“No, you don’t! Unfair. Skirt was being an ass,” Tongue reveals himself from the other corner.
“Awa’ an bile yer heid,” Skirt snaps. “I only wanted pie.” Skirt stomps out of the kitchen with his arms crossed.
“Fine, let’s do it again.”
“No. Don’t be a sore loser,” Porter says. “You said we would go get tacos after this.”
“Oh, yeah. Tacos.” Tongue and his brother run down the hallway, shoving each other to see who can get to the door first.
Sarah rubs her temples. “Ever since Porter came here with Tongue, it’s been non-stop sibling wars. It’s like all the years they spent apart are being lived now. It’s so sweet, but it’s like having two more children in the house.”
The basement door opens, and Delaney and Micah come out, run to the fridge, grab a few snacks, then head to the living room without looking at us.
“They are slowly coming around. That’s good,” I keep my voice low, so they don’t hear me. They are sensitive kids and only come out from the basement when they want. No one pushes them, but gaining their trust is difficult.
“Yeah, they are coming around. I hope we get to know them soon,” Sarah replies, rocking Hendrix in her arms.
“Mom! Mom!” Maizey comes bursting through the kitchen and slides on her socks across the floor as she attempts to come to a stop.
Sarah grins just as a piece of hair falls in her face and she blows it out of the way. “What is it, silly girl?”
“Can me and Aidan go to the swamp? Please, please, please?” she begs, folding her hands in front of her.
“You have to take someone with you. Why don’t you go ask Uncle Tongue? He is outside getting tacos right now, but someone has to go with you. You will not go by yourself, do you understand me?”
Maizey squeals and claps her hands. “Yes! Thank you, thank you! Aidan, let’s go get Uncle Tongue. We have to find someone to take us.” Maizey makes a ‘zoom’ sound with her mouth and spreads her arms out as she sprints down the back hallway. Aidan flies behind Sarah’s chair and his red hair glimmers like flames against the light.
Sarah’s cheeks blow out as she exhales a gigantic breath. “I need eighteen cups of coffee to get through this day.”
“Same,” I agree, lifting my mug to my lips to take a sip.
“Hellraiser. Come on,” Knives voice gets closer and Mary wobbles in, her hands on lower back, tears streaming down her face.
“No! I’m not taking a picture when I look like a freaking cow. You can forget it. I just want to lie down. Everything hurts. I can’t wait to go to the doctor. I can’t take this anymore.” Mary still tries to walk as fast as she can from Knives, but he swings her into his arms. “Put me down. I’m too heavy.”
“Nonsense. You’re gorgeous, and if you want to lie down, I’m taking you to bed and I’m going to rub every inch of you that aches,” he says, giving her a quick kiss.
“Aw,” Sarah and I say together.
Mary grins while she nestles her cheek against his shoulder, and he carries her to the bedroom.
“I bet every part of her hurts. She’s big. What if she has two in there? I mean that would explain it.”
“You think?”
“I don’t know. I mean, she’s double the size either of us were. I know it’s normal—”
“—Doc didn’t say anything about two, though.”
“Then she’s having a big baby and I hope she doesn’t deliver vaginally.” I flinch at the thought.
Hendrix begins to fuss, and Sarah whips out her breast since it’s just the two of us and begins feeding. “So, what has you so sad?”
“I’m not sad,” I repeat, knowing even as I say it that it doesn’t sound believable. I even sound sad. I debate on telling her the truth and chew on my bottom lip.
“I knew it. Spill.” She stands and moves her chair closer to me. “Come on, I need something. I speak to kids most of the day. I need some girl talk.” Her brown eyes get me, and I know I’m going to tell her.
“I’m just worried because Badge didn’t come home last night. He’s usually here.”
Her lips part and she slaps her hand on the table. “You like Badge? Badge? Mr. Grump-tastic? Really?”
“I never said—” I glance around to make sure we are alone “—I never said I liked him.”
“Girl…” she scoffs and rolls her eyes, deadpanning me with a look that I can’t decipher. “Women only worry about men they like or love.”
“I like what I’ve seen, and I want to get to know him. I don’t know anything about him. Do you guys?” I ask.
“Not really. He loved being a cop. He and Reaper have been tense about that. Being a cop was everything to Badge. I’m trying to get Reaper to relax on a few things—it’s not like we don’t have half the PD on our side anyway. All the guys have jobs, and Badge deserves his back, you know? But if you mean if we know anything about him personally, the answer is no. He keeps a tight lid on his personal life.”
“Is he the kind of guy that goes out and sleeps with different women and then doesn’t come back?” I grumble, tracing a groove along the table.
“You got it bad.”
I groan and drop my head on the table, tapping my forehead against it. “I know, and I don’t know what to do about it. No way is he interested in me and the age gap—”
“−We don’t care about age gaps around here, remember?” she interrupts with a wink.
“Yeah, but Dad…”
“Oh, yeah. That’s going to be a tough sell, but you know, you’re a grown woman and if Badge is who you want, you have to go for it.”
“Anyone seen Badge?” Reaper bellows as he stomps from his office.
“No! No, I haven’t,” I blurt a bit too quickly as if I’m guilty of seeing him. “I mean, no, sorry, I haven’t seen him since the night before last.” I realize how that sounds and begin to backtrack. “I didn’t mean that night when I did see him that I spent the night with him, that’s not what I meant.”
Great. That just made me seem even guiltier. My face feels hot. Reaper crosses his arms and hides his mouth with one of his hands.
“He helped me with Faith,” I explain. “She was being fussy, but I haven’t—uh—” my cheeks flame even hotter as this just gets worse and worse, “—I haven’t seen him.” I clear my throat and Sarah is laughing at me.
“Right. Well, if you see him, tell him I need to—” the door behind Reaper opens, interrupting his question. A steady pound echoes until Badge’s face shows. He has a five o’clock shadow and he looks like he hasn’t slept a wink. He ignores everyone in typical Badge fashion and heads straight to the fridge and grabs a bottle of water.
I bet if Reaper allowed beer in the Clubhouse, Badge would have grabbed it instead.
“Uncle Badge!” Maizey rips through the house again and hooks herself around his legs. “Come see Happy and Smiley with us,” she begs.
He shakes his head and grunts. “Not now, Maizey. I’m not in the mood.”