Page 13 of A Perfect Christmas with Chaos
“Mav!Griz wants to see me ride my bike.Will you help me one more time?Just push me, and I’ll ride it like I was doing before.”
I hear Mav give a tired groan, not because he doesn’t want to help but because we’re both exhausted.Instead of making up an excuse, he tells her yes, and scoots me off his lap.Before leaving, he kisses me deeply and says, “Maybe now’s the best time to”—eyeing the present I’ve sat on the couch beside me—“open that thing and get it over with.”
I think he’s right.Christmas is nearly over, and I’ve put it off long enough.
“Just let me make sure it’s not anything I need to worry about, okay?”When I finally nod at him, Mav grabs the present and starts to open it.
We sort of had an agreement that even though it was addressed to me, Mav would at least be the one to open it and make sure it wasn’t anything that would harm me or the baby or scare the life out of me.
He turns away from me a little after he gets the wrapping paper off.I see that it’s a small wooden chest.He shields me from what’s inside, but I hear it when he lifts the lid.I move a little closer and see Mav's displeasure at finding out what’s inside.
His jaw ticks before he harshly whispers, “I’m gonna fuckin’ kill him.”
Reaching for it, I say, “What?What is it?”
He goes to pull the box further away from me, but I say his name.He pauses.“It’s from Pappy.”
My stomach churns.At the same time, my heart beats a little faster.“What is it?”I ask.
“A letter and some pictures.”He exhales a long breath.“Pictures of him, and by the looks of her, your mom.It doesn’t look like their affair was a one-time deal either.”
PART 4
EMBER
THE LETTER FROM PAPPY
(aka Dean Pierce and Ember's Father)
Ember,
I know I'm the last person you want to hear from.And I don't blame you for ripping this up right now and cutting me out of your life, if that's what you see fit to do.What I did, or from what at least you know about it, looked like I didn't care to find out that I had a daughter.Although God’s honest truth, child, that's the farthest thing from the truth.I'm not making excuses.I’m just letting you know that what you've heard isn't all there is to why I put a hit out on you.And you have a right to know why I did what I did.See, when news of you and your boyfriend went public.I didn’t have a clue at the time that you existed.And at first, I didn’t believe it.But I guess some smart reporter figured it out somehow from your mom’s history and your last name, that you were my daughter.He came to me.Wanted money to keep quiet.He never lived to tell a soul about you, but I thought if he could figure it out, so could someone else.And I was right.It wasn’t long before more sharks started circling in the water, either out for green or blood.I made a lot of enemies.Most of them, sick bastards I’d never let near a stray dog, and I would’ve put an army between you and them if I’d known where to find you.But I didn’t.So I did the only thing I could to keep you safe.
I played like your life meant nothing to me.I played like I’d kill you myself if given the chance.And like I had guessed, interest in you being used to hurt me died instantly.It was a fucking gamble.I know that.And I’m so fucking sorry that you were put in the middle and put in danger.If I could have protected you from ever having to go through that, I would have.
I ain’t a proud enough man to not tell you the truth and say that I’ve made a mess of my life.I’ve made so many wrong turns that I lost my path along the way.I fucked up a lot.Hurt a lot of people.I have so many ghosts haunting me that some days I’m not sure I’m still sane.Maybe I’m not.
