Five years earlier....

     November 22nd, it's Thanksgiving Day and Emily Hart has been awake since 4 a.m in preparation of her family meal. She loves to hear the silence throughout the house as her 3 children lay peacefully in their beds. Sometimes with the commotion of 3 very active kids she can barely make out her own thoughts. With the silence and only the sound of the blissful birds chirping her mind starts wondering away with itself. She's brought back to a time when her entire family all gathered round her mother's kitchen laughing and catching up with each other as the year always kept them much too busy for family reunions. She could feel something was off about today, something left Emily feeling extremely unsettled. Brushing it off, she decided it was probably the fact that her very ill mother was states away from her for the first Thanksgiving down in the Sunshine state of Florida. 
       By 7 a.m Emily couldn't shake her uneasy feeling and decided to phone her sister Erika that was caring for their mother. "Hello", Erika answered sounding terrified. "Is everything okay with mama", Emily choked out. "It's not looking good", Erika replied in a low voice. " Erika continued to say " let's keep this between us for now, we wouldn't want to upset anyone on Thanksgiving without a cause." "Alright, just keep me posted then", Emily states to her closest sibling. She hung the phone up with a heavy heart, an aching feeling inside of her. Emily was always good at letting her gut feelings guide her, something she got from her mother. It was now approaching 9 a.m but Emily had completely lost track of time busying herself with a last minute dessert. She sobbed as she put together a pineapple upside down cake, her mothers dessert of choice from her daughter, the pastry chef.
     The phone rang jerking Emily right back into reality. Her heart sank, she knew it was Erika on the other end. She picks up shouting to her kids in the next room to quiet themselves in order for her to hear their auntie erika's s update on Nana. "Hello", Emily's voice cracked into the phone. Erika was crying trying to force the words out of her mouth but Emily didn't need to hear it to know what was happening. Emily's sobs echoed through the entire community. The rain poured down and she knew her mother (now an angel) had been crying to. She placed the phone down with very few words spoken. Her brother Eric was with her mother and sister along with another older sister Emilia. The phone continued to ring that entire day although Emily just lay there pining, wishing she had a chance to give her mother one last hug and give her, her final goodbyes. She couldn't possibly speak with any of her older siblings, being the youngest they always felt Emily was the weakest link.
     Emily now had to break the devastating news to her 3 children who were very close to their Nana. Dakota spent the most time with her being in her nana's house until she was 2 years old. For Dakota, nana would always be there. The boys were also very sensitive about the fragile little lady. She was the only other constant in their lives with the exception of Erika. For all 3 of her children nana meant the world. 
   Emily stepped out of her bedroom making an attempt to dry her tear soaked face. Seeing her children's innocent little faces staring back at her  with wonderment brought the tears back heavier and heavier. Before Emily could open her mouth to speak Dakota, wise beyond her years was already badgering her. "Nana's dead! Isn't she?", Dakota shouted in a harsh tone. "I'm sorry baby", were the only words Emily could manage. Muffled cries came out from her babies embracing each other in the floor. Emily felt helpless knowing that there was absolutely no way to take this pain away from her grieving children. Emily knelt beside them tears falling from her face holding them wrapped in the tightest hug she could muster out of her emotionally spent body. The 4 of them stayed there all day trying to take comfort in one another. The Thanksgiving dinner they were excited to share together was now obsolete. 
     Emily lay there still embraced with her children that were now sound asleep watching the sun come up. She hadn't managed to get a wink of sleep the entire night. Her restless body didn't want to keep going but her mind set to auto pilot said you've got to get up. She knew in her heart her mother wouldn't want this. Her mother was the strongest woman alive in all of her children's eyes. They actually reffered to her as "The strong one". That woman raised 7 kids all by herself being both mother and father all of their lives and she made it look easy. None of her kids ever felt as though they were lacking anything in life. Not to mention she also helped raise a number of her grandchildren all while having lupus plus C.O.P.D. Emily, as I'm sure the others did as well already felt like their mother was an angel. She wept slightly remembering a quote she heard a while back. "God gives his hardest battles to his strongest warriors."
    The days following seemed to drag on although Emily couldn't stop moving. She was afraid to settle down and give herself time to think. She couldn't bare the thought of her mother's passing so she tucked it away. Over the next couple days she had finally been in touch with Erika, Eric, and Emilia but hadn't yet spoken to Elaine, Evelyn, or Elizabeth. The memorial preparations had to get done and Eric being the oldest sibling was making the arrangements. Emily contemplated her 18 hour drive the next day but quickly shook off the thought. She was conscious but her mind brought her to a whole different place. A place where the pain and grief of losing her mother and father that Thanksgiving day couldn't touch her.
   Her kids slept most of their days away proceeding the memorial. Waking them was traumatizing for Emily when Dakota and Damian wouldn't stop puking the second their eyes were open. Lucas always had a thousand questions, his mind never turned off. Dealing with her 3 heart broken kids was almost worse than dealing with her own grief. The 18 hour drive went quicker than expected even though every bathroom break she spent scrubbing the remnants of throw up off of her seats. The children were eerily quiet not wanting to spend any of their time awake dealing with their own emotions. 
    When they arrived Erika was a wreck, the only one that was still staying in their mother's house. They didn't waste much time on chit chat, Emily only had 3 days to go through her mother's things and pack up the house. Erika was obviously in no condition to handle any of that. Emily knew no matter how badly her heart hurt she had to be strong for her kids, Erika, and Erika's young daughter Cloe. Her mother basically raised Cloe from birth up until her last breath. Cloe needed someone more emotionally stable than Erika to be there for her. Emily and Erika's daughters hugged just letting their tears go for what seemed like hours but finally all the kids fell asleep together on a pull out sofa in the living room. 
    Following the memorial service Emily dreaded the fact that she would be taking on 2 more people to care for yet it was something that had to be done. A long time before her mother's passing Emily made a promise to always look after the 2 of them in her mother's absence. Months and months passed by and Emily Hart remained on auto pilot generally just going through the motions of life. She didn't let herself stop to think, feel, or even grieve. She had a job to do and that was her only focus for the next few years. 



Thirty-three year old Emily Hart is a single mother of three beautiful teenagers. She works as a pastry chef in her very own little bakery called Sinful Sweets by Emily. As far back as she could remember Emily has been haunted by terrible nightmares, a shadow of a man that comes to her in her drrams causing her great fear and distress. Emily can't help but wonder if it's her hidden childhood causing her this horrific terror or maybe it is the abuse she'd endured as a young adult. Either way Emily sets out to find answers about this man in her subconscious that is becoming all to real to her. Even as she awakes she can still feel her skin crawling from the touch of his fingers, his breath up against her neck, and his words lingering in her ear. Lately her nightmares seemed to intensify after meeting her new found love interest Blain Ravens. Finally Emily may have the chance she's always longed for to lay the demon in her dreams to rest once and for all

(3rd person P.O.V)

