Mistletoe

Niro was sitting on the floor fixing the tree stand when some tapped his shoulder.

Niro turned to see that his father, Z, was standing next to him.

Niro couldn't put his finger on it but something seemed off about his father.

"What's up Dad?" Niro questioned his father.

"The sheep's barn has a hole in roof…. But Theresa was looking for me. Where is she?" Z asked as he crossed his arms.

Niro looked around the large room but his mother was nowhere in sight.  

"I last saw her in the kitchen..." Niro mumbled as he stood up.

Niro and Z head toward the kitchen to find it dark.

Z opened a drawer and took out some matches to light a candle, cast light across the room.

The Renkia farm didn't have any electricity, so the family used candles as a light source. Z felt the cast iron stove and opened the small door on the side.

"It is still warm, and something is in the oven," Z noted.

"So mom can't have gone far," Niro commented.

Z nodded his head in agreement as headed back to the main room.

The house was an old farm house that had two floors and a cellar. It had been hand built by the Niro's great-great-great-grandfather. Some things have been rebuilt over time, but it still looked the same as it did all those years ago.

The main room had grown cold since the boys had left.

The house was heated by a large wood furnace; Z walked over and fed the dying flames some more wood.

"Where could she be," Z mumbled to himself.

Niro heard something and turned around; he smirked and tapped his father's shoulder.

"Did you check the guest room Dad?" Niro asked.

"No, but I might as well," Z said as he stood up and walked away from the furnace and started to walk down the hallway.

Z wasn't sure why but Niro wasn't following him.

As Z turned the corner, he saw Theresa leaving the guest room.

"There you are! You needed me for something?" He asked.

Theresa smiled, "Yes, just stay there for a moment," she commented as she walked toward him.

"Look up" she commented when she reached Z.

"Huh?" Z said as he looked up.

Hanging above him was some green leaves with red berries, "They are just Chri-"Z started to say but was cut off by his wife wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a passionate kiss on the lip.

"You're under the mistletoe silly," Theresa said with a giggle.

"You…" Z commented as he started to tickle Theresa.

"Zosimus! Stop! I have decorating to do still!" Theresa said as she laughed.

Down the hall, Niro had returned his attention to the tree stand.

"Looks like Mom wins yet again. Dad still loses every time," Niro snickered to himself.