Their New Year's Resolution (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Marla Monroe

  Virginia let go of Sissy and followed her brother and his wife. Sissy wrapped her arms around Erica’s waist, shivering as if she’d been standing outside in the cold for hours. It broke her heart that her daughter had been subjected to that.

  “Are you okay, honey? I’m so sorry. We should have left earlier. I thought everything was going fine until Aaron came and got me.”

  “She hurt my arm, mom. I don’t want to live with her. I want to stay with you.” Sissy’s voice cracked.

  Brent knelt down in front of them. “Let me see, sweetie.” He gently rolled the sleeve of her dress up until they could see the already bruising flesh of her daughter’s arm.

  Erica saw red. She would have run after them to punch Virginia in the nose, but Brent grabbed her hand as he stood up again.

  “Easy, babe. Don’t give them something to use against you. Kent is making sure they leave. I’m going to get the sheriff. I want him to see what that bitch did to Sissy. Stay right here, oaky?”

  Erica was so shaken she just nodded, wrapping her arms round her daughter as she struggled to calm her breathing so she didn’t hyperventilate. Sissy’s sniffles had calmed already, but she was holding Erica just as tightly.

  Sheriff Edgar Windham walked up with a scowl on his face. “Are you okay, Erica?”

  “Yes, Sheriff. It’s my daughter. Look what that woman did to her own granddaughter.” She held Sissy’s arm up so he could see the darkening handprint that was forming there.

  “Sissy. Can you tell me what happened?” he asked, squatting down to her level.

  “She kept trying to get me to talk to her all night. I kept moving around to avoid her, but she finally caught me when I started to go upstairs to borrow the bathroom since the one down here was in use. She grabbed my arm and pulled me down the stairs and into the office here.” Sissy indicated the twin’s office behind them.

  “Why was she trying to get to you to talk to you? Why didn’t you want to talk to her, Sissy?” the sheriff asked.

  “I didn’t want to talk to her because she’s always saying mean things about my mom and telling me that if it wasn’t for her, my dad would still be here. I don’t like listening to her and she scares me when she shakes me,” Sissy said.

  “Oh, honey. Why didn’t you tell me she did that to you? I’ll never make you visit them again.” Kent felt horrible that she’d almost forced her children to spend time with the bitch.

  “Do you want to press charges, Erica?” the sheriff asked.

  Oh, boy did she want to, but with the threats they made, Erica felt that it would just make things worse if she did. Sighing, she shook her head no.

  “It would only add fuel to the fire. I do want it on record what they did though. Can you do that?” she asked.

  “Don’t worry. It’s on record. You called us and we came so we’re making a record. I need to talk to your sons in the morning to finish up the report.”

  “I understand. Thank you. We’ll be at home tomorrow,” she told him.

  Erica watched as the sheriff and his deputy walked off. Kent and Brent were waiting at the door for her. They both looked worried and angry all at the same time.

  “Are you going to be okay driving home, Erica? One of us would be more than happy to drive for you,” Kent said.

  “I know, but I’m fine. Angry and horrified that my children’s own family would do something like this, but I’ll be okay. Thank you for helping us. I’m sorry your party ended up ruined by all of this,” she said.

  Brent grinned at her. “It wasn’t ruined at all. Most of the guests didn’t have a clue what was going on and the others were appalled that the reverend and his family had acted that way. I don’t think you will have any trouble at all proving that you’re the best person as their mother to raise those children.”

  “Thank you. I better go. Aaron and Ricky are probably going crazy wondering what is going on. They’re out in the car.” She squeezed both of the men’s hands and hurried out the front door as Brent held it open.

  She was right, her boys were upset and all but shaking when she made it out to the car. Aaron had evidence of tears on his face, but Erica didn’t comment on them. She just hugged them both and settled everyone down so she could drive.