Today is the thanksgiving day and Mia wants to celebrate it with everyone member of her family and friends but Nate wants to celebrate it only with his family just the four of them Mia, Olivia, Oliver and he himself since it was his first Thanksgiving with his family, so after so much pursuing from Nate Mia decided to celebrate it with her family only.
She wakes up early in the morning and starts decorating the house and preparing breakfast for everyone. After some time everyone comes for breakfast and starts discussing how they want to spend their Thanksgiving with each other. After a long discussion, they come to the conclusion, that at first, they will go to the mall, to do some shopping and purchase some gift for each other, then they will go to watch some movie, and then will to aquarium and to the Carnival then come back home and order dinner from the restaurant.
So after breakfast, they go to their rooms to get ready to head outside and come back to the living room. Nate gives some money to  Oliver and Olivia so that they can purchase gift floor others and head outside the house towards the car and drive to the mall. At first, they stay together to do some shopping and after some time get separated to buy a gift for each other promising to meet each other at the food court.
While looking at some diamond earing for Mia, Nate's phone started to ring, he picks up to see it was Mr. Raymond and attain it.
"Hello, Mr. Nara, I am outside your mansion with your delivery, whom do you want me to give it too?  Mr. Raymond asks on the phone.
"Hello, Mr. Rayond, thank you for delivering the gift at my house, can you wait for 5 minutes, I will call and tell one of the maids to take it, " Nate asks him.
"Sure, happy thanksgiving Mr. Nara," Mr. Raymond said on the phone.
"Thank you, happy thanksgiving to you too Mr. Raymond," Nate said on the phone and hang up on a call, then he calls at his home and tell one of his maids to receive the delivery from Mr. Raymond and look after them until they come back home.
After purchasing the gifts for each other, they meet at the food court and have lunch, then go to the theater in the mall to watch some movies after loading their bags in the car. After the movie, they got to the game room to play some time then go to the amusement park.
At first, they go to different food stalls to try different foods because they were all hungry after playing for an hour an two in the game room, then they play games in the different stalls and try many rides. After that, they decided to go to the aquarium and zoo.
"Hey, look there is an elephant," Olivia said and drag Nate with her, while Oliver and Mia follow them. The elephant looks at their surroundings and walks towards us.
"Look how close they are Olivia," Nate said grabbed Olivia, and put him on his shoulders while trying to put his arm around me Oliver and pulling him closer to himself. Mia moved and walked closer to the glass railing.

Olivia reached and touched the elephant's trunk and smiled while Nate recorded them. Mia was looking at an elephant who looked old and very tired. She felt so bad that he/she was trapped.
Suddenly she felt my self get picked and started to panic I looked down to see one of the elephants had its trunk around me and started to walk away. All Ishe could do is struggle to get away but it was no use. Mia looked around to see people were recording and screaming. But Olivia trying while hugging Nate, while he was holding the kids closer to himself protecting them from the elephants.
The elephants took Mia to the one that looked tired. The elephant tried to move but she feels down and causing everyone to scream. Once the elephant set Mia down Mia ran to it and noticed that it was a girl and was about to give birth.
"Aye!! She's giving birth I need a couple of towels!!" Mia screamed while putting her hair in a bun. After getting what she needed she started to get the elephant to stand up and it only took less than 10 minutes to get the baby out.
After the baby elephant was born the father elephant sprayed it with water to clean it. The baby elephant looked scared because all the zookeepers kept trying to catch it.
All the elephants realized what was happening and stood in front of it protesting it but the baby was scared and Mia felt so bad so that she walked towards it. One of the elephants moved so that she could get near the baby.
She walked slowly towards and put her hand out. She waited for him to walk to her which wasn't long once he realized who she was. He ran to her and sat down next to her. Mia rubbed his head until he fell asleep.
Mia got up and walked towards the mother and started to rub her trunk. She was about to leave and all the elephants formed a circle around her and raised there trunks up and start to make a trumpet sound.
Everyone was shocked and started to cheer for her. She walked out of the circle only to be picked up by the same elephant. He carried her and put her back with her family.
"MOMMY!!" Olivia and Oliver ran to her crying and screaming. She kneeled down to get to their level and hugged them tightly.
"You are amazing love," Nate said coming towards them and hugging her tightly.
"Yes, mom you truly are amazing, with the animals, its look so natural, where did you learn to do it?" Oliver looks smiling at her.
"Well its comes naturally when I am around the animals, I have also worked in the zoo as a volunteer when I turn 18 to give a hand to my mother," Mia said smiling at them.
"Hello my name is Sally, I'm the owner of the zoo and I wanted to say thank you for helping the elephant and also we are sorry that you had to get picked up." Mia shook her hand and told her it was okay.
"I was wonder if you could stop by tomorrow or whenever you can so we can talk," she asks looking hopeful.
"sure, why not, my name is Mia and this is my number," Mia said giving her's number to her, she said thanked her and they walked away to see other animals, at 7:30 they head back home.
After reaching home, the kids drag Nate to the game room to play with him and Mia follow them, they discuss the food they want to order from the restaurant and order it. After some time the food arrives and she helps the maids arrange the table for them and then she calls everyone.
"Thank you, god, for proving food, shelter, and clothes, and so many luxuries, and keep looking after us," Nate said joining his hand and praying to the good.
"Ameen," Mia and the kids said together and they started eating their dinner. After dinner, they go to their room to grab the gift they have brought for others and walk back to the living room.
"This is for you, and this is for our new angle, Mia thank you for coming in my life and bringing these little miracles in my life," Nate said to Mia while smiling at her and giving her hers and the future baby gift he has brought for them.
"Thank you, Nate and this is for you for coming back into my life and making me the happiest woman in the world," Mia said to him while smiling at him and giving him his thanksgiving present.
"And this is, for you guys, thank you for coming in my life my little miracles," Nate said kissing them and giving them a lot of presents.
"Wow, so many gifts, thank you so much dad," the kids said to him and hug him tightly and he hugs them back
"And this is not it, I have one more present for you, guys, bring it out, Marry,"   Nate said and Marry brings bring out two picnic basket with her and hand it to them, they open to see a small husky puppy in the picnic in the basket.
"Wow, thank you, dad," they said and side hugs him again. 
"I am happy that you like them, take good care of them okay," Nate asks and they nodded their head at him. Then the twins give the present they have brought for them and both of them like their present. After that, they eat brownies and ice cream in a dessert while watching a comedy movie and goes to there room to have some sleep.

Its a love story of Nate Nara and Mia Mathis which starts with a mistake of a nurse and Mia getting pregnant. Will they have their happy ever after? This is the first part of the book of pregnancy series. Nate Nara is the CEO of Nara enterprise who had everything in his life good looks, fame, wealth, and a beautiful wife but the only thing he wants more than anything is to have a family. He wants to have his own family and his own children. But he lost the ability to become a father due to illness. So he tried to have the child by using the insemination method. 

Mia Mathis is planning to go to New York after one month for her studies and she has just started working under his company. She goes to visit the gynecologist for a check-up but gets inseminated by mistake because a nurse misplaced the files and send her to an endocrinologist by mistake. 

After finding out that Mia is pregnant he decided to give divorce to his wife but the situation turns out and Mia had to deliver the kids forcefully due to get shot by the gun by Anna, Nate's wife. Another day at hospital they get to know that Anna was the death and Nate takes all the blame to save Mia and goes to jail but the thing was Anna was alive when they go to a hospital to save Mia and their kids so who killed her was still suspense. 

Read the book to find out the murderer.

NOTE: IS NOT A FANFICTION AND NOT RELATED IN ANYWAY TO THE SHOW JANE THE VIRGIN. THE FEW CHAPTERS MAYBE LOOK LIKE SAME BUT ITS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT STORY.

