Calendar Girl (December) Chapter 6: They Get a Christmas Tree

Previously, Mia came face to face with her mother and SLAPPED HER. It was wild. Also, her mother hints that things might not be as they seem…my best guess is that Mia’s shitty father who has always been shitty might have been shitty and caused Mia’s mother to run away.

Calendar Girl (December) Chapter 6:

I have to say this chapter is pretty uneventful. Calendar Girl is rarely good, but it’s often eventful, I have to say.

It’s so strange because Mia barely reacts to meeting with her mother last chapter. Instead, the chapter picks up with her and Wes cheerfully retrieving a Christmas tree together and preparing for Mia’s family to arrive.

A tree. A real Christmas tree. I hadn’t had one of those in as far back as I could remember. I wasn’t sure Maddy had ever had one. It’s not something a family strapped for cash worried about having. Due to the circumstances, we never bothered to push the issue.

I feel for Mia and all (well, in theory I do. You know in practice, I can’t stand her) but I’m getting tired of going through this on every holiday. Mia and Maddy are like WOW Thanksgiving! Mia and Maddy are like WOW Christmas!

It’s also super weird that this seems like an obvious setup to start talking about her mom again, but we seem to have moved beyond that for now.

I shrugged. “I’ve never had a tree before.”

“You’ve never had a Christmas tree?” The shock was evident in the way his mouth hung open, the frosty puffs of air billowing around him. He nodded curtly. “Remind me to punch your father in the face when he’s up and walking around,” he said on an exasperated growl.

Based on all the information Wes has about Mia’s past, how could this possibly surprise him? Also…there are much MUCH bigger reasons to punch Mia’s father in the face. The lack of Christmas tree is the least of everyone’s concerns here.

They cheerfully continue on with their quest for a Christmas tree. In fact, they’re cutting it themselves! Is…is this a thing people really are allowed to go do?

“I don’t know about this. Killing a tree for decoration doesn’t seem right. Maybe we should buy an artificial one?”

Wes scoffed. “Nonsense. This is our first Christmas together. Your first with your brother and my family as well. Together, we’re going to make it special. And to do that, we need a proper tree. So pick one out.” He held his hands out wide.

Wes had a solid point.

His point is, “Tree murder is fine because this is our first Christmas.” How is this a solid point?

We were making amazing memories and traditions as a couple along with our extended family. The excitement about creating new memories wiggled its way into my subconscious, destroying any future concern over the environment and the loss of a single tree in a forest of thousands.

I’m going to level with you. I don’t give a shit about this tree, but Mia sounds like an asshole.

Wes starts cutting down the tree, and Mia takes this moment to text Gin for some reason. Gin talks about “Samoan wood” as usual. This conversation is completely random and only serves as a way for Wes to be like, “Wait who is Gin banging again?” And for Mia to remind him it’s the brother of the guy she used to bang. Wes does not like this.

“My friend Tai’s brother. She met him in Hawaii.” Wes picked up the axe again, swung it hard right in the center of the big gaping wound he’d cut into the tree already.

“You mean client number five.” His voice was now devoid of emotion. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled.

“Yes. Tai Niko. My friend.”

I honestly thought Wes was going to turn and just straight up chop Mia’s head off. The book suddenly sounded like we were in the plot to a horror story. It’s also inaccurate because Tai was never a client.

“The one you spent a month fucking while I pined after you?” He slammed the axe into the tree again. Chips of wood went flying at the force of the hit. I gasped.

“That isn’t fair, and you know it. You were with Gina then, if I recall.”

Then they argue because Wes is shocked Tai is invited to the wedding (I’m assuming Alec is invited too. It will be a veritable who’s who of former Calendar Girl lovers.) They argue a bit because Wes can’t stand that “other men” were there for Mia after her assault, which I keep forgetting happened. Forget the fact Mia was assaulted, what’s problematic is that…other men “took care” of her. Yes, marry Wes, Mia.

Everything is hunky dory almost instantly, and they have a grand old time bringing their tree home and decorating it.

Mia’s family arrives, and Mia pays some lip service about how tomorrow they’ll talk about their mother. I just don’t buy that Max and Maddy are just vacantly smiling at this fucking tree, perfectly content to not ask Mia about their mother (or demand to go see her themselves).

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