Page 76 of Tides and Tidings

“What is it full of?” My daughter cocked her head, not understanding what I was saying.

I bit back a smile. “Never mind.”

“Can we get this one?” Wren glanced up at Blythe for approval.

“I think it’s perfect. What does your dad think?” She looked towards me.

I offered a huge smile. “I think we should get it.”

“Yay!”

There was a younger guy who worked at the farm walking by. “Excuse me?”

The guy turned towards me. He was eighteen. “Yes, sir?”

I handed over my phone. “Would you mind taking a picture of us by our tree?”

“Of course, man. I’d be happy to.”

I picked up Wren and Blythe snuggled into our side. We stayed like that for a moment while the kid took some pictures.

He handed the phone back to me. “You’re really lucky. I hope to have a wife and family like yours one day.”

This is all I ever wanted, even though I didn’t know it.

“You will. Just wait for the right woman to come along.”

“Is that what you did?” He asked.

“Sure is.” I pulled my girls close. “One day, you’ll be at a Christmas tree farm with your wife and kids, and it will be a core memory for all of you.”

Blythe

Charlie set up the tree while Wren and I supervised.

“A little to the left,” I instructed. Charlie adjusted the tree. “Too much to the left.”

He looked over his shoulder, his blue eyes boring into me. “Would you like to do it then?”

A giggle escaped. “No, you’ve got it. Right there.”

“Daddy, it’s not straight.” Wren chimed in.

“You two…” Charlie shook his head. “Are perfectionists. I think the tree is straight.”

“If you come back here with us, you will see it’s not,” Blythe said through giggles.

Charlie stood beside us to see that the tree was far from straight in the stand. “Damn it.”

He adjusted the tree once more in the base. “How about now?”

“Perfect!” Wren and I said in unison.

Charlie stood up and admired his work. “It’s about time.”

“I’m hungry,” Wren announced.

I glanced down at my watch and it was rapidly approaching dinner time.