Mom was beet red—everything else about her screamed she wanted to die, but her toe was tapping to the beat. She looked at me. “What, I like this song.”
Annie had her phone out recording the whole thing, singing along.
By some strange inspiration, Captain Nettles pointed in our direction and directed a firefighter to hop off and come over.
The sweaty firefighter approached Mom. “Ma’am, your presence has been requested for a special surprise from Santa.”
I shook my head, wide-eyed. “I don’t… that’s not a good?—”
“Oh, come on, Ophelia.” Annie nudged Mom. “Remember…loosen up,” she whispered.
Mom looked at me, just as wide-eyed as I was. “Oh, what the hell,” she said. Before she could let out a breath, the firefighter had her over his shoulder and on the float.
Graham’s brows raised while he continued his synchronized hip swaying.
I held up my hands and shrugged.
The firefighter set Mom in the chair and resumed his place dancing with the others.
“What’s your name, pretty lady?” the captain asked, leaning the microphone into Mom.
“I’m Ophelia. Maggie Maxwell’s mom.”
“Well, isn’t that nice.” The captain looked to me and smiled. “Now, Ophelia, have you been a good girl this year?”
“Yes. I think so.” Mom sat, prim and proper, her purse on her lap,clutched between two gloved hands like she was afraid it was going to run away.
“Glad to hear it!” Nettles leaned in and whispered something else into her ear.
Mom brought her hand over her mouth and gave him that look she gave me when I’d bring up my dildo collection. But then, after a moment, she let out a deep breath, shut her eyes tight, and nodded.
“Alright, boys. We got the go-ahead!” He handed the mic to a member of the crowd, then stood facing her. He grabbed the belt of his robe.
‘Tis the Season to be a Baddieplayed over the speaker and Nettles swung his belt in circles, then spun so his ass was in Mom’s face. He swayed it back and forth.
Oh, God.
He then took his robe off, bare-chested, and pelvic thrusted around her. The other emergency responders—Graham included—followed his lead and basically made a chain moving in unison around the float, each taking their turn doing their own moves, grinding up against, twerking, thrusting… everything in my Mom’s face.
I thought I was going to die. I thoughtshewas going to die. But to my surprise she was fucking smiling—enjoying every second. I glanced over to my family who looked the same as I did—mouths covered, mortification—except for Daddy and Mary, who were both keeled over holding each other up, tears streaming down their faces, laughing their asses off.
Then Mom did the unthinkable. She opened her purse and slipped dollar bills into each of their waistbands as they passed her.
“Suga’, when I told her to loosen up, this ain’t what I meant.” Annie cackled.
The men dispersed into the crowd, bumping and grinding on the townspeople like it was just a regular fucking day.
Graham danced his way over to me, stopping by the waving fists of dollar bills to give a quick little grind for their donations. When he got to me, I forgot what breathing even was.
Jesus Christ.
This man rolled his stomach and dropped his hips in perfect rhythm with the music.
Annie screamed, fanning herself, while she searched her purse for her cash. “You din’t tell me yous was a belly dancer, Graham!!”
Even though it was December and there was snow on the ground, it felt like it was a thousand degrees every time I looked at Graham.
He was fucking hot. It took everything inside of me not to jump his bones right there.
