Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Ginger
After I’ve helped Dad tie the last tree of the day onto the last car, I’m exhausted, filthy, and so damn happy.
May’s twins, Reese and Ashley, ride with Dad down the lane to close the gate. They’re ecstatic to get a ride on the snowmobile while their mother isn’t around to object.
I stroll up toward the office to enter the sales information and collect all the cash for the bank drop. For the first time, I’m excited to see if we’ve broken even. Dare I hope to see us in the black this month?
My smile fades the moment I see the red and blue flashing lights at the office.
Oh no.
I take off at a run and then sprint when I see two officers manhandling Grak.
“Stop!” I shriek, running up on the scene.
May and Thomas are also there, for some reason.
“That’s my friend! He didn’t do anything!”
When I finally reach the scene, May and Thomas are giving statements to a third officer. “Yes, this man stormed into the office and disrupted a business meeting, making threats.”
“He claims to be married to my sister, but he’s clearly a lunatic,” Thomas says.
I put myself between Grak and the officers, who are struggling to cuff his huge wrists. “This man didn’t make any threats. And he’s not a lunatic.”
“Ma’am, if you want to make a statement, you can come down to the station,” says one of the officers.
“O’Donnell, you know me. You’ve known my dad and mom for decades. I can give you a statement right here and now. It’ll be easy enough for you to write down later. This man is my husband, and he didn’t threaten anyone.”
Thomas and May are livid. The officers are simply confused.
I put a hand on Grak’s arm and ignore my siblings’ protests. “Are you okay?”
My big guy smiles down at me. “I am okay now that I can see you, Ginger.”
I smile and swallow the lump in my throat. “What mess did you get yourself into this time?”
“Not one I can solve with a pole axe,” he says, slightly grinning.
A snort escapes me, and I cover my mouth. “I love you, Grak.”
His deep-set eyes brighten at my words. “I was hoping to hear that. I love you, too, Ginger.”
A half a minute later, the snowmobile roars up to where we are. When Dad cuts the engine, Ashley and Reese are beside themselves.
To my surprise, they attach themselves to Grak’s legs.
“Don’t take him to jail!” Reese shouts.
“The alien took us on a sleigh ride, and we went above the trees!” Ashley cries.
I look back at Grak, who looks like he just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
“Grak, you didn’t.”
He shrugs. “I might have used a tiny bit of magic.”
“Oh, Grak.”
“But wait, that’s not why you called the police,” I say. “Can someone please explain what’s really going on here?”
May is on a tear. “You brought a freaking monster into our lives and not only made us the laughingstock of the entire town,” she says, holding up her phone, showing some posts on social media. “But you let this freak I’ve never met be alone with my children?”
“Hey,” Dad says. “That’s not fair. He’s an employee. He’s allowed to give unsupervised sleigh rides. You and Thomas need to calm down.”
Dad’s the only person who can calm this group down.
May snaps at me, “You have floral tape in your hair.”
Thomas finally spills the beans. “Okay. Don’t be mad. But we had a meeting with Keith Johnson, and he’s definitely interested.”
Dad steps forward. “Interested in what?”
I am livid at my siblings, even though I promised Grak I would try to do better. I can put two and two together. “Dad, they are trying to sell the farm out from under us.”
“Excuse me?” Dad says.
“Not out from under you!” May exclaims.
Everything devolves into round after round of shouts and accusations.
“Mommy, you can’t sell the farm!”
“How dare you turn my children against me!”
“Oh, that’s rich!”
“How dare you take advantage of my sister! She’s fragile and isolated out here.”
“Thomas, you don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“This is the only way to get you to move on with your life! And Dad, you have to see reason. You can’t keep this up.”
“Grak is here now, and he’s helping! You’ll see!”
The only person not shouting now is Grak.
“Come on, Ginger,” he says, scooping me up in his arms.
“Where are you taking me?” I cry.
“We’re going inside to cool off.”
“I don’t need to cool off. It’s freezing out here.”
“Then you need to warm up.”