“I got you baby,” he winks and sets it back on the bar.
“I know you do,” she grins. “As I was saying, let’s hang the Christmas lights all over in here-.”
“We’re doing Christmas lights now?” Jagger asks his eyes wide.
“We sure are,” Hendrix smirks, obviously Livi’s excitement is contagious to him.
“I love you,” she grins. He leans in for a kiss just as she grabs her pad putting checks not noticing him and therefore hitting him in the nose, too caught up in her dream of happy holiday memories to come. “Grinch-tini, Jack Frost, Cranberry Mimosa’s, Honeycrisp Apple Sangaria, Cranberry Margaritas, Peppermint White Russians-.”
“I like a white Russian,” Jagger says seeming to now be taken with the idea.
“Kahlüa hot chocolate, White chocolate peppermint bark martini, Santa Shots, Apple Brandy Ricky, and the Holiday Mule.”
“That’s eleven baby,” Hendrix says as he squeezes her shoulder.
“No, you told me about your mom’s eggnog on Christmas eve. That’s a good tradition right?” she smiles and looks at the three brothers.
“It was our Christmas tradition,” Morrison nods.
“She used to add more booze to the old mans.” Jagger nodded.
“Get him good and fucked up so he passed out,” Hendrix chuckled, “Then when they all left, that’s when we celebrated.”
“Decorated our little Charlie brown tree and Mom would bring out a bag of gifts she had stashed,” Morrison says still looking down.
“Best part of Christmas was seeing how proud she was to be able to give us something she busted her ass for, while that fuck was passed out.” Hendrix says and Livi wraps her arms around him.
“I wish she could see you now.” She whispers.
“She does,” Morrison nods. “No way God wouldn’t let her.”
“Merry Christmas Momma,” Jagger says looking up.
“Merry Christmas,” the three say looking in the same direction- towards the room Hendrix left in the upstairs where I use to read to them . . .
Momma Caldwell
My sons, the times we shared together weren’t always good, but in that room I made it their safe place. I made it our place.
My heart swells with pride and I know my time to watch is done. My life wasn’t easy, but my life was full. I was gifted with three boys to watch grow into men. They held my heart before they were born and beyond my last breath. Hendrix, Morrison, and Jagger filled my life in a way only music had done before them. My legacy, my boys, strong names for strong men. Watching them one by one as they have tried to move on without me has been hard. I miss them. I want nothing more than to comfort them, but alas that is not my place. They each have a purpose and a woman in which to give themselves too. They each will carry on my name, my hope, and they will be my good in a world so full of bad.