Naughty Christmas: The Knotty List

Tyler

Tuesday, December 14th

I was sitting in my work truck at Camden State Park while watching people drive through the area. I always thought it was funny when people would speed and then slow down right as they saw my vehicle. My dad, Officer David Harrison, usually had a good laugh about it while he was on the police force.

While I watched the road ahead of me, my phone kept going off with text messages. I was holding too many conversations to track who I was talking with. I’ve sent the wrong message to three different people already. At least it was nothing spicy.

After a while, my phone calmed down, and the traffic coming into the park settled down to nothing. I picked my phone up from the center console and opened my messages. I saw texts from Jess, Caleb, my mom, and Amanda. I hadn’t talked to Amanda since Halloween night, so I wondered what she was contacting me for. I opened her message and read it.

"I miss our adventures."

Oh boy. Was this really happening? We had agreed that we would end things as she found something serious with a guy she was going to take home to her parents for the Thanksgiving holiday, and here it was about to be Christmas. I was going to respond. She was a fun partner in the sack, but I wouldn’t be the guy she cheated on a boyfriend with. I have morals.

"We did have some good times but agreed to go our separate ways."

I closed her message thread and opened Caleb’s, one of my younger brothers, to see what was going on.

"What days do you have off this holiday?"

"The 24th and 25th only. I’m free each night, though."

I closed his messages and opened my mom’s to read what she sent me.

"When will you be over for dinner again?"

"How about tonight?"

"Ok. I’ll make beef stroganoff."

"Sounds amazing!"

I closed her messages and smiled that she missed me. I hadn’t been over in a few weeks, so it was time for a visit. Next, I went to my texts with Jess, my ex-wife.

"The school called me, and Dylan is in the principal’s office again. I can’t get away from work today. Can you go? Please!?"

Shit! This kid would make us lose our jobs with his bad behavior lately. Neither one of us could take any more time off, and I couldn’t take him with me. I would have to take him to my mom and dad’s house.

"Yeah, I can go to the school. I’ll text you after I’ve talked with the principal."

"Thank you."

"You’re welcome. I’ll see about leaving him with my parents."

"Sounds good.

I closed my phone’s screen and ignored the other messages that came through as I got ready to leave the state park. As I began to pull away from the spot I was sitting in for well over two hours, a driver in a black SUV came speeding past me. There was snow all over the ground, along with patches of ice here and there, so I wouldn’t let this person go. Safety!

I quickly turned my lights on and sounded my siren to get the person’s attention. The driver slowed down and pulled off to the side of the road. I huffed in irritation as I unbuckled my seatbelt and exited my warm truck into the twenty-degree weather. This was bullshit.

I closed my truck door and approached the vehicle. As I got closer, the window rolled down, and I saw one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. I was almost unable to make eye contact with her or even open my mouth to speak. Shit. Come on, get it together.

She had a sweet and delicate face, with long dark red hair down and tucked behind her ears. She was wearing athletic clothing, indicating that she was either running or hiking on the trails. Her eyes kept my attention. They were light brown, but they were so hypnotizing.

I had to blink a couple of times and take a breath to think. She didn’t seem happy, and I don’t think it was because I pulled her over. How much of a Karen was this woman about to be to me?

“Do you know why I pulled you over, ma’am?” I finally asked her in a thick voice before I cleared my throat.

“It’s because I was speeding. I’m so sorry,” she said as she handed me her license and registration.

“Yes, slowing down would be best on a day like this,” I told her a little awkwardly.

She looked at me a little worried, and I’m sure it was about possibly getting a ticket. Thank God. I didn’t want someone so attractive to think I was weird.

I nodded and said, “I’ll be right back.”

I turned around and walked back to my truck, then climbed in. I checked her information and looked at her name, Nora Nelson. Her license was just issued for her newest address, meaning she was new here. I would have remembered her beautiful face if I had seen it before now.

After everything came back normal and checked out well, I exited my vehicle and returned to her window. She rolled the window down, and I returned her license and registration.

“Here you go, Mrs. Nelson. I’m going to let you off with a verbal warning today. Please slow down on these roads for everyone’s safety.”

“Of course. Thank you, Officer Harrison,” she said.

“You’re welcome. Please be careful.”

“I will,” she said with a bright and captivating smile.

My heart started thundering in my chest and ears as I saw that smile for the first time. Damn, she was gorgeous. I smiled back and turned to go back to my truck. I got back in and watched her pull away. I’m sure her husband was a lucky ass guy.

After a while, I left the park and drove into Marshall. I went to the middle school and parked in the front before getting out to go into the building. I went to the office, and the principal ushered me into his office right away.

I found Dylan sitting in a chair before the principal’s desk, and I shook my head in disappointment. There beside him was a redheaded boy that I had never seen before. Dylan talked about a new kid he was hanging out with yesterday, and I guess that was him.

