Page 85 of Axton
Belle
I had the best day shadowing Morgan at school. We had a wide range of kids from kindergarten to grade twelve. It wasn’t just kids that lived at Creed’s Lake because one or both of their parents were what Michael called operatives, they were also children rescued from an abusive situation.
I learned a lot that day. When Michael and I woke up that morning, he told me the truth about Creed’s Lake. I suspected it was something military related, but the confirmation of it didn’t sit well with me. My husband still took dangerous missions, and he had no plans to retire from them anytime soon. He explained they always took a long break near Christmas and New Years, but when the missions started up again, he would have missions to command and would be gone at night. At other times he would be out of the country doing dangerous work. I tried not to cry because the thought of anyone hurting him felt like my heart was being squeezed and I couldn’t breathe. I knew I would be okay because Creed’s Lake would prepare me for life outside those gates, but at the same time, I needed Michael. Not because I had no idea how to pay taxes, drive a car, or budget money, but because I didn’t want a life without him. I was in trouble, because I knew I was falling deeper and deeper in love with him and I didn’t think he felt the same yet. It hadn’t been enough time for him.
We had to go on with our day and I had to be at work, just like him. That felt good, because I was going to teach. Morgan explained that the school was in a state of limbo. It wasn’t yet an Indiana accredited school, and things like that took time. The kids were taking online classes, or homeschooling if you will, and we were there to follow the homeschooling program with Morgan’s support. We had such a wide variety of ages and there were only two of us. We would be considered a microprivate school, but Morgan wanted it to be accredited by the state so we could get some state funds. We would offer full-time, part-time, and hybrid learning. Creed’s legal team was filing for grants, and Morgan was looking for funding from her contacts in Hollywood. The only children that would be eligible for the grants were the DV kids, which we did not refer to them that way in public, but the operatives would have had to pay tuition for their children. More and more of the operative’s families were interested in pulling their children from public school because Morgan was having a lot of success with the kids she was currently teaching. Currently there was sixteen students and there was another eighteen whose parents filled out the application for next year.
We had elementary kids in the morning and teens in the afternoon. It was fun but I was concerned. Morgan was concerned. We needed more teachers, but none lived at Creed’s Lake. The more people allowed inside the gates the more people that needed clearance. There were top secret things going on below the community center. Not just that, but we had identities to protect, not just for the DV victims, but the undercover operatives.
I didn’t know how Morgan did it. Her twin pregnancy was pretty much full term, she taught all day, then since Addie was on Christmas break, she had to get her from daycare and deal with little miss big attitude at home. Thankfully, Creed was an amazing dad and husband and shared the responsibility. Unfortunately, he had an emergency meeting with Michael and the rest of the Originals.
Michael sent a prospect, yes, he explained the motorcycle club and why they called the new people prospects, to pick me up. I declined and decided to go home with Morgan and help her with Addie.
Addie was a pain in the rear end. That child was something I never saw before in my entire life. She thought she knew how to get one over on me when Morgan laid down for a nap. She did the whole batting those long lashes, scrunching that little nose, and pushing those glasses up the bridge of her nose to be absolutely adorable. I knew she would do that to get whatever she wanted out of every grown man on Creed’s Lake. She had them wrapped around her little finger and she knew it. That wasn’t all, she was smart. Very smart. I mean so smart she knew exactly what to say and how to act to put them all under her spell. It didn’t work with me. I saw right through it the minute I saw her go for that pantry door while I made dinner. When she was told no, she had the nerve to call her little fuzzy protector in the room. That fuzzy little protector must have known her games because he laid down at my feet. “No ma’am. That is not how a young lady speaks to anyone, let alone an adult.” I said and her little jaw dropped straight to the floor. She acted like she didn’t know what hit her. By the time Creed and Michael showed up, I had dinner almost ready, and Addie had three books read out loud. After the first book, I think she may have realized I wasn’t punishing her, but keeping her busy and out of trouble. She didn’t seem to mind though, the books I chose in her rooms were ones she hadn’t read yet. I noticed a few things with her speech, so I made her read the words she messed up over and over until she got it right.
Creed went to check on Morgan and Michael wrapped his arms around me. “I think you may have broken my niece. She’s being really quiet.”
I gave him a guilty smile. “Maybe just a little.”
“What did she do this time?”
“She tried to sneak cookies before dinner, and when I told her no, she told me to eat shit.” I said.
“Uncle Mike! Listen to dis!” Addie looked down at the book in her hand. “Pop guns! And bicycles! Roller skates! Drums! Checkerboards! Tricycles! Popcorn! And plums! And he stuffed them in bags. Then the Grinch, very nimbly, stuffed all the bags, one by one!”
Michael’s eyes grew. “Whoa, do that again.”
She pronounced all the words perfectly and they were challenging words to read for her age, let alone pronounce.
She repeated it again. “Auntie Belle said to slow down and not rush the words!” She was speaking a little slower than normal, processing each letter then sounding them out.
“Addie, I’m so proud of you! Do you realize you said those words perfectly?” Michael asked.
Addie nodded real big then found another spot in the book and quoted it perfectly.
“I’m so proud of you!” Michael let go of me then picked up Addie. “I heard you said some bad words again. We’ve talked about this, how many times?”
“Probably forty.” Addie gave him a cheesy grin.
“Don’t you think that’s too many?” Michael asked.
“Not my fault. Talking to Weston dumbs me down.” She pouted. “Stupid maween.”
Michael laughed then looked at me. “She’s got me there.” He then looked at Addie. “Someday you may like those Marines.”
“Only Aunt Wrenly because she da best maween ever.” She laid her hand on Michael’s cheek. “You got a baby face.” She rubbed his fresh new face then tilted her head. “You look like daddy a widdle.”
Michael chuckled. “Only a little because we both know I’m way more handsome.”
Addie giggled.
We left so the Creed’s could enjoy their dinner and we had a great evening. We had dinner at the mess hall then I learned Michael had plans for us. We curled up together in the movie room and he had several movies chosen for us. He wanted to introduce me to the best Christmas movies he thought was ever made. It’s A Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34thStreet, then I cried for all the misfit toys in Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer. Then I laughed so hard at The Elf my tummy hurt. He tried to hug a raccoon and chewed all the nasty gum people had stuck to things! We kissed and fooled around during The Christmas Story, then fell asleep during Frosty The Snowman. Somehow, I woke up on Christmas Eve in our bed wrapped safely in Michael’s arms. My favorite man in the world must have carried me to bed.
We didn’t hurry to leave our warm bed. We talked, teased, he gave me another orgasm with his fingers, then we just laid there holding each other as we talked. I asked for an update on Jeremy, and he said we were waiting for him to make a move on us first.
Then we made brunch. He turned on Christmas music and while we waited for our breakfast casserole I made, he held me close as we slow danced to Christmas music. We didn’t even bother to get dressed. He was in his boxer briefs, and I was still in my nightgown. I learned very quick that there was some sort of magic when it came to the holidays. It felt cozy and warm, yet exciting and fun. It was beautiful, especially since it started snowing. It somehow made me feel like anything was possibleand I felt more hopeful than I ever felt. He told me it had been years since Southern Indiana had a truly white Christmas.
After breakfast he took my hand and led me to the living room before he pulled me down on his lap to watch the snow as it quickly blanketed the earth. It was so beautiful, and peaceful as we sat in silence.
