We spent Christmas with our families and it was amazing. Jesse’s family ambushed my parents and their house with Christmas decorations only days before Christmas and brought the seasonal spirit into our home.
I’ve been told, because I wasn’t there, at first that Abigail drove down from Lubbock, went over with Jaycee, Grandma Lila and their aunts, Savannah and Paige and with Callie front and center knocked on the door holding decorations. Jaycee sent me a picture of Callie and she was dressed up in the most adorable red velvet dress with white fur trim, black cowboy boots and Santa hat. They couldn’t say no was the text caption. I had no idea what she meant until the next one came in and it said, Get over here now. It was a picture of my dad pulling Christmas lights from a box.
I quickly texted Patrick and Jenny, Go to Mom and Dad’s and attached the picture before hopping in my car. As I put my car in gear, Patrick texted back, Heading over now. When I got there, I saw my dad pulling his ladder from the garage and Jesse’s dad, Stone, was walking with him carrying a tool box. Before I knew it, everyone was there. By evening, the house was lit up with Christmas lights and decorations, inside and out. I looked around for my mom but she had vanished. I wasn’t sure where she was until I smelled it and then I heard one then two, then three smoke alarms go off.
Everyone in the house startled at the noise when my mom walked back in the room and threw her hands up. “I was just trying to make popcorn to string on the tree.” She sighed and walked off. My dad, Patrick and I laughed and grabbed the closest things we could and started fanning the alarms so the beeping would stop.
“You should just use the microwave popcorn, honey, it’s so much easier,” Grandma Lila suggested when my mom walked back in the room. “I was." Mom mumbled.
“Alright everyone, as my thanks for doing all this, I’m taking everyone to Texas Pride for dinner.” Dad announced as he walked into the kitchen where my mom had retreated. He came back with her in tow and she still looked embarrassed. My dad turned to her and cupped her face so she would look at him. “Baby, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Understand?” He leaned down and kissed her, causing Mom to blush. She nodded and turned towards the door when my dad swatted her on the butt. She gasped, turned around and softly laughed before tossing him a wink.
Okie dokie, Mom and Dad!
Patrick didn’t keep his feelings in though. “Mom, Dad, there are children present. Please, do not do things like that.” His face scrunched up like he just ate something sour.
“Oh, Callie’s fine, Patrick. Don’t worry about her.” Paige told him with a laugh.
“Oh, I wasn’t talking about her. I was talking about me and Allie.” He shuddered, causing everyone in the room to laugh.
The next week we all met at Grandma Lila’s for Christmas Eve dinner. The Callaghan’s had driven in with the Jennings family. The Bradshaw’s, and Blue’s family were also there and so was mine. I remember thinking how blessed we all were. During the time Jesse and I have been married, he’s shared his family’s story. He told me about Jaycee, Blue and Rocky or Daniel, I guess I should say, and how everyone is connected. What happened to Jaycee and Abigail was terrifying and when I didn’t think it could get worse, he told me what happened to Daniel, Lina and Lincoln Jennings. What their husband and father did to them shattered my heart into a million pieces.
Everyone was having a wonderful time, but as the night went on, something became off. Jesse’s uncle Brock, Lincoln and Blue seemed on edge. Lincoln kept checking his phone until finally he saw something that caused him to smile and take a relieved breath. He looked over at Jesse’s uncle Brock and Blue, both nodded and then Jesse’s uncle Brock went to his wife and Blue went to Jaycee. Both whispered something in their ears and then both women turned and looked at Callie.
Callie who spent most of the evening coloring pictures was currently playing patty cake with Nash and giggling. Both women smiled and then Linc went over and sat down next to Callie and Nash. He said something that caused Callie to squeal and jump into Linc’s arms. Linc laughed and picked her up and started for the door.
It was only then I noticed everyone had gone quiet. The rumble of a motorcycle getting closer and closer sounded outside. Linc walked out the screen door and the sound of the motorcycle stopped. Callie squealed out in excitement, “Bwother.” Lina Jennings, with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face grabbed her cane and started for the door with her super hot tattoo covered boyfriend, Red.
