Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
“Daddy, wake up, Santa came!” I shook him as hard as I could, but he didn’t move so I ran to get Devon to help.
“Merry Christmas, Sage!” He wrapped me in a big hug. I loved hugging Devon.
“Merry Christmas. Come help me wake up Daddy.”
We ran back across the hall and jumped on the bed, but it squeaked really loud. “Oops, don’t think the bed liked that.”
“Dadddyyyyyy!” We shook and shook, but he just laid there. “Daddy, Santa came. Prezzies are everywhere. He even hung stockings. How did he know we were here?”
Daddy’s arms wrapped around and tackled us before the tickle monster went crazy.
“Merry Christmas, boys!” He kept tickling and smiling. “Alright, let’s go see what Santa got up to.”
We ran out to the tree and plopped down in front of it, leaving Daddy in our dust.
“Alright, stockings first.” Daddy handed them out, and we emptied them on the floor.
“Stockings are so much fun. Look, I got a Santa coloring book.”
“I needed new Crayons,” Devon said.
“Playdough!” we both cheered.
I got silly socks with reindeer on them and Devon’s had snowmen. We both got new beanies and matching friendship bracelets, candy, plus a couple of race cars.
“Thank you, Daddy, kisses.” I puckered up and hugged him.
“Thank you, Daddy.” Devon joined our hug.
“They’re from Santa, silly gooses. Alright, since the big guy isn’t here, I’ll pass out your presents.”
Daddy pushed a big box in front of me. “Not sure how we’re getting that one home.”
As much as I wanted to open it and see what it was, I waited like a good boy until Daddy handed them all out.
“Ready, set, go!” When Daddy said go, we dug in.
“I got a Ninja Turtle suitcase on wheels. Now I know how all my new toys are getting home!”
“Smart boy.” Daddy winked.
“Thank you for my treasure chest, Sage.”
“You’re welcome. That’s from Sapphire Mines by our apartment. Next time you come to visit we can go there. Right, Daddy?”
“Absolutely.”
Devon opened the lion I got him at Calla’s shop and hugged it. “Did you make this?”
“Nope, Calla did. We’ll take you to her shop too.” I wish Devon lived with us so he could see all the neat places Daddy took me to. Plus, I missed him really bad when he wasn’t with us.
“An Olaf stuffie!” Devon squealed. “I don’t have this one. Thank you, Daddy.”
“You’re welcome, sweet boy.”
“Squishmallows!” We both yelled, opening them at the same time.
“Mine’s a Mikey turtle.”
“Mine’s a snowman. Snowmen are my favorite holiday decorations,” Devon said.
“A little birdie told me how much you loved a certain snowman.” Daddy winked at me.
“I’m the birdie. Surprise, Devon!”
We both got matching Santa jammies, more socks, and lots of toys. Daddy, err, Santa, really spoiled us this year.
“Boys, how did you get this picture of the three of us framed so fast?”
Devon and I giggled. “I bought the frame and had it sent here, then as soon as we got home from the choco factory, Devon printed it on his printer and put it in.”
“You two have no idea how much this means to your Daddy.”
We made Daddy happy-happy.
“Best Daddy coffee mug and a new wallet.”
“Open it,” Devon said.
The booklet of silly coupons we made fell out. “I’m guessing this is what you two were giggling about the other night.”
“Yuppers.”
“I love all the pictures you put in here. Now I always have my boys with me.”
We’d taken so many of ourselves making funny faces, kissy faces and just smiling. Devon printed them in the right size and filled it up.
“And a blanket of my own with a Daddy poem on it. Boys, these are the most thoughtful gifts I’ve ever received. Thank you.” Daddy got all teary eyes. “Seriously.”
“We love you, Daddy,” I said without thinking.
“What he said,” Devon agreed.
Whew, at least my no-filter brain didn’t mess up that time.
“I love you boys too. Merry Christmas.” Big hugs all around, even bigger when we tackled Daddy this time and let our tickle monsters loose on him.
“Alright, you two. This Daddy needs to feed his hungry boys. Why don’t you put on the Christmas parade and play while I cook?”
“’kay, Daddy.” I set up the coloring books while Devon found the channel. Everything just felt right when the three of us were together. Too bad we couldn’t make it that way forever.
“Do you just eat in the living room by yourself all the time?” I don’t know what made me ask Devon that, but he didn’t have a dining room table. His life just felt so lonely to me, and I know what being lonely was like and it sucks.
“Pretty much. Sometimes I stand by the sink and have a quick bowl of cereal.”
“Can you come visit us soon?” I didn’t like this at all, leaving Devon alone. It didn’t feel right.
“Maybe. If Daddy says it’s okay I can come in the spring.”
“Daddy says it’s okay anytime,” Daddy hollered from the kitchen which really was part of the living room. Our apartment was way bigger, but that wasn’t nice to say. “Hot chocolate for my boys, French toast sticks are on their way.”
“Yay! Thank you, Daddy. I love hot choco.”
“Me too, and these tiny marshmallows are so cute,” Devon took a sip. “It’s hot.”
“Of course it is, silly boy,” Daddy rubbed Devon’s messy hair after he sat our plates down. “Blow on it before you take another sip.”
“I like it when you cut up the French toast into sticks, Daddy. It’s fun.”
“I never thought of doing that. Thank you, Daddy,” Devon said, swirling a raspberry around in the foamy sweet stuff. “I’m gonna miss you guys.”
Ugh, this was awful. “You have to come visit as much as you can. And we can come here, right Daddy?”
“Absolutely. Like I said, you’re welcome to visit anytime.”
Maybe Daddy was gonna miss him as much as me.
Daddy left us to play and started cleaning up. We both knew he was packing our stuff though we didn’t say anything. Devon and I curled up on the couch, sharing a blanket and holding each other, which was how we ended up falling asleep.
“Boys, time for lunch,” Daddy woke us.
“Smells good,” Devon yawned. “What did you make?”
“A bunch of stuff. I don’t like you eating out as much as you do so I precooked and froze as many meals as your freezer would hold.”
Devon blinked. “You did?”
“I did, sweetheart. If you like them and want the recipes, just let me know.”
“See, Daddy loves you too.” Maybe now Devon wouldn’t be so sad.
“Thank you, Daddy,” he whispered. “That was very thoughtful.”
“PB he was pretty sad too.
If leaving Devon made us both sad, why were we doing it?
I didn’t have any answers and wasn’t sure I wanted to ask the questions that could lead to me losing everything. Living without Daddy wasn’t an option, but living without Devon was gonna be equally as hard.
Was coming here a mistake? Was it gonna cause problems between me and Daddy?
Crying was about all I could manage. Daddy kept his arms around me and raised up the arm thingy on the plane once we were in the air so I could lay on his lap.
I needed this right now. Needed to know Daddy still loved me.
His soft touch massaged my curls and his whispers of how much he loved me helped.
Finally, I calmed down enough that I fell asleep.
Sure did make this flight easier than the one to Cali was.
But coming home just didn’t feel the same.