“Olivia looks perfect!” Mom cried as she cuddled Liv to her chest.
Liv blinked at Mom and wrinkled her nose. Two seconds later, she made a soft mew and filled her diaper. Mom handed her over.
“Thanks, Mom,” I said dryly. Quickly, I changed Liv’s diaper before settling her back with Mom.
“I might have gone overboard,” Mom admitted as she sat in her armchair with Liv. I looked at the tree and smirked.
“No shit, Mom.” The tree was jammed packed, just like it used to be when I was a kid.
“Bullet would have adored her,” Mom said softly.
I glanced at the mantel above the fire. There was a large picture of Bullet, Mom, and me there. Mom was right; he would have done. Despite their best efforts, Mom and Bullet hadn’t had any more children. Bullet had taken me on as his son, and I’d been enough for him.
“Olivia would have made his day. A princess to spoil, Sunny. Bullet would have been in heaven,” Mom continued as a tear trickled down her face.
It didn’t matter how many years had gone by; once again, hate for Cutter surged, and I longed to rip his throat out. But the time had passed, and Chance and Bear had taken revenge for us.
“Let’s open some presents, Mom. It’s Liv’s first Christmas,” I said, and Mom blinked away her tears and smiled at me.
“That’s a sweet scene,” Margaret murmured.
“My daughter was my everything.”
“You say was.”
“Callie and the new baby are on a level with her now,” I replied to Margaret’s prying.
“Then why are you such a miserable bastard? If they mean so much, why can’t you celebrate with them?” Margaret challenged.
There was a flash, and I stared at Liv. She was about five in this memory.
“Daddy won’t be here for Christmas, will he, Gran?” she insisted.
“No, sweet pea, not this year.”
“Why is my daddy away, but others are home?” Liv demanded.
“Because your daddy is on tour, sweet pea. It means he’s abroad, and protecting us from baddies,” Cherry replied.
“I want Daddy home for Christmas! Kaitlin and Samantha’s father is!” Liv stamped her small foot.
“But they won’t get two Christmases,” Cherry said quickly. Liv cocked her head.
“What, Gran?” she asked.
“Well, see, Santa knows that your daddy is away for Christmas, that he’s protecting the world. That makes Santa sad. So, what he does is he arrives twice. He brings you some of your gifts on Christmas day and the rest on a second Christmas day that is going to happen when Daddy comes home,” Cherry said quickly.
With tears in my throat, I watched as Liv worked this through.
“Two Christmases?”
“Yes, sweet pea. And we have to decorate again as well,” Cherry said.
A beaming smile crossed Liv’s face. “Daddy will get presents then!”
“Is that what was worrying you?” Cherry asked.
“Yes, Daddy needs his presents from Santa, too. I don’t care if Santa doesn’t bring me any, but Daddy needs them because he works so hard.”
