Page 67 of The Triple Threat

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Melinda just said something about it being time.”

“Got to say, I for one am excited,” Auntie L piped up from the back seat. “It’ll be lovely spending it with a lot of people.”

“You bored with our company?” I asked, looking over my shoulder at her with a grin.

“No sweetheart,” she replied, ruffling my hair. “But I think you and Jefferson need some more laughter in your lives.”

“You give us plenty of laughs,” Pop said. “And we love you both for it.”

“We love you too, honey,” Auntie J added. “Now let me at that peach wine I know Henry makes.”

Before I had a chance to get out and help them both down from the truck, both my aunts were at the door and banging on it.

“Someone is excited.”

“Yeah,” Pop replied, sounding a little reflective. “You don’t think we neglect them, do you?”

He watched his sisters as they were greeted by Melinda on the front stoop and let out a sigh.

“I’d hate to think we were no fun for them to live with.”

“Pop, they fucking love living with us. You really think Uncle Miller would let them knit him a damn awful sweater every Christmas, or that Aunt Debra would let them use her kitchen to concoct soup that tastes like horse shit, and then eat it with a smile on her face.”

Pop grinned. “No, I guess not.”

“So, stop worrying about it. They’re happy.”

He nodded and gave my shoulder a squeeze, then we followed my aunts into the house.

Once inside, I had to be honest, it felt pretty good to be there; it was warm, happy and homely. The house was already decked with Christmas decorations, although no tree as I knew the Maples all went together on the twenty-third to buy it and then decorate it as a family – even Carter got involved. A gorgeous smell of turkey cooking permeated into the hallway and all I could hear was laughter and chit-chat. It felt exactly how Thanksgiving should be.

“Hey, Hunter,” Melinda said as she came over to me with arms open wide. “I’m glad you came honey. Ellie said you might have to stay on the ranch with the herd.”

Oh, she did, did she? Wished more like.

“No, we got the Williams brothers to come in. We usually do when we want some time off. Their fruit farm being seasonal and all, it gives them some extra cash.”

“Yeah,” Pop added, landing a huge hand on my shoulder. “They’re struggling to compete with that huge big farm that’s started over in Middleton Ridge. I’m even thinking of employing them full time in the new year.”

“You are?” Melinda asked, genuinely interested.

“Yeah, well I ain’t getting any younger, and we think we might increase the herd come January.”

“That’s a great idea, honey,” Melinda said softly and pulled Pop in for a hug. “I’m so glad you came.”

When she pulled away, there were tears in her eyes and her visible emotion hit me in the gut. This sudden invite and Melinda getting tearful had me worried.

“You okay?” I asked.

Melinda gave me a tight smile and nodded. “Yeah, sure. Just… I don’t know, this year I’m kinda missing your mom a little more than usual, you know?”

She looked up at Pop, whose Adam’s apple bobbed as he ran a hand over his hair.

“I’m just gonna catch up with the guys,” Pop said, clearing his throat.

Melinda watched him go and then turned back to me.

“Is he okay, honey? Only Ellie said she thought he seemed sad, more so than usual.”