I glance at Jesse, my eyes full of questions.
“Rocky, Daniel I mean.” He looks down at me guarded. “I won’t ever trust him, I don’t think. I sure feel fucking sorry for what happened to him though. If Jaycee, Abigail and Linc can forgive him, I guess I sure as hell should be able to, but I can’t. Not yet. Maybe I just need more time.” he confesses.
“Will he come in?” I look back at the door.
“No, he won’t. Linc said he’s ashamed and still feels guilt. He doesn’t want to upset Jaycee, Abigail or our grandma.” Jesse and I stand back together waiting like everyone else.
Everyone starts softly talking but stops again when tiny footsteps sound running up the porch and the front screen door swings wide open. Callie looks around and then runs up to the table where she’d been coloring. She opens her coloring book and flips through the pages. She stops on a page with a young princess and a knight on a horse. She carefully tears it from the coloring book and picks up a crayon and draws a heart on it then runs back out the door with it in hand. “Here, bwther. Mweey Chwistmas.”
My eyes go back to the room and everyone is making their way to the front window. I stand by Jesse and watch as Callie hands who I guess is Daniel the picture. He squats down next to her and pulls her close as he looks between her and the picture as she’s talking and pointing. It’s dark so I can’t see very much, only silhouettes, but I see enough to know that I can’t imagine this person being the same person who did all the horrible things Jesse told me about. Daniel pulls Callie into a hug and then carefully places the pictures down on his motorcycle seat before standing up and walking over and pulling his mom into a tight hug. I don’t have to see how tight because I can actually feel her grip all the way inside the house. He holds her just as tight for a long while before she finally releases him. Linc picks up Callie and looks over at Daniel and back at Callie as he’s explaining something. Whatever he says upsets her because she starts crying softly. I can hear her sniffles along with everyone else.
He’s leaving her.
Like me with my brothers, she doesn’t want him to go and can’t hold back the tears but she’s trying to be brave.
I turn around when I hear Grandma Lila say, “I can’t take it.” She walks out the door and down the porch steps and over to Daniel. He starts to turn for his bike but she says something that stops him and he turns back and looks at her. She points over to the porch swing and then takes his hand and pulls him with her. Linc, still holding Callie follows along with Red and Lina. I lose view of them for a moment as they make their way up the steps but then I see him and I gasp. He’s beautiful but scary. Haunted. His long blonde hair is pulled back in a small ponytail and he has a light beard. He’s wearing a button down western style shirt, jeans and motorcycle boots. My eyes scan him as he turns and looks down at Grandma Lila who's still talking to him. He has tattoos everywhere. Everywhere that I can see anyway. But it’s the one on his upper chest and throat that catches my eye.
Sombra?
“Shadow.” Jesse whispers in my ear. “His dad told him he was too bad to live anywhere but the shadows so he became one.” Sadness fills my heart. “He works with a bunch of different agencies now, DEA, ATF, and those kinds. Takes on jobs no one wants. Dangerous. But maybe one day he’ll come back into the light. I know Callie is pulling him into it with everything she has.” Jesse shares as Grandma Lila walks back in the house and goes into the kitchen. I hear dishes clanking and a few moments later she comes back through holding a plate piled high with food and a
glass of sweet tea.
“It’s Christmas for God’s sake. This season is about love, forgiveness and rebirth. He’s been reborn and I’m not going to sit back and let that go unnoticed. God would want us to bring him back.” She goes to the front screen door and pushes it open with her hip and goes out to the porch.
It’s completely quiet and the room is thick with emotion but then something happens. I’m standing there with my arms wrapped around Jesse’s waist, my head on his chest, and tears in my eyes looking out the window with everyone else. I can hear sniffles going on behind me so I know I’m not the only one affected by this touching moment. Out of nowhere, Callie comes running by the window singing the most ridiculous Christmas song about Leroy the Redneck Reindeer and I’m pretty sure she’s messing up the lyrics but no one cares because it’s hilarious and everyone starts laughing.