From what An Qi told me, Chinese New Year to her is basically what Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year are to me, all the holidays rolled into one. The part where the family gathers together for a meal? The Chinese do that on the eve of every Chinese New Year, calling it their 'reunion dinner'.
"So everyone in the family comes back together?" I asked, handing her a box of Kleenex. She whipped out a few pieces to wipe her eyes, blowing her nose in the process.
"Yes, this is correct." She looked troubled. "But I couldn't go home this year."
"Oh honey." I reached over, placing my hand on her shoulder to console her. I totally understood what she meant; my brother Todd was still stationed in Iraq, and he hadn't been home for Thanksgiving and Christmas in more than a year. Our family celebrations had been muted affairs, my mom throwing sad glances at Todd's empty chair throughout dinner.
Now that I was studying overseas, I wonder how she felt, having both her kids so far from home and not being able to be with her for the holidays.
"My father would always cook his famous roast duck for us," An Qi said quietly. For a moment I had almost forgotten she was there. "He would spend two days getting it ready, you know? Marinating it, drying the skin so it would be crispy. Then he would carve it up and serve it for reunion dinner, and give one of his speeches like: 'The year 2020 has been a year filled with trials and obstacles. I hope that 2021 will be one filled with endless fortune and bountiful wealth! Like the strong and mighty field ploughing ox, let 2021 be a year of growth and good health.' Only then would he allow us to eat."
An Qi was smiling through her tears now. I felt for her, because I missed home too.

A foreigner stuck in Chinatown for the lockdown finds out what Chinese New Year means and what it is about.

Weeks after her business trip, Darcy and Fitz were hosting Thanksgiving dinner just as they had since they bought their house years ago. It was a day full of board games, football, and children running around their home.
Darcy's sister Alexis and her family were the guests of honor this year. Alexis was an overachiever in her own right and was always quick to point it out. She was the eldest of the family and her mother had always used her as an example for the kids in the family to follow.
It was at about 3:00 p.m. that Alexis was into her third glass of wine for the day. This concerned Darcy, and she was having a hard time bringing it up. She respected her older sister deeply, but this just wasn't like her.
 Something had to be said. She took a breath and plastered a fake smile on her face before whispering into her older sister's ear.
"Alexis, that wine was for dinner. Save some for us."
Alexis rolled her eyes and smiled but it wasn't a happy one. Instead, she looked bitter and upset as she held the wine glass to her chest.
"Sorry, Darce. I've been super stressed out the last few weeks. I didn't make partner this last case like I thought I would. I still have my job, but I thought that this case would make me stand out. I mean, I've been there for over ten years! What's wrong with me?"
Alexis shook her head and then rolled her eyes at herself.
"Sorry. Jesus, it's Thanksgiving. I'm sitting here acting like a spoiled brat and getting my buzz on." She hadn't noticed Darcy leading her into the master bedroom and then shutting the door so they could be alone.
Darcy patted the bed and they sat together, backs against the large headboard. Just as they had when they were children decades ago and they would talk about boys and gossip. 
"It's okay to be upset, Alexis. You work hard, and you're one of the only women there. That sounds like kicking ass and taking names if you ask me. You just can't drink away your problem is all. It's not like you."
The oldest sister placed her glass on the nightstand next to the bed and wiped tears away. Darcy faced her and they hugged one another tightly. 
"I just can't stop hearing mom in my head telling me to do better and that the kids will see that I'm not succeeding. Especially the girls."
The younger sister nodded. If there was one thing even in their 30s and 40s that could make them insecure, it was their mom. She was strong, amazing, successful, and the holder of high standards.
"You know, I think that the girls believe you're amazing, sissy. You're a lawyer. You went to school for 800 years, you worked a full-time job almost the entire time, and you had your own apartment too. That's nothing to shrug off. It's always inspired me to do better and to dig in when I felt like giving up."
Alexis scooted herself closer to Darcy and put her head on her sister's shoulder. She looked down so that she couldn't see the tears spilling down her cheeks. Tears had always been so frowned on. 
When growing up, the girls in the family were taught that tears were the ultimate sign of weakness. A sign of instability, rage, and the ultimate tell of weakness. It often resulted in Alexis and Darcy seeming cold to those outside the family, or mean. Alexis especially had to hide emotions, working in law. It was a man's world, and if she knew anything it was that being a guy's gal was the ticket to success.
"Thank you, Darcy. I haven't even told Mom I didn't make partner yet. She's been texting and calling to ask and I'm just avoiding her." Darcy awkwardly nodded and they sat there until they heard timers go off for desserts. There was nothing she could do but be there. 
...And being there was what was needed. 
Melanie's day was a bit awkward, but holidays always had been for her little family. Brayden and Astrid were only at their house until 1:00 p.m. and then it was time for them to go back to their mom's family until that evening when they would come back.
This arrangement forced the family to eat Thanksgiving dinner at around 11:00 a.m. It wasn't ideal, but on the upside, Noble was able to finally join in on the meal this year and rested most of the afternoon after on his full belly.
Asa came back from the kid exchange looking drained and immediately grabbed a plate with cobbler on it then sat next to his favorite Ginger. Melanie rocked Noble on her lap and gave Asa a moment to relax before talking to him.
"Your dad wanted to play Cards Against Humanity or poker. Any preference? I know poker usually comes later, but it could be fun. I think that we can have Noble sleep and then spend time with his cousins. Hopefully, tire him out some so he sleeps on the way home."
Asa swallowed the cobbler in his mouth then took a breath. "I could play some poker. I wish that Brayden could've stayed to play. He hasn't gotten to do a family poker game once."
Melanie was screaming on the inside. Could she have one family function where the loss of an experience or time wasn't a topic?  She squeezed his knee tight and then got up to take Noble to lay down in a bedroom. When she returned to the couch she propped herself against the armrest and faced Asa. She felt hopeful and wished to lighten the mood.
"You know that poker games don't only have to happen at holidays. You can host one at the house when we have Brayden. He would love that, Babe."
Asa rolled his eyes and shook his head. He knew Mel meant well and that she loved all of them, but she just didn't get it.
"It's not the same, Mel. I mean I guess we can do that, but Noble will probably get to play holiday poker before Brayden does."
Melanie leaned in closer to him so that he could hear her speaking quietly. 
"Enough, Asa. Noble will probably get to do a bunch of stuff that will be different than Bray but that doesn't make it less special. Stop pouting and talk to your dad and brother about a random family card night when we have Brayden. I'll even cook and leave the house. You have got to realize that if you want these experiences, then you need to make them happen yourself."
Melanie stood redoing the messy bun on her head, then looked down at Asa, who had quite the look on his face. Smiling, she took the empty plate from his hands and brought it into the kitchen. She smiled, seeing her niece with an amazing dessert on her plate.
 "Is that pie? I'm gonna need a piece of that!"
Opal's Thanksgiving was a bit smoother than both Melanie and Darcy's. She'd spent it helping her mom make vegan and vegetarian options while all the children of the family ran around them giggling. They had a turkey for those who chose to "consume the living" as her mom put it, and of course all the veggies you could stomach. 
Bo was cutting strawberries for a dessert when Opal looked at her and smiled. She reminded her of the holidays when she was a teen. Making vegan or vegetarian meals to munch on throughout the day. They never sat down at the table, but instead sat on couches, the floor, the kitchen island, wherever there was room to sit and visit. It was a cozy atmosphere that always put Opal and Mike at ease. 
Opal's family home was a quirky one, but it was a place that all were welcome no matter who they were or what was going on with them: no question. 
Food had been put away and taken back out to warm up several times by the time night fell. Opal and Mike along with her two brothers Stone and Jimmy and their wives were asked to sit in the living room for an announcement. The grandkids all cuddled in the basement watching movies.
Opal was pretty skeptical about the announcement. The last time this happened, it was because they decided to go to Burning Man and needed someone to house sit. Mike picked up on his wife's thought and whispered to her with a smile. "Do we say they're opening a dispensary?" 
Opal held in a laugh and whispered back, "Your mom can be their first customer." 
Mike let out a deep chuckle and play hit her shoulder. 
After everyone settled in the living room, Opal's parents sat in front of their family,  legs crossed under them on the floor. Decades of yoga left them still limber and lean long into their sixties.
Opal's dad swallowed hard and a smile crossed his wrinkled face. He was a happy man usually, one that embraced joy, and surprised the grandkids with dancing and playing music. He'd worked hard as a carpenter and instilled a good work ethic into all of his children. Now, however, he was about to break their hearts. 
The room was silent for a few seconds, and everyone began to get nervous. His wife intertwined their fingers and gave them a squeeze to encourage him to speak. 
"I've had a hard time the last year probably with my health. At first, I thought your old man was just getting over the hill and needing to do a better job taking care of himself. So, we went to a healer, tried a few other things, and then your mom got me to go to a doctor when I saw -" 
His eyes began to twinkle with tears, and he shook his head to gain composure. Opal dug crescent-shaped marks into Mike's arm with her nails, hanging on her father's every word. 
"I saw urine in my blood. I um..I have cancer. I started chemo two weeks ago, and it's rough. The three of you need to know so that you can tell the kids if you would like to. I'm at stage two and my doctors think that we can beat this. I'm here to talk about it, and answer any questions." 
Audible gasps came from both Opal's sisters-in-law and Opal herself was numb. She felt Mike's large arms snake around her and stroke her hair gently. He desperately tried to give her any comfort that he could. Random thoughts fired through her head and she found herself with silent tears freely flowing from her eyes. 
- Had she heard him right? 
- Was stage two bad? 
- Was her Daddy going to die? 
She moved on pure instinct without a thought; jumping up and running to her childhood room with Mike close behind. He was stopped short as a door slammed in his face. On the other side of the door, his wife's small body slid down the door coming to a stop on the floor. Mike sat on the other side listening to loud sobs that came from the gap underneath the door. 
He knew that he just heard his wife's world shatter. 
"Well Happy Thanksgiving," Mike thought to himself as he cradled his head in his hands.

