Page 22 of A Little Christmas: Rivi
“You mean, um, like my dirty fantasies?”
“Any fantasies.”
“Definitely.”
“You are firmly on the road to exploring your little-hood.”
I looked up at him over the tops of my glasses. He was all blurry and it felt safe in a weird way to see him that way. “I want to be.”
“That's the first step.”
We talked about his job at the club. I was so curious about what all he had to do, what all he'd seen. He told me he had broken up fights, tossed people to the curb, but mostly it was a safe place. The biggest thing was trying to handle problems within only the circle of security and bouncers without having to call the police. He explained that it wasn't about breaking the law so much as the police didn't understand the kink community at all and didn't really want to get involved. They actually preferred it if the club handled things themselves. There were a lot of prejudices in the world and a lot of unfair treatments because of those biases. Club 99 tried to stave off as much of that darkness as it could. That meant people became closer, like a family, and protected one another when necessary.
Just then, his phone dinged. He took it out and looked at it, then smiled.
“Looks like Maddy and Colin are just arriving. Would you like to meet them?”
“That sounds good to me. They're a daddy duo, right?”
“They sure are. And very happy. You'll like them.” He flicked his thumbs over the keyboard of his phone. “I just texted them that as soon as they get settled they can meet us behind the house out by the booths. Sound okay?”
“Yep.”
Briar looked back down at his phone. “They say the gates are opening so it's gonna be crowded.”
I clapped my hands. “This is going to be such a fun day.”
10
Briar
By the time we got back to the house, people in their cars were filing toward a parking lot that had been cleared of snow toward the north side of the house. It was mostly slushy dirt now. There were signs that told outsiders where the festivities were once they got out of their cars. This way strangers didn't have to go traipsing through Trent’s mansion, though the huge back sunroom was open with many chairs and couches in case it started snowing. Plus, there was a huge patio tent.
Braziers to warm faces and hands were set every forty feet down the aisles, along with generators which would start up when dusk approached to light the newly decked out trees. Decorating trees in the cold was a lot of work but people loved it.
Before too many lines formed, I stopped at the coffee booth and got us both hot chocolates with whipped cream.
When I handed Rivi his, his eyes lit up behind his glasses. “For me?”
“All for you.”
He stuck his big lollipop in his pocket and took the cardboard cup in hand.
We hung out by a brazier and watched the crowd file in. After about ten minutes, Colin and Maddy showed up. We exchanged hugs and I introduced them to Rivi.
“He's Trent’s cousin.”
“Second cousin, I think, On my mom's side.” Rivi said. “But I call him Uncle Trent.”
Rivi and Maddy eyed each other, assessing attributes. I knew instinctively they would get along. I hoped.
“Are you going to decorate a tree?” Rivi asked softly.
“We have our own tree,” Maddy answered.
“That's good.”
Well, at least they were talking.