  “I turned the car around, Mom. I thought we might need to leave in a hurry. I didn’t hit anyone. I promise, Mom.” Ricky had fastened his and Aaron’s safety belts and even now held the youngest Carol’s hand in his.

  “Thank you, Hon. It was a good idea. I’m not angry about that.” She concentrated on her driving to be sure she didn’t end up making a mistake because of how upset she was.

  “Why are they doing this? We haven’t done anything to them.” Sissy finally spoke again.

  “It’s not yours or anyone’s fault, Sissy. They are angry with me and instead of taking it up with me, they are using you guys to try to punish me. I’m so sorry they are doing this.” Erica didn’t know what to do. Her children didn’t deserve to be treated this way.

  As soon as they were home, Erica spent time with each of them as they got ready for bed. It had been past their bedtimes anyway, but she’d made the exception so they could be at the party along with their friends. Now she wished she’d taken them home at nine and avoided all of the uproar.

  After making sure all the doors and windows were secure, she took a shower and settled down to relax in the chair in her bedroom. She knew she wouldn’t sleep until she’d calmed down. Inside her mind was a total mess changing directions faster than she could keep up. Anger, fear, and worry all wrestled to override the rest. If she didn’t take back control, she wouldn’t be able to function and make the right decisions for her children.

  The soft beep, beep of her phone let her know she had a text message. Erica grabbed the cell off her bedside table and settled back in the chair. It didn’t really surprise her to see that it was from Brent.

  Just letting u know we are here if u need us. Call in the morning. B&K

  Erica hesitated for a second. She knew that nothing was completely private anymore and anything said online or in a text was subject to being used. She sighed. They were good men and had done nothing wrong.

  Thanx. I know.

  It was the best she felt she could do. She’d call them in the morning and reassure them that she was fine and that they’d all be okay. She just prayed it was the truth and that her terrible ex-in laws didn’t cause any more trouble. It was a futile thought, she knew, but it helped her keep her sanity so she could manage to fall asleep.

  * * * *

  “So what did you find out?” Brent asked.

  Kent smiled at his twin. He’d found plenty. The Thomas’s and the Carols were far from clean. He was going to document everything he could dig up on that bunch of charlatans. They pretended to be upstanding citizens above the common people, separated by their religious shields that they used to frighten and brow beat others. He was going to expose them for the con artists they were.

  “Look at this.” He pointed at the police reports he’d unearthed on their precious Chuck Carol.

  “Wow! He’s got a sheet as long as an honest foot long hotdog,” Brent said with a whistle.

  “The best part of it is that the family, or at least his mother knows all about it since her name is on most of the bail papers.”

  “Poor Chuck isn’t so saintly after all,” his brother mused.

  “And,” Kent pointed at the paper on his desk. “She’s been sending him money for years. Look at the withdrawals from her account and the deposits in his. They match the date and the exact amount.”

  “What about that asshole uncle of his, the all-saintly Reverend Thomas?” Brent asked.

  Kent grinned, shuffling papers on his desk until he located the ones he wanted. He held them up for his twin to take. The asshole reverend had a bit of a gambling problem.

  “This isn’t good. He owes some people money for these debts. What do you want to bet he’s skimming off the offering?” Brent ask
ed.

  “No doubt. I don’t know where his money comes from. I’m sure his church doesn’t pay him anywhere near that amount of money. He’s getting it from somewhere though. I can’t tell that it comes from his sister, but it could be family money or money from his wife. She appears to come from well off people.” Kent was still working on that part.

  “Do you think all of this is enough to help Erica if those assholes go after her children? I can’t stand to think about them causing her so much trouble and knowing we triggered it,” Brent said as he rubbed his eyes.

  “We didn’t trigger it, brother. We were just the icing on the cake for them. They had plans to do this already in the works. I found where they’d hired a private investigator six months ago to dig up any dirt they could on her. I called and had a chat with him. He said once he realized what was going on and everything he found said Erica was a good mother, he dropped the case and told them they were crazy.”

