Max and Thomas entered the kitchen running full speed just as the machine started to make a sound. A kernel popped loudly, making everyone jump, even Nick. He quickly centered himself, his eyes on the machine. The pops became faster, and the kernels were becoming white fluffy popcorn, but they started to pop so rapidly that Abbey couldn’t get her sentence out before they were shooting all over the room like snowy missiles. The children both shrieked with laughter as popcorn spewed all over the kitchen. Abbey went to unplug it, but Nick stopped her.
As the kids danced around, trying to catch the popcorn in their mouths, Nick held up one last piece of the machine—the lid. He waved it in the air, taking a step toward Abbey. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll have the staff clean it up after. Look at how much fun they’re having.”
“Catch one in your mouth, Nick!” Max called, stopping Nick before he had reached Abbey. He set the lid on the counter.
Abbey could’ve easily placed the lid on the machine or unplugged it at this point, but she didn’t because she was so surprised to see that Nick seemed to be enjoying himself. She watched as he moved closer to the children, the popcorn floating down around them like warm, buttery snowflakes. He got down on his knees to be at their level and opened his mouth. Abbey let out a laugh and quickly quieted it with her hands as he caught a piece in his mouth and chewed it. He swallowed and tried again, this piece hitting him in the cheek and falling to the floor. He caught a few more after that. Max caught one and cheered.
Nick turned toward Abbey, still on his knees, and gestured for her to come over with them. “Your mom hasn’t caught any yet, Max,” he said, looking over at Abbey in a challenging way. “I’ve caught three. How many have you caught, Thomas?”
“Two!” Thomas said enthusiastically.
“And you, Max?” The popcorn popper was still shooting popcorn wildly around them.
“One.”
“And your mom has zero. It’s going to be a tough comeback, Abbey, but I think you can win it.”
A piece of popcorn flew through the air at her and she caught it in her mouth. While chewing it, she grinned at Nick.
“Oh!” he yelled as if he were watching a football game. “That’s one for Max’s mom!”
“I have two now!” Max called.
Nick lunged on his knees to catch a piece and nearly fell over, sending the boys into fits of laughter.
When the last piece had popped, Nick stood up and reached out to help Abbey who’d been on her knees as well. She took his hand and stood up.
“Now,” he said. “What do we do with all this?” The entire kitchen floor was covered in popcorn.
“Do you have plastic kitchen bags?”
Nick rummaged around in a few cabinets before pulling out a box of them.
“I need four bags, please.”
He drew them out and returned the box to the cabinet.
Abbey handed each person, including Nick, a gallon-sized bag. “Everyone fill your bags with popcorn. No eating it! It’s been on the floor and it’s for the tree. When you’re done, we’ll take it to the living room and make a Christmas garland.”
Nick stood holding his bag, watching her.
“Go ahead,” she said, nodding toward the popcorn scattered across the floor. “Fill your bag. You started this mess; now you have to help us decorate the tree.” With a wink, she bent down and started filling her own bag as the two boys dove across the floor to get their popcorn.
* * *
“Nick and I will thread the needles,” she said to Thomas and Max as the rest of the family looked on. Caroline had gotten up from a nap, and she’d said she was glad she had because she had to see Nick thread a needle. Robin and James were on the sofa watching as Abbey demonstrated how to string the popcorn by poking the needle into the soft part and sliding it along the thread.
Nick was having trouble getting his needle threaded, and Caroline couldn’t have been more amused. Abbey took the thin, white thread from his fingers and put it in her mouth to wet the end of it. “That always works,” she said, but his eyes were still on her lips. Gingerly, she placed the thread through the eye of the needle and pulled it from the other side. “There,” she said, handing it back to him.
The kids began giving Abbey and Nick popcorn from their bags to be strung—one after another until both of them had a sizeable strand. Robin jumped in and threaded another needle, giving them three long pieces of garland.
“What do we do with it now?” Nick asked Max.
“We start at the top of the tree and then wrap it around.”
Nick handed his popcorn garland to Max.