Chapter 6: Surprise Visitor
"Christmas Tree! Christmas Tree! Christmas Tree!" Katie shouted, skipping through the house and clapping her hands.
"That's right! We're going to go find the perfect tree today!" Lou told her youngest daughter. She loved that Katie was so excited; she couldn't resist smiling and laughing as she watched her little girl, who was now dancing around and singing "Jingle Bells". The past month and a half had been hard for Lou, but right now life was good. Katie's Christmas spirit was contagious and Lou wasn't going to let her day be ruined by worries or stress. She had two and a half weeks to spend with her daughters, before they went to Vancouver, and she wanted to make the most of it. After all, Christmas was more than just one day, right? It was a whole season and there would be plenty of fun Christmas activities for Lou and the girls to do together. The first of those activities, was going and getting the perfect Christmas tree. Lou looked at the corner of the living room and pictured a tall, full tree that reached the ceiling. She imagined the three of them carefully decorating it, while smiling and laughing. She couldn't wait to get started making special memories together.
"Why do I have to come? I don't care what kind of tree you pick. It's freezing, and I'd rather stay home." Georgie complained on her way down the stairs from her attic bedroom.
Lou closed her eyes and clenched her jaw, drawing in a deep breath. "Do not let her get to you," she thought to herself, relaxing her face and releasing the breath. Turning, to face her oldest daughter, she explained, "Because, I want to make the most of this Christmas with both of my daughters. Picking out a tree, bringing it home, and decorating it, is the most basic Christmas tradition. Also, this is important to me and to Katie, so I would appreciate it if you could at least pretend to be happy, and not ruin it for the rest of us." Lou stared at Georgie, as if she could will her to see it the same way.
Georgie returned the stare and crossed her arms, "Well, I'm sorry, but I don't want to go. Why can't you just take Katie and let me stay home?"
Lou walked over and gave her daughter a hug, saying, "Because, Georgie, you are a part of this family and I love you and I want to spend time with you." She released Georgie from the hug, then smiled and added, "It's going to be fun, I promise."
Georgie rolled her eyes and sighed, finally conceding to her mother's wishes, "Okay, fine," she began walking toward the front door, "Let's get this over with."
Lou tried to ignore the teenager's attitude, and turned her attention back to her youngest, "Come on, Katie, let's get your coat and boots on."
"Okay!" Katie replied, unfazed by her sister's mood. She grabbed Lou's hand and practically dragged her to the mud room.
As they were getting ready to go out, the front door opened. "Hey! Who's ready to get a big Christmas tree?" Lou's dad, Tim, asked with a huge grin.
"Hi, Grandpa, I'm ready!" Katie answered, gleefully.
"I thought you would be," Tim said, giving his granddaughter a hug and lifting her off of the ground.
Katie giggled and hugged him back, "Now, put me down, please! I need my boots on!"
Tim kissed her cheek and set her back down. "How about you, Georgie? Excited to pick out a tree?"
"I guess I have to be," the teen said, flashing a fake smile at her mom, then walking out the door.
Tim moved out of her way and looked at Lou, "What's her problem?"
"Oh, you know," Lou buttoned up her coat, "she's 16 and I'm forcing her to spend time with her family."
"Well, why do you have to be so cruel?" Tim joked, giving her a hug.
Lou smiled and said, "Thank you for coming to help out today, I really appreciate it."
"No problem, I love spending time with my family, so thank you for inviting me."
The three of them went outside, where Georgie was waiting on the bench, playing on her phone. She stood up, still staring at the small screen, "Are you finally ready? It's freezing out here!"
Just then a black SUV came down driveway and pulled up in front of the house. Everyone just stood on the porch, watching to see who would get out. As a man climbed out of the backseat, Katie went running toward him, yelling, "Daddy!"
"Dad!" Georgie perked up and followed after her sister.
"Did you know The General was coming to town?" Tim inquired of Lou.
Lou couldn't believe it; she had completely forgotten that Peter was coming to visit this weekend. She crossed her arms and shook her head, "I should have, but it must have slipped my mind."
Lou could hear Katie telling Peter all about their plans, "We're going to buy a Christmas tree today and then we're going to decorate it!"
"Are you coming with us?" Georgie asked him, "Mom never even mentioned you were visiting this weekend."
"She didn't?" Peter asked, looking up at his ex-wife, who was now walking toward him. "Hi," Peter gave Lou a stiff hug, "why didn't you tell the girls I was coming?"
"Um, I guess I forgot," Lou confessed, "I'm sorry."
"I see," Peter wanted to say more about it, but he knew this wasn't the time or place. Lou had been more distant, lately, and he had a feeling she was mad at him for something. "So, you're going Christmas tree hunting?"
"That's right, General," Tim answered, before Lou could, "we, as in the four of us," he pointed to himself, Lou, and the girls, "are going to get a tree and you-"
"- Are welcome to join us," Lou forced herself to say, hoping it would make up for forgetting about his visit.
"What?" Tim looked at Lou, who ignored his stare.
"I don't know, it's your thing and I don't want to intrude," Peter tried declining the invitation, hoping to avoid the inevitable awkwardness.
"But, you're here to visit us, so you should come," Georgie said.
"Yeah! Come with us Daddy," Katie chimed in, hugging Peter's leg.
"Are you sure it'd be okay?" he checked with Lou.
"Of course, why wouldn't it?" Lou could think of plenty of reasons why Peter shouldn't come, the main one being that she wanted the girls to herself. "Besides, the girls obviously want you to come along, so how can you say no to that?"
"Alright, then I guess I'm coming," Peter announced, lifting Katie up and hugging her. Both girls were excited that he decided to join them.
Tim leaned in and whispered to Lou, "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
Lou whispered back, "No, but I don't have much choice." Putting on her best, fake smile, she looked at the girls and clapped her hands together, "Okay! Who's ready to go get a tree?"