A Christmas Tail (18 page)

“Stay right there!” She threw open the doors to the bedroom and ran out shouting. “Listen up gentlemen, I have a job for you. We need six laptops. Also access to credit cards. We’re going Christmas shopping.” Dorothy shouted clapping her hands and looked around the room.

“Barry, you need a tree in here since you’re staying here. A real one, but not too big.” Dorothy turned and glanced at Betsy who stood in the doorway with the other women. “I have a feeling all of you need to get trees for your rooms. We’ll also need a big one in the  banquet hall downstairs. Didn’t I see a Christmas store about a block from here with all kinds of decorations?”

Talhrn laughed as did everyone else. “I take it you five want to go there?” he said and Jordon jumped up and running to her.

“Can I go to?” he asked her and she smiled ruffling up his hair. “I thought you were too tired to shop?”

He shook his head. “Maybe we could visit Santa? I’ve never gotten to see him.” Jordon asked and she took a deep breath smiling.

“I think we can do that. I’m sure they will have a Santa there, aren’t you Orion.” She looked at him and he laughed.

“I’m sure there is. Talhrn, Akaos you going to allow your children to come?” Barry asked getting out Betsy’s new winter coat, a soft thick one. While Davis grabbed Jordon’s and got him bundled up.

“I have a great idea, we can go pick out our trees and have them delivered here while take the kids to see Santa and hit the Christmas store. We could order pizzas later when we get back so we can do some shopping with our new computers.” Dorothy grinned and glanced at her husband who shook his head.

“Guess I better go get the credit cards and our coats ,” he grumbled before giving her a kiss and moving to the elevator with Maya and Dee.

“We’ll get our children ready and meet you downstairs. We do need to find out how tall the ceilings are in the banquet room?”

“Ten foot tree is high enough. It would be too hard to decorate otherwise,” Akaos finally said something and everyone nodded.

Betsy glanced to where Isaac stood near the balcony and watched his brother leave. She sighed. It seemed something big was going to have to happen if those two were ever going to make up. Looking around she also noticed that Dan was nowhere to be seen.

Barry wrapped his arms around her and whispered. “You can’t fix everything, kitten. It will take time. With Lacey and everyone’s help, the gap will close eventually, but I don’t think they’ll ever be close again.”

“I know and it’s sad.” She turned in his arms and kissed his chest. “I just want my first Christmas to be special and it’s sad Akaos family is torn apart.”

“You my kitten have a big heart and I love you.” Barry placed his hands on her hips and lifted her up kissing her lips softly.

Behind them she heard Jordon snickering and she couldn’t help but smile and wink at Barry as he put her down. “And what are you snickering about?” she whirled around and he smiled.

Jordon pointed to Orion and Rhodes who were now rolling on the floor, punching each other. She sighed and looked up at Barry. “We need to get going?”

Barry snarled and stomped over to them, yanking them apart and almost getting hit once by Rhodes. “Enough, our woman and son are waiting to go downstairs.”

“You’re lucky you’re family,” Rhodes grumbled and Barry turned to give him a shove when Jordon stepped between them. “Will you show me how to fight?” Jordon asked, looking at Orion and Rhodes.

“Not right now they’re not,” she grabbed onto Jordon’s hand and pulled him to the elevator as Lacey joined them. Isaac and Barry stepped into it with them as the others waited to go down.

“Isaac, I’m sorry if having Akaos and Talhrn here upsets you. Is there any way to make it easier?” Betsy asked and he smiled at her.

“I’ll be fine. What’s important is that all of you will be back together again for Christmas and Lacey has her friends here for her wedding,” Isaac stated pulling Lacey into his arms. “The rest of my family will be here soon, so that will help.”

The door opened and Betsy stepped out into the lobby a winter wonderland. It was one of the most beautiful places she had ever seen. Even Jordon stood next to her in awe, turning completely around checking it all out.

Chapter Twelve

In a matter of hours, the staff had turned the lobby of the hotel into a Christmas marvel. As the children all stood there staring and pointing, the women took note of everything deciding what needed to be changed for the wedding.

Talhrn shook his head and laughed. “I have a feeling my hotel is going to be taken over,” he stated as Barry stepped up with Jordon on his shoulders.

“That is a very good possibility. How is everything outside? Are we a go for this evening?”

