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Ryan turned and glared at him "Just do what I ask David, or I’ll find soood to be ho and suitcase on the floor He flopped backward onto our bed and s his nose into his pillow I crawled on all fours to join hi in the fact that he felt my apartment was his home too It was certainly a hoot off of two planes, but what are we doing for Christh and see your mom and dad or not?" I wanted hieroaned loudly "As much as I love my mom and dad, I don’t want to fly anywhere I only have teeks off"

"Well, you could always put your faested

He wrinkled his nose "No We have to go or I’ll never hear the end of it You knohat I really want to do for Christ reen and have my first real Christmas tree," he stated "My parents put up the same fake tree every year I’ve never had a real tree, even when I lived on my own"

I s nor we borrowed Pete’s pickup truck to go get a tree

"Here’s the directions Pete wrote down" Ryan handed o fro that we just passed a place that had cut trees for sale But Ryan wanted the experience of cutting his own Christhts and then turn left We need to get lights and a tree stand too There’s a store there"

Ryan put the truck into park and I saw the panic attack start to well up on his face "I can’t go in there," he whispered

"Sure you can," I softly replied "It’s a shts and stuff"

He shook his head, indicating that he was staying put

"It will be okay Not everyone on the planet knoho you are" I tried to ease his worry "Besides, you haven’t shaved in a couple of days… it’s al happens, we’ll run for it I promise" I held out my hand

Hardly anyone was in the store except for two older gentlemen orked there and a nice older lady rapped each of the glass ornaray hair spent over tenus which tree stand would be better for a live tree and how Ryan should brace it so the tree doesn’t fall over The man had no idea who Ryan was; in his book ere just ordinary custo fros He was able to go into a store like a regular person and buy lights for his Christ for an autograph I was glad; such a siht such joy to hi the loose pine needles off of our beautiful cut tree out in the alley before dragging it up our steps

"This is wonderful!" he announced, glancing up and down the alleyway "Look Honey! No paparazzi!"

Ryan bolted the tree in place by the frontHe stood there with a big grin on his face, round, playing all the traditional Christs to set the ether

On Christmas Eve, ent to Pete and Tammy’s house for dinner It was so nice to see Ryan relaxed and happy When we returned to the apartht, I realized that both of our blood pressures were nor our picture while asking us ridiculous questions or pestered hiifts noait until thelint of hopefulness was evident in his eyes

"You can open two presents," I told hi that he would be coift I planned to have hi" I picked a specific box off his pile of gifts and handed it to hiet to open two" He crawled around the side of the tree and picked up one of the smaller boxes he had wrapped "You first"