Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
The entire space of the front office is now a mix of my desk, file cabinets, and stuff for Hollis. What used to have a portable crib now is a play grocery store where we do math as he buys the plastic foods. We have a little kitchen play set beside it. He will take my order, make his version, and serve me. I make sure to tip well with the paper money.
I’m not the only one enjoying my immersion play. I think the Hellions, all of them, like the karaoke machine the best. Each break between jobs, casual stop by to give a message, or any reason to pop in, every brother in the club pauses to turn the karaoke machine on and sing with Hollis. What started as a little hard plastic kiddie radio with a microphone is now upgraded to a full-blown speaker, microphone, and a damn rotating ball of lights. It’s almost like having a mini-tikes rave for the length of a song. The badass bikers can party with a four-year-old and turn around immediately going back to Hellions hard ass in the next breath.
The phone rings taking my attention from our current coloring page. Answering and taking a storage payment, I focus on my job while keeping an eye on Hollis. One thing about kids, never take an eye off them or they will indeed get into something. Before I can finish processing the payment, the front door opens. Immediately, I scan up to see who is coming and instinctively, I’m ready to drop the phone and get to Hollis. The mama bear inside me comes to life the moment I think a stranger might get too close.
Dillon “Karma” Jacoby walks in wearing swim trunks, t-shirt, and flip flops. On the regular basis, he is ruggedly handsome. He’s tall, built, and sexy in the untouchable way. I wouldn’t dare tell him, but I can admire. This casual side of him might be more impressive than the biker side.
“Hey Zizi,” he greets using Hollis’ nickname for me as Hollis jumps up from the table and runs to his dad. I give a wave as I file the paperwork in my hand. “Buddy, we are hitting up the slides today!” Dillon tells his son as I watch both their eyes dance in excitement.
“Zizi come with us,” Hollis invites waving me over while he sits in his dad’s arms.
What is it about a man holding their child that is an automatic attraction? I know Hollis has been wanting to go to the big water slides. I take him to the beach when I’m off and Anna leaves him with me. We pass by this new water slide place, and he begs to get to go down them. I knew it the moment he first got in a pool, there wasn’t going to be any holding him back. There is a local place here that does swim lessons for toddlers. Living so close to the beach and people having pools, I think it’s important for kids to learn water safety and understanding what to do if they fall in. Since I had him frequently, I signed him up for the lessons and he didn’t miss a single one. Turns out, Hollis loves to swim. He sees those slides and lights up even in the winter when the place is cold, and no one will be swimming anywhere around here.
“Oh buddy, I have to work. You and your dad will have a blast!”
“Maritza,” Dillon says with a somber tone causing me to stand up a little taller. “I’m sorry about this morning. I didn’t know she was taking him to you. I guess I slept heavy and didn’t hear the garage door open.”
I shake my head. I don’t want Hollis to hear this. No matter his age, what he may or may not understand. I don’t ever want him to think his mom doesn’t want to be around him or that he isn’t a priority. Whatever happened and whatever happens going forward, she is his mother, and I want him to love, respect, and understand her. I don’t want anyone else’s opinions, thoughts, or even mere conversations about Anna to taint Hollis’s view of his mom.
“I have his bag we take to the beach or the pool in the back,” I change the subject, “the sunscreen in the tube is waterproof. The tub with the spin top is made for the face. It’s waterproof too, but I like to apply it every half hour. I usually set an alarm to go off at the thirty-minute mark. It’s a good break for him to pause and get it reapplied if we are in the water. I take the moment to get him to hydrate too.”
Dillon smiles at me with a smile that fills his entire face. “You have a system for everything, don’t you?”