Page 1 of Unwrapped By the Grumpy Mountain Man
CHAPTER ONE
HUDSON
Looking out the bay window I helped build by hand so my girl, Silvie, could sit and read her endless pile of books, I listen to my middle girl, Angie, quietly tell me about how excited she is that winter break is here, meaning, no school till after New Year's.
“Baby girl, I’m excited to see you and your sisters this weekend. What do you want to do while you girls are here?”
My sweet Angie, middle girl at seven, is the quiet, gentle soul of the three. Lucy being five still trips my brain. She’s a supernova of energy and mischief, and then there’s my firstborn, Silvie, just turned ten. My little grownup. They’re all growing too damn fast.
She gasps in delight. “Is it true Santa is already there, at Eden?” she asks.
“Maybe, baby girl. By the time you all are here again, it’ll officially be December,” I tell her, looking around my sparse house.
It’s a few days before December. Normally, I don’t give a shit about Christmas, but now I’m wondering if I should decorate orsomething before the girls get here. Or, I could wait so we can do it together. I wouldn’t know the first thing about this. Kristy used to do it when they were little. Before she stopped hiding her true nature and ruined everything…or set me free.
“Hey, Daddy,” Lucy steals the phone and whispers. “I miss you so SO much, and I want cupcakes from that pretty bakery, Sweets Bakery,” she giggles, one of her sisters shushing her in the background.
“Sweet Pines, baby.” Anxiety creeps subtly up my spine. “Baby, why are you whispering?”
Silence.
“Is everything okay?” I ask, firmly.
There’s shuffling, then Silvie’s voice is on the line. “Hey, Dad.” She keeps her voice low, too. “Can’t wait to see you. I need to go start dinner. We’ll call again tomorrow.”
“Silvie,” I call her out in my Dad tone. “What’s wrong?”Shit.Something’s up. “What have I told you before? Never lie to me. You can tell me anything, sweetheart. You know that. I’ll always have yours and your sister’s backs.”
She sighs heavily. Too heavily for a ten-year-old. She carries too much on her shoulders when she’s with their mother. This is why I’ve spent the last three years fighting, rebuilding, preparing. I want my girls back. I want them home. With me.
“The usual, Dad. We’re fine.”
“Then why are you all speaking quietly? It’s only quarter to six.”
“I want to talk to him,” Lucy whines. They argue back and forth.
“Daddy,” Lucy’s back. “I don’t like Mommy’s boyfriend. And they make weird noises in her room.”
For fuck’s sake.I’m going to kill Kristy.
I rub the tension forming in the center of my forehead. “Are you girls okay, baby?”
“Lucy, give me the phone,” Silvie argues. “Dad, we’re fine,” she insists near the phone.
“No,” Lucy growls. My little spitfire doesn’t take shit from anyone. Not even me. “I don’t want to stay locked in our room, Sils. I want to go outside and play in the pretty color leaves.”
My spine stiffens as heckles grow. “Baby, did Mommy lock you in your room?” It takes everything in my being to keep my tone from scaring my little girl.
Again, silence. I didn’t do a good job.
“You’re not in trouble, baby girl. I just need to know–”
“Dad,” Silvie has the phone again.
“Sweetheart, if your mother locked you all in a room–”
“I got it handled, Dad. I promise, we’re fine. We love you. Talk to you tomorrow.”
The line is dead.
