Advent Calendar December 20

 

The eighteenth day of Christmas! 

GULP.

Thank heavens I finally (yesterday) finished all my Christmas shopping. I think. Not counting those last minute panics--the gardener! The mail person! The pool guy!

Anyway.

For your holiday enjoyment we have the second of Byron Beach's codas featuring Griff and Pierce from Stranger on the Shore. 

As I mentioned last week (wait..was it last week? I'm losing track of time!) Anyway, this coda takes place a decade after the book ends. It's really lovely. I know you'll enjoy it!

A Pirate Christmas Eve

 

"I missed you, Louis Lane," Chloe sighed, using the nickname she'd fondly given Griff. "You really didn’t have to pick me up, but I guess you wanted to flaunt this...vintage beauty?"

 

"Hey, she's a classic," he defended, casting a sidelong glance at Chloe, who raised an amused brow. “And you know I wanted to see your flawless beauty” laughed Griff “But she is pretty sweet.  Nicky helped me polish her up just yesterday - all for you.”

 

“God you are so sexy when you get all blue collar, but don’t go giving my nephew ideas about becoming a mechanic, because I know he wants to be either a pirate or a lawyer – assuming there’s a difference.”

Shaking his head, Griff expertly navigated his cherished '63 356B Porsche coupe, in Irish racing green, onto the Highway, the subdued hum of the engine echoing his current mood. Every bolt and weld of this car held memories from discovering it in a dusty old barn out in Montauk while he was his research on his second book to restoring it with loving precision.

“OK, spill, how on earth did YOU, get talked into a Pirate’s Christmas Eve party?” inquired Chloe “I would have bet big that you’d never agree to this kinda thing ever again, after the wedding debacle.”

“Uhhhh, please don’t mention that day” groaned Griff

“Hey, you might have suffered, but that family photo is the best; it’s my screen saver” Chloe cheerily answered “and I still laugh every time I see that look you have, glaring at the camera, ready to deck the photographer – so priceless. Oh god, and Pierce, looking like he’s about to panic, yet his mom and Jarrett are smiling like Reagan has returned.”

“And, as I remember, you look perfect in that pic.” Said Griff

“I do don’t I?  That was a great dress, and even better Mom and Marcus were fully plastered, and Muriel looked constipated, but come to think of it, that’s how she always looks”

”I do love seeing Jarrett smiling, I miss him.” Griff said softly as Chloe put a hand on his arm “Well, life is a learning experience, I figured out that despite mostly being Superman, Pierce is powerless in the face of his mother. She has that kryptonite vision that can bend him to her will.”

“Yeah, yeah I get that, but that still doesn’t explain how Honey Mather talked you into this Christmas Eve extravaganza – at your house?” Chloe said shaking her head in mystery.

Griff sighed, “Kids change everything – She and Diana joined forces with Nicky, and it was all over.  I get that ‘Daddy please’ look and suddenly I have a Pirate ship with a 14-foot Christmas tree mast in my living room and every child in Nick’s kindergarten coming over for a Christmas Eve treasure hunt, oh and we must have something for the parents, and gifts for everyone and ‘Just a small four-person jazz combo’ and on and on...”

Griff gripped the wheel tighter and pressed down on the accelerator as Chloe started crying from laughter.

As he reached for Chloe's luggage, a familiar, teasing tune emanated from inside her carryall. The mischievous gleam in Chloe's eyes said it all.

"Really? Pirates of the Caribbean?"

"Every pirate deserves a sword," Chloe retorted with mock innocence.

Griff snorted. "Designed to drive his dads mad, no doubt." But he couldn't help the fond shake of his head as she sashayed past with laughter on her lips.

The house burst with reunion upon their entry. "Chloe!" Nick's enthusiastic shout drowned out the playacting roars of his pint-sized pirate friends. Before Griff could properly react, he felt the little whirlwind that was Nick darted past him, zeroing in on his beloved aunt. As he did, Griff looked to Pierce, who silently acknowledged they were no match for Chloe's allure.

Chloe, ever the dramatic, swept Nick into her arms, leaning in with a whispered promise of a "special gift." The resulting gleam in Nick's eyes, as the sword's tune echoed again, had Griff murmuring to Pierce, "She's diabolically genius."

