Just One Kiss Before Divorcing Me (Martin and Calvin) novel Chapter 129

Marilyn

She smiled at the text from Kay, “Oh I see you’re sneaky and devious Marilyn, we’ve all discussed it, and we’ll all come down be there for the tree trimming this afternoon. I’ve got plenty of food to feed us all.”

She chuckled softly to herself. “I won’t let them start the tree trimming, Kay, until you get here. Though Calvin is out braving the hoards right now, I wished him luck.”

as out shopping, even Mal laughed and stated Calvin “Now that was funny to me when Calvin mentioned he was out shopping, even Mal laughed and stated Calvin would likely come home grumpy.”

“Well, he can keep that to himself, you can pull him into line if he is,” she smiled to herself, “you might even get here before he does.”

“We’ll be leaving in an hour or so. I’m going to hug them boys all afternoon. Tell them I baked double chocolate and coconut brownies for Christmas, but they can have them today if they want.”

“Will do,” she smiled and looked at the boys they were playing happily out on the lawn. They’d wanted to go with Calvin, but she’d shaken her head, and not because she wanted to punish him. It was simply that the twins could be a real handful and Calvin alone with them in a throng like what was going to be out there today, he could well lose them and completely freak out.

She would be furious if that happened, and likely yell and scream, beat the hell out of him for him if he lost her boys. So, no, he couldn’t take them shopping. Another time when it wasn’t so busy, and no sales were on, she would likely just allow it, just warn him they could be a handful.

She saw Denise and Henry heading out, and they told her they wouldn’t be back until the new year. She just nodded and thanked them for not telling Calvin about them being here, and wished them a merry Christmas and happy New Year.

She took the time that Calvin was gone to move the food shopping she’d done from the guest house to the main house and put things away. The fridge in the main house was stocked, and she wondered if it was because Denise and Henry had known she and the boys were coming, so they had gone out of their way to fill it with all the things one’s fridge would normally hold. They’d have a credit card for that from Calvin, their last housekeeper had one, to purchase things needed for cleaning and maintaining the house.

She was just making lunch for herself and the boys when she heard voices coming from the front of the house. Both Callum and Vincent looked up at her, “Grandma and Grandpa.” They said, and she nodded. There were too many voices for it to be just Calvin.

“You may go.” She told them and watched them climb off the stools at the kitchen bench. She put the knife she was slicing a tomato with down, rinsed and dried her hands, and followed them out to the foyer of the house.

She saw both Kay and Malcom look at them, and smiled as Kay just knelt down and held her arms out. Come here and give your grandma a cuddle.” She told them.

Marilyn leaned on the wall and smiled as the boys did just that. They’d been talking to their grandparents as much as they did Calvin. She saw Kay tear up as she hugged them right into her as they called her ‘ Grandma‘. It was a nice sight to see, and warmed her heart.

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She watched Malcom ruffle both boys‘ hair and look at her, then he just sighed, About time you were foun

sweetheart.

She smiled at him but stayed put. None of them knew she had her memories back either. She couldn’t risk anyone telling Calvin, not when she had plans for that man. She watched as more people piled into the foyer their aunts and uncles, cousins and the boys stared up at them all. She’d not told them everyone was coming, just their grandparents.

Kay stood up and looked at her and then stepped past the boys and walked over to her and just pulled her into a big hug. “I have missed you. My son is an i***t. I know you don’t remember sweetheart, but I once warned you he was an arrogant man with an attitude of, I’ll do whatever I please, when I please, how I want. She leaned back and looked at her. “It is good to know you’re alive, and doing so very well for yourself too.”

She nodded, “That I am.”

“Do you recall anything?” Kay asked her.

“Mm, somethings, this house I recall, and I know where everything is,” she answered. “I was just making lunch for the boys, have you all eaten?” she asked.

“We’ll unpack and then come and help make lunch,” Kay told her, and she was greeted by all of his family, even his niece and nephew. They all even managed to call her Marilyn. Veronica looked her over and shook her head. “He’s a damned fool, and if I were you, I’d smack him up the back side of his head damned hard, every day for the next eight years.”

She’d chuckled softly and shook her head, “I don’t need that temper of his directed at me ever again. So no, thank you. But it’s a nice thought. Maybe I’ll imagine it every day.”

“I’ll do it.” Veronica laughed. “Won’t even tell him why.” She’d stated and headed upstairs to put her things in her room. The house was going to be completely full, she realised, thankfully she and the boys hadn’t claimed a bedroom inside the house or more than one of them would have to stay in the guest house.

They were all in the kitchen talking and eating when Calvin walked in and looked at everyone. “I see you have all decided to come today.” he kind of frowned.

