Sin City Baby

by Rye Hart

  It felt like home and I couldn’t have been happier.

  When we all got along, I held out hope that we could all find some way to work things out with Kyra. Even though she was showing us this affection, it was still clear she hadn’t made a decision. I watched as Harper put on a pot of coffee and Blake brought out all the condiments we’d need for breakfast and, all the while, we all kept stealing glances at her.

  Kyra. Our Tinkerbell.

  What we all needed was a Christmas miracle. Something to let us know that the present we had planned for tonight wasn’t going to blow up in our faces. The affection this morning was a start but I could see the nerves permeating Harper’s gaze as he sat down across from me.

  I wanted to reassure him this would all work out but the honest to fuck truth was I really didn’t know if it would.

  “All right, you guys,” she said as she set the pancakes down on the table. “I want to head out to the hospital soon. But before I do, I have something for each of you.”

  We all watched her in silent confusion as she backtracked into the living room.

  “Does anyone know what she’s about to do?” Ethan asked.

  “Does anyone know if she’s made a decision yet?” Harper asked.

  “Does anyone know if we pulled this shit off?” Chance asked.

  They all looked at me and I gave a quick nod of my head. They all relaxed just as Kyra came in with an armful of presents. She handed them out one by one, a massive smile on her face while we slowly opened our presents.

  “I wanted to give them to you at the hospital but I figured here was better since we were all up for breakfast,” she said.

  I turned the present over in my hands before I unwrapped it. I ripped the paper off and stuffed it down next to me and what I found made me smile. It was a framed picture of Kyra in the most beautiful outfit I’d ever seen. She was smiling that beautiful smile that I’d fallen in love with back when I was nothing but a teenage boy and her hair was blowing around her face at just the right angles. But I realized there was something in the corner. A little note she had written right on the photo itself.

  Dearest Owen,

  Thank you for showing me that I’m stronger than I think. And thanks for always being there to listen.

  Love Always,

  Kyra

  I looked up at my other brothers and saw they all had different pictures. Different pictures with different outfits and different messages written to all of us. I read it over and over, her voice echoing in my mind, before I ran my fingertips over her features.

  Her picture was radiant, just like the smile she was giving all of us now.

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “This picture is gorgeous,” Ethan said.

  “These are recent,” Rowan said. “When the hell did you find time to get these done?”

  “I care about each of you,” she said. “And I’m so blessed to have all of you in my life. I know it’s not much, especially with the gifts you guys got me—”

  “It’s perfect,” I said as I looked up at her. “Just like you.”

  I knew exactly where I wanted to put it and I gave her a kiss on the cheek as I stood from the table. I headed on up to my room and found my work desk. I placed it right on the corner so she could watch over me. As a successful I.T. consultant, I had the great luxury of working from home. Harper and I kept watch over the house while the rest of the brothers worked in offices and schools in town, but because we’d all been successful right here in Colorado, we never felt the need to leave.

  My brothers never talked about it, but the year our parents died was hard on us all. They passed away five years ago in a plane crash that left us baffled and irate and it took time to put ourselves back together. Kyra was there as much as she could be with her studies and we loved her for it. But when our parents died, we felt more rooted to this house than ever.

  It was why going through with this Christmas surprise was going to be hard on all of us.

  At first, I couldn’t accept Harper’s plan. I was against it in all its forms. But then, he started explaining to me all the benefits that would come with it. All the things we could do with our lives and how this present could show Kyra that we were all in this for the long haul. That we could love her, take care of her father, and support her in whatever path she chose to take with her life.

  As I sat there in my work chair and stared out across the snow-covered mountain roads, I closed my eyes and sighed. We celebrated the holidays every fucking year in this house and, after our parents died, we kept the traditions going. Dad loved football on Christmas Eve and Mom always had to have a real tree that was decorated the entire month of December. Those were two staples in our house growing up and I wanted to see to it that it stayed that way.

  But as I sat there with Kyra’s picture on the edge of my desk, I realized something. I realized I could sit in a room with her pictures plastered on the walls. I could fill my desk with different pictures of her and still never get enough. I could fill my wallet to the brim and place them on the dashboard of my car and I’d still want for more of her.

  That was why we were doing what we were.

  That was why Harper picked the present he did.

  That was why we needed a Christmas miracle. Because we weren’t just uprooting ourselves and starting a brave new life.

  We were asking her to do the same.

  “Knock knock.”

  I was pulled from my reverie by the sound of Rowan’s voice.

  “That’s a beautiful picture,” he said. “In mine, she’s in this green dress with white leggings and brown boots.”

  “Sounds just like Kyra,” I said.

  “Look, I know this plan’s been hard on you but I wanted to let you know that I got the deal closed.”

  “Wait, you did?” I asked.

  “Yep. Just got off the phone with Melinda. Harper did his job, you did yours, and I was able to wrap things up.”

  “So, this is happening,” I said as I stood.

  “It appears so.”

  The two of us stared at one another for quite some time before Rowan broke the silence.

  “I miss them, too,” he said.