Darcy is an influencer on the rise. Her Mommy channel is offered a sponsorship that will change her and her group of friends forever.

 I married my best friend.
Rod and I were inseparable, we met when we were both 15 years old. Even though we attended different schools we made time for each other on the weekends and talked everyday after school until it was time for Grandma's 7:00 prayer line. We would talk again afterward and sometimes fall asleep while talking . The loud alert would sound through the vintage phone alerting me to place the receiver on the cradle. Sometimes it would startle me so bad I would be wide awake the rest of the night thinking about Rod. I would only call him back and we would talk until we left for school, and do it all over again.
When we graduated, he marched---I didn't. Grandma couldn't afford the cap and gown, the class ring, nor the ride to see me walk across that stage. A year had passed before Rod even found out I didn't march. I had siblings but we were all separated and Grandma took me in since I was the only girl. I only remembered Jay and not my baby brother, he was 5 when the child protection agency came, I was 4. I vowed as a child to never allow my own children to go through what we went through. Grandmother would say all the time, "That house wasn't in no shape for y'all to even be there! I knew something was going on so I came by and found y'all in there on that floor, no food, no utilities, it hurt me to my soul! That's why she wouldn't bring y'all to see me! Laura know she gotta reap what she sow! I didn't raise her to be the way she turned out."
Grandma had found a few men mama had been with, some agreed to take paternity tests but none were my father.
By the time Rod went to the Army, I was pregnant and Grandma knew I hadn't been going to the skating rink on the weekends.
I was 18, and hadn't had a clue about what to do with a baby, but every time Rod called he told me not to worry, he would take care of his daughter. He finally saw her face to face when she turned 4 months, but his mother already had and decided that she didn't belong to her son because of the blonde streaks she was born with in her hair. "That girl see dollar signs Roderick! U can't fall for what these pissy tail girls tell u!"
I left her house that day on the city bus with my daughter after she pretended to wanna help me, it was set in my mind for his mama to never see her grandchild again and every time I looked at my baby I saw the woman who refused to claim her. Rod came back after being deployed 15 months later and said he had no doubt that she was his because she looked just like his mother's mother.
I had named her Ava.
By the time he came back again I had given birth to his son. We went to the Justice of the Peace and said I do but he was deployed again 4 days later.
Finally when he returned after another year, I thought it was for good. Now I had a 4 year old, my oldest son was almost a year and a half, and I had a new born---and even though he had told me to stay home with the babies everyday because he would take care of us, I went through the Post Partum Depression after the third one and thought it would be best to get a job. I applied at the grocery store not far from home, they called the next day.
That's when I met Jachin.
I was mesmerized by his name and had seen it in the Bible and there was something about him in general, his white teeth, his lack of tattoos and the whole concept of one like him existing. I watched him so hard while pretending not to while he paid for the lobster and roses that he looked down at the ring on my hand. He was so sexy and I didn't know what a sexual attraction was at the time.
"U gonna give me a bag Japonica?"
I was confused, he knew my real name?
"Your name tag, and a plastic bag for the lobster. What time u get off?"
"Why?"
"Because I just bought u some lobster and roses."
"Oh, well I'm married and I can't eat that."
"Yea but u lonely. Call me."
"Call u what?"
"My name is Jachin but call me on the phone, I'm single."
"Well I'm not single and I can't call u, because I'm not lonely. I got a long line."
"O.K. see ya later, but I know u are."
"What? U can't see me later!"
"Yea I can, u work here don't u, I just moved here so this is my neighborhood supermarket, see ya later---u gone give me my bag?"
"Oh. Bye."
I didn't wanna know his name and didn't even know it was better that way, also his game was weak as hell.
I majorly fucked up the next transaction but found myself watching the automatic doors for him to enter through them everyday I worked until he finally came back. I saw Zoshia watching me and gave her the girl please look, "U look guilty as hell bitch. It ain't worth it," she came and whispered in my ear. I hadn't even done anything.
After ringing up the last customer in the line I placed the lane closed sign on the conveyor belt. I looked down the two aisles closest to my register and saw Jachin ever so often in the seafood department.
"Is this lane open?"
"No Ma'am," I told the old woman on the scooter, as well as the woman who followed her minutes later expecting me again to state the obvious.
After grabbing his items throughout the store in a matter of 20 minutes he guided his cart to my register and without asking removed the lane closed sign before putting the yogurt on the belt, took a four pack and scanned it himself.
"Can u read!? U askin for it!"
"So what, I can't ask for it u gonna make me beg?"
"U can't just come in here harassing me."
He laughed.
"Lane can't be closed, u been standing here since u placed the sign there. Why haven't u visited me."
"I'm about to go on break."
"Oh, u need a break now."
"Don't come back to register 5 please, I'm married, and I can't visit u."
"Well I don't want u to not wanna visit cause u are married, but I want u to come cause u lonely. What time u get off?"
"That's not your business!"
"OK, but I know u closing tonight. What's your favorite food?"
I had scanned the same can of pineapples 6 times, he laughed but kept talking.
"Who are u, u nosy as hell!?"
"Jachin."
"LOOK JACHIN! I have a family! Do u always harass married women?"
"No only u lately, my mother is in Omaha this week. I only live 6 minutes from here. What's your phone number?"
"I'm not giving u my number."
"Well accept my friend request."
"U can't find me to send me a request!"
"Alright Japonica....I already did, accept the request."
"Your total is $132.68."
"For 10 items?"
"Yea."
"OK. 11706 Kemp Drive."
"I don't want your address."
"Yes u do, u just don't know it. U owe me $66.10."
He ripped his own receipt off as I reached for it to hand it to him. "See ya later," he said.
That night I went home to my husband and children feeling like I needed Communion and every night it would be the same discussion between Rod and I, "Why do u go to that job! I bust my ass everyday for us, why do u even work?"
"Because I need a life, even when u come home from being deployed u still gotta work, u can't spend time with us!"
"U don't have to work sweetie to have a life! Make baskets, sell Tupperware!"
"When was the last time u saw a Tupperware bowl!?"
"What u mean Baby, your grandma fed me some beef stew out of one when u was mad!"
I picked up my six month old son and walked into the bedroom to prepare for the sex that had now become routine, good but routine. He knew I had nobody except my grandmother and she would piss me off talking about not being around much longer.
"I have to be deployed," he said when the sex was over.
Right when I was healing, he had to go.
I cried, the kids took care of me the next day while I watched him pack to fly out at 4 a.m. What had I done? Had I really signed up for this shit!? He was my best friend and the web cam was not the same, I couldn't touch him! I needed my husband and because he was all I knew I was more so unrestrained! He could have gotten an Honorable Discharge but he chose to stay in the Military, "I can't disappoint my Daddy, u know how he feel already about us having our kids so early."
"No, I know how your daddy feels about YOU having our kids so early."
The day he left I explained to my small babies they were all I had and saw me and my brothers all over again.
I called in to work two days in a row and cried until I was dehydrated, I wouldn't even take the kids to Grandma and pretend I was going to work. Then after those two days I altogether stopped calling in and just didn't show up. I saw the store number on the screen when the phone rung on the 5th day and answered prepared to be fired, it was Zoshia from register 6, "Girl, u must don't want ya job! U okay? I told them what u got goin on, Bronson said he gotta replace u if u ain't comin' back."
"I want my job, I'll come in tomorrow."
"OK, I'm glad. That man been comin in here buying only one item."
"So."
"Who the hell come to the store and buy one onion?"
"Girl bye. I'll see u tomorrow."
I laid in bed again all day wondering how I could be alone another year and cried some more. I just prayed I wasn't pregnant again, he hadn't seen any of the babies born.
Being back at work was uplifting because when Zoshia and I didn't have customers we gossiped at our registers. I could stand there all day and laugh at some of the shit she said. She had helped me overcome depression and always spoke about us hanging out off the clock but we were totally different. "I wish I could find a man who wanted to marry me, I fucked up with all my baby daddy's. U so blessed, all them kids belong to the same man and he married u. U got the perfect life, perfect shape and don't have to be here if u don't want to!"