“We’re a go and we are lucky there is a place a block up that is selling trees. I’ve also arranged a surprise for the women and children.” He nodded to the door and Barry grinned.

Horse drawn carriages lined up outside when Talhrn shouted out. “Who’s ready to go for a ride?” and pointed to the doors.

The kids screamed and ran for the door, the women all running after them to make sure they didn’t go outside without them. Barry groaned catching Jordon as he jumped up forgetting he was on his shoulders. “Careful there bud, we’re going.” He laughed as Betsy came over smiling.

“What are you grinning about?” he said and she shook her head. “Not going to say, but I will tell you this. I just arranged for a couple gifts already. I’m on a roll.” She grinned and glanced up at Jordon. “You ready?”

“Let me down, I want to go through the round doors please,” Jordon asked and he lifted the boy up and placed him next to him.

“We can go through together, but you must remember we go first to make sure everything is safe.” As soon as they stepped outside, the skies seemed to open up and snow started to fall. Jordon squealed and stuck his tongue out trying to catch snowflakes and Betsy joined him laughing.

Orion and Davis came out of the hotel laughing at them as their buggy pulled up. “Come on you two, in you go.” Orion said lifting first Jordon, then Betsy into the carriage. Barry sat next to Betsy and Jordon was in between Orion and Davis. They all covered up with the blankets provided.

From what Barry could see they would be going the long way around so they could take in some of the sights before hitting the tree lot. For the next hour, they toured London before finally pulling up at the Christmas trees.

“That was amazing, I hope we can come back again to do this,” Betsy said and jumped into his arms after he got down off the carriage.

“I don’t see why not. Maybe we can come in the summer.” Barry kissed her cold cheek and set her down grabbing Jordon as he jumped out laughing. His laughter was medicine to Betsy’s soul. Barry just hoped Mandy would also be so open as Jordon had been with his emotions.

Barry, Orion and Davis escorted their woman and child into the lot and laughed when Talhrn got hit in the side of the face with a snowball. “Okay, who is the wise guy?” he shouted brushing off the snow, knowing full and well it had been Dee, but all the children giggled and even Akaos laughed.

Dan’s mother shook her head and started to issue orders. “Okay we need a tree for the banquet room first kids. It has to be a big one and a fat one to hold all those gifts that will be under it.” Dorothy seemed to draw the children to her and they followed her, looking at all of the trees until they came to one that even he had to acknowledge was perfect.

It had to be over fifteen feet tall and just as fat. A perfect blue spruce. Whistling, Talhrn pointed to the tree and three warriors grabbed it, taking it towards the front.

“Now it’s time to pick your family tree for your own rooms. So go to your parents and happy tree hunting!” Dorothy said as Jordon came running to them.

“So you ready to pick our tree?” Barry asked and Jordon nodded.

“Too bad my sister can’t be here though,” he kicked the ground and Barry glanced to Orion who nodded, running to get a buggy.

“Okay let’s hope she’s there,” Barry said as Isaac, Dan, Anthony and Lacey came up to them.

“We’re going now?” Isaac asked and he nodded.

“Yes, it wouldn’t be right to pick out a tree without Mandy,” Jordon said sounding so grown up.

“Then I suggest we take the limos. It will be quicker and safer in case someone is watching,” Isaac said walking with them toward the cars that had just pulled up when Maya and Dee joined them.

“We’ll wait for you at the store, good luck Betsy,” Maya hugged her and moved to join her family looking for a tree as did Dee.

Before they could get into the car, Dorothy came up to them and took Betsy’s hands. “Do not be upset if your Mandy wishes to keep the name that was given to her. She’s older and it would be extra hard for her to get used to it, but once she sees her mom, everything else will fall into place.” Betsy hugged the lady.

“Thank you. You give me hope,” Betsy said and slid into the limo next to Jordon and Davis. Rhodes and Zanger got in the front and Isaac glanced at him questioning.

“Yes, they’re part of a family. They’re still working out who is who and will be searching for their third soon. Betsy thinks Opal is the woman for them.” Barry stated and Isaac laughed.

“It would serve them right to get that hell cat. Did you hear she glued the boots of the last warrior assigned to her to the floor? It was all I could to keep him from spanking her ass.”

“Yes, I think Betsy might be right.” Barry frowned and glanced into their limo.

