Page 4 of Mr. Mistletoe
I shrug and sip my drink. “I don’t need to be in there, I’m fine here.”
“You hidin’ but you’re too big to hide from people, Deac. Seriously son, what is goin’ on? You look like you’re goin’ to blow up my house. Me an’ and your mama would like to just be for awhile.”
This has me chuckling. Leave it to my old man to say some shit like this. “I’m fine, just heard the news.”
He smirks. “Ah. Your wife is comin’ back to town and you don’t know what to say or do, huh?”
I sigh shutting my eyes then opening them again. “Yeah, pop. I’m scared and I can admit that openly. I don’ wan’ this girl to break my fuckin’ heart again. I can’t take that shit anymore. It’s not in me.”
My dad nods in understanding. “You know I will support you in everything that you do. Both you and your crazy ass brother but I want you to know that I don’ ever want ya’ll to not do what ya’ll want. Let me ask you somethin’, you want this girl? Like if she came here and said, I want you, what would you say?”
I down my drink and take my stetson off placing it on the table. “I would take her back because I’ve never stopped loving her.” I say without hesitation. “Does that make me weird or a fuckin’ loser?”
“No, son, it makes you human. Even when you don’t feel like you are yourself anymore, find that center of yours. Your humanity and you will always have the right answer.”
I stare at my dad, I feel like he knows about me. About what’s going on but I don’t think it’s the right place or time to even tell him about it.
I sigh and my mother, Valentina Fairhope makes her entrance into the room. “What is this? Ya’ll are havin’ a party without me?”
I smile at my mother, while I resemble her and Mack, my dad. We are the opposite. I am as serious as my dad while Mack is funny and laid-back like my mother. They both know how to work a room and be a people person. My dad and I prefer to be left the hell alone. “Your son was just checkin’ in with me that’s all. Work stuff.” He looks at me and winks.
My mother rolls her eyes. “Righ’… that’s why my son looks like he’s going to lose everythin’ he holds dear?” She glares at my father but smiles then looks at me. “Her plane will land here tonight and you will go pick her up. She is your woman dammit and you will not lose her again.”
“Ma…”
“No,escúchame hijo,that girl is coming here and you will put your foot down like the Fairhope boy I raised.”
“We,” my father clears his throat.
Mom rolls her eyes. “Whatever. Anyway, you are Deacon Hiram Fairhope, a man of dignity and integrity. What’s a little heartbreak when you plan on lovin’ this woman til’ eternity.”
“Not many survive eternity, ma.” I say.
“But you will. You and her.Tu me entiendes?”
“Yes, mom.”
She shakes her head. “Say it in Spanish, you boys don’t speak it enough. I’m not the only Colombian around here you know?”
I chuckle as I stand and kiss her cheek. “I love you,mami. Te quiero mucho.”
“Good. You bastard. Put your stetson on and let’s go mingle the Fairhope way.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I reach for my stetson and as soon as we’re about to leave, both Valeria and Mack come in the room.
“What’s wrong?” Valeria asks me. “You okay?”
“I’m fine. Sheesh, do you guys think I can’t handle myself? I just needed a moment to think. That’s all.”
Mack smiles. “We’re the Fairhopes man, we always stick together. When one of us are down, we all can feel it. You know that.”
I nod and so does everyone else. My mom looks at Mack and cups his face with her hands. “You will heal too,Mijo.You have so much to give. So much heart and passion, too much if you ask me for the world but that woman, the lucky one for you, will love it. She’ll cherish it and you. So, don’t shut down. Never do that with us, okay Maverick?”
Mack smiles at mom. He places his hands over hers. “Te quiero, mami.With my soul, you know that right?”
My mom smiles. “I know.”
“I think it’s time for a Fairhope hug.” Valeria announces. She pulls me in first and we hug both Mack and mom.