Yea, I was blessed.
I had been back at work three days before Jachin came in again. I saw him jogging across the parking lot in the spandex and pretended to not see him. I had 6 customers in line and was glad because he could keep his fuckery. Zoshia was off, good I thought. Even though I concentrated on scanning and bagging the grocery I saw his smooth black sweaty skin and the neon green stripes on the spanx out of the corner of my eye. He'd grabbed a Gatorade and a cucumber and quickly got in my line.
"I CAN GET SOMEONE ON AISLE 4!" Elaine yelled, he didn't move but the two people in front of him did, now he was second in line.
"Where u been?" he asked while looking at the two items ride the belt.
"U just can't help it can u?"
"Why don't u greet the customers, u are closest to the door."
"I do."
"Use those words wisely next time."
"I hate when customers don't use the vegetable bags, that's ghetto."
"I missed u."
"Your total is $3.03."
I watched as he removed the wallet from his waistline while watching me but I tried hard not to look and hated I did after the fact. I made eye contact with him, he inserted is debit card and said "If u don't wanna visit me, I will visit u."
"Do u need a receipt?"
"Nah, and keep the cucumber, I don't need a bag."
"WHAT! Will u just leave the store!"
He laughed again, "The bags under your eyes, it look like u been crying. My mama use cucumbers."
I threw the cucumber in the trash can and noticed he had placed the lane closed sign at the end of the belt.
Days passed and Rod and I had begun to have the heart to heart talks again on the webcam, I had always feared I would open the door to see two uniformed men standing there giving their condolences.
"I may be able to come home, but only for two days, I will let u know. We gotta bring one home, a 20 year old, he died in an explosion. Say a prayer for his family."
I was so happy to hear he may come home but sad about the circumstances of his visit, I sympathized for the fallen victims and their families. At first I would be even more depressed, I couldn't stand to hear him talk about it so I asked him not to. Each one would trigger the dream, I would dream about the deaths exactly as he would describe them, only he would be the victim. Family and friends would have been good to have around to help me cope.
Fall was turning into winter and I needed a babysitter so I wouldn't have to haul the kids to Grandma's in the cold weather. My cousins wife Trudy loved them and when I asked if she could babysit she said yes but had to be at home during my work hours, she sold desserts from home. She insisted I let her keep them all week and she would bring them home on the weekend. I didn't agree because it didn't solve the problem and I would be alone however she lived closer than Grandma did; now they wouldn't be out at night when I closed; she would send Ava to school.
We worked it out, $250 a week.
Three days after I had come in alone to an empty house I broke down. I had missed Rods video call, he could just appear on the screen whenever his duties permitted it and working late resulted in us missing each other because of the different time zones. I slept beside the album that contained the pictures from the wedding we finally had and tried to convince myself I had to forgive his mother like Grandma said.
It was late, I just wanted to sleep but was afraid to dream and missed my babies.
I got use to the routine sooner or later, November was so cold I hated to leave home and when my babies would come home on Friday evenings we stayed inside. I hadn't talked to Rod since he got mad about Trudy keeping the kids all week. "U GOT FUCKING RESPONSIBILITIES BEING MY WIFE AND THEY ARE NOT TO BAG GROCERIES FOR MINIMUM WAAAAGE!"
He logged off and I hadn't seen him that mad in a while nor seen him since that day on the screen.
I cried, but got up and went to work, the job kept me sane, he just didn't understand. I started arriving at work early to keep my mind from wandering but still couldn't stop wondering about Jachin, he hadn't come back in over a month so I thought maybe he was harassing women at Kroger now! Standing up was taking a toll on my feet and I would be freezing cold working by the entrance doors at register 5, I was considering trying to find something else to maintain sanity.
Wednesday evening at 6:00 I limped to my car and got inside after starting it while still standing at the register. I told Zoshia bye, Happy Thanksgiving and knew my babies had gone to the country to Trudy's family home, I loved her for loving them but she hadn't even asked me. I hadn't planned on being alone for Thanksgiving! I cried of course and looked at those walls while they slowly moved inward to eventually close in on me when she decided to text me and tell me they were gone, "U are welcome to come too!"
Bitch!
I decided to cook and eat alone for Thanksgiving.
Before arriving at home, I stopped and bought ice but pulled into the garage when I arrived, I wasn't leaving anytime soon and it looked like snow was on the way. I grabbed the bags of vegetables and meat I had bought while at work and went inside after lowering the garage door. As soon as I walked in I ran to the bedroom since it was still early expecting to see my husband in uniform on my screen preparing for morning duty, but the computer was dark. Wasn't it Thanksgiving where he fucking was! Maybe he had written a letter I thought, was something wrong, it was Thanksgiving and I didn't wanna cry! I went to the front door, opened it and grabbed the mail from beside it in the mailbox but noticed a black Infiniti in my driveway. At first I wondered if they thought someone else lived there, were they visiting someone and got lost? I stood prepared to tell them they had the wrong house shivering from the cold but I instantly recognized the person getting out as soon as the interior light came on.
JACHIN?
"NOOOO What are u doing!? Why are u at my house!? U can't come here!"
"Why not? It's cold, u gonna let me in? So this is where u live, huh?"
"U gotta gooo! Now!"
"Why do u look so guilty? We aren't intimate or anything. Let me in, what's with the makeup?"
"WHAT! LEAVE! U FOLLOWED ME!"
"No, I just happened to be coming this way when we pulled out of the parking lot at the same time."
"U had to get ice too? I don't know what the fuck u tryna do but it won't work! I am married!"
"Nah, u just exchanged vows with someone, what u got ain't a marriage. I'm freezing, let me in; I know u want to, 11 more minutes I'll need body heat to keep from dying."
"Well get in your damn car Jachin!"
"Ok, come on."
"I CAN'T COME ON!"
I slammed the door in his face, he got in his car and just sat in the driveway. I couldn't operate with him outside! I glanced at the door several times to make sure it was locked and called Zoshia, she was getting loaded and thought it was funny that he was outside. I wanted to call the police on that man in that car but what would I tell them, he was a stalker? Yea, I could but why would he stalk me!? I was so mad, I didn't know if he wanted to kill me or not! My husband had bought me a gun and I would use it! I heard the car door close and then the doorbell. I peeked through the blinds trying to see what he was doing, he wiped the frost from the window and asked, "U really not gon let me in? Why can't we be friends Japonica, Im not tryna hurt u or anything, I just don't know anybody here and its Thanksgiving. Is your husband coming home soon or something? Just talk to me for a minute, then I'll leave u alone."
This man was crazy! I didn't know anything about him but wanted to let him in.
"U drink?"
"No."
"Ok, we can just talk. Please?"
I opened the door, he stood with his shoulders high against the chilling wind. He came in, looked around but reached for me, "Keep me warm." "U are delusional!"
"Nice home. Is that your husband on the picture in the uniform?"
"I've never met anyone as nosy and crazy as u are."
"I'm very much so well rounded and how else will I find out what I wanna know about u. Why were u limping?"
"U gotta go!?"
"I just got here. Let me rub your feet since u been standing on them."
"U can't touch me."
"U right, I can't if u don't want me to."
I sat on the sofa, he sat beside me a few inches away, "Thank u for making time for me, I gotta be alone for Thanksgiving too. Stop putting all of your business on Facebook."
"We are not friends, u don't know what I put on there!"
"Don't be so sure, u have over 3,000 friends."
"GET OUT!"
He laughed. "Everybody got over 3,000 friends. Ok, I'll leave u look so nervous."
He stood up, "Give me a hug so I can go, I wanna hug u every time I come in the store, if u were mine u wouldn't be working there."
I stood up to walk him to the door but decided to hug him, he was so solid and the request for the hug fell on my ears and traveled through my body. He hugged me after I hesitated to hug him, but he hugged like Rod would and put his nose on my neck.
When the front door opened and Rod came in still in uniform, he caught me hugging Jachin. His body was sending something through me and I hated to let go, the awkward moment was more convicting than any other I had ever experienced because he didn't want to let go either.
"Baby!!? Who is that Baby? Who u huggin!?"
I jumped from the sound of his voice, he dropped his bag and Jachin still held me around my waist almost hugging my ass, he then let go and turned around. "What's up man, I'm Jay. Nice meetin' ya."
"Oh? Baby, u found your brother?"
"Nah man, I found her."