Paige quickly complains, “Oh, Brock, I told you not to play that song around her. She won’t stop singing it.” She scolds. That gets a more chuckles but it gets worse when Callie runs back by the window. She stops, looks in, sees us, does a crazy dance and then throws her head back laughing before running off again and singing a new tune of “Jingle Bells, Batman smells—" Everyone loses it when she runs back by the window laughing like a little crazy person and yells, “Santa’s coming tonight!”
Everyone is now laughing hysterically when Jesse’s uncle Brock walks out on the front porch still laughing and calls for Callie. “Come on, you crazy elf. Let’s get your pajamas on and your teeth brushed so Daniel can read you a bedtime story on the swing.” he offers.
Everyone looks over at Daniel and he just gives a nod as he sets his almost empty plate aside.
Callie runs over to her daddy but looks back at Daniel. “Be wight back, bwther.” She promises and follows Jesse’s uncle Brock inside.
“While you get her ready for bed, I’ll get him some pie.” Paige offers.
Jesse’s uncle grabs a purple and pink tote with Callie’s name embroidered on the side and heads out of the room with Callie while Paige heads off to the kitchen only to return a few minutes later with another plate piled high but only this time with deserts. She walks out the front screen door and I can hear her talking with everyone before she comes back with the empty plate Grandma Lila had made. She walks into the kitchen and comes back a few moments later and looks at all of us. “I don’t know. Do what you think is best. Only what you feel comfortable with. Stay inside or head out. There’s no judgment or blame tonight. It’s Christmas Eve.” She grabs a couple of books off the end table. One is The Night Before Christmas and the other is Sleeping Beauty and walks back out.
Jesse and I turn when we hear shuffling. We stand back and watch Jaycee and Abigail walk outside with Blue and Nick following them. Next, Jesse’s uncle Duke and aunt Savannah walk out and Bradley and Connor follow behind them. Stone, Jesse’s dad looks around and then pulls Violet to him, takes a deep breath and then heads outside too. Slowly and one by one everyone makes their way outside. Jesse and I are the last and when we get out on the porch we see Grandma Lila and Jesse’s aunt Savannah sitting on some rocking chairs. Lina and Daniel on sitting on the porch swing. They both start to stand when Grandma Lila stops them. “Y'all stay there. It’ll be best for you when you rock Callie to sleep.”
Daniel looks around with uncertainty before dropping his head and settling back in.
It’s quiet until Grandma Lila says something I don’t understand but Jaycee and Blue must because they look at her surprised, then turn to Daniel and wait for an answer. “How many are left?”
Daniel looks at her but doesn’t say anything for a few moments. Finally, he speaks. “I’m sorry. I don’t understand.” His voice is deep and raspy but gentle.
Grandma Lila looks at Jaycee and Blue before looking at Lincoln, Lina and then back at Rocky. “How many are left on the list? How many more until this is over? How many until she’s safe? How many before you can come home and start living again, Daniel?”
Daniel’s eyes widen before he looks at everyone and then back at Grandma Lila. “Five.” he mumbles.
Grandma Lila starts to ask something else but the door opens and out walks Jesse’s uncle Brock holding a smiling Callie who’s wearing a red and white striped onesie. She looks like a beautiful, sweet candy cane. Callie sees the books her mommy is holding and takes The Night Before Christmas from her and then hands it to her daddy.
Jesse’s uncle Brock settles on the top porch step, Callie crawls in his lap and everyone goes quiet. There’s a breeze blowing but it’s so slight, it’s silent. The only tell of it blowing is the sound of the almost vacant tree branches scraping together along with the fallen leaves whispering against the top of the ground. We all have our eyes trained on Jesse’s uncle Brock and Callie as he starts reading. “Twas the night before Christmas...”
