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“That’s okay. We can head back to your place tomorrow afternoon. Right now, I just want you naked and in my arms until the outside world needs to creep in again.”
Chapter Ten
Maxwell
Thefeelingofdisappointmentseemed to permeate the room. It was Christmas Eve, and Noelle and I had just walked into my parents’ house. The grimace on my father’s face was as clear as an Arctic morning. A wall of tension greeted us, filling the room like a suffocating fog. I felt Noelle stiffen beside me, instinctively withdrawing from my grasp as all eyes fell on us.
“Uncle Max!”
The cheer of my nephews almost sent me toppling backward, shattering the silence. A brief moment of joy pierced the air as the boys rushed towards me, bodies slamming into mine like hyperactive torpedoes. I loved these kids - their innocence, their relentless energy, their obliviousness to the awkwardness of adult situations. I scooped up the youngest, his laughter like music to my ears, and made my way deeper into the house.
Noelle, a beam of sunlight against the backdrop of frosty relations, made her way towards the kitchen. I took a moment to scan the room. The silence was rapidly being replaced by the more customary sounds of Christmas- laughter, chatter, clinking glasses. Yet the sight of Rio Montoya, sitting in a corner with a drink in hand, jarred me. What was he doing here?
Eve whispered in my ear, “You’re in for a world of shit.” There was a note of humor in her voice, but the warning was clear. “Eat, make merry, and get the hell out of here early.” Her words were softened by the smile on her face, but the seriousness was clear.
“Yeah, we figured as much.”
“Everyone will play nice while there are people here, but my advice to you would be to eat and dip early.”
Nodding in understanding, I passed my squirming nephew into her arms. This was a war zone, and right now, my priority was to survive. My mind spun as I tried to figure out everything that was happening. It was more than just Noelle and me. Where was Holly? Why was Rio here?
“Thanks. Want to explain what that asshole is doing in our living room.”
“Nope,” she said with a wink, “Thanks for checking though.”
I looked around and realized I’d rather take my chances with the women, so I turned and headed in there. The kitchen was a hubbub of activity, a mess of laughter and banter that felt both warm and jarring. My two sisters-in-law, Kyra and Ansley, were deep in conversation. Kyra, heavily pregnant, was subjected to Ansley’s graphic tales of motherhood.
“If you are going to hide in here, then you are going to work. Go wash up!”
Mom’s voice cut through the chatter, directing me to wash my hands. Her glare was both a rebuke and a shield. She was my mom, and even amidst all this, she would protect me, admonish me, but never abandon me. Her comment about me hiding was both sharp and ironic. She knew I was seeking refuge, and so did I.
“I mean, it’s not like there is anything wrong with breastfeeding, but I swear that little leech is ruining my tits.”
“Language, Ansley!”
“Sorry, mama.”
My two sisters-in-law were sitting in the corner while Ansley was apparently trying to scar Kyra for life.
“Stop telling her all these horror stories,” my mother said as I crossed the room to see if I could help Noelle chop the vegetables she had in front of her. It was clear the women of the family were taking their cues from mom and the men from my dad. I squeezed in between her and Noelle and reached for a knife.
The evening dragged on. We ate dinner amidst laughs and occasional awkward silences. Gifts were exchanged, and desserts devoured. The clock ticked inevitably towards our escape time, and I watched it like a hawk. I loved my family, but tonight was tough.
Just as I thought it was safe to begin clearing the table, Noelle caught my attention. Her eyes sparkled with both mirth and a hint of trepidation. She knew what was coming next, and her words confirmed it.
“Should I take this as your cue that it’s time to leave?”
“I think it’s for the best, don’t you?”
“Probably. If we leave now, at least they can redirect their judgment on Holly for showing up late and sitting on her phone all night,” I suggested.
“Or the fact that Eve brought Rio?” Noelle offered, a touch of excitement in her voice.
“He treated her like shit when he left,” I countered, my eyes narrowing.
“Don’t give her a hard time, they are meant for each other,” she defended. “You don’t know the whole story.”
“Does anyone?”
