Woman Up (Port Ranch Book #2)

Chapter 45

BEV

“Graham! No!”

Walker makes a mad dash across the house and scoops Graham into his arms, pulling him away from the ornaments on the bottom of my mom’s huge Christmas tree. Graham freaked out and started crying. In turn, Clemmy started crying too. Mitch went to pick her up, but both babies were inconsolable. It was crazy and chaotic, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

The chaos of Christmas was upon us and both babies were mobile now. There wasn’t a Christmas tree anywhere in this county that was safe from the two babies. Christmas was always my favorite time of year, but there was something extra special this year. The holiday was always more fun with Jace and Deacon and now we got to add in Miles, Graham, and Clemmy.

Dad and Mitch spent the weekend before Thanksgiving putting child locks on almost every cabinet but all it did was piss us all off when we went to open something and it was locked shut. We tried to baby-proof the tree the best we could, but these two were relentless. Our own tree upstairs was bare after one too many times pulling Christmas lights out of his ridiculously strong grip.

Brielle tagged herself in and tried to calm down at least one of the babies, “Well that’s cool, now they’re both screaming bloody murder,” she sarcastically said.

Mom just smiled and rubbed Clemmy’s back, “They’re just singing Christmas carols, Brielle.”

Brielle cringed, “I’ve never heard Christmas carols sound like that, Mom.”

When Graham and Clemmy finally calmed back down, Brielle and I returned to the kitchen to finish up the side dishes for our Christmas meal. Mom had both turkey and ham in the oven. We were responsible for the rest of the goodies. Walker and Mitch joined us, taking up residence at the kitchen island with a bottle of beer each.

“Those lungs, I tell you,” Mitch said with a long exhale.

“No kidding,” Walker rubbed his ears, “I think my eardrum burst.”

Brielle and I both rolled our eyes, “You two are bigger babies than the actual babies. You just spooked him.”

Walker threw his hands up in the air, “He was damn near close to tearing down the tree, did you not see him?”

“Stop exaggerating.”

“Bev!” Miles ran into the kitchen with Jace and Deacon on his heels, “Can we open presents yet?”

It was the fourth time he asked just today. I shook my head, “No opening gifts until after we eat, Miles. We talked about this already.”

“I know,” he huffed, “but maybe just one right now? Please, pretty please!”

“It isn’t my rule anyway, it’s all Grandma Tracy.”

Deacon tugged at Mile’s shirt sleeve, “Let’s go ask her!”

“Leave her alone!” I holler at the three boys as they scamper off into the other room where my mom has the babies.

Miles has grown up so much in the last few months that sometimes I hardly recognize him as the boy I met at the ice cream shop that one day. He’s really flourished in school, he’s become quite the soccer player. After the regular season, he was even invited to play on a travel all-star team with Jace.

I’ve seen a lot of similar changes in Deacon and Jace. Since Max passed away, Jace had been struggling in school and didn’t have many friends because they’d make rude comments about his dad. Even though they aren’t in the same grade, they’re best buddies and really bring each other up. They love telling everybody they’re cousins.