My gaze shifted to the other person in the room. There was Mrs. Nora Nelson. This is where she was rushing off. Her son was sitting next to Dylan. What an odd yet slightly pleasant coincidence.

I stood off to the side of the boys and Mrs. Nelson. I looked over at Dylan and raised an eyebrow, wondering what the hell the little heathen was up to now. This is the third time I’ve had to come up here this year. Jess has been up here, I think, four or five times.

“Mr. Harrison and Mrs. Nelson, I’m glad you two could come visit with us today,” Principal Anderson said.

“Sure. What’s going on this time?” I asked.

I wanted to get right to business, not sit and chat. I needed to get him where he needed to go and return to work.

“Dylan and Rusty were caught setting a stink bomb off in the boy’s locker room.”

I sighed heavily in frustration. My eyes slid from the principal over to Dylan with an irritated and disapproving glare. He looked deflated and wouldn’t meet my gaze. This boy had better get his head out of his ass because this was my breaking point. I know none of the changes in the past two years have been easy for any of us, but he had to give Jess and me a break.

I heard the beautiful redheaded woman groan in irritation as she stood close to the wall on the other side of the room. I almost looked over at her, but I kept my attention on Dylan. This boy and I had a deep conversation that was overdue.

“What disciplinary action will the school take?” I heard her ask.

“They will both be placed in ISS until the end of the semester, but they are suspended for the rest of the day,” Mr. Anderson said.

Both boys huffed in irritation and slid a little further into their seats. I nodded my head in understanding.

“Thank you, Mr. Anderson. I hope we stop needing these meetings,” I told him.

"You and me both.”

I motioned for Dylan to get his things. He got up and grabbed his bag aggressively before storming out of the principal’s office and toward the exit of the building. He had no reason to have an attitude right now. He’s the one that messed up.

I followed him closely while listening to Nora and her son behind me. She wasn’t happy with him, and he acted like Dylan. Great, we have two angry peas in a pod that wanted to hang out together.

We walked out to my work truck and Dylan got in quickly like he didn’t want to be seen in my game warden vehicle. I remember that feeling, and I remember acting a little similar, but I never did the crap he’s been pulling.

I got into the driver’s seat and started the vehicle before getting my phone out to call my mom. She answered on the third ring.

“Hey, Tyler. You better not be about to cancel dinner on me.”

“No. I’m not, mom. I had to get Dylan from school. Can I bring him over for the rest of the day?”

“Always. Is he sick?” she asked.

“Nope.”

“Ah. More trouble, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok. Well, I’ll see you soon.”

“Ok, bye.”

“Bye,” mom said before she hung up.

I set my phone down on the center console and sighed again before returning to the parking spot. I stopped from leaving to watch the most beautiful redhead I would ever set eyes on walk to her vehicle with her son. She was hot when she was angry, and you could see just how pissed off she was. I’m sure that kid is about to get his ass yelled at, if not beat.

I watched her drive away before I turned to Dylan and asked, “What the hell are you thinking?”

“It was just supposed to be a prank. I didn’t think it would smell that bad.”

“It’s a stink bomb!” I hissed while looking at him like he was an idiot.

He looked out the window on the passenger side. He knew he messed up and might be embarrassed about the situation.

“Where the hell did you even get it?” I asked calmly.

“From the mall,” he mumbled.

“Well, it’s going to be a while before you’re allowed to go back there.”

He just stayed quiet in the seat next to me. I shook my head and backed out of the parking spot before driving from the school to my parent’s house. I parked on the street and left my vehicle going. Dylan and I walked up to the house and went inside.

“Hey, mom!” I called out.

“I’m in the kitchen!” she called back to me.

We walked to the kitchen, and Dylan sat at the table.

“Have you eaten lunch?” mom asked me.

“No. Where’s dad?”

“He’s in the garage. I’ll make you a sandwich while you go talk to him.”

“You’re the best,” I told her as I left the kitchen.

I entered the garage and found the old man fixing a metal ornament at his workbench.

“Hey, pops,” I told him as I walked in.

He looked up at me and said, “Hey. What brings you here during work hours?”

“Dylan. He got in trouble with a stink bomb in the boy’s locker room. I’m leaving him here for the day.”

He nodded and asked, “Do you want me to talk to him this time?”

“Yeah. See what wisdom you can drop on the young mind and see if you can help me pull his head out of his ass.”

He laughed at me and said, “You have years before that happens.”

I groaned in irritation and said, “I know, but whatever will help at this point is appreciated.”

“I got you,” he said with a nod.

“Thanks. I’ll see you at dinner.”

“Alright.”

I turned and left the garage before getting what my mom made me for lunch. I told them bye and left while eating the food in my hand. When I got to my truck, I messaged Jess to update her on what was happening. We both agreed that he wouldn’t go to the mall for a while, but instead of punishing him more, we would work on figuring out why he was behaving this badly and addressing it. That was the only way through this. Just punishing him wasn’t going to work anymore. It wasn’t teaching him anything. We needed to be smart to get this under control.