After he finishes Callie crawls sleepily from his lap and heads over to Daniel and crawls in his lap. Jesse’s Aunt Paige hands him Sleeping Beauty but before he can read it, Jaycee speaks up.
“Merry Christmas, Daniel.” Jaycee offers softly and she and Blue make their way to the door.
“Yeah, Merry Christmas.” Blue adds and follows Jaycee inside the house.
Daniel watches in disbelief as Blue and Jaycee disappear inside the house. “Merry Christmas, Jaycee, Blue.”
“Yeah, Merry Christmas. I need more pie. You?” Chase asks and Daniel shakes his head. Chase nods and walks back in the house.
“Hey, Merry Christmas.” Jake throws in next and he and Kore make their way back in the house.
Soon everyone is wishing Daniel a Merry Christmas and making their way back inside. Callie is smiling and looking between Daniel and everyone as Daniel nods to everyone. They’re heading inside so Daniel and Callie can have their time.
Jesse and I make our way back in but before I close the door I hear Callie say to Daniel “Don’t go away, pwease.” She sniffles.
“I’ll be back. And then I’ll take you somewhere. We’ll do something just you and I.” Daniel promises.
I flashback to all those times my brothers made me the same promise and I take a deep breath as I think of Cody and send up a pray as I latch the screen door giving them their time.
God, please help Daniel keep that promise,
I’m sitting outside on a tire swing watching Callie go down her slide for the hundredth time. Everyone is gathered at Jesse’s uncle Brock and Aunt Paige’s for a home cooked dinner. Callie got a new jungle gym, so we came here so she could play on it while everyone visited. Jesse told me it was a gift from his aunt Paige’s mama's town. When he told me about baby Cole and everything that happened, my heart broke and then filled with warmth knowing Callie is here and loved after everything she’s been through.
No one has seen Daniel in a while but earlier I overheard Jesse’s aunt Paige tell Grandma Lila he calls her every few days and that he seems to be doing okay. I don’t know what Grandma Lila was talking about when she asked Daniel “how many are left” but I heard Blue tell her he now only had four left. Something about his words gave me chills.
Nick and Abigail have been busy planning the Callaghan Ranch upcoming 100th anniversary. In May they’re having huge gathering and are serving barbecue and a couple of bands will play. Almost the entire town is invited and said to be going. Jaycee told me they’ve also hired a carnival to set up on the grounds so there’s going to be rides and booths with games. Best part, everything is free although the local volunteer fire department and a few other small nonprofit or volunteer organizations are going set up booths. The VFD will have a dunking booth and for a donation you can sink or try and sink one of their hot firemen.
Jaycee said Abigail told her even most of the food was donated from people wanting to support the community and Callaghan Ranch for all they’ve done for the area. I’ve already been told by Jaycee in no uncertain terms that Jesse and I will be going. Jesse just laughed and told her of course we would. I can’t wait. My parents and Patr
ick and Jenny are going too and I want to introduce them all to Shane, Birdie and Hank. Nick’s parents are going to keep their home’s guest rooms and cabins available for us. Linc and Delta said they also have room and I was surprised when I heard that Lina said she and Red had a couple of rooms if anyone wanted to stay with them.
I’m still looking for a place for Holloway’s. I’ve seen a few places but nothing jumped out at me letting me know this is the place for mine and Cody dream.
“You’ll know when you know,” Jesse told me and I believe that. I also believe Cody is with me and will give me a sign when I find the right place for our dream.
Jesse’s uncle Brock told us he talked to some of his realtor friends and they passed on a couple of listings they thought I’d like and that fit my plans. He’s supposed to print out the information and give it to me today. I’m anxious to see what they are. I can’t wait to see my place, watch my dream come alive and share it all with Jesse. I’m drifting away day dreaming when I feel the rope on the tire swing tugged on and I squeal, loudly.
His Forgotten Love (A McGinty's Of San Antonio Series Novel Book 4) Page 15