“On the floor,” Kira added helpfully, pointing to a spot near the tree.“You’re too tall for a chair.”
I glanced at the hard floor, then took stock of my still-healing ribs.Pain had warned me to avoid sudden movements and awkward positions, but I had no hope in hell of denying them when they gave me those big eyes, wide and full of excitement.Which made the decision for me.
“Lead the way,” I said, resigned to my fate as I gestured for them to go ahead.
They both took my hands and led me to the spot they’d chosen.I braced one hand against my side where the worst of the bruising remained and went to my doom willingly.The movement sent a sharp jab of pain through my torso that nearly took my breath away.I managed to control my expression, but a hiss of discomfort escaped through clenched teeth.
“Are you okay?”Kira asked immediately, her brow furrowing with concern.
“Just a little sore still, darlin’.Nothing to worry about.”I finished lowering myself to the floor, crossing my legs in front of me.The position pulled at my healing ribs, but it was bearable.“See?I’m fine.”
Zelda studied me skeptically, her eyes narrowed.“You’re still hurt from fighting Dad.”
“Not your dad anymore,” I corrected gently, meeting her gaze.“And I’m healing up just fine.Now what’s this surprise you’ve got planned?”
The girls exchanged a look, communicating in that silent way they had, before Zelda nodded decisively.“Stay right there.Don’t move.”They darted back to the decoration table, and I saw them gathering materials with the serious concentration of artists selecting their medium.When they returned, their arms were full of tinsel, battery-powered string lights, and sparkly beads that had been draped on smaller trees around the room.
“We had so much fun last time, we’re going to turn you into a Christmas tree again.Besides, Christmas trees are an important thing this time of year,” Kira announced, her voice solemn as though imparting great wisdom.
I raised my eyebrows, looking from their expectant faces to the pile of decorations now scattered around me on the floor.“Again?”
“Yep,” Zelda clarified, already sorting through the tinsel.“You’re big enough even sitting down.And it’s much more fun to decorate you than a stupid old tree.”Yeah, I heard the humor in Zelda’s voice.
A laugh rumbled up from my chest, making my ribs protest again, but I couldn’t help it.“Can’t argue with that logic, I suppose.”I heaved out a sigh.“Fine.I guess Christmas only comes once a year.”
“Except for Christmas in July,” Zelda added, not even looking at me as she focused on her task.
Kira beamed at me, clearly taking my response as enthusiastic consent.“You did pretty good last time, but you have to remember to hold really still,” she instructed, carefully unwinding a strand of battery-powered lights.Again.
Fuck my life.
On second thought, no.If the girls wanted to turn me into a human Christmas tree every night until next Christmas, who was I to argue?Especially when it made them look and act so carefree.
I settled more comfortably on the floor -- or rather, as comfortably as possible with cracked ribs, and prepared myself.Zelda approached first, draping a length of silver tinsel around my shoulders like a scarf.She stepped back, head tilted critically to the side, then adjusted it slightly.
“Your beard needs decorating too,” she decided, picking up a handful of smaller tinsel strands.With surprising gentleness, she began to weave them through my braided beard, her tongue poked between her lips in concentration.Meanwhile, Kira had circled behind me, carefully wrapping a string of colored lights around my upper arms.
“Is this okay?”she asked softly, her eyes serious as she checked my face for any sign of discomfort.
“It’s perfect,” I assured her, and was rewarded with a smile that lit up her whole face.
I sensed rather than saw our audience forming.A few chuckles reached my ears, followed by the distinctive click of phone cameras.Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Knight with his phone raised, a shit-eating grin on his face that told me these photos would be circulating among the club members for years to come.
“The great James ‘Tiny’ Reeves, brought to his knees by two fierce young women armed with tinsel, lights, and beads.”Griffin teased, passing behind Knight.
“I’m sending this to my sister, Susie.Her husband, Stunner, will sympathize.”Gunnar stood at the edge of the crowd, snapping pictures.
“Perfect timing,” Hannah, Gunnar’s twin and Knuckles’ wife laughed as she looked at her phone.
She turned it to Gunnar who snorted cider out his nose, coughed several times, and wiped his nose on the back of his sleeve before collapsing into a nearby chair because he was laughing so hard.“I swear to God, that never gets old.”
“What never gets old?”Zelda asked, turning from her task to walk over to Hannah.To my consternation, every kid in the place came over and got a hand in this whole human Christmas tree project like someone had thrown up an emergency flare.
Zelda squealed, snagged Hannah’s phone and ran to Caleb.And I got a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.Especially when Gunnar snorted another drink out his nose.This time, he just let the drink drip into his short beard while he outright guffawed.
When Zelda and Caleb returned, Caleb was wearing the biggest shit-eating grin I’d ever seen.Zelda was carrying a bucket as she hurried over.
Again, like some kind of invisible signal went up, the kids abandoned me to gather around the bucket and Zelda.Meanwhile, Caleb went to stand with the others, watching with varying degrees of amusement.