A moment later, Frank came into the room. "Where do you want it?" Frank asked, looking at the turkey on the table, confused.
"Back in the oven," Roxanne repeated. "The stuffing has to cook."
He lifted the turkey and placed it back into the oven effortlessly, planted a kiss on his wife's cheek, and headed down the hallway. "Hey! What did I miss?" he yelled to the guys as he continued down the hallway.
"Roxanne, are you happy?" I asked as I cleaned up the baby and took him out of his highchair. Immediately, he laid his head on my shoulder and started drifting off to sleep as I rocked him back and forth.
She looked at me with a puzzled look on her face. "What brought that on?"
I shrugged. "I don't know. Just thinking, I guess."
She nodded as she scrutinized my face. She sat down across from me as she absentmindedly started shucking corn as Alanna mulled over her plan of attack. "Yes; of course I'm happy. Frank and I have been married for fifteen very years now. Three kids later, I wouldn't have stayed with him all this time if I wasn't."
I nodded as I handed Caden to her and took over shucking corn. After a few seconds of watching me, Alanna dug in and it was as if she had been shucking corn her whole life.
"Why do you ask?" she asked, rubbing her son's back as she rocked him back and forth.
The rest of the conversation in the room stopped as they awaited my answer.
I shrugged. "Just curious."
The other ladies in the room went on with the work of preparing Thanksgiving dinner, but Roxanne watched me attentively. I could tell that she wasn't buying it. I was sure that she sensed that something else was going on with me.
We spent the afternoon working together, enjoying preparing the meal. There was nothing like working with a bunch of women to put together a big meal. Before long, Roxanne announced, "Okay, everyone! Dinner's ready!"
"Yippee!" her eight-year-old son yelled, rushing in, followed by their six-year-old daughter, and the other children in the house.
The parents in the room helped their children to get settled at the "kids table", while the adults settled at the huge wooden table that stretched from one end of the wall to the other. Frank had set up two tables and pushed them together, and we covered them with Thanksgiving tablecloths-a burnt orange, decorated with turkeys and pilgrims along the edge. The food sat in the middle of the table and wine glasses were set by every place setting.
"You sit here," Roxanne said to a woman, sitting her next to a single man, coordinating the seating. "Curt! You and Alyssa are over here"
"Don't mind if I do," Curt said to me in a low voice as he held out the chair for me, and then slid into the seat next to me. Then, he reached under the table and held my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"Did you have a good time, watching football?" I asked as everyone settled in.
He shrugged. "I would have rather spent the time with you. But, yes, it was fun."
I blushed, smiling as I looked down.
Alanna sat down on the other side of me and smiled, then took a sip of her wine.
Frank clanked a spoon on the side of his crystal wine glass, attracting our attention. "As we all know, today is Thanksgiving," Frank said, as he squeezed Roxanne's hand on top of the table and she smiled. "And it's a day to stop and reflect on all of the things we are thankful for. Everyone, let's bow our heads." Everyone joined hands and bowed their heads. "Dear Lord, thank you for this wonderful food and for all of us being together, and please bless our loved ones who are not here with us." My heart tugged in my chest as I remembered Logan, my parents, and Greer. "Thank you, also, Lord, for this wonderful food and help us to be grateful for everything in our lives, even the struggles, because it is the struggles that helps us to learn and that makes us who we are. Amen."
"Well," Roxanne said, flipping her napkin and laying it across her lap. "That was a bit unconventional, but I loved it." She reached over and gave her husband a kiss as everyone chuckled.
"Let's eat!" Frank said, as he started carving the turkey and everyone started passing around the dishes filled with mashed potatoes, corn, dumplings, cranberry sauce, green beans, and so on. The list went on and on. Everyone passed their plates to Frank for the turkey. It seemed like organized chaos, but it was home. Suddenly, I thought of my parents and vowed to call them when I got home.
The meal continued until everyone was stuffed to the gills.
"I have to go," Curt said in a low voice.
"Must you?" I asked, truly enjoying his company. "You haven't had dessert yet."
He laughed. "I'm so stuffed as it is that I'll need to let out my pants."
"No way," I said as I leaned in for a quick kiss. "You look fabulous."
"I have to get out of here before I blow up like a balloon."
I laughed as I took another sip of my wine.
"Frank, Roxanne," Curt began, claiming their attention, "I hate to say this, but I have to catch a flight."
"Must you rush off so soon?" Roxanne asked, her eyebrows pulling together in concern.
Curt laughed. "I don't think I've been rushing anywhere." Everyone laughed. "Thank you so much for having me. The food was delicious."
"Well, I can't take all the credit," she corrected as she looked around the table. "It really was truly a joint effort."
"Thank you, ladies," Curt said, rising from his seat, and then said to me in a low voice, "Walk me out?"
I nodded as I rose from my seat.
Frank got up and walked around the table to Curt. "Thanks for coming. It was a pleasure to meet you," he said as he shook Curt's hand. Then, he looked over at me. "I hope Alyssa brings you back. Don't be a stranger."
Curt nodded as he released Frank's hand. "I appreciate that. This was the best Thanksgiving I've had in a very long time."
Frank nodded. "I'm glad you had a good time."
Curt said his goodbyes to everyone and then I walked him out.
Outside, Curt slipped into his coat. "I'm so sorry that I have to leave so soon."
I smiled. "I'm glad you came. Your visit was quite a surprise."
He wrapped his arms around me as I snuggled into his coat, feeling his warmth, his masculine scent wafting toward me. "Well, I'm full of surprises," he teased.
I laughed as I started to shiver. "Of that, I have no doubt."
He laughed.
"Thank you so much for coming," I said, looking in to his eyes. "I really had a good time."
"So did I," he replied, his voice merely a whisper.
"Promise me it won't be long before I see you again," I said sincerely.
"Well, that just depends on when you're coming to New York." Then, he tenderly kissed my neck.
"This is coercion." My breathing quickened, enjoying this a bit more than I should, especially since he was leaving.
"I'm counting on it," he breathed against my skin as he moved up to the hollow just under my ear. "Promise me."
"I'll see what I can do," I said, but my resolve was waning.
He smiled against my skin. "Not good enough," he said as he softly kissed my cheek.
I let out a deep breath. "Okay," I whispered.
His lips descended upon mine as my heart pounded within my chest. It was a good thing that he was leaving because my resistance was fading. His lips were soft against mine at first, and then fierce as passion filled us both. All too soon, he pulled away. "I really must go," he said, and then gave me one last sweet kiss.
He waved at me over his shoulder as he headed toward the car. I waved back, and within minutes, he was gone.




