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
"Imissed you, Louis Lane," Chloe sighed, using the nickname she'd fondlygiven Griff. "You really didn’t have to pick me up, but I guess you wantedto flaunt this...vintage beauty?"
"Hey,she's a classic," he defended, casting a sidelong glance at Chloe, whoraised 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.”
“Godyou are so sexy when you get all blue collar, but don’t go giving my nephewideas about becoming a mechanic, because I know he wants to be either a pirateor 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 echoinghis current mood. Every bolt and weld of this car held memories fromdiscovering it in a dusty old barn out in Montauk while he was his research onhis second book to restoring it with loving precision.
“OK, spill, howon 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, youmight 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 aresmiling like Reagan has returned.”
“And, as Iremember, you look perfect in that pic.” Said Griff
“I do don’tI? That was a great dress, and evenbetter Mom and Marcus were fully plastered, and Muriel looked constipated, butcome to think of it, that’s how she always looks”
”I do loveseeing Jarrett smiling, I miss him.” Griff said softly as Chloe put a hand onhis arm “Well, life is a learning experience, I figured out that despite mostlybeing Superman, Pierce is powerless in the face of his mother. She has thatkryptonite vision that can bend him to her will.”
“Yeah, yeahI get that, but that still doesn’t explain how Honey Mather talked you intothis Christmas Eve extravaganza – at your house?” Chloe said shaking her headin mystery.
Griffsighed, “Kids change everything – She and Diana joined forces with Nicky, andit was all over. I get that ‘Daddyplease’ look and suddenly I have a Pirate ship with a 14-foot Christmastree mast in my living room and every child in Nick’s kindergarten coming overfor a Christmas Eve treasure hunt, oh and we must have something for theparents, and gifts for everyone and ‘Just a small four-person jazz combo’ andon and on...”
Griff grippedthe wheel tighter and pressed down on the accelerator as Chloe started cryingfrom laughter.
As hereached for Chloe's luggage, a familiar, teasing tune emanated from inside hercarryall. The mischievous gleam in Chloe's eyes said it all.
"Really?Pirates of the Caribbean?"
"Everypirate deserves a sword," Chloe retorted with mock innocence.
Griffsnorted. "Designed to drive his dads mad, no doubt." But he couldn'thelp the fond shake of his head as she sashayed past with laughter on her lips.
The house burstwith reunion upon their entry. "Chloe!" Nick's enthusiastic shoutdrowned out the playacting roars of his pint-sized pirate friends. Before Griffcould properly react, he felt the little whirlwind that was Nick darted pasthim, zeroing in on his beloved aunt. As he did, Griff looked to Pierce, whosilently acknowledged they were no match for Chloe's allure.
Chloe, everthe dramatic, swept Nick into her arms, leaning in with a whispered promise ofa "special gift." The resulting gleam in Nick's eyes, as the sword'stune echoed again, had Griff murmuring to Pierce, "She's diabolicallygenius."
The bubblinghum of Nick’s excited chatter enveloped him. “I’m Captain Kringle, and we havea Christmas ship! Everyone’s got eye patches, Aunt Chloe. And there’s an actualparrot! 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 ofcolors and cake and a log thing Auntie Diana brought and, and, and we are goingto have a battle and kidnappings and a huge treasure hunt, and Auntie Diana saidwe can replay it all again on Christmas Day.”
But amidst theinnocent exuberance, the word 'kidnapping' jarred Griff. True crime wasn’t justa genre Griff dabbled in; he'd penned two bestsellers that dissected thedarkest 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 themornings for school. It was as though an old scar was being ripped fresh, thefamiliar tension reawakening.
FeelingPierce's grounding presence — a gentle touch, the whisper of his breath byGriff's ear. "Everything okay?" There was a layered concern inPierce’s soft query, a lifeline pulling Griff from his spiraling thoughts.
Griff took amoment, then relaxed subtly, leaning into Pierce’s embrace. Their bond,fortified over the years, remained steadfast. To Griff, Pierce was always thesanctuary amidst the storm.
Nick’syouthful 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 madehim feel all the chaos might be worthwhile. He ruffled Nick's hair, the gesturecarrying more weight than words. "I bet it is, buddy."
Taking in thespectacle of their transformed home, Griff felt a wave of annoyance. The familyroom, patio, and living area had transmuted into a curious blend of Christmasand pirate wonderland. Family gatherings of such magnitude were not Griff’sforte He'd imagined a simpler, humbler upbringing for Nick, away from thespectacle of grandeur. But when Diana and her mother, Honey, kept telling Nickystories of Jarrett’s legendary Christmas Eve parties, and then painted a vividpicture of what a Pirate’s Christmas Eve could be, and Griff knew resistancewas futile. Now, they were playing host to a boisterous mix of twenty childrenand sixty adults, all decked in comically unique pirate-inspired Christmasattire. The chorus of 'Yo ho yo ho' from Nick’s sword, was punctuated by ahorn, heralding the treasure hunt's beginning.
“It'll be aweek before everything’s back to its place,” Griff muttered under his breath.
Perceptive asalways, Pierce leaned in, whispering, "Arrr laddie, a couple of days andthe tide will recede. We’ll be sailin’ on smooth seas by Boxing day."
Griffsmirked, nestling into Pierce’s hold. “Only Superman could convince me of thatright 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? Alittle pirate grog to calm the stormy seas?”