  “Why don’t we ever talk about it?” I asked.

  “Because it’s too painful, I guess.”

  “Do you think Mom and Dad would’ve approved?” I asked.

  “I think the bigger question is, will Mark approve?”

  I chuckled and shook my head before I drew in a deep breath through my nose.

  “You think Kyra will go for it?” I asked.

  “I honestly don’t know. She seems to be in high spirits. She’s getting ready to head back to the hospital now. I wanted to come tell you the news, then tell you to get cleaned up. She’ll probably be ready in about fifteen minutes.”

  “One thing you can’t accuse her of is being high maintenance,” I said.

  “Trust me, it’s a blessing in disguise,” Rowan said.

  “That a reference to Melinda?” I asked, chuckling.

  “Sure. That’s what we’ll go with.”

  I wrapped my arms around my brother and clapped him on the back. This was it. The moment was almost here. All we had to do was ask for Mark’s permission and then we could introduce Kyra to our idea.

  Our massive Christmas idea.

  “Merry Christmas, brother,” I said.

  “Merry Christmas, Owen.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE - ROWAN

  I actually couldn’t believe we did it. Chance and Ethan were both taking Kyra back to the hospital while the rest of us were putting the finishing touches on everything. Melinda called to confirm that everything had gone through and I was able to get on the computer and electronically sign everything. All of us were high-fiving one another and hugging each other and it was then I realized something.

  We still had a few hours before we presented this to Kyra.

  “You guys,” I said. “I have an idea.”

  �
��Fuck, Rowan, don’t you think we’ve pulled off enough ideas?” Owen asked.

  “Let the man speak,” Harper said. “What is it?”

  “Well, Chance and Ethan are taking Kyra to the hospital, so they’ll be a while. Why don’t we put a few finishing touches on the gift? You know, to make it special?”

  “Isn’t it already special?” Blake asked. “What more could we add?”

  Once I told them what I was thinking, they were all over it. We rushed out of the house and piled into our cars, then drove to where we were needed. These modifications were going to be wonderful, but we really had to pay attention. Kyra was going to want us at the hospital for lunch, so we had to be quick.

  Once we were done, we all showed up at the hospital. It was just after lunchtime and we all brought food with us. I kept showing Chance and Ethan pictures while Kyra was talking with her father. We all hugged Mark’s neck and celebrated with him but Kyra kept giving us strange looks.

  “Where were you guys all morning?” she asked.

  “Just working on a Christmas miracle,” I said, grinning.

  Kyra giggled and shook her head and the sound that filled the room stopped us all in our tracks.

  “You can keep being mysterious if you want,” she said.

  “Hey, does anyone want coffee?” I asked.

  I threw my brothers a look before they all slowly started to nod.

  “I could use some,” Chance said.

  “Fuck yeah,” Ethan said. “I’m always up for coffee.”

  “You know that’s a stupid question to ask me,” Harper said.

  “Black as night, sweet as sin,” Blake said.

  “Hey, I know that one,” Owen said. “Anansi Boys, right?”

  “Okay, I take it we all want coffee,” I said. “Kyra, would you mind?”

  Mark shot us a look as I placed my hand on his foot. Kyra’s shocked face melted into one of confusion, then she crinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out at us. Now that we were all here, we needed to get her out of the room. We needed to talk to her father without her here before we could present her with the gift we’d actually been able to pull off.

  “I’m not a serving wench,” she said.

  I felt my chest tighten with nerves before she stood to her feet.

  “But… it’s Christmas. So, I’ll make an exception. But just for you guys.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief as she headed out the door. Then we all gathered around Mark.

  “How you feeling?” I asked.

  “Curious,” Mark said.

  “Rowan, you wanna do the honors?” Blake asked.

  Mark looked up at me with a curious look but there was a glint in his eye that told me he knew what was coming. Or at least, he thought he did. I took his hand and squeezed it tight, trying to communicate to him the love and respect I had for him.

  The love and respect we all had for him.

  “Mark, your daughter is an incredible woman,” I said. “She’s caring, and thoughtful, and beautiful beyond all reason.”

  “Yep,” he said.

  “And my brothers and me, you know, we love her and respect her for everything she is,” I said.

  “Uh huh.”

  “We would do anything for you,” I said. “Do you know that?”

  That time, he stayed silent.

  “We were hoping we could get your permission,” I said. “To spend the rest of our lives with her in Colorado.”

  A look of confusion fluttered over his face before his eyes started dancing around all of us. I kept a hold on his hand, knowing the coffee would take Kyra some time to juggle. We all stood around, waiting for him to put things together, but I knew it was going to take a bit more explaining.

  “What do you mean, son?” he asked.

  “We’ve all fallen in love with your daughter, Mark,” I said. “But… we can’t make her choose. We won’t. She’s been through enough and we know she loves us all equally and never could make that decision anyway. So, we’ve all chosen to love her and support her together.”

  Now it was clicking and the look he was giving me was nothing short of shock.

