Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 78534 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78534 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Even Anne is smiling, rearranging the ornaments that she made so they show better on the tree.
My arm aches a little. One of the gifts from the guys was taking me to get my first tattoo. A sunrise on my right arm, so I’ll always remember where my life really started. It hurt less than I thought it would, but then, maybe I’ve just known what being hurt really feels like, and a few needle pokes didn’t seem so bad. Like Ghost told me, we're always going to be a little bit broken. But that doesn't mean we have to let it rule us.
And they got some, too. One each. My name right near their hearts.
My only complaint is that it isn't snowing, but that would be exceptional around here. Still, it's been cold this year, more than last year, so I've been hoping.
"Jess! Look!" Anne holds up something for me to look at, so close that I have to take a step back to see what it is.
I read the cover of the plastic case. "Mayhem City Six?"
"It just came out! Now me and Bonnie can start the campaign from scratch, and they've added building your own homes and designing them, and a whole new fight mode where you can pick up almost anything around you to use it as a weapon, and there's a ladder now and a battle pass with all these cool cosmetics, and—"
I hold up my hand, laughing. "You lost me like five steps ago, but I'm glad you're happy." Bonnie's grinning almost as widely as Anne, so much that I suspect it to be something that’s just as much for her as for her overly energetic adoptive daughter. It wouldn’t be my first choice, but so long as it makes them happy.
Tex swings up behind, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me close. "Everything good?" He kisses the top of my head.
"Everything's amazing." I reach behind me to give his hard ass a squeeze. "Just perfect."
Riot toasts me with his beer from the couch. "We did our best. Everyone deserves a little Christmas, right?"
Oh God, that almost has me tearing up. I never thought I’d be here, and it’s so much better than I imagined.
Mom smiles as she comes out of the kitchen and stops next to me, sipping on eggnog taken from the grown-ups bowl, the one with the rum in it. “Well, I have to admit I was a little skeptical at first, but I’m really proud of you, you know? This isn’t the life I would have chosen for you, but they love you so much. Your dad and I had that once, and it’s worth grabbing and holding on tight when you find it, no matter where that may be."
"Oh come on, I'm going to get weepy soon." Never mind that I'm basically there already.
"Then I won't drag it out." She finishes her mug, before giving me a warm hug. "It's getting late, and I'm getting back to my place. The taxi is here already. These old bones could do with their own bed tonight." Once she managed to prove that she was in fact still alive, it turned out that she had considerable assets to draw on. Now she's got a nice little house, just big enough for her and a big orange tabby named Cooper.
"Jeez, you're still in your forties. Don't you old bones me."
She smiles and pulls me in for another hug. "Fine, but I'm tired. I can tell that Anne and Bonnie are itching to get that game up and running, and I'm sure you and your boys have celebration plans of your own." She winks, and I don't know whether to blush or just be scandalized that the suggestion is coming from my own mother.
"Honestly, you're welcome for as long as you like."
"We'll meet for lunch tomorrow, okay? I'll call you. There's a new place down the street from me that has an amazing soup and sandwich combo."
I nod, amazed again that this is my life now.
Mom was right, of course. Anne and Bonnie lose themselves in the game almost immediately, and after humoring them for a bit, but mostly just smiling and nodding at each other every time Bonnie and Anne achieved something new, we decide to take off, too. Riot and Tex still have their old rooms in the school, but they use them more as hangout space than for living these days. We rearranged Ghost’s place and got a bigger bed. It’s not going to work long term, and the club is eyeing a row of run down houses on the other side of the wall, but for now we’re happy.
As we cross the compound, a tiny flake of white lands on my nose. "Snow? Seriously?" We all look up. It's not much, just a very light dusting, but for a part of the country that rarely gets any at all, it's like a sign. Like I made the right choice. My perfect Christmas, with my… well honestly imperfect guys, but they're perfect for me.