The Christmas Tree Guy (23 page)

“Janae, I hope you know I’m not trying to keep Quinn from his goals. I would never do that.” Sydnee offered and Janae nodded.

“Oh, I know. I just met you, but for some reason, I believe you. But, I want him to be happy, and I don’t want him to make choices he will regret. I’m his mom; I can’t help wanting the best for him.” Sydnee nodded and she sat silently thinking about what she wanted for her own children and how it wasn’t much different than what Janae wanted for Quinn. They both looked up hearing footsteps and Janae stood and patted Sydnee’s knee when she noticed Quinn coming out of the house. Janae winked at him and squeezed his arm as she walked into the house.

Quinn sat in the seat his mother vacated. “Didn’t mean to run her off. I’m guessing you two were talking about me? I hope all good things,” he joked, and Sydnee laughed as he wrapped his arm around her and she moved into his embrace placing her head beneath his chin.

“Oh, you have no idea,” she murmured, contemplating Janae’s comments.

###

As days passed, Sydnee mulled over the possibility of letting Quinn get to know the twins. She had thought of little else. What his mother said to her the night they had dinner, resonated in her head. The last thing she wanted to do was stand in the way of his dreams. He had told her when he first met her about wanting to have a life and a family. But she had never thought about having more kids. It had never crossed her mind. Yes, she was still able to have them, but would she want to? Following suit, like many parents of their classmates, she’d just thrown Charlie and Travis an indoor inflatable birthday party. They had exhausted themselves bouncing with their friends as they celebrated their sixth birthday. Twelve more years and she would have them safely tucked away in colleges somewhere and she would still be young enough to enjoy an empty nest. Did she really want to start all over again? She was perplexed and in all her confusion decided she needed to talk to her brother about the situation. She thought of their previous phone call as she drove home from work.

“Syd, it comes down to what you want.” Kellen’s voice resonated through the receiver. She had finally broken down and told him everything and she wanted his opinion of the whole dating situation. He told her he was happy she was dating someone, even if he was younger and a different race than she was.

“Kellen, I’m just… I don’t know, I guess I’m worried about what people will say or how they will react to us.” During the conversation, she sat on the window seat in her kitchen watching the breeze blow through the trees. She wished she could be as carefree as the leaves wafting back and forth. She had a tendency to worry about things others would just gloss over, especially her brother. But Janae had made some valid points and they kept floating through her mind. “He is a lot younger than I am.”

“Sis, it really doesn’t matter what other people think. It’s about what you think and how you feel about the relationship. If you think you can make it, then go for it.”

“You are always so black and white about everything; no pun intended.” Her brother was definitely not one to pull punches and he also wasn’t one to beat around the bush. It was either this or that. No shades of gray at all. “It’s all or nothing with you.”

“Exactly. That is exactly why I don’t want to have anything to do with that dead-beat ex of yours. I’m glad you met someone else.”

“Thanks. But, something tells me Mother may not be so supportive.” She smirked at the way Kellen didn’t hold back how he felt about Matt. He never had. Kellen did not care for her ex-husband, and once they split he made it known there was no love lost and he was glad Sydnee was rid of him.

“In the grand scheme of things, Mom just wants you and the boys to be happy and well taken care of. You know how she worries.”

“No, she wants me to do what she wants. Like when Matt first left and she wanted me to move back to Atlanta with you guys. I know you think she wants the best for me, but I’ve never done anything right in her eyes. No matter how hard I tried.” Sydnee lowered her head thinking of the various disagreements she and her mother had. They just couldn’t see eye to eye on anything.

“That’s not true, Syd, and you know it.”

“Kellen, she absolutely believes the sun rises and sets in you, but every time she comes here, I’m not doing this or that right with the boys and I should be trying harder to get Matt back so he can be in his sons’ lives.”

“She loves you, Syd.” Sydnee knew her mother’s intentions were based in love. She did want the best for her children, but she acted like they could live in some magical bubble where they would never have to interact with another race. It wasn’t possible or realistic and Sydnee could not seem to get through to her mother. Even if
she
wanted to live like that, Sydnee didn’t.

“I love her too, but I just don’t know if she will give Quinn a chance. He really is a good guy.” She twirled the tassel on one of the throw pillows.

“Hey, it wasn’t like you were chomping at the bit to date him at first either.” Kellen said quickly reminding her of her hesitation to date Quinn in the first place. “Look, the only way you will ever know is if you tell her about him and we get to meet him. When is that going to happen by the way?”

“I know. I just haven’t had the chance to talk to her.” She’d actually had numerous times to talk to her mother about Quinn, but shied away from each opportunity. After she ‘formally’ met his mom, she told him she would finally tell her mother about him as well. She had yet to live up to her end of the bargain.

“Bullshit. You are such a wimp.”

“Whatever. Leave me alone.” She rolled her eyes, hearing him laughing at her.

“But seriously, when do we get to meet ‘Mr. Magnificent’?”

“I don’t know. I’m still contemplating letting him meet the boys and how they may react to him, even though, technically they have met him before.”

“So, have you thought about what Matt’s going to say?”

“What do you mean?” It shocked her that Kellen would even care what Matt thought as much as she knew he hated him. “I haven’t heard from Matt in months.”

“Honestly, I could give a rat’s ass about how he will feel. But you know he’s bound to find out about you dating someone.”

Sydnee grit her teeth at the thought of her ex-husband. She hadn’t heard one peep from him. Nothing in regards to the twins’ recent birthday, or anything else. “Matt couldn’t care less about who I’m dating. It’s not like I haven’t gone out with other people, plus he’s with Cassidy, remember.”

“Don’t be so sure. This
is
the first one that’s been somewhat serious.”

