Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 69452 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69452 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
It was humbling and pure.
The day Mom had died, I’d seen half of my dad’s soul leave with her.
“I’m happy for him,” Susan said softly as her and John joined us after giving up their seat next to Dad to one of our kids.
I looked down at her, as did my brother.
“I am, too,” Patty whispered. “He’s been so unhappy. It’s time for him to have his happiness back.”
Hours later, when it was time to go home, each one of us took our turns giving him a hug goodbye.
I was under no disillusion that this would be my last time to hug my dad.
He’d be leaving tonight.
It was Christmas, after all, and all of his most important things happened during Christmas.
He and Mom got married. I was born on the twenty-fourth. John the twenty-sixth. Annie Christmas, and Patty the day before Christmas Eve.
Hell, even their grandchildren had a lot of birthdays in the month of December.
Mom even died on Christmas.
This was his day.
He was leaving tonight.
“I’m going to miss you so much,” I whispered into his ear.
Dad’s hug was strong, just like it always was.
I hadn’t had near enough of his hugs lately, which shamed me.
Too wrapped up in my life to come see my old man.
I sucked.
“I’m so proud of you, Mark,” he murmured. “Be happy, son. You have been everything that I have ever wanted in this life, and I’m so proud to call you my son.”
The fucking tears welled up in my eyes, despite my insistence for them not to.
“I love you,” I croaked.
Dad kissed the side of my head. “Love you.”
My old lady had to drive home because I was crying like a fucking baby.
And late into the night, when Silas called to tell me my dad was gone, I started right back up again.
Chapter
Twenty-Four
It’s not just the ornaments that are well hung…
—Dixie’s secret thoughts
DIXIE
Present
“You okay, old man?”
I looked up to find the young man I’d all but helped raise standing in front of me.
He wasn’t looking so young anymore.
“Hey, Silas,” I said softly.
“You were just gonna go?” he asked. “Without telling us?”
I shrugged. “I figured it’d be easier for us all.”
“Absolutely not,” I heard Kettle say from behind him.
I looked up, my heart melting.
We’d been through so much together, this club and I.
“What are y’all doing here?” I asked.
He looked at the clock mounted on the wall, then at me. “Came to see if you wanted to go for a ride.”
I grinned.
Or tried to.
I was really fucking tired.
“Sure.” I hesitated. “But I don’t think I can hold that bike up even if I wanted to.”
Silas grinned. “Lucky for you, old man, I know how to ride with a bitch beside me.”
I chuckled.
It felt odd coming out of my chest.
I stood up, my bones aching as I did, and said, “Let’s go.”
“Here,” Sebastian said as he held out my coat.
Trance caught it and helped me into it.
Loki stepped up and had my cut waiting. “Can’t forget this.”
I smiled as he helped me into that.
Cleo, Torren, and Sterling and…fuck. Tunnel.
No, I had to remind myself.
He went by Ghost now.
“Ghost,” I croaked.
The scarred man smiled. “Didn’t think I would make it. Lucky your family knows how to talk and eat.”
I chuckled. “That they do, my boy. You look good.”
Ghost patted his bearded cheek. “It’s the beard. Hides all the scars.”
I walked up to him and pulled him into my arms. “It’s not the beard, son. It’s happiness. It looks good on you.”
Every time I saw the man, he looked fucking happier and happier.
I was so fuckin’ happy for him.
He threw his arms around me and said, “You’re not supposed to make grown men cry.”
I chuckled and said, “Let’s ride.”
Sebastian, Kettle, Trance, Loki, Cleo, Torren, Sterling, and Ghost all mounted their bikes.
I walked over to the sidecar and smiled.
It hadn’t been used for a very long time, though I’d never taken it off my bike.
There was only one person besides me that would ever use it, and that was my Mary.
“One last ride, old man?” Silas asked as he offered me his hand.
I took it, then lumbered into the seat. “One last ride.”
I smiled when he opened it up, leaned my head back, and closed my eyes.
Chapter
Twenty-Five
Bahumbug.
—T-shirt
DIXIE
Past, Present, Future
“Hello?” I answered the house phone, expecting to hear a friendly voice.
What I hadn’t expected to hear was a hysterical one.
I pulled the phone away from my ear, as if by doing so could calm the person down on the other end.
It was only when I heard “Daddy” that I realized who it was.
“Annie?” I asked, startled.
Mary looked up, and once upon a time, that move would’ve caused her beautiful hair to bounce and sway.
This time, like the last probably ten that she’d done it since we’d shaved all her hair off, it didn’t.
All that was left on the top of her head was bald skin.