Chapter 34

Lifting Bud’s chin and getting the younger man’s full attention, David almost shouted. “This is a fucking order, Marine, so listen up! You are going to haul both your and Adam’s asses out of this shopping mall and get yourselves over to my, no, our house on the fucking double! Do you understand what I’m saying, Marine?”

“Sir, yes, sir!” Bud saluted.

Adam sat in his stroller clapping his hands, watching as Bud let out an almighty whoop of joy before picking David up and swinging him around.

Epilogue

“Daddy Davy, will Santie come visit tonight?”

“No, sweetheart,” David said, ruffling the four-year-old’s hair. “That won’t be for another week.”

“Aww, but I been a good boy, so I thought he might come early.”

Hunkering down to Adam’s level, Bud said, “Sorry, lil guy, even though you’ve been the bestest little boy in the whole wide world, you still gotta wait until Christmas Day to open your presents.”