Page 106 of Sexted By Santa
“Are you two fighting because of me?” she asked, sounding worried. “Please don’t be mad at each other. Everything is my fault.”
“Why don’t you tell me what happened?” I still didn’t understand how she’d gone from symptoms of cold or flu to such high blood sugar, disorientation, and breathing trouble.
“I have the flu,” she said. “It made my blood sugar too high.” Her voice shook a little as she added, “I lied when you asked about my glucose monitor readings. I told you I was fine.”
I gasped. “Youwhat?”
“I’m sorry.” She held out the gift, her eyes filmed over with tears. “You should take this back. I don’t belong on the nice list.”
“Ah, honey, no.” I pushed the gift back toward her. “That’s yours to keep. Iknowyou have a permanent place on the nice list. But why would you lie? I don’t understand.”
From behind me, Jaxson spoke. “It’s my fault.”
I half turned, heart thundering to see him standing there. With everything that had happened, he’d seemed so far away. But now he was close enough to smell, a mix of woodsy body wash and coffee. He looked handsome but nearly as tired and wrung out as his daughter.
Weren’t we a mess? We all seemed to be blaming ourselves.
“Can we talk?” Jaxson said. “In the hall.”
I glanced at Tori. She nodded encouragingly. “Make up with each other. It’s Christmas.”
“What makes you think we need to make up?” Jaxson said, sounding surprised.
Tori made a pfft sound. “You both look all sad and mopey.”
“Maybe we’re mopey over you being in the hospital,” I pointed out.
She stuck out her tongue, then pointed imperiously toward the hall. “Go. Kiss. Then you can both decide what my punishment will be.”
“Punishment?” Jaxson sounded startled.
Tori’s lips turned down. “I did a bad thing. You both think it’s your fault, but it’s mine, and it’s not okay that I lied.”
Jaxson frowned. “Okay, Christian and I will talk it over.”
I felt surprise flare. “We will?”
I’d half expected Jaxson to tell me to leave. Instead, he was including me in a parenting decision? I didn’t understand.
“If you’re going to be part of this family, then we need to talk about everything. I want us on the same page from now on.”
“Oh. I…I’d like that too. I know I messed up. I’m so sorry.”
Jaxson tilted his head toward the doorway. “Yeah, let’s talk then. You look like you have other places to be, and I’d like us to clear the air before you have to go.”
Other places to be? I glance down, remembering the Santa suit. The upcoming event. It had slipped my mind entirely as soon as I’d laid my eyes on Jaxson. “Right, yes. But nothing is more important than both of you.”
He smiled faintly. “Still, we wouldn’t want to disappoint children in the hospital on Christmas, would we?”
No. I’d disappointed quite enough people as it was.
* * *
Once in the hallway, Jaxson wasted no time. “Did you get my text this morning?”
I shook my head, wishing now I’d brought my phone. “No. I, uh…didn’t have a lot of hope you’d be any happier with me, so I didn’t look.”
“Well, I won’t say that I’m happy you left,” Jaxson said. “I know I was really focused on Tori, but I thought you’d be there when the dust settled.”
