Page 5 of Travis

“I’m sorry, man. She didn’t know. I didn’t know. Nobody knew. I thought you at least told Becky.”

“Well…err…that’s what I was getting at, Grayson.” I lick my lips. “What I didn’t tell you…is that Becky and I…well…we, sort of…” I trail off. “God, she made me promise not to tell.”

“And y’all haven’t spoken since.” Grayson guesses.

I stare at the floor. The cat’s out of the bag now.

…and so is the night with my wife that I’ll never forget.

Chapter 2

Becky - Two weeks ago

“God,it’slikeSantaClaus puked in here.” Sara, my sister, comments.

“Macey said she wanted it Christmas themed.” I shrug, with an evil, ‘told you so’ grin on my face.

She gives me a look. “She could have said she wanted real human blood and bones and you would have done it for her.”

Macey, my one and only niece, loves it when I decorate for any occasion. And, since she was old enough to ask, I’ve always made her birthday parties unique. That’s my present to her. That, and talking my folks into taking her for the night, that way she at least gets spoiled again. Ron and Sara have been on this irritating kick, where they don’t want their only child growing up spoiled, so they don’t allow candy, junk food, or more than one gift per guest. It’s utterly ridiculous, and ironic, considering that once Macey goes to my folks’ place, Ron breaks out the inappropriate adult games and beverages, and turns the Romper Room based party into something that makes the dogs circle the neighborhood and the cops complain that we’re disrupting the peace.

I sigh but don’t respond, as I twirl garland around the banister, while the diffuser plugged into the nearby socket, fills the room with a cinnamon scent. Mistletoe is hung over every door, and I’ve taken special care to decorate Macey’s room with everything from stockings to cascading sized boxes decorated to be real presents. If Macaulay Culkin were here, saving the house from Christmas vagrants, he’d be impressed. Even the dog is wearing a fake reindeer antler collar. I’ve covered all the bases.

“And I suppose mama and daddy are stealing her away for a night of debauchery, too?” she adds, almost snidely.

“Make sure Ron keeps the music down this year.” I warn, teasingly.

“Aw, shut up.” She waves, her tone telling me that she’s defeated.

I smile, satisfied. The house looks like something out of a magazine. I have really outdone myself this time. It cost a bundle, but it’s so worth it. “When is everyone getting here?”

“Should be here soon.” She answers, looking at her wristwatch. “I told Ron to bring Macey home from the park at four o’clock. I can’t believe you pulled this off in such a short time.”

I shrug. “It wasn’t that short.” Ron took Macey to work with him, since his boss is crazy about her, and then they went for lunch, and to the park. So, I’ve had since nine o’clock this morning to do the task. “I’m just about done.”

“Good, because I think I just heard a car pull up.” Sara says, running to the door. “Okay, a bunch of cars just pulled up.” She confirms.

“Excellent.” I say, getting up off my knees, as I finish with the garland. The next fifteen minutes it’s a flurry of people arriving, me taking gifts and food, greeting people, both family and friends, and just as I’m tucking something into the fridge, Sara appears in the kitchen, with a concerned expression on her face. “What’s wrong?”

A hand goes to her waist. “Okay, just FYI, it wasn’t my idea.”

My face falls. “What did you do.” My voice is low, expectant.

Sara lifts her hands. “I didn’t do anything. It was Ron. You know how he can’t say no to Macey.”

“Spill it.” I say, voice flat.

She sighs. “Travis is here.”

My jaw drops. “What?”

“God, Becky, he’s her favorite uncle. We couldn’t not invite him!”

“So, you knew about this!” I spit. “And you didn’t tell me until it’s too late to leave!”

“Come on, Beck. You know you’re not going to leave and abandon your favorite person in the whole world.”

“Watch me.” I say, going for strong conviction, but failing. She’s right. I can’t leave Macey. She’d be heartbroken.

---