“I did, Sunny, not anymore. You’re not the man I fell in love with. What I have from Jack is different from what we had, and that’s okay. A slow burn that I know will last rather than the fire I had with you. Bean and I need steady and dependable,” Callie replied, and I flinched.
“You can have the fuckin’ divorce,” I snarled and cut the call.
“No!” I exclaimed in horror. I turned to Ernest. “I can’t lose Callie.”
“Looks like your attitude will cost you your marriage,” Ernest said.
“Callie is mine; I claimed her!”
“Seems future Callie and your child think differently,” Ernest retorted.
Before I could argue, the house disappeared, and I stood in a living room I recognised.
Mom walked in, smiling at the decorations, but sadness mingled with her joy. Behind her came Liv.
“Gran, are you okay?”
“I will be sweet pea in time.” She shook her head. “I could just shake your father,” Mom replied.
“You heard?”
“Callie called to tell me and to invite us to the wedding. Sunny has thrown everything away. He grows more like Primal with every passing minute. Chance has told me that the brothers are worried about him.”
“Dad barely talks to me anymore. And forget Christmas. I don’t understand how he could have changed so much. Did he not want to be a dad again? Did Callie trap him?” Liv asked desperately.
“No! I know for a fact your dad wanted a family with her. But he’s got Primal in him, and his bastard genes have risen in your dad.”
“But Primal didn’t raise him! You and Bullet did,” Liv protested.
“I agree, but at the end of the day, he has Primal’s bad genes in him,” Mom said.
“Have you heard from him? Is he even going to visit?”
“Chance said he’s staring at the bottom of a bottle. I don’t expect him at all this week,” Mom said.
“It’s so tragic, Gran. He’s thrown everything away because he can’t get over himself. I don’t even know how to tell him I’mpregnant. No doubt Dad won’t be happy about it.” Liv sat down and wiped tears from her eyes.
“I don’t care if he is. I’m over the moon, sweet pea. This baby will be loved, and Callie is excited, too. You know she and Bean aren’t going anywhere,” Mom said.
“Yeah, but she’ll be with Jack and not our family anymore. Dad really messed this up.”
The scene faded, and I stared at Ernest. Horror and grief were rushing through me.
“Is this set in stone?”
“No. Not yet. But it will be unless you change your attitude.”
“I’ve seen enough,” I said to Ernest.
“But I’ve saved the best for last,” Ernest said and smacked me in the head.
“Where are we?” I asked.
“Where you will finally see the truth.”
I looked around.We were out in the open. It was snowing and cold, but I didn’t know where I was. I blinked as the thick snow began to ease, and I saw the lights of the Christmas Village below.
Ernest prodded me in the back, and I began walking towards the Village. I noticed the tunnel was dark, with half the lights off. A frown crossed my face as I finally reached the hotel and entered it. Concerned, I searched the hotel looking for signs of life. I finally found Simon and Fiona in the office.
