You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending. – C. S. LewisGina sat behind her desk in the office behind the bullpen of her deputies. She was nursing her third, possibly her fourth, cup of coffee. She always left a little coffee at the bottom of her cup, that way, technically, it was still her first cup. It would get topped off, but never refilled. Her logic had gotten her through more extended shifts than she could count and did not make her feel guilty when she told her doctor she only had one cup of coffee a day.The large window looking out into the bullpen had holiday cards from local businesses, schools and families surrounding it. A long folding table was set in front and covered with sweets and treats from the community. Gina did not have any delusions of being a better sheriff than her predecessor. But she did have a better relationship with the county.When the elementary schools had invited her deputies to their holiday
I’m a fighter. I believe in the eye-for-an-eye business. I’m no cheek turner. You kill my dog; you better hide your cat. – Mohamad AliReese received a message from Steve requesting a meeting. In private. Grinning, Reese sent back a message stating that he was about to leave the gym and would be home in twenty minutes. At twenty-one minutes, as he pulled into the driveway, he received a new message from the private investigator.You’re lateHe parked next to the nondescript sedan and got out of the Impala. “You’re impatient.”“And?” The younger man asked stepping out of his own car.Reese laughed as he walked over and unlocked the door to his house. Steve followed him and went straight to the office. Automatically, he searched for bugs before turning on the white noise machine that Reese kept on the shelf behind his desk. Reese entered and handed a bottle of water over to Steve before sitting behind his desk.“Fargo has a girlfriend.”Reese took a deep breath before responding. “Why d
Sometimes the littlest things take up the most room in your heart. – Winnie the PoohThe first thing Monday morning after she and Reese first had sex, Helen called her OB/GYN and asked for the first available appointment. That was not until December twenty-third. She had told him that she had an appointment and he asked if she wanted him there.Blushing everywhere that he could see, and he could see a lot of her, she shook her head no. Now, as she walked into Jolene’s room, she wished he had gone. Helen smiled at the two guards that were at the door of her daughter’s room.“Is everything okay?” Helen asked as they both stood up.Nichols smiled at her. “Yes, ma’am, Miss Helen. The family is in there and we were just giving some privacy.”“Oh, thank you.” She said placing her hand on the handle.“Miss Helen,” Nichols said nervously. “I want to apologize.”Turning towards him, she looked at him, confused. “For what?” She was already emotional and was afraid that she would start crying.“
You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them. – Desmond TutuThe ornate grandfather clock from England chimed the midnight hour in the formal living room. Or as Dean called it, the special guest living room. Other than a few special occasions, she couldn’t think of a time that they had used that room. Unlike Reese’s house, this one was two levels. The top floor was the more formal part of the house. It had formal dining and living rooms, chef’s kitchen, billiards and game room, a mother-in-law suite and a media room. All precisely decorated and rarely used. From the front, it looked like a single-story house with the second story being built inside the hill. The lower level was where they lived. Except for the large deck that extended the length and about half the width of the lower level. Whenever they had a princess party, it was typically on the deck. The perpetually decorated deck was large, mostly covered and looked over the pool. The heated poo
When everything goes to hell, the people who stand beside you without flinching – they are your family. – Jim ButcherNeo knew that Shelby would be pissed at him. And he was willing to live with that. He was also certain that she would eventually forgive him. Pretty certain that she would. Or she would kill him. It was a fifty-fifty chance at this point. Then again, that was just about every day of his life. It was a good day when everyone made it home at the end of the day. While he was a police officer in the Marines, there were several days that not everyone came home. Those days still hung heavy over him. But today, Christmas day, was not going to be influenced by those days.Today, he was going to focus on the woman who kept his office running so smoothly. And the little boy who can make his whole staff pitch in to guarantee the best Christmas ever. Although, right now, it probably seemed like the worst.Neo knocked on the black door with the green wreath on it. Shelby opened
Do what you feel in your heart to be right – for you’ll be criticize anyway. – Eleanor RooseveltIt quickly became obvious that the hospital president did not know Reese as well as the administrator did. Jon, the president, told him it was a logistical nightmare. Robert, the administrator, asked for an apple pie.It was an all-volunteer staff from his three restaurants and two of his clubs that prepared the meals. Between them, they made enough food for every hospital staff member to receive a full Christmas dinner. And an apple pie just for Robert. Reese made sure that all his princesses knew that Helen and her family wanted some time to themselves. Early in the morning, he went to wake up Dean and she wasn’t in her bed. He found the two teens snuggled up together in JD’s bed.Before Reese, Cheryl and Dean went to join them at the hospital, nis niece crawled into his lap and again he was reminded that she was still a child. “How are you doing, princess?” he asked as they sat on his
The jolliest bunch of elves this side of the nuthouse. – Clark GriswoldAs was their tradition, they held the Princess Christmas Party the day after Christmas. It made it easier to coordinate all the families and other events. Office parties. School plays. Church pageants. Holiday concerts. And they all tried to attend as many of the events as they each could.When the princess club started, it was to help a single mom. They became the village that Mary needed. In doing so, they all became the village that each other needed. Even if they had not realized that also needed. The princesses were there to celebrate during the good times, both big and small. High school and college graduations. Babies being born. Birthdays. Weddings. Athletic wins. Promotions. Business openings. Adoptions.And they were there to support each other during the bad. When Gina lost her husband. Two divorces. A few miscarriages. Athletic loses. Business failures. Chemo treatments. First love heartbreaks.Throug
It’s not what’s under the Christmas tree that matters but who’s around it. – Charlie BrownThirty minutes after Monster invaded, Reese’s princesses were still laughing at JD as they gathered around the pool. The sun sails stayed up year-round protecting the pool and sitting area. The heat in the pool was turned up slightly causing it to give off a little steam in the cool air. The outdoor fireplace was roaring, and the portable heaters kept the whole area cozy.Reese walked out with his arms loaded with presents, he was followed by his princess’ husbands and boyfriends who were also carrying presents. Starting with the younger girls, he handed them out. Once the gifts were all distributed, the men went inside the big house and played pool and darts upstairs.Each gift, or more accurately, each stack of gifts, was picked for each princess. Even the wrapping paper matched their personality. Disney characters were abundant. As were snowflakes, reindeer and snowmen. Dean received a new