“Marilyn and the twins are here for the first time, so we are all here. Christmas, son, is for family, and we are Marilyn and the boy’s family. Even if she doesn’t recall us,” his mother told him. “I won’t be denied getting to know the boys or Marilyn once more.”

He kind of sighed but said nothing on the subject, just asked if anyone wanted to come and help him unload the car. The twins were up and telling him they would. Marilyn held out half a sandwich to him, and he smiled at her and took it. “Thank you.”

“I’m making them for everyone.” She shrugged and turned back to talking to his mother and sisters. She was still making them theirs. There were a lot of mouths to feed, and though Kay was standing right next to her helping she’d refused to let Kay make everyone’s lunch by herself. She knew how to make food.

Both her boys and Malcom helped Calvin bring in what he’d bought, and it was placed in the formal living area. His mother frowned at the fake tree and shook her head. “Now son, we always have a real tree.”

“You try and get one on Christmas Eve, and I wouldn’t even know where to get one,” he stated. “This will make do for this year.”

She sat on the arm of the lounge and watched as Calvin and Malcom put up that tree and Kay huffed and

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CH 128

shook her head, looked at Marilyn and muttered where’s the lovely smell of pine to go with the occasion.

She just chuckled. “I don’t have a real tree at my place. But then If the boys want to decorate a real tree, we live on six acres in the middle of the woods, they can just go and pick one,” she smiled.

“Mum, mum, the new house has so many trees.” Vincent ran over to her and smiled up at her. “We can have a white Christmas next year at the new house.”

“We likely could.” She nodded. “It’ll be very pretty with that view of the lake, all the snow and surrounded by pine trees.”

“What does that house look like?” Kay asked her.

“It’s bigger than this house,” she stated, with a half smile to herself. “It has nine bedrooms and three guest suites. Do you want to see pictures?” She asked, ignoring the look she could feel coming from Calvin himself. He’d not seen pictures of it, she’d told him nothing about that house. At Kay’s nod, she pulled out her phone and showed her them, including the view.

“Now that is a nice house and the view, sweetheart. It would fit us all in for Christmas next year.”

She’d not really thought about that, but yes, she supposed it would. She now wondered, as she did the math, if her own subconscious mind had seen her buy a house that was tailored to having all of Calvin’s family at the house? “I know, it will make for good writing,” she smiled. “I’ve already started buying furniture for it, and I was recommended a nice couple to live–in and maintain the house and grounds. When I’m not there, they will move in after the new year. Cameron cleared them as all good.”

“Who is Cameron?” Kay frowned right at her now.

“Oh, he’s my security detail, to keep…” her eyes moved to Calvin, and she saw a deep frown mar his face, but he didn’t look at her. He didn’t know if she still had them. They had been at the new house setting up the security system until just yesterday, sorting out a full security room as well. She’d still wanted that; it would be finished and ready to go by mid–January.

“Do you really think you need that?” Kay sighed a little on the heavy side.

“Hmm, better to be safe than sorry.” She nodded. “Regardless of who I once was, I’m not her anymore and so… “she shrugged. “one can’t predict what will happen.”

Calvin looked at her a few times over the next hour, and then he stated “Marilyn, wouldn’t you like to help trim the tree with the boys?”

“I already did ours, this is for you and them.” She told him simply “Enjoy,” She knew he was trying to get her to a part of the family or maybe go over there and stand there next to him, but she wasn’t going to just give him what he wanted. Regardless of knowing, he was trying to make her feel as though she was part of his family

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Calvin

The hoards were a nightmare for him, but he persevered and got a tree, and decorations had googled the nearest Christmas store. He wasn’t so much as worried about gifts, just decorations, though telling his mother and father Marilyn and the boys were here and out at Cliffside, she’d told him flatly they’d all make their way to Cliffside for Christmas then.

He’d picked up the tone she was using and knew it meant there would be no arguing with her about it. They could come for Christmas. All he wanted was a day with Marilyn and the boys, Bonding with the boys was easy, they wanted their dad around. What he wanted was to spend some quality time with them and Marilyn, and trimming a tree. Just the four of them together would show her he could be a family man.

Though pulling in the driveway and seeing three cars parked there, he’d huffed, they’d said for Christmas yet here they all were, and out the window went his plans to try and build some sort of bond with Marilyn, and have them be able to at least sit and talk easily before she was made to interact with his entire family.

Yet when he walked inside, she was standing right next to his mother in the kitchen, and they were making lunch for everyone. He liked seeing that, her with all of them and a part of him knew it would be good for her, might even bring some memories back to her of other Christmases she’d spent with them. She’d always been one to get in and help his mother.

some excuse, of wanting to spend time with her. He was nearly ready to pull his own hair out at one point.

