Filed To Story: The Lingering Kiss of Farewell Novel
“We’ll unpack and then come and help make lunch,” Kay told her, and she was greeted by all of his family, even his niece and nephew. They all even managed to call her Marilyn. Veronica looked her over and shook her head. “He’s a damned fool, and if I were you, I’d smack him up the back side of his head damned hard, every day for the next eight years.”
She’d chuckled softly and shook her head, “I don’t need that temper of his directed at me ever again. So no, thank you. But it’s a nice thought. Maybe I’ll imagine it every day.”
“I’ll do it.” Veronica laughed. “Won’t even tell him why.” She’d stated and headed upstairs to put her things in her room. The house was going to be completely full, she realised, thankfully she and the boys hadn’t claimed a bedroom inside the house or more than one of them would have to stay in the guest house.
They were all in the kitchen talking and eating when Calvin walked in and looked at everyone. “I see you have all decided to come today.” he kind of frowned.
“Marilyn and the twins are here for the first time, so we are all here. Christmas, son, is for family, and we are Marilyn and the boy’s family. Even if she doesn’t recall us,” his mother told him. “I won’t be denied getting to know the boys or Marilyn once more.”
He kind of sighed but said nothing on the subject, just asked if anyone wanted to come and help him unload the car. The twins were up and telling him they would. Marilyn held out half a sandwich to him, and he smiled at her and took it. “Thank you.”
“I’m making them for everyone.” She shrugged and turned back to talking to his mother and sisters. She was still making them theirs. There were a lot of mouths to feed, and though Kay was standing right next to her helping she’d refused to let Kay make everyone’s lunch by herself. She knew how to make food.
Both her boys and Malcom helped Calvin bring in what he’d bought, and it was placed in the formal living area. His mother frowned at the fake tree and shook her head. “Now son, we always have a real tree.”
“You try and get one on Christmas Eve, and I wouldn’t even know where to get one,” he stated. “This will make do for this year.”
She sat on the arm of the lounge and watched as Calvin and Malcom put up that tree and Kay huffed and shook her head, looked at Marilyn and muttered where’s the lovely smell of pine to go with the occasion.
She just chuckled. “I don’t have a real tree at my place. But then If the boys want to decorate a real tree, we live on six acres in the middle of the woods, they can just go and pick one,” she smiled.
“Mum, mum, the new house has so many trees.” Vincent ran over to her and smiled up at her. “We can have a white Christmas next year at the new house.”
“We likely could.” She nodded. “It’ll be very pretty with that view of the lake, all the snow and surrounded by pine trees.”
“What does that house look like?” Kay asked her.
“It’s bigger than this house,” she stated, with a half smile to herself. “It has nine bedrooms and three guest suites. Do you want to see pictures?” She asked, ignoring the look she could feel coming from Calvin himself. He’d not seen pictures of it, she’d told him nothing about that house. At Kay’s nod, she pulled out her phone and showed her them, including the view.
“Now that is a nice house and the view, sweetheart. It would fit us all in for Christmas next year.”
She’d not really thought about that, but yes, she supposed it would. She now wondered, as she did the math, if her own subconscious mind had seen her buy a house that was tailored to having all of Calvin’s family at the house? “I know, it will make for good writing,” she smiled. “I’ve already started buying furniture for it, and I was recommended a nice couple to live-in and maintain the house and grounds. When I’m not there, they will move in after the new year. Cameron cleared them as all good.”
“Who is Cameron?” Kay frowned right at her now.
“Oh, he’s my security detail, to keep…” her eyes moved to Calvin, and she saw a deep frown mar his face, but he didn’t look at her. He didn’t know if she still had them. They had been at the new house setting up the security system until just yesterday, sorting out a full security room as well. She’d still wanted that; it would be finished and ready to go by mid-January.
“Do you really think you need that?” Kay sighed a little on the heavy side.
“Hmm, better to be safe than sorry.” She nodded. “Regardless of who I once was, I’m not her anymore and so… “she shrugged. “one can’t predict what will happen.”
Calvin looked at her a few times over the next hour, and then he stated “Marilyn, wouldn’t you like to help trim the tree with the boys?”
“I already did ours, this is for you and them.” She told him simply “Enjoy,” She knew he was trying to get her to a part of the family or maybe go over there and stand there next to him, but she wasn’t going to just give him what he wanted. Regardless of knowing, he was trying to make her feel as though she was part of his family
Calvin
The hoards were a nightmare for him, but he persevered and got a tree, and decorations had googled the nearest Christmas store. He wasn’t so much as worried about gifts, just decorations, though telling his mother and father Marilyn and the boys were here and out at Cliffside, she’d told him flatly they’d all make their way to Cliffside for Christmas then.
He’d picked up the tone she was using and knew it meant there would be no arguing with her about it. They could come for Christmas. All he wanted was a day with Marilyn and the boys, Bonding with the boys was easy, they wanted their dad around. What he wanted was to spend some quality time with them and Marilyn, and trimming a tree. Just the four of them together would show her he could be a family man.
Though pulling in the driveway and seeing three cars parked there, he’d huffed, they’d said for Christmas yet here they all were, and out the window went his plans to try and build some sort of bond with Marilyn, and have them be able to at least sit and talk easily before she was made to interact with his entire family.
Yet when he walked inside, she was standing right next to his mother in the kitchen, and they were making lunch for everyone. He liked seeing that, her with all of them and a part of him knew it would be good for her, might even bring some memories back to her of other Christmases she’d spent with them. She’d always been one to get in and help his mother.
But another part of him really had wanted today to just be the four of them, so she could not only see him in a family light, but in casual wear, and that he was of no threat to her at all. He’d smiled a lot at her last night while they’d all had dinner, but she’d just let the boys do most of the talking. Had nodded at him a few times but kept conversation to a minimum.
The boys were happy to help him and his dad, trim that tree and his niece and nephew were helping their mothers put up some of the decorations around the room. He’d tried to get her to come and help only to be told no, pretty much. She was, however, sitting on the arm of the lounge like Marrin had always done.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.