"It's a good tree. Christmassy."

He couldn't tell Sam that he approved or disapproved. That he thought he was a success and so proud of him. He didn't know how to express any of that so he welcomed the tree as a distraction. "You start chopping, I'll get the ties for the roof of my car. And he lift fucking carefully, let's not scratch the paint work."

He'd touch her up tonight but whatever, he wanted to get the tree with Sammy. "I remember taking you tree hunting. You would pout in the cold. Moody damn teen. No Christmas spirit."