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.”