Sophie Slade is the author of paranormal and contemporary romance. She started writing at the age of fourteen when she took a Creative Writing class and she was hooked. After college, she worked as a reporter, but went back to her first love--writing fiction. Sophie believes that love conquerors all, which is reflected in her stories. Sophie has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, News Editorial sequence, from the University of Tennessee at Martin, and a minor in English. She currently resides in Florida with her husband, children, a persnickety cat, and a very bossy dog. Look for her books anywhere books are sold.

On her way to Nashville to try her hand at a singing career, Alyssa Collins meets Logan Ambrose, her soul mate in every way. Not only is he a great singer and guitar player, he has a down-to-earth personality to die for. Soon, he proposes and they make plans for the future, but everything changes in an instant. A month later, she wakes from a coma only to learn that her life has changed forever. 
Lost and distraught, Alyssa tries to make sense of her life. Needing to make a change, she puts her singing career behind her and finds herself in law school. Ten years later, she is a lawyer at a prestigious firm. 
When Alyssa goes to New York for a political fund raiser, something happens that changes her life again. With more questions than answers, can she find it in herself to go on with her life … if tomorrow never comes?


      "Babe, there're five days of every year that your ass better be next to me, that's your birthday, mine, valentines, thanksgiving and Xmas. After we have kids we'll add Mother and Father's day and the kids' birthdays to the list."

      "And in this world of yours do I ever go back home ever?"

      "In a few years when I no longer feel like killing douchetard and his bitch. I have an idea, why don't you tell your parents you don't want to come there because you're afraid the prick would pull another stunt? That ought to work."

      "You want me to lie?"

      "Babes, if we go there can you guarantee he won't show up and start shit?"

      She pondered that for a minute.

      "See what I mean?"

      "So let me get this straight, you want me to spend thanksgiving and Xmas with your family."

      "Yep."

      "My mom and dad are not going to be happy."

      I would've given her my signature answer which is I don't give a fuck, but that seemed inappropriate when talking about her parents, so I went with the next best thing.

      "The only people we need to worry about pleasing from now on are each other. I don't have anything against your family, but I'm thinking me, and Stark being in the same zip code anytime soon is not a good thing. As to the whole holiday thing, that's just how it's been in my family for generations, the wife follows the husband home. Ask Bianca how she did it, I don't know, or talk to mom, whatever, either way you're with me."

      "Oh my goodness, do you plan on living our lives like this? You always calling the shots?"

      "Problem?"

      "Uh, yeah, you're being a dick-tator."

      "Caught that one babe, no matter, we've just set the precedent for the next fifty years or so."

      "You're bent you know that."

      "If you say so, now are we finished? All this arguing made me horny, plus you owe me a show."

      "What are you talking about now?" She was still frowning but at least she'd tabled the argument.

      "Remember, something you and Stephanie watched or something? You were gonna show me."

      She rolled her eyes as if to say 'yeah right'.

      "After you just dropped this crap in my lap you expect me to give you head?" She turned red as a cherry.

      "Babe...seriously, oh now you really have to show me; what the hell were you and Stephanie doing watching that shit anyway, who else was there?"

      "No one Talon geez, she knows I don't know about...that, so she found me this tutorial, it's not like we were watching porn or anything, it was very tasteful." Cue the blush.

      "Uh huh, Kevin know about this?"

      "What, no, why?"

      "Just checking. So, you gonna show me or not?"

      "Not." She smirked, smartass.

      "Think again, then again you don't have to, I'll just eat you for the next couple hours."

      Without waiting for an answer I pulled her in the direction of our bedroom. When she dug her heels in I tickled the shit out of her and then threw her over my shoulder.

      She tried pummeling me but she was laughing too hard for there to be any real heat behind her blows.

      Dropping her on the bed I fell on top of her, making sure not to hurt her. Looking into her amazing eyes I brushed back the stray locks that fell across her forehead. We shared a smile before a soft, gentle kiss.

      "Seriously baby, I just want you to be happy, and there's no way you can convince me that sitting across the table from someone who caused you so much pain is going to do that. So I'm taking you home with me where I'm sure my mother and nonna will spoil you rotten. Okay?"

      "Okay Talon."

      *** 

      SKYLAR

      ***

      Sometimes Talon seems too good to be true. It took me a while to understand that beneath his gruff exterior beats a heart of gold, still it's almost overwhelming for me to accept that he's genuine. I often wonder how I'd got so lucky to come from near desolation to this, a man who treated me like I was the most precious thing in his world.

      He's so completely different from what I expected him to be, nothing at all like the stories I'd heard when I first got here had led me to believe. Where was the womanizing scoundrel I'd heard so much about? It was true none of the women he'd dealt with had ever accused him of anything less than exemplary behavior. Though I didn't see how they could have stars in their eyes for someone who'd basically slept with them once and then walked away without a backward glance.

      I'd been afraid I would be treated to more of the same, but the pull of attraction had been too strong to ignore. Instead I was treated to the only side of Talon Avery that no one else seems to have known. Maybe that's why there was so much hostility sent my way from his exes in the beginning.

      He doesn't hide his feelings for me from the outside world. In fact we're the new topic of choice on everyone's lips these days. You hardly heard his name called these days without mine attached. I was secretly glad of that, it gets tiring hearing of your man's conquest with the ladies. Especially when some of them were as beautiful as they are, it made for some very troubling moments in the beginning. But Talon acts as if I'm the greatest thing he's ever known, and he tries hard to convince me of that.