It was almost as if his family were running defence around her, so he couldn’t get near her. Then those fou women were just strolling off up to the clifftop, and he sighed to himself and heard his father chuckle No” son, she did express to us that she wasn’t here to interact with you. But solely here to have the boys spend

time with you.”

“I want to be able to spend time with her though, as well as the boys.” He stated, he was very unhappy about

all the interference he was getting from his own mother and sisters. “So, they’re doing it on purpose, in other

“Hmm,” his father had looked at the four of them walking off up the hill. “It is likely Calvin. You did divorce the

“Apologies don’t always fix things, Calvin, and they don’t erase memories of things done to a person, either. Maybe what you want is not what she wants. She doesn’t remember anything so… I think you should just focus on the boys and being a loving, attentive father.”

He couldn’t argue with any of that, but he wanted to learn about her, get to know her and to do that he needed to be able to spend time with her. He also wanted to see her as a mother, as well as a woman on her own. Get to know all the sides of her, as he wanted her to do with him. So, they could hopefully actually really get to know each other and come to like each other the right way, the proper way.

The boys were playing soccer with his cousins, and they were yelling for him to come and play, and he sighed as his father clapped him on the back, “Ah, now son. You know how it feels. You hated playing sports with me and your sisters, your mother even. Now you’ve got two boys that like sports.” Then he hollered to his grandchildren, “Your dad can’t kick a ball to save his life, but I can.” And he was off to play with them. His father wasn’t wrong. He hated football and soccer, didn’t really like any team sport at all, though he enjoyed snowboarding, but that was also something he could do on his own. He’d been a nerdy kid and sports had not been his forte, and that had just seen him get teased and picked on.

He’d learned to hit the gym in college, went with Wil mostly and so his build was good and solid. He enjoyed rowing and swimming laps, which kept his body in tip–top shape and his mind clear to think about work problems, because again he could do it on his own and not be bothered by anyone talking to him. He was fit and in shape, worked out three times a week and swam every other day for an hour or so. Thankfully, the pool in his apartment building was heated so it could be used all year round.

If it was warmer, he’d set up some of the pool equipment, and they could all have some fun in the water, that he was good at and didn’t mind. He strolled over to where the boys were still playing and calling out to him to come and play. It was going to be embarrassing, but both Bligh and Brighton had seen him try before.

He supposed he might as well let the boys learn now, he was not got at soccer. Maybe they could wrangle their own mother into playing, and he could help Dane and Marty when they got back. He knew his mother and sisters would play if they were asked. He’d much prefer to be standing at the barbecue cooking just watching on, or sitting on the couch with a gaming controller in his hand. That he could do with ease.

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CH 129

His own boys laughed at him as he struggled to get the ball from his father, and though he continued to try, it was still definitely not his thing. The game ended and both Cal and Vin looked up at him and shook their heads at him. “We lost.”

“Hmm, I’m not a sports person, computers are my thing, boys, you’re better off choosing anyone else for your team, could well be your mother is better at this than I am.”

“She is.” they both told him.

“How can you not kick a ball?” Callum asked him. He’d taken note of what they were wearing this morning to tell them apart, he’d had to have Marilyn tell him which boy was which though first. She had, and without issue, seemed to know, it was very hard to tell them apart.

“Never enjoyed it, so didn’t do it.” he stated. “Now I can snowboard and row and swim, just.” He shrugged.” Not kick a ball, don’t ask me to play basketball or baseball, either.” He shook his head at them.

They were just staring up at him now, and then they huffed and walked away with that ball, muttering about it was better to ask their mum to play with them. He couldn’t even argue with them on that one. Though he’d never seen Marilyn play sports when she’d been Marrin, it hadn’t been her thing either, as far as he knew

They were also quick to tell her he couldn’t play soccer, when she came back from her walk with his mother and sisters, and she looked at him for a moment and then just stated, “Now boys, you know not everyone can play sport. Don’t take it to heart, and maybe you’ll be able to teach him in time.”

They’d both looked at him and then back to her and shaken their heads, only to have her laugh. “Well, think of it as an easy win, when you can get him to play with you. Put him on the other team and kick his backside every time.”

They’d grinned up at her and said “Yeah we will.” and run off to play with their cousins once more.

“I don’t think they need the encouragement,” he’d muttered as she sank down on a lounger.

“Hmm, I guess you’re not good at everything.” She shrugged.

“Brains over brawn,” he’d stated. “Was hoping the twins would be the same.”

and are “They get good grades, but like soccer and track and field, they love to run, as you’ve probably seen. They have boundless energy, and they are in a club for that; it runs across spring. Joined it this year itching for the new season. Run from my house down the driveway and back at times just to practice.” she shook her head. “Never stop, drag me from my work at times to go walking in the woods.”

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