The next morning I wake up get ready and head out to the date with Paige. We have breakfast and are shopping when I get a phone call from my father. "Hey daddy what?"
"you need to get home now."
"What? Is everything alright? Are the kids?"
"They are fine. But you need to get here."
"Alright alright I'm coming. see you soon." I tell him and hang up.
"I'm sorry Paige but something is going on at home I have to go."
"Is everyone alright?" She asks worried.
"As far as I've been told."
"Well good. Call me when you can. Fill me in on everything." she tells me hugging me.
On my way home I thought of several potential reasons to why Id need to race home. none of them came anywhere close to what I came to in the living room. "What the hell?" I almost shout "What are you doing here Dylan?"
"Daddy came for Christmas mommy." Claire announces from his lap.
"Hey sweetie I need to step out and talk to your mama for a minute?" he tells her and kisses her on the head.
"Is she gonna yell at you?" Daniel asks from the chair with pop.
"Probably." He answers and Daniel nods his head.
"Just don't forget to say you're sorry." He tells him and my heart melts just a little.
"Thanks, little man." He says running his fingers through his hair. "Shall we?" He asks me. I turn around and open the door. He pulls on his coat and I close the door behind him.
"What the fuck Dylan?" I swear.
"Come on its not that big of a deal. I wanted to see them. I made it happen. Now we can all be together for Christmas." he tries touching my arm but I pull away.
"People don't just do this. Show up to their ex-wife's parents unannounced and uninvited. Whether you miss your kids or not."
"It isn't just the kids." He says
"What are you even talking about?"
"I came for you. I miss you. I was wrong about everything. I love you. I want you. I want us to be a family again." He tells me and I feel my jaw tighten. I glance over the road to see Keaton watching. That alone tells me what I need to do.
"No, you don't."
"Of course I do I..."
"You heard I was talking to another man. To Keaton and flew in to intervene." He doesn't answer "This is so beyond inappropriate" I chastise watching Keaton approach.
"Our kids don't need some random teen step daddy."
"Excuse me?" I yell
"Is that why you came out here? To live out some teenage dream you had with a man who threw you away?"
"You think he threw me away? While you are here trying to convince me to take you back? You told me you weren't in love with me anymore. How are you any different?" I shout
"I never told her I didn't love her. All these years and I'm still in love with her." Keaton injects making my head spin. What?
"Excuse me?" Dylan says coldly. Keaton steps closer looking at me this time. "What did you just say about MY wife?"
"Last I heard she wasn't YOURS anymore." Keaton says stepping in front of me. What I didn't expect was for Dylan to swing at him. Then the two of them to go at it in the front lawn.
"Stop it!" I yell "Stop it now!" I try to tear Keaton away when Dylan's fist meets my arm. "God Damn it!" I scream holding it.
"What is it? Are you alright?" Keaton checks
"Both of you get off my property right now!" My father booms from the door.
"Yes sir." Keaton says bowing his head to the ground. As though he was that same 16-year-old boy getting scolded when we got caught making out on the porch past curfew. "I am so sorry Holly." He says and turns away to his truck.
"I..." Dylan tries
"You just hit my daughter. So unless you want me to call the police I'd say you need to leave." my father shouts coming off the porch.
"Holly I'd never... I"
"But you did." He stops him. "Now I really don't think my grand-kids need to see their daddy get taking away in handcuffs. Do you?"
"Please Dylan. Go." I beg holding my arm.
"I'm sorry." He says before walking away to what I assume is his rental car.
"What the hell happened?" my father asks as we watch them both drive away."
"I don't even know. One second I was yelling at Dylan and the next Keaton was here and Dylan was pissed."
"Why where either of them here?"
"Testosterone?" I guess and he chuckles.
"This isn't funny." He tries.
"I'll explain later can I get a minute?" I ask He nods takes a look at my arm and turns to go; leaving me alone.
What had that been? What had Keaton said? Did he mean that? How could he mean that? It had been almost ten years since I'd last seen him. We had kids now. Could things be that simple? Did I want them to be?
"Mama?" Daniel calls.
"Yes Hunny?" I call turning to him.
"Are you okay?"
"Of course, baby. Mama is fine. Are you alright little man?" I ask scooping him up in my arms.
"Pop said daddy made you sad. I don't want you sad."
"Thank you handsome but really I'm fine. What do you think about getting your sister and going out shopping? We can pick out some gifts for pop, granny, uncle Hardon and the others?" he grins and nods his head hard. "Good let's go." I smile kissing him and walking inside.
YOU ARE READING
Christmas past to present!
RomanceTecently divorced mother of two heads home for the holidays where she comes face to face with her high school sweetheart Keaton Brown. Can she resist the old attraction? Does she even want to try?
