Page 13

13

“ S o what’s the surprise, Daddy?” Betsy asked.

“Ahh, well, they should be arriving any moment.”

They?

He’d already cleaned her up and pulled her clothes back on. Apart from a throbbing bottom, she felt good. Cute.

But what was the surprise?

Ink led her out into the dining area just as the front door opened and she heard voices.

“Betsy!” Millie cried, rushing toward her and hugging her tight.

Millie gave amazing hugs.

“Hey!” Sunny greeted her next. Her hug was no less welcome or enjoyable.

God. She loved them both.

“Betsy! We’re here to create chaos!”

She grinned over at Emme, who held up bags of stuff. Well, Reyes held up the bags. Betsy knew that Emme wouldn’t have been allowed to carry anything.

“Not too much chaos,” Tabby said, stepping in around Emme.

“All the chaos!” Millie cried.

Reyes and Spike shared a look. Razor wasn’t with them, but he was probably at his garage and Tabby had likely come with Millie.

The last ones to walk through were Greer and Livvy. They were followed by Sav, who was shaking his head at their whispering.

“Betsy! Are you ready for some crafting?” Millie asked as she grabbed some bags from Spike and started laying things out.

“This is my surprise?” she asked Ink.

“Yep. Millie and Emme have arranged a bunch of activities for you guys to do for a few hours. The other girls wanted to come, but they all had things planned or have left already to go away for the holidays. Is it a good surprise?”

Betsy threw her arms around him. “The best surprise, Daddy! But what about the kids?”

“Don’t worry, the twins will let me know when they’re on their way back. But they’ll be gone for a while anyway. Have fun, baby.”

“Thanks, Daddy. You’re the bestest.”

“I went to LittleLand the other day,” Betsy said as she poured glitter into her glitter bomb. It looked like a small gift, but when the recipient opened it, then it would go everywhere.

“You did?” Greer asked. “Isn’t it fun?”

“So fun. And Bonnie said she’s going to expand. She’s going to put in a proper Little clothing shop and a trampoline park.”

“Yes! A trampoline park!” Emme punched the air excitedly.

“A Little clothing shop will be awesome,” Sunny said. “She might want to sell some of your creations, Millie.”

“I don’t know,” Millie said, looking unsure.

“I think she’d be lucky to have your dresses in her store,” Betsy told her loyally.

“Thanks,” Millie whispered.

“She actually offered me a job in the clothing shop,” Betsy said. “Not that I’ll likely take her up on that.”

“Why not?” Sunny asked. “You’d be perfect at it!”

“I don’t know . . . she was probably just being nice. She likely didn’t mean it.”

“I don’t know,” Greer said. “Bonnie didn’t seem like the type to say something she doesn’t mean. And I can tell you that she doesn’t go around offering everyone jobs.”

The others all nodded.

“You’d do amazing,” Tabby told her.

“We all think so,” Livvy added.

“Thanks, you guys. Maybe I’ll think about it after Christmas.”

They finished their Christmas crafts. Betsy had decorated a jar and filled it with twinkle lights as well as creating several more decorations for the tree. Then their Daddies all came to pick them up and she hugged them all goodbye. After they left, Betsy couldn’t stop smiling. Ink walked into the living room with a frown.

And glitter in his hair.

“There’s glitter everywhere,” he grumbled.

“Daddy, what did you expect when you arrange a crafting session?” she asked as he sat and lifted her onto his lap.

She brushed the glitter from his hair.

“I’m going to be finding glitter for months to come, aren’t I?” he said mournfully.

She couldn’t help but giggle as she nodded.

“Sorry, Daddy. But yeah . . .”

“Did you have fun, though?” he asked.

“So much fun! It was the best!”

“Good. Then it’s worth having a house filled with glitter.”

Well. She was glad he thought that. She squirmed on his lap, trying to get off.

“What are you doing? We’ve only got a few minutes before the kids get home. I thought we could snuggle on the couch and watch a movie.”

“We can. But I have something for you.”

He let her get up and she grabbed the small gift she’d made for him.

“Thanks, Button,” he said as he unwrapped it. “You didn’t have to get anything for me. It’s not even Christmas yet.”

Poof! Glitter. Everywhere.

So. Much. Glitter.

More than she’d expected, if she was honest. Betsy gaped at Ink for a long moment.

Which was time that she really should have spent running.

Finally, as he got out of the chair, his face filled with thunder, she let out a squeal and took off.

“Button!” he yelled. “Get back here!”

“No!” she cried out, running through the dining room, then out onto the porch. She giggled as she ran.

Oh. She was in so much trouble.

“Come back here!” he yelled.

She ran back inside the house, coming to a stop as she saw Baron, Royal, and Zippy staring at her in shock.

“Betsy! You’re in big trouble!” Ink said as he barrelled inside.

Suddenly, a small girl appeared between them. Betsy took up a protective stance in front of Zippy, her legs and arms wide apart.

As though she was trying to ward Ink off.

But why?

“Don’t you hurt Betsy!” Zippy declared.

Oh God.

Betsy should have realized why she had gotten between them. Now that they’d learned about what life had been like for Zippy with Leon . . . they should have understood that things like this could happen.

But Zippy had never acted like this before . . . maybe talking about it had brought it all up.

Or perhaps this was the first time she’d been concerned that Ink might hurt Betsy.

“Zippy, Ink wasn’t going to hurt me,” she explained gently.

“He was yelling at you. Chasing you.”

“Yes, but it was a game. See . . . I glitter-bombed him.”

Zippy turned to give her a skeptical look. “You glitter-bombed him?”

“Uh-huh. See the mess?” Betsy waved her hand over the living room.

Zippy’s eyes widened. “Whoa. That’s a lot of glitter.”

“And there’s even more on Ink,” Baron said with a grin.

Royal shook his head. “You’re going to be finding glitter for weeks to come. In places you probably thought you’d never have glitter.”

“Or want it,” Baron said with a grin.

“Oh. He wasn’t . . . he wasn’t going to hurt you?” Zippy asked.

Betsy walked over to the small girl, crouching down so they were eye-level. “No. Ink would never hurt me. I promise. And I’m really thankful that you were going to try to protect me, but you don’t have to do that, okay? It’s my job to protect you.”

“That’s not what Royal and Baron say,” Zippy told her. “We have to protect you. And I agree.”

Betsy shot Baron and Royal a look. They just gave her innocent looks back. The ratbags.

She glanced up at Ink for some help, but he just grinned. “I agree with the kids. We have to protect you.”

Betsy sighed, shaking her head. “You’re all terrible.”

Zippy crossed her arms over her chest. “You said that’s what a family does. They protect each other. No matter what.”

“Yes, but I don’t think you’re all meant to gang up on me!” Betsy exclaimed, standing straight.

“It’s not ganging up on you, Ma,” Baron said, walking over to wrap his arm around her. “It’s called loving you.”

Tears filled her eyes. “I love all of you as well. This is going to be the best Christmas ever, because I have all of you here.”