  “How are we going to use this to help her?” Brent asked.

  “I’m not going to send it to her through email. That’s too dangerous. I’m going to FedEx it to her. Even the Thomas’s and Carol’s can’t confiscate her packages. We’ll require verified signature for delivery. She can use it however she wants to.”

  Brent nodded at him. “When are you going to send it?”

  “I have a few more things I’m working on. I plan to send it before Christmas. That gives me another eight days,” he said.

  “What do we do in the meantime?” Brent asked.

  “The only thing we can do. Wait and pray that one day she’ll give us another chance. She might lose a few customers by being with us, but I honestly don’t think that many will care one way or another. She’s good at her job and they know it.” Kent refused to give up the dream they’d had.

  He’d caved when she’d left them, but the longer they went without her around, the harder it became for him to ignore his feelings. He loved her, had loved her from the first time he’d met her. She was everything they’d longed for in a lover and a wife. She was loyal to those she considered her family which included her closest friends. Erica was a wonderful mother and had raised three well adjusted, well behaved children anyone would be proud to call theirs. He and Brent would love to claim them as their own.

  “I hope you are right, brother. She loves her job and I don’t see any reason she can’t continue to do it. She managed to handle it along with her kids without anyone suffering. I think she could manage it with us added to the mix since we could take some of the pressure off of her when we aren’t covered up in calving season and round up.” Brent nodded, studying him as he leaned against the edge of the desk.

  “Go on. What do you want to say?” Kent asked, recognizing his brother’s signature stance when he was mulling something over in his head.

  “Just wondering if what you’ve uncovered would sway her to rethink having a relationship with us. Normally I wouldn’t want to get involved with someone who wouldn’t take the chance to be with us regardless of the consequences, but Erica is different. She has to think about her children and that was what worried her the most in the first place.”

  “Maybe. I don’t know. I think that for now, the best thing we can do for her and the children is to not pressure her or give those bastards anything to use against her. I love her, Brent.” Kent was sure his twin felt the exact same way, but he needed to say it out loud and make it real to both of them.

  Brent smiled and nodded. “Me, too. I think I feel for her when I heard her voice on the telephone. Then when she walked up on the porch it felt as if my stomach had taken a nosedive to my feet. She fills something inside of me that nothing has ever touched before. Not even you, Kent.”

  “I know. Same here. It might take time, maybe even a few years, but we will get her between us. The wait will be tough but worth it in the end,” Kent said.

  “I’m sure you’re right, but it doesn’t make it any easier to handle. I ache to feel her in my arms and wake up next to her in the mornings. I want to just hold her so badly it’s eating me alive.”

  “Hang in there…”

  The sound of their doorbell stopped Kent in midsentence. He couldn’t help but wonder who it could be on a Tuesday morning. They hadn’t ordered anything and Erica’s helpers had cleaned everything up to its pre-party state by seven Sunday night.

  Kent stood up and followed his brother out of the office and down the short entrance hall to the front door. When Brent opened the door, both of them stared at their guest for a long four seconds before Brent thought to open the screen door and invite her inside.

  “Erica,” he said.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Hi. I hope you don’t mind that I just showed up like this. I should have called first.” She couldn’t believe she was there in the first place.

  “Of course not. Come on in,” Brent said throwing the door wide.

  “Did you bring the kids?” Kent asked, looking behind her to where her car was parked.

  “Um, no. They are at school right now. They still have a few more days till finals and classes are out for the holidays.” She looked around, putting off looking up at them. She was afraid she’d lose her courage if she gazed into their deep blue eyes.

  “Let’s make some coffee, I’m ready for a cup, myself,” Kent said, strolling toward the kitchen.

  Erica followed him, well aware of Brent bringing up the rear. She could feel his heated gaze on her ass. Maybe she was projecting things, but it felt as if he were staring at her there. He’d made no excuses when she’d caught him staring at her ass before, just like the fact that Kent had a thing for her breasts. It didn’t make her mad or uncomfortable other than the fact that it got her pussy wet and her nipples stiffened to hard points that rubbed against her bra. It made her feel sexy when as a mother, she didn’t feel that way anymore.