“A beerwould do the trick,” Griff replied, distracted by the flurry of childrenfanning out across the yard, their little feet in search of buried treasure.Pierce returned, handing him a chilled mug of Blue point Brewery’s WinterWarmer. Griff looked around, taking in the boisterous environment, andwhispered, “Thanks,” planting a soft kiss on Pierce’s jaw.
As theenthusiasm of the treasure hunt mounted, it was Nick at the forefront of themarauding pack, wielding his singing sword like a seasoned buccaneer. As everyclue was revealed, a renewed wave of excitement rippled among the youngadventurers.
Chatting withhis mother-in-law, the ever-elegant Honoria 'Honey' Mather, Griff inquired, “Sowhat treasures await these young pirates?”
Honey beamed,“I've got delightful chocolate doubloons, candy jewels, honeycomb pieces ofeight and these exquisite silver horns. They'll be over the moon.”
“You have outdone yourself; Jarrett would be proud of this bounty fit for young buccaneers,”Griff replied, chuckling.
As he took inthe scene, Griff observed clusters of tiny pirates pursuing their mission withzeal. But amidst the frenzy, Nick's familiar grin was conspicuously absent.
“Nicky seemsto have made quite a few friends at the Country Day School. How's he likingit?” Honey asked, pulling Griff’s attention back into the conversation.
As his gazedarting around looking for Pierce, Griff answered, “He's makes friends easilyand is loving the activities. So far, it's just been half-days, but starting inMarch, he'll attend three full days a week.”
Honey'scontinued chatter became a mere hum in Griff's ears as anxiety began itsfamiliar ascent. Unable to spot their son among the bustling crowd, the din ofconversations faded. He turned, silently seeking out Pierce with a questioning,worried glance. “Have you seen Nick?” he mouthed, barely concealing his risingpanic.
Pierce’seyes softened. “Give me a sec, love,” he murmured, slipping through the patiodoors.
The minutesseemed to stretch, amplifying Griff’s anxiety. When Pierce finally returned, hewas 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. Ifound this in the driveway.”
“He's gone,Pierce!" Griff's voice broke, a pitch higher than he intended. Demons fromhis own past were clawing back – the haunting memory of his own kidnappingwrapping its cold fingers around him.
Pierce'svoice was controlled, yet Griff could hear the fear. "We'll find him. Wewill"
The ensuingminutes were a whirlwind of frantic searching, with every corner and hideawayof the property being scoured for any trace of Nick. Griff's heartbeat echoedin a pounding parental dread. This couldn’t be real; someone was playing anawful prank.
Suddenly, amuted commotion arose from the garage. Griff ran outside and peering through thehalf open door there at the wheel of Griff’s beloved Porsche, Nick sat low inthe driver's seat, his youthful imagination having swapped pirate escapades forvisions of roaring racetracks.
The weightthat lifted from Griff's chest was overwhelming. As he met Pierce's gaze, withoutwords, they pulled Nick and each other close. Amid the chaos, this was theirgrounding moment; a realization that the love they shared, this bond, was thetrue treasure.
Pierce's voice floated through the dim bedroom, a gentle warmth, “CaptainKringle crashed rather quickly tonight, didn’t he?” He moved closer, theambient light catching the sheen of his black silk boxers. A sight Griff hadseen countless times over the years, but it still made his heart race withwonder.
“It's been aday 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?”
Piercecocked an eyebrow, playful challenge in his eyes. “As long as you are the onewho tells my mom, I am all for it. Aftertoday you look as tired as I feel”
Griffchuckled, flicking back the duvet. “Come here, Superman. Looks like you’ve got onemore Gotham citizen needing rescue.”
As Pierceslid into bed, he drew Griff close, his fingers sketching circles of comfort onGriff's back. “You alright?”
The exhaustionin Griff's eyes spoke volumes. “I’m getting there.”
Piercelooked into his eyes sensing what he was thinking, “That incident today... Ican't imagine what it triggered in you.”
Griffswallowed, but in a resolute firm tone explained. “It’s not as though I amplagued by fears, but the party, it was a lot, and it put me a bit on edge. Butever since Nick turned four I started thinking about my parents; and then whenhe started school - it’s like looking ina mirror. The innocence, the fear of what might come."
Piercesighed, his embrace tightening. “I wish I could shoulder that burden for you.But know this, Griff – Nick is safe, he’s protected.”
Griff shookhis head. “It’s not really about safety, it’s more about pressure. Every damnreporter 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.”
Pierceadjusted their position, so they were face to face. “Maybe it's time you tellit. For you, for Nick. I know you put yourbook aside years ago but someday you should lay claim to it, it’s your story!”
Griff'svoice was soft. “But becoming a father has changed the story. I can feel theanguish my parents must’ve felt losing their Brian. And not just them, I alsocan 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 thepress works; I don’t want to activate the tabloids. Or laying us bare.” Lookingup a Pierce, Griff continued ‘This isn’t just my story, you and Nick are a partof it too, I don’t want to do anything that could damage this, us, our family.”
Piercebrushed a kiss on Griff's forehead, a gentle reassurance. “Your words are agift they are your power and your truth. I believe in you and I’m right here,every step.”
Feeling theweight of the day ebb, Griff nestled against Pierce. “Thank you, you and Nicky….love...” he couldn’t finish.
As his mouthfound Griff’s, Pierce softly voiced “Merry Christmas my love.”
Deep in thenight, comforted by Pierce’s heat, Griff felt a weight on chest lift, hisbreath ease. Under the canopy of love and trust he realized he was ready.
