
Chapter Two: O Christmas Tree
“No lights.”
Jim frowned as he gazed, rather disappointed, at the lopsided tree he had just dragged up the basement stairs.
“Let me just jiggle it a little. Probably something just got knocked loose.” He smiled at his daughter, who looked back at him with big, wide blue eyes.
Jim knelt down beside the tree and shook it here and there. Fussing with all the little unlit lights.
“Still no lights,” Lily said.
Jim bit his lip. Figured. And anyway, why the hell had this stupid tree been saved if it didn’t have working lights?
“This should go straight to the trash. I don’t know why Mom even kept this.”
He frowned then as a memory, pretty much forgotten, flashed through his mind just then.
“Oh. This tree? It was the one your dad and I got the first Christmas after we were married.”
“Daddy?”
He looked up at her. Her eyes looked a little watery and he could tell she didn’t want to show him she was upset the tree didn’t work.
“Okay. Let’s go into town and get a new one.”
“Really?”
“Yep. I think there’s a sale down at the depot on Ralston Way. We can get one there. And maybe some lights for this one to put up somewhere else in the house and we can have two trees.”
“Yay!”
Jim didn’t know how he was going to afford it, but there was no way Lily was going to pay the price of his somewhat sucky life. When he’d become her single parent, he had vowed he would give her an amazing life, and if she wanted a Christmas tree with working lights, she would get one.
Jim got them back into their coats and back out to the hover car. It coughed a bit but then, thankfully, sputtered back to life. Jim could fix it if needed, but he sure didn’t want to mess with it in the cold.
Jim knew the owner of the depot store. Her name was Barb and she’d gone to school with Jim’s older brother, Sam, back when Sam was around, anyway. The store was kind of a mix, sort of like a general store of old, with food and clothes and décor, especially holiday stuff at this time of year.
She called out a greeting when Jim and Lily entered, and since Lily knew her, she ran right over to Barb.
Jim went over to the trees and on his way he spotted a little pink crystal angel that reminded him of Lily. It was cute and sweet like she was and was only a couple of bucks so he picked it up, figuring Santa could put it in her stocking.
When he made it up to the counter with his purchases, a six-foot pre-lit fake tree, a few strands of lights, and the angel, Lily was chattering away to Barb. Jim smiled and then glanced toward the nearby glass door that let him see the street beyond.
That’s when he spotted the sign in the window of the place across the street.
Help Wanted.
Jim turned quickly back to Barb, handing over his credit chip. “Barb, can you keep watch of Lily a little bit longer? There’s a help wanted sign over there and…”
“Oh,” Barb interrupted. “I heard about layoffs at the shipyard. You go right ahead, Jimmy.” Then as he turned to go outside, she put her hand on his arm, while looking to make sure Lily wasn’t listening.
She quickly showed Jim a doll with long dark, yarn hair.
“Lily was admiring this earlier. I’m going to add it to your order, no charge.”
“Barb…”
“Now, you shut up. I’m paying for it. You wrap her up and tell your girl it’s from Santa. It’s okay to accept help sometimes. You know?”
Jim nodded, feeling a bit of an uncomfortable lump form in his throat. “Okay. Thanks. Be right back.”
“Take your time. I’ll give her some cocoa.”
Jim stepped outside and drew his coat around him as he waited for a hover car to pass before crossing the street and going up to the door with the sign.
It was clearly a restaurant, or going to be, anyway, as it looked like it had not yet opened. There was Vulcan writing on the fixed sign. He stopped to read it. He knew some Vulcan. Not much but some.
Gad-Shen
“Sunrise,” Jim murmured. He put his hand on the door, pushed it open, and entered.
“Hello? Anyone here?”
December 2, 2020 at 3:26 am
Ah man he’s killing me! But my heart is melting for the way he looks after Lily. Of course he’ll do what he has to in order to make the holiday good for her! And yay for a help wanted sign. A Vulcan restaurant? Wonder who could be inside?!
Love this.
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December 2, 2020 at 8:49 am
I wonder! 😀
Oh and I’m pretty sure I suck at following the Hallmark formula, alas.
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December 2, 2020 at 3:39 am
The way Spock is going to make Jim’s life so much better I just know it
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December 2, 2020 at 8:50 am
Yes I think Spock in Jim’s life will be a big improvement
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December 2, 2020 at 4:39 am
Sometimes if something’s not working, but has a lot of memories attached, you can’t part with it. Glad Jim decided to get some lights for it and they can have two trees now
Anything for Lily ❤
And help wanted! And Vulcan! 🙂
Can't wait for more!
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December 2, 2020 at 8:51 am
Yes indeed anything for Lily. That’s Jim pretty much the whole story
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December 2, 2020 at 6:19 am
Just two days in and I’m already in love with this story! I am so very excited to see Jim meet the restauranteur! 😉
I love how Jim is taking such good care of Lily and shielding her from his “suckie life”. Thank you for this hope-filled story.
❤️💚😘🖖
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December 2, 2020 at 8:52 am
Yes Jim is determined to give Lily a happy life! He’s a very good daddy
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December 2, 2020 at 6:23 am
You know, I was really wanting December to stretch out and last a loooooooooooooooooong time!
And with a few words, you screwed that all up!
Ok – if I did twitter, I’d want to make #Anything for Lily❤️ trend. And you could get millions of people here to read! Well, that MIGHT crash things and we couldn’t get chapter 3 tomorrow (I’m WAY too selfish to take a chance on that), so maybe not MILLIONS, but still – I love that Jay!
I love that eveningstar said she was looking for tags! I thought I was the only one who forgot and did that occasionally! 😄
Anyway, this is absolutely adowable (as my Shriner’s friend says). There seems to be a little bit of child-like wonder in Jim too. I want to scoop them both up. I’m glad Jim has good, solid friends as a support system and knows who he can trust wholeheartedly. And Lily does too!
Reads a little Vulcan, indeed! And in one second, with one glance (across the street first), all of life changes. Can’t wait to see the Vulcan with Lily too!
Actually, I just can’t wait for every day!
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December 2, 2020 at 8:54 am
It still needs to stretch out because I have 15 more chapters to write! HA HA I am only scheduled through December 10th, so don’t let it speed by too fast!
I love that idea of a twitter tweet but yeah I don’t do twitter either! It sort of has tags but not the same as AO3. But you know it will end happily for all involved! I promise 😀
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December 2, 2020 at 9:10 am
OK so I actually DO have twitter from back when my students nagged me to get one and follow them. Which – I made it but never followed them or checked it. But since you have a twitter link on this page, I clicked it and it went to my twitter account!!! I didn’t even know what it was. And since those were the days we were threatened to not do social media with our students, it’s a totally made up name. So – I did it!!!! #AnythingforLily❤️ should be trending any second! haha It shows your fic and the picture. Jay – you’re brilliant! Thank you for that line!
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December 2, 2020 at 9:23 am
HA HA that’s cool! You’re a riot!
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December 2, 2020 at 9:12 am
(apparently I am determined to have my own fun)
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December 2, 2020 at 9:23 am
apparently ha ❤
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December 3, 2020 at 2:18 am
Jim is such a great parent. Brilliant idea to have two trees, that way he can keep the broken tree and won’t break his promise to Lily!
Oh look, a Vulcan restaurant? Wonder who’s running that. Good timing with the Help wanted sign!
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December 3, 2020 at 7:14 am
Very good timing! 😀
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