  “Have a seat, Erica. How are the kids? Are they excited about Christmas?” Brent asked as Kent started setting up the coffee maker.

  “They’re fine. I can’t believe you even thought you needed to ask about Christmas. It’s all I can do to keep them from shaking their gifts,” she said, smiling at him.

  “I remember watching the kids at home trying to sneak around and shake the gifts when no one was looking. Kent and I enjoyed wrapping up weird things in the boxes with their presents to throw them off,” Brent said.

  “I remember when we put that baby rattle in Kevin’s package. He opened it up and found it but didn’t even notice the real gift,” Kent said.

  “Yeah, he thought Trisha was trying to tell him she was pregnant again. He turned white as a sheet,” Brent said with a laugh.

  “That’s really a good idea. I’ll have to remember that for next year,” Erica told them.

  “How are you doing, babe? Don’t get me wrong, but you look like you haven’t been sleeping well. Have your ex in-laws bothered you anymore?” Brent asked, his entire demeanor serious now.

  “No! No. They haven’t approached me or the children. The sheriff said he made sure they knew about the report he made though he told them that I wasn’t pressing charges out of the goodness of my heart.” Erica couldn’t stop squeezing her hands into a tight ball.

  “I like our sheriff. I want to make sure and vote for him in the next election,” Kent said.

  “I—I’m here because–because I miss you. I love my kids and would never do anything to hurt them or put them in harm’s way, but I miss you and it’s not fair that I have to give everything up because they don’t approve.” There she’d said it.

  Kent didn’t say a word. He walked over from where he’d been standing next to the coffeepot and knelt on the floor next to her chair. Brent got up and walked around behind her to wrap his arms around her shoulders. Kent took her hands into his and kissed them.

  “Erica, baby. We know you would never do anything to put your children in danger. You are the best mother in the world to those kids. I can’t believe anyone outside of those a
ssholes who could in good conscious say anything about how you’ve raised your children,” Kent said.

  “We’ve missed you, too. We’ve wanted to come see you every day but respected your need to protect the kids,” Brent told her.

  Erica didn’t know what to do anymore. She’d fallen in love with them and knew that if she chose to see them it would mean a fight with Chuck’s family to keep her kids. It wasn’t fair. She couldn’t stop the tears when they began to run down her cheeks.

  “Look at us, Erica,” Kent said.

  She looked up and found both men on their knees next to her. They looked as if her tears were tearing them up inside, and maybe they were. She knew they cared about her.

  “We love you, baby,” Brent said out of the blue.

  “I-I. You love me? Both of you?” she asked dumbfounded. She’d never expected them to fall in love with her, at least not so soon. Men needed time to accept how they felt before they ever actually told a woman.

  “Yes, both of us,” Kent said. “You and the kids mean more to us than anything. We want you in our lives and will do anything to make that happen. Just tell us what we can do to make it easier on you.”

  “I don’t know. I think I’ve fallen in love with both of you as well. I’m scared. I can’t lose my children, but I don’t want to lose you guys either. I guess I’m being selfish, but I can’t help it.”

  “We won’t let that happen babe. Trust us. We would as soon cut off an arm as to be a part of that happening. We’ll step aside if it comes down to that, but we don’t think it will. You’re a wonderful mom, Erica.” Brent leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips.

  “What are we going to do?” she finally asked.

  “Make love, baby. We’re going to make love and talk about our strategy later,” Kent said, getting to his feet.

  Brent stood up as well and held out his hands to her. Erica looked up at both men and made a decision. She’d risk a broken heart to have at least one memory with them. If things worked out, she’d be the happiest woman in the world. If they didn’t, she’d always have this. She took his hands and allowed him to pull her to her feet.