      It's almost like he wants to own me completely sometimes, the way he takes me over. Had I not felt the same strong emotion for him from the first, it would probably freak me out. To be the object of that much heat, desire, whatever you want to call it, was all new to me. 

      But if I were to be honest, I would have to admit that his caveman antics made me hot as hell. Whenever he got all masterful and controlling I just wanted to jump him. That's when I wasn't thinking of ways to brain him and knock some sense into him; the boy can be a handful, like today.

      He started nibbling on my ears, which for some reason always made me twitchy. He bit down gently and I rubbed my legs together.

      "You...are...the...most...beautiful...creature...in...the...world." He growled making me laugh.

      "Oh yeah, well you're not so bad yourself."

      I loved it when he was playful like this in fact I loved everything about my caveman, that's why I had a special surprise for thanksgiving.







Talon Avery is the one everyone on campus whispers about, both male and female alike. The suave junior is captain of the football field, but that's not the only place where he shows his prowess. Known as a carefree man about town with a trust fund that's way beyond his peers', he has no plans on settling down anytime soon, not when he can have his pick of any female within a ten-mile radius. Until the day he sees her across the football field and feels something he never knew he could.
Skylar Abbot has moved to the university miles away from home to lick her wounds. After the arranged marriage that had been looming on the horizon fell apart due to betrayal that involved a cousin and her intended, she wants nothing to do with men. Now she finds herself the sole interest of the school's heartthrob and the envy of all the other females who'd been waiting in the wings for a chance.
Talon's Heart is Created by Jordan Silver, an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author. 


The next morning she questioned me up one side and down the other about my run the day before but I didn't share. "Why don't you focus on Thanksgiving babe, isn't it like in two days or some fuck?" 
I planned to stay around the house today and the kids were staying home. They were going on break in a few days anyway so it shouldn't matter.
"No, I want you to tell me why we took the kids outta school and why Tommy and the others have been staked out in my kitchen all night."
"No."
"Colton, are we in trouble?" I hated that tremble in her voice, hated that she was worried.
"No baby, you know I would never let anything happen to you, but there's some shit going on that I thought it best to have my family where I can keep eyes on them for the time being. It's nothing for you to worry about, I want you to go ahead and enjoy your holiday and don't give this shit another thought."
I went around the place making sure we were secure and then I went to work getting everything I could on the Porters. I haven't given those fucks a thought in years I was too busy living the life I'd carved out for me and mine. 
I can't say I was surprised that they'd come back after all these years to fuck with my happiness, that's karma for ya. But the fuckers should've come after me instead of my kid. Now their destruction will be ten times worse.
"You're still worrying Kat you know how I feel about that shit, cut it out. If there was something for you to stress over I'd tell you, but this, this is nothing that I can't handle. Stop giving me that look." Sometimes she sees too damn much.
I almost wish she was still harping on my ass about Caitie and her asshole friend. I wished even more that she would get moving on her Xmas bullshit whatever it was, all the shit I'd just spent the last coupla weeks arguing with her about. Anything but the worry and fear I saw in her eyes.
"Why don't we spend the day doing something with the kids huh? We can make a fire in the cold ass back and toast marshmallows or some girly shit. Maybe I'll take the boys for a run on their ATVs, you think they'd like that? We'll wait and see what our little pre-convict wants to do because you can be sure it's neither of those things."
I was trying to lighten the mood, but like I said, after all these years together, never being apart, she knew me as well as I knew her. It was getting harder and harder to tell her not to worry and have her actually listen, but I was gonna try.
***
Kat
***
Ha, he's not fooling me, I know him too well. I watched him all that day and the next as he hovered around me, and the kids like he was expecting us to disappear any second. I would call Law again and grill him but two things stopped me. One, he's as tight lipped as Colton, and two, Colt would lose his mind if I went behind his back like that. I guess all I could do is wait and see.
The kids didn't think anything of staying home a few days early, and Colt was so good at shielding them they never suspected a thing. They ran around the house like hooligans all except Caitie. Since Todd was leaving in a little over a month, the only time she had with him really was at school and when he came over in the evenings to do homework together.
My poor little girl looked haggard and miserable and it broke my heart that I couldn't do anything for her because her father is a maniac. I tried not to worry and by midday of day two, when nothing happened, I let myself breathe again. 
Colton on the other hand was in and out pacing like a caged animal. He and dad were closed off in the study for hours and I still didn't know what was going on.
I had to put it away, Colt was right, Thanksgiving was coming and I had a lot of prepping to do for the annual dinner that had somehow gravitated to our home instead of his parents. The house was usually like a revolving door on that day since we had everyone over including the crew.
"Colt I have to run to the store." You would've thought I'd screamed fire the way he reacted. "Write me a list." I knew that was coming but couldn't resist pulling his chain. "No that's okay, you always forget something I think I should go, I should've already taken care of this by now but things have been so crazy lately"
"Fine we'll go to the store give me a minute." He left the room and I heard him barking orders on the phone before he went outside to where he had men surrounding the house. Next thing I know there was what sounded like ten bikes pulling into the driveway. "This is the limit, Colton what is going on?"
"I told you, I'm just taking precautions because of some stuff that's been going on in the area there's nothing for you to worry about." Yeah, I believe that. We looked like a motorcade on the way to the damn supermarket but my husband, who drove like we were on the run was still trying to convince me that all was right in our world.
I know how he operates, I also know that as long as there's breath in his body nothing and no one would ever get next to the kids or I, he'd proven that time and again, but that didn't stop me from wanting to know just what we were facing.
Because the holidays were right on our doorstep and there was always so much to do, I was being pulled in two directions. The kids always looked forward to this time of the year, they were already making noises about Santa and what they wanted most this year. How do I keep them from realizing that something was going on with all the changes?
Colt wouldn't worry about that his only concern would be our safety, so I guess it was up to me to keep things from getting too crazy. "Baby." He took my hand as we turned into the parking lot that looked like everyone had had the same idea at once; the place was full.
"Do me a favor huh, why don't you let me worry about our protection and safety and you take care of the festivities. I promise you that if there were something for you to worry about I would tell you. We straight?"
"I guess Colton I'll do my best, but promise me that you're not gonna be hurt either."
"You can take that to the bank."




Jordan Silver is the author of more than one hundred and fifty novels and novellas spanning multiple genres including romance, erotica and new adult fiction. All works feature over the top alpha males and the women who love them, with a happily ever after guarantee. 

Colton Lyon is a tough as nails biker who has no time for bullshit. He’d long given up the easy life afforded him by his wealthy upbringing to live life on his own terms. He lives hard and loves harder but has yet to meet a woman he’s wanted for more than a few screws that is until he meets his new assistant. The mousy little filly who’s afraid of her shadow. He gave her a week, even though his right hand man had begged him to give her the job. Nothing he hates more than sniveling females afraid of their own damn shadow.

Kat’s moving halfway across the country to escape a dark past that’s left her scarred. Barely eighteen, she should have her whole life ahead of her, but instead fear has robbed her of the spark she once had. When she first meets her new boss she knows there’s no way she could take the job, he’s just too much of everything with his gruff demeanor and those smoldering looks. The first time she almost swooned at the sight of his muscular tattooed arms she knew she was in trouble.

Meanwhile; Colton was trying to figure out what kind of hex the little mouse had worked on him to keep her on his mind. No matter how he tries to avoid it, there’s just something about her that keeps him


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