All they could do was keep a close watch on her and try to make her take it easy.
When Libbie awoke and saw the boxes of ornaments in her living room, she sat down next to them and started opening them. Ben watched as she slowly went through them, sometimes pausing with a wistful smile on her face, until she unearthed three plastic bins the size of shoeboxes.
Then silent tears slid down her cheeks.
He caught Allan’s attention and they sat on either side of her, both their arms around her as she opened the first box.
Inside, safely nestled in white tissue paper, were beautiful glass flamingoes in different poses. Some were of handblown glass, and 170 Tymber Dalton
some painted glass.
She let out a sad laugh. “These were Mom’s favorites.” She held one up, which appeared to be wearing red high-heeled shoes and a fancy hat. “Dad always got her a new one every year. She loved flamingoes. He’d stick it on the tree Christmas morning and make her hunt for it. She knew every one of them and always found it.”
She laid her head on Ben’s shoulder. “I miss them so much. I wish you could have met them.”
His heart ached for her. “We wish we could have met them, too,”
Ben said.
“Yeah,” Allan echoed.
After she composed herself, she replaced the ornament and continued looking through the boxes. When she finally located the Christmas tree stand she was ready to go in search of a tree. She held her hands up to both men and they helped her to her feet.
Crowded in the cab of the truck, they drove to a nearby lot and Ben relaxed as her spirits seemed to improve.
In the back of his mind, in sharp contrast to their happy scene, lay echoes of the conversation he’d had on the phone with one of the federal investigators that afternoon.
And the news they’d told him of one of the witnesses being murdered, found dismembered in a drainage canal in Naranja.
He hadn’t yet had time to tell Allan about it where he could be sure Libbie wouldn’t hear. But it drove home even more how important it was to make sure there was never a way for Bianco to tie her to them.
Even if it meant he’d have to walk away and break her heart and his in the process, he would keep her safe.
Christmas morning dawned cold and wet with temperatures in the upper forties. A weather front had marched through two days earlier It’s a Sweet Life 171
and hung around with a brutal tenacity that had them wondering whether or not they should force Libbie to see Dr. Smith for stronger pain meds.
The men had put Libbie’s presents under the tree before they started the coffee and gently awoke her. Allan had the idea of enlisting Mandaline’s help in picking special presents for her, and they bought her a matching set of rose quartz earrings and a necklace, with Ben giving her the earrings and Allan giving her the pendant.
Mandaline had told them rose quartz was a stone of love, and the delicate pink color would look beautiful with Libbie’s green eyes.
This was in addition to the playful things they got her, such as a hoodie with the “Soft Kitty” song from The Big Bang Theory on it, and a T-shirt with Sheldon’s trademarked Bazinga! emblazoned on the front.
Allan knew his and Ben’s original plans of bringing Libbie home and boinking her brains out after the family lunch at Grover’s house would have to be put on hold. As it was, Allan wasn’t even sure he wanted Libbie getting out of bed.
She looked up at them, her eyes red and full of pain as they carefully helped her sit up. “I’m okay,” she weakly said.
Allan exchanged a look with Ben before returning his attention to her. “We could stay home, you know.”
She shook her head. “No. Absolutely not. I won’t miss the boys or the twins opening presents.” They’d bought extra toys for Jenny’s sons. Jenny and her boys would also be going to Grover’s for the holiday.
She insisted on them taking her over to the couch, where they got her settled with a soft blanket and her heating pad. “Grover helped me go shopping for you,” she said. “I’m sorry I didn’t get them brought upstairs yesterday. They’re down in a box in my office.”
Ben kissed her forehead. “I’ll go get them.”
Galileo jumped up onto the couch and crawled into her lap.
“Mwrao.”
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Dalton
She scratched his head. “Yes, Santa Claus even brought the grouchy tabby something.”
Allan fixed her a mug of coffee and brought it over to her. “I wish I could make your pain go away, baby.”
“Me, too.”
Ben returned with the box of gifts. They saved giving her the jewelry for last. When she opened them, tears welled up in her eyes and they helped her put them on because her fingers hurt too much to manage it.
The men finally gave in and helped her get ready to go to Grover’s. “I don’t want to miss Santa Grover,” she joked with a pained smile as Allan helped her shower while Ben grabbed his over at the other apartment.
“We’ll pull rank on you if you look like you’re really bad off today,” Allan said.
“I’ll be okay.” She snuggled against his chest. “I have the two of you. As long as I have you guys, I’ll always be okay.”
Allan and Ben kept a close watch on her during the day and festivities, refusing to let her help in the kitchen, or even get her own food. They made her stay planted on the couch in the living room where she could take part in the celebration without getting up.
By the time they settled in bed with Libbie tucked in between them, Allan knew he’d do whatever it took to keep her safe. He stared at her peaceful, albeit pain-filled face, and wished he could banish the bad from her world.
He caught Ben’s gaze across her visage, sharing a long, silent look before nodding to each other and trying to fall asleep.
It’s a Sweet Life
173
Chapter Seventeen
The three of them went to Many Blessings for the private New Year’s Eve party Mandaline and Sachi were throwing for their closest friends. Fortunately, the cold front had moved on, allowing Libbie some respite from the pain she’d suffered through Christmas week.
Libbie knew some of the people there, and others she’d never met before. Of particular interest to her was watching Mandaline and her men, Ellis and Bradley. The three of them all wore matching wedding bands, although Libbie knew they weren’t legally married.
Ken, who hadn’t spent as much time around Mandaline as even Charles had, leaned in and spoke softly in Libbie’s ear. “Are those the guys you were telling us about?”
“Yes.”
It was still early in the evening when Mandaline made her way over to them with a tray of canapés an hour before dinner was scheduled.
Charles was the one to ask. “I noticed all three of you wear rings?”
Mandaline smiled. “We had a handfasting ceremony,” she said.
We’re not married-married, but we’ve all got powers of attorney and that stuff. Since we didn’t get a marriage license, we technically didn’t break any laws.” She winked. “By the way, I am a Notary, and I do perform marriages and handfastings, if you ever get to that point.”
“Mandaline!” Libbie gasped, her face growing hot and red.
Her friend handed the tray off to Charles before hugging her.
“Remember,” Mandaline whispered in her ear. “Wish big, dream 174 Tymber Dalton