Look, they didn't have electric string lights when he was a kid! Candles were the way to go. Everyone who put 'lights' in their tree did it that way. How was he supposed to know, especially when you had zero interest in decorating for the holidays? He knows better for next year — and he tries not to put too much hope into her being right where she was this past Christmas at ones yet to come. He would certainly like her to be, but with the fluctuating state of people's stays and their track record for fucking up good things...

That's not something to contemplate right now. He'd fight for her, but—

"Good. Might save yourself some time if you make yourself aware goin' in. And you never know; I just might find myself impressed with the effort."