She held up the craft-stick airplane from the cardboard box.
Caleb stared.
"I brought it home."
"Why?"
"Because it belongs here now."
Nora considered that.
Then stood.
She hung it near the center of the little tree.
"There."
Caleb looked at the words on the back.
SO YOU ALWAYS COME HOME SAFE.
His phone was still off.
For the next hour, that felt like freedom.
At five thirty, someone knocked.
Caleb froze.
Nora looked toward the door.
"Are we expecting somebody?"
"No."
Another knock.
Caleb opened the door cautiously.
Nobody stood there.
Instead, in the hallway sat four grocery bags.
A large wrapped box.
And an envelope.
Caleb looked toward the stairs.
Footsteps disappeared below.
"Nora."
She came behind him.
"What is that?"
"I don't know."
They carried everything inside.
The groceries were practical.
Rice.
Pasta.
Canned soup.
Chicken.
Cereal.
Fruit.
Peanut butter.
Coffee.
Frozen vegetables.
Laundry detergent.
Dish soap.
Toilet paper.
The kinds of things people bought when they actually understood what a household needed rather than when they wanted to stage a dramatic Christmas rescue.
The wrapped box was for Nora.
She shook it.
Caleb said, "Don't."
"It's Christmas."
"It's December twenty-second."
"Basically Christmas."
"That is not how dates work."
The envelope contained cash.
Caleb stopped counting at a number that made him uncomfortable and put it down.
A folded sheet of printer paper was inside.
Thirty-seven signatures covered the bottom.
At the top, somebody had typed:
YOU SPENT NINE YEARS MAKING SURE NONE OF US STOOD ALONE. LET US RETURN THE FAVOR.
Caleb sat down.
Nora looked at him.
"Dad?"
He covered his mouth.
This time he did not hide the tears.
Nora climbed onto the chair beside him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Are you sad?"
Caleb shook his head.
"Then why are you crying?"
"Sometimes adults are stupid."
"About feelings?"
"Mostly."
She leaned against him.
"Who sent it?"
"My friends."
Nora looked at the signatures.
"That's a lot of friends."
Caleb laughed through tears.
"Apparently."
Another knock came.
Caleb wiped his face quickly.
He opened the door.
Ronan stood there holding a Christmas tree.
A second Christmas tree.
A beautiful six-foot fir.
Behind him stood Maya and Luis carrying boxes of decorations.
Caleb stared.
"No."
Ronan frowned.
"Hello to you too."
"I already bought a tree."
Ronan looked past him.
He saw the crooked little spruce.
He stared at it for several seconds.
Nora appeared.
"Don't insult him."
Ronan raised both hands.
"I wouldn't dream of it."
Nora narrowed her eyes.