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Chapter Fifty-Four
Jonathan
“No, no, no. We can’t ride the puppy like a horse,” I chastised, removing Daisy from his back. She was squishing poor Buzzard into the floor. As one might expect, my father was behind the endearing name. He said it, and the kids were tickled pink. They ran with the name, and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the dog.
“Oh, this ring is so gorgeous,” Simone praised as she held Kierra’s fingers. “Anthony, look at it,” she insisted.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not one to be impressed by a blood diamond.”
Simone snorted and rolled her eyes. “All you had to say was that your leg is hurting.”
“Such a hater,” Kierra teased.
“If you don’t believe me, ask Marcus,” Anthony insisted.
“Don’t ask me a question; I won’t tell you a lie,” Dad mumbled as he peered down the sight of the Taurus Judge magnum revolver I purchased him.
“No blood diamonds were used to craft this exquisite piece,” Mom commented. “I’m jealous, Kierra. I would’ve wanted it for myself.”
“It was an arranged marriage, Felicity. You weren’t getting my great-grandmother’s ring.”
I sighed when my mother rolled her eyes. She wouldn’t let him down easily.
“It’d be unfortunately fortunate if you shot yourself on Christmas morning.”
“Lucky for me, this gun isn’t loaded,” Dad remarked as he spun the cylinder before snapping it in place with a flick of his wrist.
Kierra sat beside me and whispered. “I’m not trying to judge or anything, but do your parents actually love each other?”
“Absolutely. She tried leaving one time, and he chased her down halfway across the world and begged for her to come back.”
Kierra giggled and shook her head. “That’s because he didn’t want to split his fortune with her.”
“Hmph. You might have a point,” I replied as I scanned the living room that was jampacked with new toys, luxury designer items, torn wrapping paper, and discarded boxes. Amongst all of us, over $100,000.00 had to have been spent this Christmas—half of that alone was Kierra’s gift. But my favorite gift so far was a 20s-inspired portrait of all the children dressed in their finest suits and dresses. For a moment, I was concerned the girls donned fur coats and shawls, but my mother reassured me they were 100% faux fur. It was a shame that I’d been so out of the loop since Eliza’s death that I hadn’t realized my mother had abducted the kids for the day. I grew restless and accepted a hit-and-run case involving a delivery transit company and a 17-year-old who had just received her license and new car. She suffered a broken hip and underwent two surgeries, making her ineligible to play her senior year of softball, which could jeopardize opportunities for her to be scouted. The company was willing to settle, but I was gracious and gave them until after the holidays to rethink their piteous offer.Iknew, andtheyknew that half a million wouldn’t cut it.
“Jon, I’m starting to think you don’t love me.”
My eyes widened from Kierra’s statement. “Why would you say that?”
“You haven’t opened my gift,” Kierra said, pointing at the wrapped canvas that had gotten lost amongst all the wrapping paper.
Shit. That wasn’t my intention.
“That’s because I was saving the best for last,” I said, setting the gift in front of me.
“You are so full of shit.”
“Hm. I don’t think so. Thanks to my fiber and water intake, I have bowel movements daily,” I responded, tearing at the paper at the top right corner.
“Must be nice,” Simone grunted, resting a hand on her stomach.
“Mangoes, my dear,” Dad said, offering his sage advice as he quickly drew his gun from the holster.
“I’ll get right on that,” Simone agreed.
I cocked my head to the side, and my brows knitted at the center of my forehead as I stared at the impressive painting. Kierra’s area of expertise was impressionism, but she took a crack at realism and did a damn good job, too.
“What do you think?” she asked nervously, awaiting affirmation.
