I’m sure my arms would have ached after all of that work even if I hadn’t been recovering from surgery.
I leaned against the front door jamb and let out a deep breath.
“You ok, bro?” Mac asked, patting my back.
“Yeah, I’m good,” we had done a lot of work. Mac and Dad had put up all the outside decorations and I cleaned the house and put up all the inside decorations, since most of those were small. I could do them one handed, it just took twice as long.
“Ok, well I think we are gonna head out.”
“Thanks for your help today. We couldn’t have done it without you.”
“No problem. I’ll just add it to the long, long, list of things you owe me for,” he said, punching my shoulder as he walked toward Dad’s truck.
I just shook my head. I found my dad in the garage, putting up the tools and packing the unused lights into boxes.
I helped him close the boxes and pack them in the corner for easy retrieval after Christmas. Hopefully by then I would be able to help him put them away in the attic. Funny how we spend so much money each year on bobbles that are hidden away for eleven months out of the year. Then, by the next year we have forgotten what we have, only to rush to the store and buy the next new thing so we can put it up before our neighbors do.
“Do you need any help inside? Does your mother need to come over in the morning to help with food?” he asked
“No, thanks. Inside is good and we are hiring a caterer this year.”
“Ok, I’ll head on, then. Call me if you need anything else. Its important to take care of yourself.”
“I know Dad, I will, thanks.”
I shut the garage once he pulled out of the driveway. Nikki was in Everett’s room, with her hand on his forehead. He was asleep in his crib.
“How is the fever?” I put my hand on her back.
“It seems like it broke,” she said, putting her hand on my shoulder.
“Good. He looks peaceful.”
“Yeah, he calmed down a lot after the Tylenol finally started working.”
“I think I’m going to take a shower and head to bed. Do you need me to do anything else?”
“No, I’m okay. We can lay out the tablecloths for the caterer in the morning”
“Alright,” I said with a yawn.
The warm water felt good as it washed the day’s grime off my skin. Unlike my brothers, I enjoyed being clean. I still shuddered when I thought about the four days in the hospital that I went without taking a shower.
The last thing I did before bed was take my pain medication. It felt it start to work as I walked from the sink to the bed. Nikki was already in bed, hair perfectly framed around her face like a Disney princess. I slid into bed as gently as I could so I wouldn’t disturb her. Even so, she rolled over and curled up next to me. I let myself just enjoy the moment of my head being on my own pillow and my wife next to me until the pain medicine finally took full effect and I drifted off.