We all sit around the island in the kitchen sipping on the hot chocolate Eve made for us. “When I said you should start dating, I had no idea it would be this exciting,” Eve says teasingly, trying to lighten the mood in the room.
Everyone has cleared out, but I’m still somewhat in shock at everything that transpired. I knew Paul was a terrible man, but this was downright disgusting. I don’t care if he never sees the light of day again.
“Right? When something involves my love life, I’m noticing it’s a little extreme.” I let out a small laugh while my brother and Isaac keep the stoic look on their faces.
“Maybe we should leave them alone to talk.” Eve pulls on Dasher’s arm. “We should check on the kids.”
Dasher nods. “Be good to my sister and Rae. They’ve been through a lot.”
“He has too.” I rush to Isaac’s defense. He was sitting in a prison cell because of Paul.
“I know,” Isaac says to my brother. “I can promise you that I’m nothing like my brother.”
“Trust me, I know, or you wouldn't be sitting here.” I tense up, not wanting them to fight.
“Thank you for watching out for them,” Isaac says to Dasher, who still hasn't taken his guard all the way down. “I’ll be forever grateful for that.”
Again, my eyes start to burn with tears. Isaac is such a great man, and finally Dasher softens, seeing that too.
“That’s what family does. At least with this family.” Isaac nods in agreement. “Welcome to it.” My brother motions for Isaac to stand, and when he does, my brother hugs him. This time I can't fight the tears.
My brother hugs me next and demands I stop crying. It makes me laugh, then he and Eve head off, leaving Isaac and me alone.
He cups my face and wipes at my tears with his thumbs. “We should only have happy tears from now on.” He kisses my wet cheeks.
“I think they are. I’m on emotional overload.” He wraps me in his arms, and I cry more because I’m unable to help myself. He lifts me from my feet and starts to carry me toward my bedroom.
“Could be pregnancy hormones.”
I laugh as I hold him tighter. I want that, and for Isaac to be here for every step. From how he’s touching me, I don’t think he’s mad at me for keeping Rae from him.
“Mommy?” Isaac stops walking, and I lift my head to see Rae standing in the hallway. “Why are you crying?”
Isaac puts me on my feet, and I grab his hand. When I look at him, he nods that he’s okay with whatever it is I want to do when it comes to Rae. I love this man so damn much.
I walk over to her and drop to my knees. “There is something I need to tell you, sweetheart.”
“Is it about Santa?”
“Santa?” Crap. Does she already know he’s not real? That sucks. I was hoping to have a few more years.
“I’m not sure he’s real. He didn't get me what I asked for. Is that why you’re upset? Did you find out he’s not real too?” I have a feeling I know what she asked for.
“Rae, a sibling takes a little bit to grow,” Isaac tells her, thinking the same thing I was. For all I know I could be pregnant if we’re basing it on our track record.
“No,” She shakes her head. “I did a secret ask.” Ah, now I’m catching on.
“A test?” I raise an eyebrow at her, and she nods.
“What did you ask for?” Isaac asks as he kneels down beside me.
“For my daddy,” she whispers, and my feet come out from under me as I drop down onto my ass. Holy shit. She never talks about having a daddy or wanting one.
“When did you ask Santa for this?” I tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear while I try to remain calm. My beautiful little girl. I’m sure she sees Dasher with his son, making her wonder about her own father and where he’s been.
“On Christmas Eve when I went to bed. Maybe it was too late.” She scrunches her cute nose.
“Who do you think your daddy is, Rae?”
“I’m not sure.” She steals a peek over at Isaac. “It’s not that Paul man.”
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. I wasn't sure if she even remembered him at all, but there was still a worry I was hanging on to about it.
“You remember Paul?” I was kind of hoping she didn't. It’s not something I want to hide from her, but I do want her to be older so I can explain it better to her.
“Not really. But it’s not him.” She’s adamant about that, and I have to swallow the laugh that wants to escape. She turns to Isaac and tilts her head. “We have the same eyes.”
“We do,” Isaac agrees as she reaches over and pokes him on the cheek.
“We both have a dimple on one side and not the other.” He snags her by the wrist and kisses the end of her finger that she used to poke it.
“My mom used to say I could get anything with that dimple.” Isaac smiles as he tells her this. “She had the dimple too.”
“My mom says that too!” Rae lights up as she admits this secret.
“Come on. Those big blue eyes and her flashing that dimple at me are my weakness,” I admit while Rae keeps going.
“Then you showed up and I thought maybe Santa came through but…” She shrugs, and Isaac closes his eyes for a moment. I reach out and grab his hand, giving it a squeeze.
“Isaac is your daddy, Rae.” Her eyes light up while her mouth falls open. “A long time ago Isaac showed up in my life and we made you. Then I lost him, and I didn't get to tell him about you.”
“Where did you go?” she asks him while taking a step closer. I answer for him, seeing he’s overcome with emotion.
“A bad man took him from us. But that didn't stop our Isaac. He kept fighting, and the moment he got free he came right back to us. Then he found out about you.”
“I knew you’d end up with a prince!” Rae shouts.
“Not a prince, honey, a king. One that has a princess.” Rae points to herself in question. “Yeah, baby, you’re his princess.”
“And you’re my daddy.”
“I am,” Isaac confirms just as she throws herself at him.
He catches her and holds her tight as I wipe away my tears. This is a happy moment, and I can tell Isaac is fighting his own. “I love you, sweetheart,” he tells her.
“I love you too, Daddy.” Words have never sounded so sweet in my life.
Isaac stands with her in his arms as he carries her back to her bedroom. I walk into mine, wanting them to have their moment together.
I sit on the bed waiting for Isaac, worried what he’s going to say when it’s only the two of us. Thirty minutes later he walks into the room, closing the door behind him, then comes straight for me.
“I don’t know how I’ll ever thank you for giving me that little girl and keeping her safe when I couldn't.” Before I can respond, he’s kissing me. “I love you so damn much.”
I burst into tears, unable to stop them now. “I’m so sorry! How are you not mad at me? I should have looked for you. I should have done something. All those years!”
“Shh, baby, it's okay.” He places kisses on my cheeks. “Your tears are killing me here.”
“They won’t stop.” I hiccup a laugh.
“I don’t want you thinking that shit. Who knows what would have happened if you started to dig? What Paul might have done to you? I promise you it was better this way. Paul was always my mess to handle. Don’t let that fucker hold guilt on you. I don’t want him having anything over you.”
“I love you too. You know that? Paul and I never even had sex. It’s only ever been you.”
“It doesn’t matter. You still would have been mine, and it only goes to show you how crazy he was. He had a shot with you and fucked it over. Even with as much as I hate him, he still brought me to you.”
“I keep telling myself that too,” I admit.
“Say it again.” I don’t have to ask what he means. I know because I want to hear him say it again.
“I love you. I have from the moment you walked into my bedroom all those years ago. I know it’s crazy but I just knew.”
“Me too. Something pulled me toward your bedroom that night. Of all the bedrooms in this house I ended up here for a reason.”
“It was fate.” There is no other explanation than that we were meant to be together. The universe knew it.
“We’ll never be apart again, and I will spend my life making sure no other darkness ever touches you girls.” He starts pulling at my clothes. “Now let me make love to my queen. I’ve got to get her knocked up before next Christmas or our little princess isn't going to believe in Santa anymore.”
“We can’t have that,” I agree, kissing Isaac again.
Christmas miracles do come true.