Sitting forward, Sydnee wondered what Kellen was thinking and if Matt would really care. “What are you getting at Kellen?”

“I’m just saying you and I both know Matt. I know he’s not going to be too thrilled with a young, white guy being in his kids’ lives.” She could hear him laughing through the receiver and she knew he was thinking about the things Matt would say about Quinn being in her life.

“Matt doesn’t get to have a say so in this. He left us, remember?” She listened to Kellen continue to laugh and joke about Matt and what he would say knowing Quinn would be around his children. “And you are really enjoying this aren’t you?”

Finally ending his laughing fit and taking a deep breath, Kellen answered her questions. “I know, Syd. Believe me, you do not have to remind me. I’m just saying, he’s probably going to have something to say about it. I just want you to be prepared. And if you want to know the truth, yes, I am enjoying it. The asshole never deserved you in the first place. If this Quinn can come in and sweep you off your feet and be there for my nephews, then I’m all for it. Forget Matt.” Sydnee knew he wanted to say something harsher, but he cleaned it up for her sake.

“Whatever, I’m not going to lose any sleep over Matt and his opinions. He gave those rights up a long time ago.” They talked a little while longer, before Kellen said hello to the boys and then they hung up.

“Travis. Charlie. Come here for a second.” Sydnee called to the boys as they played in the foyer with their matchbox cars. “Come on.” After talking with her brother and meeting Quinn’s family, Sydnee finally made a decision about her relationship with Quinn and where she wanted it to go. He had continued to give her the time she needed to make a resolution about whether she would officially introduce him to her boys and now she was feeling pretty confident in her decision. The two of them had sat and talked about the various issues that could arise. Quinn had tried his best to reassure her if, and when the time came, they’d face the issues together, giving her the confidence that she was making the right choice.

“Okay, Mommy.” They both got up and ran to stand in front of her. She had them sit on the sofa as she took a seat on the coffee table. Each one of them were grinning from ear to ear. At the moment, the only thing distinguishing them was the fact Travis had lost one of his bottom teeth and she grinned at just how adorable he was.

“All right, Mommy has something to talk to you about, okay?”

“I didn’t do it,” Travis offered quickly. Usually if they were both getting talked to on the sofa, one, or both, were in trouble.

“Travis, you are not in trouble.”

“I didn’t do it either.” Charlie slowly bowed his head spinning one of the wheels on the cars he’d been playing with earlier.

“Hey, no, Charlie you aren’t in trouble either, okay? Mommy needs to talk to you about something.” Both sat quietly as Sydnee watched them. “I love you guys very, very much and you mean the absolute world to me. I know things have been a little confusing for you because Daddy hasn’t been here and I know you miss him.”

“Is Daddy coming to see us?” Travis’ head popped up and his gap tooth smile spread even further across his face. It was amazing to her he still remembered the man, much less wanted to see his dad even though Matt didn’t seem to want to see him.

“Oh, honey, I don’t know when Daddy will come see you.” She hated to ever tell them their father wasn’t coming to see them. In all honesty, she didn’t know if, or when, he may come to see his children.

“Mommy, did we make Daddy mad?”

“Oh, no, Travis, no. You didn’t make Daddy mad. Daddy decided he just couldn’t live here with us anymore and that’s why he left. It had nothing to do with you or Charlie.” She had decided to take Quinn’s advice to convince them it was not their fault Matt was gone, but to also be truthful with them. She had been through this before and every time they asked if they had done something wrong. It made her mad that Matt would shake their faith in people like this and not even respond when they called or wanted to see him. “You know how Auntie Sara has been coming to stay with you when Mommy goes out with her friend?” She changed the subject quickly before the barrage of questions about Matt began.

“Uh huh.”

“Well, Mommy’s friend is pretty special to her and since he’s so special, Mommy wants you guys to meet him. How does that sound?” She wasn’t sure what type of reaction she would get and she waited in anticipation for them to say something. Charlie spoke up first and she was a little shocked by his response.

“Mommy, is he going to play with us?”

She had to admit she was relieved at his retort and thought this may bode well for them going forward. “Well, Charlie, he will probably want to get to know you, and what you like and don’t like. He may even want to play games with you. Would you like that?”

“Can he play video games with us?”

“I think so.” She smiled back at him.

“Yay,” he and Travis responded, looking back and forth between each other.

“When can he come and play with us?”

“Well, he’s going to come have dinner with us tonight if that’s okay with you.” She grinned at the two who were already planning what games they would play with Quinn.

“Can we go and pick out what games we want to play, Mommy?” Both of them wiggled off of the sofa and started to jump up and down.

“Sure,” she laughed, and the two bolted down the hallway to their playroom. She was a little taken aback at their reactions. She wasn’t quite sure how they would respond to her having a new friend. They were young and for the most part, it probably wouldn’t really sink in to them how this may affect their lives, but she was concerned and she didn’t want to confuse them. Just then, the doorbell rang and she walked over to answer the door.

“Hi.”

“Hi, come in.” Quinn crossed the threshold and softly kissed her. She felt the familiar butterflies in her stomach from just seeing him. He was dressed casually underneath his jacket in a white t-shirt layered with a light gray pullover, and dark jeans, which was a plus with all of the games and things the boys had in mind. The gray of the shirt nearly matched the color of his eyes and she noticed the way the cotton fabric hugged his brawny chest.

“I hope I’m not too early. I guess I got a little excited about seeing the boys.”

“Oh, no, you are right on time.” She took his jacket and placed it in the closet.

“Where are they?” She stopped him in the hallway to forewarn him of all of the plans the little boys had concocted in the last five minutes. It would be a night he wouldn’t soon forget she was pretty sure.

“Just let me warn you, you are in for it because they are in the playroom now lining up all of the games they want you to play with them.”