“We were hoping we could get your permission,” I said. “To spend the rest of our lives with her in Colorado.”
A look of confusion fluttered over his face before his eyes started dancing around all of us. I kept a hold on his hand, knowing the coffee would take Kyra some time to juggle. We all stood around, waiting for him to put things together, but I knew it was going to take a bit more explaining.
“What do you mean, son?” he asked.
“We’ve all fallen in love with your daughter, Mark,” I said. “But… we can’t make her choose. We
won’t. She’s been through enough and we know she loves us all equally and never could make that decision anyway. So, we’ve all chosen to love her and support her together.”
Now it was clicking and the look he was giving me was nothing short of shock.
“I mean, six guys are better than one anyway,” I said, snickering. “She’ll want for nothing, she’ll always have a home, there’ll always be someone to talk to, and no matter who’s working or who’s traveling, there will always be someone with her.”
“You’re serious,” he said.
“As a… well… yes,” I said.
I saw a lopsided smile grace Mark’s cheeks and, for a moment, I thought it was for the very inappropriate joke I’d almost made. But then, he started to chuckle. Then he started to laugh.
Then, he actually started to nod his head yes.
“Holy hell, I hoped my daughter would end up with one of you boys,” he said. “Go fucking figure she’d snag you all.”
Laughter trickled around the room and I shook my head in astonishment. We’d actually done it. We’d actually gotten her father’s permission. And more than that, Mark actually seemed happy about it. All the brothers started shaking his hand and giving him hugs and there didn’t seem to be any sort of hesitation in the answer he’d just given us. There was no backtracking and no questions. There was no anxiety and no anger.
Just mutual respect for all parties involved.
“All right, boys, I’m only gonna say this once,” Mark said. “By doing this, you’re making a promise not to hurt her.”
“Yes, sir,” Chance said.
“You’re making a promise to protect her.”
“Always,” Owen said.
“But you’re also making me a promise to protect her from this town,” he said darkly. “If they catch wind of what you guys are doing, they’ll tear her to bits. I won’t let that happen.”
“I promise you, we’ll protect her from it,” I said. “She will never want for another thing on this planet and she will be safe for the rest of her days.”
“Good,” Mark said. “Because I always keep my shotgun loaded.”
“I got the coffee!” Kyra announced.
Her eyes landed on her father who was still smiling and, in an instant, the coffee was on a table and she was shoving me out of the way.
“Daddy, what is it?” she asked. “What’s got you so happy?”
“It’s Christmas, sweet pea,” Mark said. “And sometimes, it’s simply full of miracles.”
“What’s he talking about?” she asked as she looked up at me. “Did they give him more medicine again?”
We all chuckled at her reaction before we were all silenced. All of us watched as Mark moved. He sat up on his own, despite the limp side of his body, and he moved his face toward his daughter. We all watched in shock as tears sprung to Kyra’s eyes and, in an instant, her arms were around her father’s body.
“Daddy, what are you—”
Then, without another word, he slung his arms around his daughter and pulled her face into the crook of his neck.
“I love you, baby girl,” he said into her hair. “Merry Christmas.”