

"I know I'm being silly", she began, the eyes of a petulant 4 year old in her face,"but I just really wish we could go to the Fair."

They had jumped into adulthood all at once, these two.Within a month, she had graduated from college, gotten her first"real job',while he had started back to grad school. Then , a welcome surprise, they were pregnant.

Oh, they weren't children in age, 25 and 29, but they were adventurers. They had lived in a tent, climbed mountains, traveled all over the west, earning just enough money to get them to the next town.

This adventure was a little scarier than most for him.Marti was the one who flung their dreams against the sky and urged him on to follow. Now, she was often moody and frightened, depending on him to hold her heart safe.

"I know I'm being silly, but I jsut dont' know how to get out of this funk. I don't know how to feel better." she sniffled.

"I know", he said.

He got out the Christmas lights.

"In October?" she asked.

But she was laughing.

"You can't be depressed with Christmas lights up!" he laughed back at her.

Soon they were cuddled on the floor in the glow.

And everythng was fine.

They didn't need unseasonal Christmas lights very often.

She was cheery by nature and he was kind and patient.

The kids got bigger.

Life went on.

They always laughed togther like the adventurers they were, even though now their adventures were watching dance recitals and softball games.

Then there was just the two of them in the house again.

They cuddled on the floor once more and laughed when they were stiff getting up.

 

But there was the arguement.

Who knows what caused it.

They even forgot.

But the anger took on a life of its own and sat with them at dinner for days.

Until she drove up one evening and there, in May, was a blaze of lights in front of her house.Sheran out of the car into his arms.

The neighbors wondered, but didnt' ask.

Christmas lights work miracles.

Wishng you light,

Marti