  “I mean, six guys are better than one anyway,” I said, snickering. “She’ll want for nothing, she’ll always have a home, there’ll always be someone to talk to, and no matter who’s working or who’s traveling, there will always be someone with her.”

  “You’re serious,” he said.

  “As a… well… yes,” I said.

  I saw a lopsided smile grace Mark’s cheeks and, for a moment, I thought it was for the very inappropriate joke I’d almost made. But then, he started to chuckle. Then he started to laugh.

  Then, he actually started to nod his head yes.

  “Holy hell, I hoped my daughter would end up with one of you boys,” he said. “Go fucking figure she’d snag you all.”

  Laughter trickled around the room and I shook my head in astonishment. We’d actually done it. We’d actually gotten her father’s permission. And more than that, Mark actually seemed happy about it. All the brothers started shaking his hand and giving him hugs and there didn’t seem to be any sort of hesitation in the answer he’d just given us. There was no backtracking and no questions. There was no anxiety and no anger.

  Just mutual respect for all parties involved.

  “All right, boys, I’m only gonna say this once,” Mark said. “By doing this, you’re making a promise not to hurt her.”

  “Yes, sir,” Chance said.

  “You’re making a promise to protect her.”

  “Always,” Owen said.

  “But you’re also making me a promise to protect her from this town,” he said darkly. “If they catch wind of what you guys are doing, they’ll tear her to bits. I won’t let that happen.”

  “I promise you, we’ll protect her from it,” I said. “She will never want for another thing on this planet and she will be safe for the rest of her days.”

  “Good,” Mark said. “Because I always keep my shotgun loaded.”

  “I got the coffee!” Kyra announced.

  Her eyes landed on her father who was still smiling and, in an instant, the coffee was on a table and she was shoving me out of the way.

  “Daddy, what is it?” she asked. “What’s got you so happy?”

  “It’s Christmas, sweet pea,” Mark said. “And sometimes, it’s simply full of miracles.”

  “What’s he talking about?” she asked as she looked up at me. “Did they give him more medicine again?”

  We all chuckled at her reaction before we were all silenced. All of us watched as Mark moved. He sat up on his own, despite the limp side of his body, and he moved his face toward his daughter. We all watched in shock as tears sprung to Kyra’s eyes and, in an instant, her arms were around her father’s body.

  “Daddy, what are you—”

  Then, without another word, he slung his arms around his daughter and pulled her face into the crook of his neck.

  “I love you, baby girl,” he said into her hair. “Merry Christmas.”

  The sound of Kyra crying tears of joy filled the room and it took everything I had not to cry right along with her.

  CHAPTER THIRTY - ETHAN

  I shoved my hands into my damn coat pocket, fingering the two gifts I had for Kyra. I was hoping to catch her before she walked back into the fucking room but we were all so focused on Mark’s answer that she slipped in before I could catch her. Now, she was hugging her father’s neck while we all stood there in shock and I felt like I was intruding on a private moment meant for just the two of them.

  So, I left the room.

  I went out to the nurse’s station to get some air. Well, not fresh air, but air nonetheless. That room was fucking crowded with all the men in it and my mind started to whirl with all the things that had just happened. We got Mark’s permission. Which meant we’d be moving out of our home. Which meant we’d be leaving behind the secrets and the laughter that had buried itself into the walls
over the years.

  We’d be leaving our childhood home that held so many memories for us.

  I thought about Mom. What she would’ve thought about all of us doing something like this. I thought about all the holidays we’d spent without her and how empty those first few had been. The plane crash was fucking devastating. I hated remembering that day. I hated every damn thing about what occurred that day. Kyra called sobbing before we even knew what the fuck was going on and I could still remember the way Chance screamed when he turned on the television.

  I remembered the way I drove like a bat out of hell to get to the airport. I remembered Harper on my fucking tail, trying to get me to come back home as I barreled through the airport. I didn’t know what the hell I thought I was going to do in the damn airport but I knew I couldn’t just sit in that fucking house.

  Sit there and listen to how some plane crashed in a damn field and left no survivors.

  Mom and Dad loved Kyra. That much was for sure. But did they love her enough to accept something like this? Obviously, Mark did, which meant Mom probably would. She was always a sucker for romance and shit like that. Dad was the quiet one. Always kept to himself, like Harper did. I always used to think about how weird he fucking was. How he didn’t wanna get out and enjoy life and go on rides with me and shit when I offered.

  He had a bike and I couldn’t understand why he’d have a bike but not ride the damn thing.

  I later came to find out the fucking thing didn’t work. That was my way of coping with the death of my dad. We didn’t talk about it. The brothers never fucking mentioned it. That was just how we were. It was too much for us. Their deaths were partially why we’re all so damn successful now because we all threw ourselves into fucking work to deal with it.

  I told myself that when I was done with Dad’s motorcycle, I’d sell it and be over it. But instead, I kept his bike as my own and sold the one I’d bought with my own damn money.

  I just wasn’t ready to give it away.

  As I fingered the gifts in my pockets, I couldn’t help but wish the two of them were here.