“Does Betsy have the gift of sight?” Isaac asked him and Barry turned his attention towards his woman.

“I don’t know, but I’ll find out.” He got into the limo and pulled Betsy into his lap. “You all right, kitten?” he asked and she nodded, resting her head on his chest.

“In answer to Isaac’s question - No, not that I know of. Sometimes I know things and sometimes I don’t. So I don’t believe I have the gift of sight.” Betsy snuggled into his arms.

“Maybe you just need to work on it. It might help to talk with Dorothy. She has been drawn to you, maybe she knows more?” he rubbed his head on the top of her head watching the streets go by as Jordon rambled on about their Christmas’s in the home, or rather their lack of them. Yes this was a very, very important Christmas to his family.

The limo slowed and Jordon peeked out the window and turned back to look at them, his eyes were large and he actually looked scared. “What? What’s wrong? Did you see something?” He ordered the limo driver to pull around the corner and stop so Isaac could hear what the boy had to say.

Jordon climbed over to Betsy as she scooted on the seat next to him as Isaac climbed into the limo. “What’s wrong?” He looked at Barry than at Jordon as he hooked his arms around Betsy’s neck.

“That place is bad. We were told if we were bad, we’d be sent there. That we’d be beaten and that they have a jail there. You’re not taking me there, are you?” Jordon asked scared for the first time since the mall.

“Oh baby, we’re not leaving you here. We’re going to get your sister, I promise.” Betsy tried to calm him down while Barry and Isaac got out of the limo, staring down the road.

“If what he says is true, we’re going to need some authorities here. Maybe that is why they didn’t want us here today, which has me really worried,” Barry snarled. “If someone has hurt her, Betsy is going to go berserk. I barely controlled her earlier.”

“Same with Lacey. I think its best we go in first. I’ve called in back up and alerted our contact with the local police. They are on their way here, but I say we go in now.”

Betsy and Lacey stepped out of the limos at the same time. Betsy’s eyes were now that of her tiger. “Kitten, get back in the limo and let us handle this please. Jordon needs you.” He watched her look back at the limo than back down the street.

He put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed. “Trust me to do this for you Betsy, please,” Barry asked and she nodded.

“Bring my little girl to me Barry,’ she said, climbing into the limo and at once Orion picked her up, holding her while Davis held onto to Jordon.

Isaac brought Lacey over and kissed her head. “Go on, stay with your sister. We’ll be back as soon as we can.” Isaac shut the door as Dan crawled in the limo with her. Both Anthony stayed and Davis stepped out, closing the door.

Barry nodded to Davis. “Be careful. We don’t want to risk any child’s life.” Barry and Isaac walked up to the front door as Anthony and Davis headed around to the back of the building. After knocking a few times, the door opened and large boned woman answered.

“Yes, what do you want? Whatever you are selling, we don’t want anything.” She tried to shut the door, but Barry pushed the door open and stepped inside.

“We’re here to pick up my daughter. You don’t mind, do you,” Barry said scanning the corridor, not liking what he was seeing. Girls were on their knees scrubbing the floors in clothes that barely covered them. It was cold inside the home.

Davis and Anthony were in the back and had taken one man out. Two girls who had been in dog cages in the kitchen were freed. “Girls, why don’t you get up.” Barry grabbed a blanket off the couch and wrapped one girl up while Isaac gave his coat to the other.

“
Bring the ladies in, we’re going to need help here with these girls,”
Barry sent to Orion.

“You get in there and sit down until the police come.” Barry shoved the woman into the living room.

“Will one of you girls go round up the rest?” Isaac asked as the two looked back and forth at them.

“There are some we can’t get to,” one girl said and pointed to the woman. “She has the keys to the cages.”

The front door opened and Betsy, Lacey, Orion, and Dan stepped in with Jordon hanging onto Orion. Betsy looked up at Orion. “Keep him up here while I search. Lacey, gather the girls and make sure they are all decently covered before the police come.” Betsy headed towards the kitchen and Barry followed, knowing she was hot on her daughter’s trail.

Davis met them at the stairs to the basement with a set of keys. “The man in the kitchen had a set on him too. Betsy, you need to control your cat. The girls down there are going to be scared and most likely hurt. They’re going to need you for comfort.” Davis lifted her chin and shook his head. “Tell Nella to pull back. Betsy, you’ll scare them.”