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)
“This time next year, we’re going to have a baby.” She confirmed, curling her hand around two of my fingers, then leaned into my shoulder. “We have to return that ring, Dix.”
“Absolutely not,” I disagreed. “We’ll make it work.”
She looked up to me and studied my face before saying, “Are you sure?”
“I’m more than sure.” I pulled the ring out of the box then and slipped it onto her finger.
It didn’t fit.
“Dammit.”
She threw her head back and laughed.
Chapter
Five
When I think of you, I touch my elf.
—Dixie to Mary
DIXIE
Present
“Grandpa,” Phoebe said, interrupting my thoughts. “Why did you hide this for so long?”
I thought about that for a long moment before saying, “I didn’t really want to ruin the holidays. But after my meeting with my doctor today and the prognosis report…I just couldn’t wait any longer.”
“What did they say?” Bayou asked. “How much time, exactly, did he give you?”
I gave them the generous number instead of the one he really expected.
“Three months,” I answered.
The real answer was four weeks to twelve weeks.
And even worse, it’d really already been two weeks.
If I made it through the new year, it would be a miracle.
“We should have a party,” Pru suggested. “A really big bash for New Year’s. One last biker bash that pisses off all your neighbors one last time.”
“Plan it,” I suggested. “But wait until after I talk to the rest of the family.”
I had two children that I needed to let know first.
And, if worst came to worst, and I was dead by the time that party came, then they could do a wake instead.
I felt it in my bones that I wouldn’t be much longer of this Earth.
It’s like I could almost feel Mary’s healing touch reaching out to me, urging me to come home.
And I wanted to go.
I wanted to go so badly that I felt like I was somewhat willing myself to hurry along faster than intended.
“What about that one?” Phoebe asked.
I looked over at the ornament she was pointing out and laughed.
“That was the first photo taken of me holding John.”
Chapter
Six
Dear Santa, before I explain, how much do you know?
—Dixie’s secret thoughts
DIXIE
Past
I didn’t know something so small could terrify me so deeply.
“I’m gonna break him,” I said worriedly.
“You’re not going to break him, Dix.” Mary laughed. “You’ve done this before. Act like it.”
“I have,” I agreed. “But not with one this small.”
“He’s literally perfectly healthy,” she all but tossed him to me.
Okay, so she was nowhere close to tossing him to me.
She did, however, not play into my worries and placed him into my arms despite my protests.
I hadn’t been in the room for John to be born.
I’d been driving back from Oklahoma, and she’d called me to let me know she was in labor—three and a half weeks early, might I add.
The only reason I’d agreed to go on the damn poker run was because she’d convinced me that it would be my last one for a while.
I’d reluctantly gone and look what freakin’ happened.
“One more little push, Ms. Normus,” the doctor urged.
“What?” I asked, somewhat startled.
“It’s only the placenta,” the doctor said.
“Oh,” I said as I looked down at the newborn baby in my arms.
John David Normus.
“Gee whiz, he’s small.” I moved so that my wife could see him in my arms, and hopefully correct me if I was doing anything wrong.
“Go sit down, Dix,” she ordered. “I’m kinda busy here, and can’t hold your hand.”
I gasped. “Are you telling me that you can’t take care of me, a baby, and yourself?”
She flipped me off, and I did as instructed, heading to the chair in the corner of the room.
I started rocking the moment that I was ass to wood, my hand coming up to smooth through the shock of white hair.
“So it showed,” I said to no one in particular.
“What showed?” Mary asked, twisting her head to look at me with so much love in her eyes that it sort of hurt to breathe.
I pulled a few strands up with two fingers and showed her, causing her to giggle.
“It’s a dominant trait, Dix. I told you this with Mark,” she pointed out.
She had.
She’d also told me that she was more than happy for our kids to have my hair, as long as they had her teeth and skin color.
I didn’t care, as long as they were healthy.
Then again, she didn’t care, either. She was happy no matter what.
“All done,” the doctor said as he stood up and started stripping off his gloves and gown. “Nurse, I leave her in your capable hands.”
He washed his hands, then came over to look at the boy in my arms.
“I thought for sure this was going to be another ten pounder after your first one,” he mused as he looked down at my boy.
“I know.” I chuckled, the noise causing John to open his eyes wide.