I burst into giggles. “Don't give away your brother like that!”
“What? It's an awful thing on his head. I keep telling him to try for the surgery. It's a way better investment.”
“Let the man have what he wants.”
“What he wants is for his hair to get snatched up by a dog mistaking it for a raccoon.”
I held my gut while my laughter took over, tears forming at the edges of my eyes. As I wiped them away, I noticed Riley and Leah looking in our direction. I waved away their inquisitive expressions.
“Marilyn,” I said through a chuckle. “You're going to kill me before I can finish decorating.”
“Ah, well, let me back off the jokes, then.”
“No, keep them coming. I haven't laughed this much since before Levon came back.”
She cocked her head to the side curiously. “Is it really bothering you that much?”
“I mean, if I'm being honest, I haven't seen him since he left me. It's weird.”
“I can't imagine how that feels.”
“Did Boris ever take long trips away from home?”
She thought quietly for a moment. “There were a few, but we always soared through them.”
“How did you do that?”
“We talked all the time.”
I smiled warmly. “That must be nice.”
“And we made a point to understand each other. It's how we have such a strong relationship today.”
“I wish I could say the same of Levon,” I whispered.
“What's that, dear?”
I shook my head. “Oh, nothing.”
“I bet this is harder because of how things were left.”
“That really does make it harder. I feel like we never got to talk about it.”
She nodded. “I empathize with that.”
“I'm glad you understand. I feel like everyone else is trying to get me to go back to Levon.”
“Do you want to go back to Levon?”
I shrugged while turning back to the streamers. I had only hung up a few. This conversation about Levon was stealing my attention.
And my energy. “I don't know.”
“Well, I imagine it makes it more difficult that he's so dang handsome.”
I blushed and bit my lower lip while shaking my head. I didn't say a word.
“You know I'm right, Miss Clara,” she continued in a teasing voice. “He sure does have a nice face on him, doesn't he? And a whole head of hair.”