Page 11 of Holly's Christmas Biker

CHAPTER

FIVE

Holly

“Mama?” Mina asks as we walk back over to our house along the walkway from my grandparents’. Since it’s raining, I’m glad he created a covered path; the last thing I need is for one of us to get sick because we were exposed to the elements.

She and Ruby are full of excess energy today; apparently, one of the children in their Sunday school class had a birthday and the mom brought in cupcakes for the kids. Sugar. Bouncy kids… yay! Grammy says it worked out well because this week’s lesson was about sharing with others. Unfortunately for me, my girls get a little bit hyper with certain foods; Grammy tells me that there are dyes that it’s been shown to increase hyperactivity in some children. I suspect my girls are in that group and make a mental note to do some research.

“What, baby?” I reply.

“Can we ask Mr. Rebel to come to Thanksgiving at Grammy’s house?”

Her question shocks me so much, I stop walking as I stare at her. “What? Why?” I question.

It’s not like they’ve had a lot of exposure to him, just at the grocery store then at the Halloween festival. He obviously made an impact on my oldest daughter for her to ask if he can come for Thanksgiving, because that’s the day we usually go and find our Christmas tree. It’s an annual tradition that we’ve had since I was a little girl.

“Because me and Ruby like him. Will you ask him?” she probes.

Taking a deep breath, I nod. “I’ll check with him, but Mina, he may have other plans with his brothers in the motorcycle club.”

“Maybe they can come too?” Ruby asks.

“How about we start with me asking Mr. Rebel first, okay?” I finally get out.

Somehow, I think my grammy would do it, but what blows me away is that my daughters want him to come to a family event. While Pappy engages with them and they love him to pieces, they are craving a male connection. Devin made it clear he wasn’t happy that I gave birth to girls. Guess he forgot his basic biology becausehewas responsible for that fact, not me. I was the incubator, so to speak. In any case, my babies were always begging for his attention which he didn’t give them. That was another reason I was quietly making plans to leave him.

Because my girls deserve better than that and I don’t need them feeling less than.

“You deserve better too, Holl,”my mind whispers.“Maybe Rebel will answer all your unanswered prayers.”

I shake my head at my musings; just because he told me earlier he wanted to go out with me, doesn’t mean he’s picturing a future with me and my girls. While lost in my inner ramblings, we make it to the house and I unlock the door, ushering the three of us inside.

“Okay, Mama. Doesn’t Tiny Sparkles come back soon?” Mina asks.

“What’s today’s date? Go look at the calendar and tell me how many more days,” I tell her, hanging up our jackets.

While she and Ruby go to figure that out, I head into the kitchen, pull out the browned ground beef and set about making a crockpot full of chili. The weather has changed to a colder climate and the feeling in the air is one that is frosty and insistently says, ‘eat warm food’. Both of the girls love my chili, and it’ll let me spend some time with them while doing some of the chores I’ve not done this weekend. I have a mountain of laundry to fold, which isn’t my favorite household task, but it’ll be easier to face after putting on a movie and getting lost in the background noise. I can let the girls match the socks which will make them feel included plus teach them responsibility.

“Eighteen days, Mama,” Mina says in an excited voice as she bounces over to the counter where I’m putting in the last of the ingredients together for our chili.

“Then that’s when she’ll be back.” My remark has them growing peppy as they squeal and jump around on their toes. These are the moments with my girls that I’ll cherish the most in the future when they’re too old to spend time with their mom. Seeing them act like little kids instead of the quiet, almost robotic children they were just a few short months ago brings tears to my eyes.

Devin, I know your mother thought the sun rose and set out of your ass, but you were a bonafide jerk face, not only to me but to these precious girls,I mentally chide. I know he can’t hear me, but goodness, it’s been very freeing to let go in this manner so I don’t blow up around my babies. They don’t deserve that at all, and from now on, they won’t be touched by anything so evil again.

I’m in the middle of doing the monthly invoicing for one of my customers when I hear a knock on my door. Glancing at my phone, I don’t see a text from Grammy saying she wants to stop by so I have no clue who could be here. I save what I’m working on then head to the front door just as I hear another knock.

“Who is it?” I ask.

“Rebel.”

Dang, even through the door his timber does something to me, and I know my face is flushed when I open the door. “Hey,” I say, my voice breathy sounding.

“Hey,” he replies. “I took a chance coming by and I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“Not really. Just working on some billing for one of my customers,” I explain, opening the door wider. “Come on in.”

He does so and I smell something delicious coming from the bag he’s carrying. “I brought some lunch.”

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