The bubbling hum of Nick’s excited chatter enveloped him. “I’m Captain Kringle, and we have a Christmas ship! Everyone’s got eye patches, Aunt Chloe. And there’s an actual parrot! And everyone got presents - that Gramma bought so they are good” Nicky said with a side look at Griff  then continued in his explanation, “We have Christmas cookies in lots of colors and cake and a log thing Auntie Diana brought and, and, and we are going to have a battle and kidnappings and a huge treasure hunt, and Auntie Diana said we can replay it all again on Christmas Day.”

But amidst the innocent exuberance, the word 'kidnapping' jarred Griff. True crime wasn’t just a genre Griff dabbled in; he'd penned two bestsellers that dissected the darkest recesses of the human psyche. Yet, that single word unraveled him, rekindling old fears, that had been smoldering ever since Nick had turned four. They smoked and flared, gradually building as Nick began leaving home in the mornings for school. It was as though an old scar was being ripped fresh, the familiar tension reawakening.

Feeling Pierce's grounding presence — a gentle touch, the whisper of his breath by Griff's ear. "Everything okay?" There was a layered concern in Pierce’s soft query, a lifeline pulling Griff from his spiraling thoughts.

Griff took a moment, then relaxed subtly, leaning into Pierce’s embrace. Their bond, fortified over the years, remained steadfast. To Griff, Pierce was always the sanctuary amidst the storm.

Nick’s youthful enthusiasm acted as a counterpoint, pulling Griff back to the present. "Daddy, it's going to be so epic!" The innocent in Nick's voice made him feel all the chaos might be worthwhile. He ruffled Nick's hair, the gesture carrying more weight than words. "I bet it is, buddy."

Taking in the spectacle of their transformed home, Griff felt a wave of annoyance. The family room, patio, and living area had transmuted into a curious blend of Christmas and pirate wonderland. Family gatherings of such magnitude were not Griff’s forte He'd imagined a simpler, humbler upbringing for Nick, away from the spectacle of grandeur. But when Diana and her mother, Honey, kept telling Nicky stories of Jarrett’s legendary Christmas Eve parties, and then painted a vivid picture of what a Pirate’s Christmas Eve could be, and Griff knew resistance was futile. Now, they were playing host to a boisterous mix of twenty children and sixty adults, all decked in comically unique pirate-inspired Christmas attire. The chorus of 'Yo ho yo ho' from Nick’s sword, was punctuated by a horn, heralding the treasure hunt's beginning.

“It'll be a week before everything’s back to its place,” Griff muttered under his breath.

Perceptive as always, Pierce leaned in, whispering, "Arrr laddie, a couple of days and the tide will recede. We’ll be sailin’ on smooth seas by Boxing day."

Griff smirked, nestling into Pierce’s hold. “Only Superman could convince me of that right now,” he retorted playfully. But there was the truth in that jest.

Pierce keeping to the pirate theme asked. “How about a drink me husband? A little pirate grog to calm the stormy seas?”

“A beer would do the trick,” Griff replied, distracted by the flurry of children fanning out across the yard, their little feet in search of buried treasure. Pierce returned, handing him a chilled mug of Blue point Brewery’s Winter Warmer. Griff looked around, taking in the boisterous environment, and whispered, “Thanks,” planting a soft kiss on Pierce’s jaw.

As the enthusiasm of the treasure hunt mounted, it was Nick at the forefront of the marauding pack, wielding his singing sword like a seasoned buccaneer. As every clue was revealed, a renewed wave of excitement rippled among the young adventurers.

Chatting with his mother-in-law, the ever-elegant Honoria 'Honey' Mather, Griff inquired, “So what treasures await these young pirates?”

Honey beamed, “I've got delightful chocolate doubloons, candy jewels, honeycomb pieces of eight and these exquisite silver horns. They'll be over the moon.”

“You have out done yourself; Jarrett would be proud of this bounty fit for young buccaneers,” Griff replied, chuckling.

As he took in the scene, Griff observed clusters of tiny pirates pursuing their mission with zeal. But amidst the frenzy, Nick's familiar grin was conspicuously absent.

“Nicky seems to have made quite a few friends at the Country Day School. How's he liking it?” Honey asked, pulling Griff’s attention back into the conversation.

As his gaze darting around looking for Pierce, Griff answered, “He's makes friends easily and is loving the activities. So far, it's just been half-days, but starting in March, he'll attend three full days a week.”

