I sat back and watched Gunner and Jeff swinging Ellie and Ari around as they danced to “Jingle Bell Rock” by Blake Shelton. Amanda was holding Maegan and dancing and Meg was laughing so hard at how Amanda was bouncing her around.

I’d never been so damn happy in my life. I watched them both and was captivated by their smiles. Amanda looked beautiful and the glow on her face made my stomach drop.

I felt someone come up behind me and give me a light tap on the back. I turned to see Josh sitting down.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you smile more than I have this morning, dude,” he said with a small laugh.

I let out a small chuckle and nodded my head. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy before. I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am about Amanda being pregnant.”

I glanced at Josh who was watching Amanda dancing with Meg. He smiled and said, “I’m really proud of you, Brad.”

My mouth dropped open as I continued to look at him. “Why?”

He turned to look at me and winked. “Brad, you stood up against something that could have very well have knocked you down and kept you there. You fought like hell to get your life back. I see how you look at Amanda and I know for a fact you’ve never looked at another woman the way you look at her. I see you with Meg and I only hope that I’m half as good of a father as you are. You put them both first and I think that says something about you as a man, a father and a husband as well.”

I felt the tears building in my eyes. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I’d always looked up to Josh. He always seemed to have his shit together and he knew from the beginning what he was going to do with his life.

“Josh, I can’t even begin to tell you how this makes me feel to hear you say those things to me. You of all people. Dude, you’re an amazing father. I mean…” I looked back out at Heather. She was holding Libby, and the smile on her face was unreal as she danced around with Amanda and Meg to “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.” “Look at Heather, Josh.” Josh glanced back out to where they were dancing and he smiled. “That smile on her face says it all.”

He nodded and let out a laugh. “I guess we’re all lucky sons of bitches, aren’t we?”

“Hell yeah we are. Best damn Christmas of my life,” I said.

Nat King Cole’s “O Come All Ye Faithful” was playing on the radio, as Amanda and Maegan were fast asleep in the car. I smiled to myself thinking about how much fun it was to spend Christmas morning and afternoon with all of our friends. Ellie mentioned how it wouldn’t work once the kids were older. “They’ll never be able to hold out on opening presents,” she said. Then Gunner said, “Hell, I won’t be able to hold out.”

As I came around the corner, I saw a BMW sitting in our driveway.

“Fuck,” I whispered as I saw my mother and father talking to our neighbors. A part of me wanted to drive right on by and not even stop. They had never even seen Maegan and I wanted to keep it that way. After the things my mother said to Amanda, there was no way I could ever forgive her. Ever.

Then Larry pointed to my truck. Son of a bitch. I slowed down and pulled in the driveway and opened the garage door. As I pulled in oh so slowly so as to not wake Amanda, I looked over and said a prayer that they would both stay asleep. I quietly got out of the truck and gently shut the door.

I took a deep breath and walked over to where my parents were standing. Larry was still talking to them and he gave me a funny look.

“Brad, darling!” My mother said as she started to walk toward me. I put my hand up and she stopped instantly. My father walked up and held out his hand. I reached out and shook it. “Dad.”

“Merry Christmas, son,” he said with a weak smile. I knew my father was caught in the middle and I also knew he really liked Amanda.

My mother looked disappointed. She glanced over my shoulder and looked at the truck. “Where are Amanda and the baby?”

I turned and looked at my truck and then looked back at her. “They’re asleep in the truck.”

“Where were y’all?” she said with a questioning look. “Amanda’s parents’ house?”

“No, Mom. They’ll be here soon though.”

She just looked at me. “So?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “So what?”

“Well, son, where were y’all? We came to bring the baby her presents.”

My mother and father didn’t even know the name of their only grandchild.

“Maegan. Her name is Maegan, Mom.”

My mother smiled slightly. “Oh…I guess that is a good name.”

My father snapped his head over and looked at my mother

I shook my head. She’ll never change. “We were in Mason, celebrating Christmas with our friends. What are you doing here?”

With that, Larry quickly turned and walked back into his house. I was sure he’d be asking questions later.

My mother squared off her shoulders. “I came to see my grandchild and son and give them their Christmas presents.” Bitch. Did she think I didn’t notice how she didn’t mention Amanda?

“I’m sorry you made the trip out here for nothing.”

She looked confused and glanced over to my father before looking back at me and giving me that look that used to make me cringe, but no longer had an effect on me.

“I’m sorry? What do you mean ‘for nothing?’ ” she asked.

“I mean, I don’t want anything from you, and neither does our daughter. Yes, our daughter, Mom. Just because you don’t say her name doesn’t mean that Amanda is not very much a part of my world.”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, for Pete’s sake. You’re mad because I didn’t say Amanda’s name. Fine. We have presents, for you, our grandchild and your wife…Amanda.”

“Please leave, Mom, and don’t ever come back.” I gave my father a quick look, and his eyes were filled with sadness. I went to turn away from them when my mother grabbed my arm.

“Bradley. This has gone on too long. How long are you going to punish us? We want to see our grandchild. We deserve to see her, damn it.”

I let out laugh and shook my head. “You tried to destroy my marriage, Mom. You threatened me and wanted me to leave my wife. I’m sorry…I have nothing left to say to you, and yes…before you even say it, I will always put my wife first. Always. I love her more than I could ever describe. She is my whole world, as well as Maegan and the baby. I’ll never let you hurt any of them.”

My mother put her hand up to her mouth. “Oh…is Amanda pregnant?”

I looked at her with a confused expression on my face. “What? Why would you ask that?”

“You said Maegan and the baby, son,” my father said.

Fuck me.

“Um…” I said, trying to figure out how to dig myself out of this one.

My mother let out a gasp as she looked over my shoulder, and I spun around. Amanda was standing there holding Maegan. Maegan was just staring at my mother and father.

“She’s beautiful,” my mother whispered.

When I looked back at my mother, she had tears running down her face.

Amanda walked up to me and I put my arm around her. I swore I felt her body tremble. There was no way I was going to ever let my mother hurt her again.

My father walked up and smiled at Amanda and she returned the smile. “She’s breathtaking, Amanda.” He said as he smiled down at Maegan, who reached out for him with her hand. He took her hand and kissed it as she buried her face in Amanda’s neck.

I watched as my father talked to Maegan, and my heart broke into a million pieces. I peeked over at my mother and watched her face as my father talked to my daughter. When he stepped back, he looked at my mother. Before she took a step closer, she looked at Amanda.

“May I?” she asked.

Amanda nodded her head and took a step closer to my mother.

“Hello, Maegan. My goodness, you are the spitting image of your daddy,” my mother said as I watched a tear slide down her cheek. My heart was pounding in my chest.