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“It is crooked.”

Jim glared at the star on top the Christmas tree and then stood back to inspect it, hands on hips.

“No, it isn’t.”

Vanik sighed. “Yes. It is.”

Now he glared at the boy, but he moved to stand next to him so he could see what Vanik saw.

He screwed up his mouth as he looked at the tree topper from this way and that. “Nope, not crooked.”

“I believe we should get a third opinion.”

“Fine. Spock!”

Spock who had been sitting on the couch working silently on his PADD and doing his best to ignore Jim and Vanik as they decorated the freshly cut tree they’d carried into the apartment a short time ago.

“Hmm?”

“Come see if the star is crooked on the top of the tree.”

Spock gave a resigned and put upon sigh, put down his PADD and rose from the couch.

“I advised that I did not desire to be part of this unnecessary merriment.”

Jim looked at him and then lowered his voice, “And I advise you if you ever want to get lucky again, you’ll give your opinion.”

Spock cleared his throat. “Let me observe the tree.”

Vanik, arms folded across his chest, stared Spock down. “I am quite certain it is crooked.”

“Go and get a snowball cookie,” Jim told him.

Vanik shrugged, always willing to have a sweet, and left to fetch one in the kitchen.

Spock angled his head as he studied the tree, then he glanced sideways at Jim.

Jim frowned, already knowing what Spock was going to say. “It’s crooked, isn’t it?”

“A very small amount.”

“Aha!” Vanik crowed from the kitchen.

Spock stepped toward the tree, adjusted the star and stood back with Jim. “There, that is better.”

“Vanik, is it?”

The Vulcan boy came back to the tree. “Yes, that is better.”

Jim sighed inwardly. Two Vulcans to one Human. “Okay, thanks, Spock. You can go back to your oh so important task.”

Spock looked as though he was considering things. Then with a shrug, he said, “I suppose I could help decorate the tree for a time.”

Jim smiled. “Yeah?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Can we get a pizza?” Vanik asked, picking up a box of decorations.

“No!”

“Aweee. Fine.” Jim smiled and touched Spock’s fingers with his own, then winked.   

https://www.landolakes.com/recipe/20055/snowball-cookies/https://www.landolakes.com/recipe/20055/snowball-cookies/