Another week had gone by and Tess was almost sad that it was over. She had enjoyed spending time with her brother Andrew immensely. It was so good to see him again and hang out with him and the MC. They got along so well, and not just because Andrew and Nitro knew each other, but because her brother was one of the friendliest guys you would ever meet. He got along with everyone he met and it made Tess and everyone else relaxed around him.
It was four days before Christmas. The MC had invited other groups to join in at the dance, and the whole room was magical. The floor was blue with snowflakes all over it, from the snow falling from the sky. They were outside in an open area stage. A skating rink was in the corner and there was a big Christmas tree was all lit up. There was a bar along the side where drinks were being served. A sleigh was set up in the other corner and one of the enforcers was dressed as Santa where kids could go sit on his lap. Tess had never been one to believe in Santa, but she could appreciate the wonder and excitement of Christmas from a child’s eyes. She was trying to hold onto that this year, since her whole world had been turned upside down in the past few months. Having her brother at the MC during the Christmas festivities helped to ease the nerves of going home for the holidays.
“You having a good time, sis?” Andrew asked as they sat at the bar drinking eggnog and watching the group dancing. Nitro was off to the side having a serious conversation with Stenton, making her wonder what was going on, but she knew that it wasn’t something she could do anything about.
“Yeah, I am… It’s just good to have you here. I really missed you,” she admitted, looking over at him. “It’s been a good week.”
“It sure has. Between you and me, I kind of wish we could stay here. It’s great to be back with these guys again.”
“Nitro really likes you…” Tess observed, looking towards him again as she drank more of her egg nog.
“We go back a long ways,” Andrew agreed with a nod. “He really helped me a lot through some tough times with dad… We talk a lot on the phone lately and he knows what’s going on with the MC back home.”
“Bro, why are you really here? It’s not just to come see me and pick me up for the holidays…” she said observing his hesitation at the mention of their father. Something was definitely wrong.
“Dad and I had a fight,” he finally admitted. “It was a big one… And I needed to get away before I did something stupid.”
Tess sighed and leaned back against the bar, drinking more of her spiked egg nog. “I knew it…” She shook her head. “I knew something wasn’t right.”
Nitro walked over at that moment then and looked between them. “Everything alright?” He asked with concern, going to stand beside her.
“Just great,” she said sarcastically and pushed off the bar. “I’m gonna get some air.” She left the two men standing there at the bar as she walked towards the entrance of the dance floor. It wasn’t long before she heard Nitro coming up behind her. She looked back and just kept walking out to lean back against the wall with a sigh.
“Talk to me,” Nitro encouraged, leaning next to her. “I can tell you’re upset.”
“I just don’t understand why you know more about my family’s life than I do. Is it because I left them? Or because I’m a woman? Or because I’m now in another MC that actually welcomes me and makes me feel like I’m…”
“Hey,” Nitro stopped her and put a hand on her shoulder. “Your brother and I are best friends. This isn’t new information. He came here for help, so we give it to him because he helped us in the past too. I don't know why he waited until tonight to tell you the real reason though… You'll have to work that out with him. Please don’t be upset with him though. You know your father…”
Tess looked away and sighed again. “Yeah, I know him. That’s why I don’t want to go home for Christmas.”
“You have to though. You’ll be upset with yourself if you don’t.”
“Doesn't make it easier.” She closed her eyes, dreading the trip. “I wish you could come with us tomorrow.”
“That’s one trip you have to make with your brother, sweetheart,” he insisted. Looking in her eyes, he leaned in and kissed her lips softly. “Come dance with me…” he whispered against her lips, looking in her eyes.
Tess smiled as she kissed him back and then hugged him tightly. “Thank you for being here for me.”
“Anytime,” he promised and then took her hand, leading her back inside and onto the dance floor.
~Thank you Southern Phoenix MC for the invite to your Christmas Dance last week!~
It was four days before Christmas. The MC had invited other groups to join in at the dance, and the whole room was magical. The floor was blue with snowflakes all over it, from the snow falling from the sky. They were outside in an open area stage. A skating rink was in the corner and there was a big Christmas tree was all lit up. There was a bar along the side where drinks were being served. A sleigh was set up in the other corner and one of the enforcers was dressed as Santa where kids could go sit on his lap. Tess had never been one to believe in Santa, but she could appreciate the wonder and excitement of Christmas from a child’s eyes. She was trying to hold onto that this year, since her whole world had been turned upside down in the past few months. Having her brother at the MC during the Christmas festivities helped to ease the nerves of going home for the holidays.
“You having a good time, sis?” Andrew asked as they sat at the bar drinking eggnog and watching the group dancing. Nitro was off to the side having a serious conversation with Stenton, making her wonder what was going on, but she knew that it wasn’t something she could do anything about.
“Yeah, I am… It’s just good to have you here. I really missed you,” she admitted, looking over at him. “It’s been a good week.”
“It sure has. Between you and me, I kind of wish we could stay here. It’s great to be back with these guys again.”
“Nitro really likes you…” Tess observed, looking towards him again as she drank more of her egg nog.
“We go back a long ways,” Andrew agreed with a nod. “He really helped me a lot through some tough times with dad… We talk a lot on the phone lately and he knows what’s going on with the MC back home.”
“Bro, why are you really here? It’s not just to come see me and pick me up for the holidays…” she said observing his hesitation at the mention of their father. Something was definitely wrong.
“Dad and I had a fight,” he finally admitted. “It was a big one… And I needed to get away before I did something stupid.”
Tess sighed and leaned back against the bar, drinking more of her spiked egg nog. “I knew it…” She shook her head. “I knew something wasn’t right.”
Nitro walked over at that moment then and looked between them. “Everything alright?” He asked with concern, going to stand beside her.
“Just great,” she said sarcastically and pushed off the bar. “I’m gonna get some air.” She left the two men standing there at the bar as she walked towards the entrance of the dance floor. It wasn’t long before she heard Nitro coming up behind her. She looked back and just kept walking out to lean back against the wall with a sigh.
“Talk to me,” Nitro encouraged, leaning next to her. “I can tell you’re upset.”
“I just don’t understand why you know more about my family’s life than I do. Is it because I left them? Or because I’m a woman? Or because I’m now in another MC that actually welcomes me and makes me feel like I’m…”
“Hey,” Nitro stopped her and put a hand on her shoulder. “Your brother and I are best friends. This isn’t new information. He came here for help, so we give it to him because he helped us in the past too. I don't know why he waited until tonight to tell you the real reason though… You'll have to work that out with him. Please don’t be upset with him though. You know your father…”
Tess looked away and sighed again. “Yeah, I know him. That’s why I don’t want to go home for Christmas.”
“You have to though. You’ll be upset with yourself if you don’t.”
“Doesn't make it easier.” She closed her eyes, dreading the trip. “I wish you could come with us tomorrow.”
“That’s one trip you have to make with your brother, sweetheart,” he insisted. Looking in her eyes, he leaned in and kissed her lips softly. “Come dance with me…” he whispered against her lips, looking in her eyes.
Tess smiled as she kissed him back and then hugged him tightly. “Thank you for being here for me.”
“Anytime,” he promised and then took her hand, leading her back inside and onto the dance floor.
~Thank you Southern Phoenix MC for the invite to your Christmas Dance last week!~