On the Outskirts

Twenty

~Ryder~

"RYDER!" Hallie collided with me as I stepped through Jack's front door. 

"Hey Petal, step back it's damn cold out there." She didn't move, just clung to my hips tight meaning I had to shuffle is both in. "Gonna let go?" 

"Nope." I shrugged, lifting the kid and tossing her over my shoulder. Halie squealed, wriggling ad kicking as she tried to get out of my hold. I managed to slip my boots off without  bending down. 

"HELLO? ANYONE HOME? I FOUND THIS SACK OF MEAT OUTSIDE AND I THINK IT BELONGS TO YOU GUYS." Hallie chuckled as I walked through to the kitchen, to where Jack and Sadie were finishing tidying up from Christmas dinner. I had to spend the morning with my mom and step family before I managed to get out and come over. I'd promised Hallie I'd come over and no one was gonna stop me. 

"Oh. That one." Sadie rolled her eyes when I turned around. "You can leave it on the porch." 

"Alright." I gave a single nod and Hallie squealed even louder, grabbing the door frame and anything else in reach as I tried to move us through the room. 

"Ryder?" Hallie halted. 

"Yes talking sack of meat?" 

"I'm gonna be sick." 

"Oh-kay." I set her down on the floor, bending down to look at her. "You okay?" 

"Yeah it was hurting my tummy." 

"You sure?" She nods. "Good." 

"Why don't you two show Ryder what you made this morning?" Hallie lights up like the moon and grabs my hand, pulling me to the back door. 

"Woah, woah, woah. Coat and shoes." 

"But mom-" 

"No buts kid. It's freezing out there. You need to wrap up or you'll get sick again. Want that?" Hallie huffed at me. "I mean if you wanna be sick again, go for it. I'll get that cough med-" 

"NO. I'll put my things on." I followed the girls down the hall, listened to Hallie tell me about all the presents her mom and pops and everyone else had gotten and the one's that were from Santa and then winked at me. She'd told me a few days ago that she didn't believe Santa was real and that she knew it was her mom, the kids at school had told her. I'd had to tell her that her mom liked giving her presents from Santa, knowing that Sadie had cried on my shoulder last week about her baby growing up and growing out of it soon. It had been a tiring week for them both. 

I was dragged out through the solid 2 foot of snow and shown a giant snowman they'd made that was twice my size. It was a feat of engineering honestly. 

"Jesus Christ. How long did this take you?" 

"About an hour or 2." Sadie shrugged. "I piled the snow up last night with the tractor, much to my dad's annoyance. But I thought it'd be a fun way to distract her whilst my dad cooked otherwise she'd be underfoot and everything. Last year was a shit Christmas. We only got down here late on Christmas eve so dad hadn't planned on having one here, didn't have any decorations up-" 

"So that's why the ranch looks like Santa's grotto?" 

"Oh shut up you Grinch." Sadie pushed her arm into mine. 

"Hey mom?" 

"Yes ba-" Sadie turned around and ended up with a snowball straight to the head and she gasped. "Oh you little shit." Hallie took off down behind the stables where there was more places to hide and I pulled on Sadie's hips, stopping her from running after her. "RYDER-" 

"Sorry babe. We had this planned." I kissed her cheek, pushing her down into the snow and running after Hallie to where we'd pre made 2 dozen snow balls yesterday afternoon instead of doing the work I should have been doing. 

"YOU TWO ARE SO DEAD!" 

"HAL QUICK SHE'S RIGHT BEHIND ME." I ducked as Hallie tossed another snowball at her mother behind me. 

"YOU GUYS PLAY SO UNFAIR." 

"Life's unfair Sunflower." Sadie scrunched her face up and I pointed to the pile I made for her. My mistake really because the next ball thrown hit me square on the cheek and my girlfriend was way too fucking happy about it. "Oh you wanna play rough?" Sadie smirked, tossing the ball in the air before catching it. 

"Ryder-" Hallie pulled on my sleeve and I bent down so she could whisper in my ear. "I'm gonna say I need a wee and go away and the get her from behind." I kept a straight face, nodding at her. 

"What are you two planning?" 

"Nothing, she was telling me she needs the bathroom." Sadie stared at her daughter. 

"I need a wee!" 

"Go on then." 

"No, you're gonna get me." 

"No I'm not." 

"Yeah you are." Sadie shrugged and Hallie started running back towards the house as Sadie tossed snow balls after her. Hitting her more than once. 

"Oh she really needs a wee?" 

"Yeah and you just attacked her with snowballs." Sadie turned to face me as I got closer. "Having a nice Christmas?" 

"Hmm. It's alright." 

"Just alright?" 

"Yeah." I smirked, grabbing her jacket and pulling her close. "A little better." Sadie wrapped her hands around my neck, pulled back my jumper and stuffed a snowball down the back, bursting into laughter when I screamed like a kid. 

"Oh you-" I lifted her feet from the floor, moving to a fence where I could grab some snow off the top and get my revenge. Between the snow underfoot, only having one hand on her and her wriggling I managed to drop her right as we got to the fence. I kept ahold of her, trying to pull her back but ending up falling back into the snow with Sadie on top of me. "That's it." I sunk my fingers into Sadie, tickling her until she was laughing so hard tears were streaming down her face and I let go, giving her a second to gather her breath before pushing a handful of snow under her clothes. 

"AH!" Sadie screamed and brought her hands up to try move it out but I pinned her clothes to her body. "OH MY GOD IT'S SO FUCKING COLD." 

"Let me warm you up then." 

"That depends. What's my Christmas present?" 

"I can give you it but it's not suitable for little eyes." Sadie smirked. "What did you get me?" 

"Wouldn't you like to know." 

"Yeah, I would actually." Sadie lifted her hands to my face, kissing me with a big smile on my face. "You're cold." 

"Someone threw multiple snowballs at my face." 

"Yeah well I'll make up for it tonight when I get my head between you le-" A little gasp stops me before I can finish my sentence and we both turn our head to see Hallie and her Pops. Hallie looks like she's seen a ghost, Jack just rolls his eyes but the smile on his face tells me this wasn't even a surprise and he's fine with it. I think. I never know with that guy. 

"MOM KISSED RYDER!" Uh- oh. 

"I was just uh-" Sadie looked back at me, cheeks darkening by the second. I chuckled, lifting my head to kiss her quickly again before flipping her into the snow beside me. 

"Hal, quick!" 

"NO YOU'RE ON MOM'S TEAM NOW MR KISSY FACE. I'VE GOT POPS." 

"Mr kissy face." Sadie shook her head behind me.

"Mr and Mrs kissy face vs Hallie and Pops." 

"I'm not going easy on you old man." Sadie smirks at her dad. 

"Wasn't counting on it kid. Don't think I'll need a shotgun if I can throw snowballs at him this time though."