Honey's continued chatter became a mere hum in Griff's ears as anxiety began its familiar ascent. Unable to spot their son among the bustling crowd, the din of conversations faded. He turned, silently seeking out Pierce with a questioning, worried glance. “Have you seen Nick?” he mouthed, barely concealing his rising panic.

Pierce’s eyes softened. “Give me a sec, love,” he murmured, slipping through the patio doors.

The minutes seemed to stretch, amplifying Griff’s anxiety. When Pierce finally returned, he was carrying Nick’s sword, his expression was a puzzle Griff couldn't decipher. “Diana and Chloe are scouring the gardens. I... I haven't spotted him yet. I found this in the driveway.”

“He's gone, Pierce!" Griff's voice broke, a pitch higher than he intended. Demons from his own past were clawing back – the haunting memory of his own kidnapping wrapping its cold fingers around him.

Pierce's voice was controlled, yet Griff could hear the fear. "We'll find him. We will"

The ensuing minutes were a whirlwind of frantic searching, with every corner and hideaway of the property being scoured for any trace of Nick. Griff's heartbeat echoed in a pounding parental dread. This couldn’t be real; someone was playing an awful prank.

Suddenly, a muted commotion arose from the garage. Griff ran outside and peering through the half open door there at the wheel of Griff’s beloved Porsche, Nick sat low in the driver's seat, his youthful imagination having swapped pirate escapades for visions of roaring racetracks.

The weight that lifted from Griff's chest was overwhelming. As he met Pierce's gaze, without words, they pulled Nick and each other close. Amid the chaos, this was their grounding moment; a realization that the love they shared, this bond, was the true treasure.

Pierce's voice floated through the dim bedroom, a gentle warmth, “Captain Kringle crashed rather quickly tonight, didn’t he?” He moved closer, the ambient light catching the sheen of his black silk boxers. A sight Griff had seen countless times over the years, but it still made his heart race with wonder.

“It's been a day of adventures,” Griff murmured, the edges of fatigue blurring his voice. “Maybe next year we can go away for Christmas?  Just the three of us?”

Pierce cocked an eyebrow, playful challenge in his eyes. “As long as you are the one who tells my mom, I am all for it.  After today you look as tired as I feel”

Griff chuckled, flicking back the duvet. “Come here, Superman. Looks like you’ve got one more Gotham citizen needing rescue.”

As Pierce slid into bed, he drew Griff close, his fingers sketching circles of comfort on Griff's back. “You alright?”

The exhaustion in Griff's eyes spoke volumes. “I’m getting there.”

Pierce looked into his eyes sensing what he was thinking, “That incident today... I can't imagine what it triggered in you.”

Griff swallowed, but in a resolute firm tone explained. “It’s not as though I am plagued by fears, but the party, it was a lot, and it put me a bit on edge. But ever since Nick turned four I started thinking about my parents; and then when he started school -  it’s like looking in a mirror. The innocence, the fear of what might come."

Pierce sighed, his embrace tightening. “I wish I could shoulder that burden for you. But know this, Griff – Nick is safe, he’s protected.”

Griff shook his head. “It’s not really about safety, it’s more about pressure. Every damn reporter spins a tale about the ‘lost Arlington heir.’ But none of them get it. None of them see how many people were ripped apart by that story.”

Pierce adjusted their position, so they were face to face. “Maybe it's time you tell it. For you, for Nick.  I know you put your book aside years ago but someday you should lay claim to it, it’s your story!”

Griff's voice was soft. “But becoming a father has changed the story. I can feel the anguish my parents must’ve felt losing their Brian. And not just them, I also can see the heartbreak and fear Alice experienced.” He paused, inhaling deeply, letting Pierce’s familiar scent soothe him. “But I am worried. I know how the press works; I don’t want to activate the tabloids. Or laying us bare.” Looking up a Pierce, Griff continued ‘This isn’t just my story, you and Nick are a part of it too, I don’t want to do anything that could damage this, us, our family.”

Pierce brushed a kiss on Griff's forehead, a gentle reassurance. “Your words are a gift they are your power and your truth. I believe in you and I’m right here, every step.”

Feeling the weight of the day ebb, Griff nestled against Pierce. “Thank you, you and Nicky…. love...” he couldn’t finish.

As his mouth found Griff’s, Pierce softly voiced “Merry Christmas my love.”

Deep in the night, comforted by Pierce’s heat, Griff felt a weight on chest lift, his breath ease. Under the canopy of love and trust he realized he was ready.