by E. L. Todd
“Well, thank you.” She squeezed my arm before she walked away.
“I have to say, I’m relieved too,” Scarlet said. “It was too dangerous.”
“I don’t see what the big deal is,” Ryan said. “If the guy wants to fight, let him fight. He’ll get knocked out in the first round and then he’ll quit. Problem solved.”
“We don’t want Mike to get knocked out,” Scarlet said.
“Speak for yourself,” Ryan said with a chuckle.
“My brother is annoying, but I would never want him to get hurt.” Too badly, at least.
“Come on, look at him.” Ryan pointed to him on the other side of the room. “That guy is like a bull. He’s huge. He can handle a few punches to the face.”
“If he was younger and wanted to pursue this professionally, I wouldn’t convince him to stop. But he’s fifty years old. His prime is long gone. He doesn’t have the potential to be a champion, so why risk injury and potential death?” No one could argue with that logic, and I knew it.
Ryan finally shrugged. “I guess. But if I wanted to do something like that, Janice wouldn’t get in my way.”
Scarlet released a snort that sounded like a laugh. “Yeah…okay.”
“She wouldn’t,” he argued. “My wife respects what I want.”
“Uh…not that,” Scarlet said. “She’d smack you upside the head and chain you to the apartment. You don’t know your wife very well.”
“I think I do,” Ryan snapped.
“So if she wanted to be a stripper you’d be totally cool with that?” she questioned.
“Not the same thing at all and you know it,” Ryan snapped.
“No, it is the same thing,” Scarlet argued. “If that’s what she wanted to do for exercise and to feel good about herself after being a grandmother, then she might want to do that. And you would actually stop her?”
“Taking off her clothes for a bunch of pervs is not the same thing as me wanting to be a boxer.”
“So you would stop her?” she challenged.
“Hell yeah,” Ryan said. “My lady takes her clothes off for me. No one else.”
“Then I’m right. She wouldn’t let you do whatever you wanted, and you wouldn’t let her do whatever she wanted.”
I drank my beer and listened to the constant arguing. Some things never changed no matter how much time had passed.
“You aren’t right,” he snapped. “You’re just stupid.”
“You’re stupid,” she yelled back. “You’re a hypocritical stupid head.”
Ryan rolled his eyes. “Good one…”
“I would cuss but there are babies here,” she said.
“Babies that don’t understand what you’re saying,” he argued.
I’d had enough of this. “Hey, Grandma and Grandpa. How about you two chill for a little bit?”
The reminder that they were both grandparents seemed to bring them back down to earth. Scarlet crossed her arms over her chest, and Ryan drank his beer to mask his embarrassment.
Thank god that was over.
***
“Hey, Uncle Sean. Wanna get it on the action?” He sat beside me with Ryan in his arms.
I peered into Ryan’s face and saw so much of Slade. Trinity was there, but subtly. “I remember what it was like when we had Skye. We never wanted to give her up.”
“I can spare him for a few minutes.” He transferred Ryan into my arms then leaned back into the couch.
I rested my ankle on the opposite knee and cushioned Ryan with both of my arms. He was light and soft, and surprisingly quiet. “Skye was a crier. She would never shut up.”
“Not much has changed.”
I laughed even though I shouldn’t. “Ryan is quiet. You’re lucky.”
“I think he’s lazy—like his old man.”
Hearing Slade refer to himself as old made me feel ancient. “How old are you now? Twenty-five?”
“Something like that.”
“Your life has just begun, Slade.” I looked into Ryan’s face and saw his bright, blue eyes. They weren’t Preston eyes like Trinity carried, but they still carried majesty. “And you have a very good-looking son.”
“I know,” he said proudly. “He’s gonna get a lot of action when he hits puberty.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, probably.”
“And Trinity is gonna be one of those moms and thinks no woman is ever good enough for her son.”
“All moms think that.”
“My mom never did,” he said with a laugh. “She thought Trinity was out of my league. Shit, everyone did.”
“I never thought that. I always thought you two were equals.”
His eyes softened. “Thanks, Uncle Sean.”
“So, going to have another one right away?”
“Uh…” He shook his head quickly. “I’m just concentrating on Ryan right now. Not sure if I’m ready to even think about another baby.”
“I’m sure Trinity is already thinking about it.”
“Well, she has serious baby fever.”
I watched Ryan closed his eyes and turn his head toward the crook of my arm. Anytime I looked at him he was usually sleeping. I’d never seen a quieter baby. In fact, I had yet to hear him cry. “If you ever need any advice let me know. But I know you always have your father for that.”
“I’ll probably be pestering him 24/7.”
“And I’m sure he doesn’t mind at all.” I slowly handed him back over and let go once Ryan was safely tucked into his arms.
Slade took him easily, like he’d done it a hundred times. “Skye and Cayson are the godparents.”
“That’s nice,” I said. “You couldn’t have chosen anyone better.”
“I don’t think so either.” He adjusted Ryan in his arms so he could look straight down at him. “Man, his face is so small. How does he get Trinity’s nipples in his mouth?”
The idea of Trinity’s nipples made me want to throw up. I changed the subject before I gagged in my mouth. “Trinity is taking time off of work, right?”
“Yeah. At least a few months. I have to work but I’ll be in the city. I made sure I wouldn’t have to leave right away. Your kid is only a baby once. Should enjoy it while you can. You sneeze once, and then they’re getting married.”
Slade summed up parenthood with detailed perception. He couldn’t be more right. “You’re right on the money.”
“I don’t want to be one of those parents that puts work first. I want to be around to teach him to play ball and music. Trinity is pretty driven at work, but I hope she falls in love with motherhood and stays home. Not because I want her cooped up and away from civilization, but because I want Ryan to be raised by his parents, not a nanny or something.”
Scarlet felt the same way. That’s how I managed to get her to be a housewife. “That’s a very good point. But your mom worked the whole time and she did just fine.”
“Yeah. True. But my dad was around a lot. He would take us to work and stuff. If he hadn’t done that I probably wouldn’t be so obsessed with inking. So, the jokes on him.”
I chuckled. “I don’t think your dad has ever cared.”
“But I could have gone in a better direction.”
“Nah. You’re perfect the way you are.” Scarlet and I always had a soft spot for Slade. We loved all of our nieces and nephews but we were particularly invested in him. He shared Ryan’s spirit, and that made Scarlet feel close to him. Slade and his father were more alike than either one of them really understood. Slade had a loud mouth without a filter, but he had the biggest heart of anyone we’d ever known.
Ryan sat on the other side of Slade and took Baby Ryan from his hands. “Let me hang out with my grandson for a while. Everyone has been hogging him.” He directed his glare at me.
“Slade gave him to me, so chill.” I gave him an equal glare in return.
Ryan held his grandson with two hands and looked down into the sleeping baby’s face. “I can tell this guy is going to be chil
l and cool like his grandpa. He was born calm. Not many babies can say that.”
“Good,” Slade said. “Because you’re babysitting.”
“That’s cool with me.” He smiled down at Baby Ryan. “Maybe your mom will take some time off work. She won’t go on a vacation with me, but she’ll do anything for her kids and grandkids.”
“Maybe we’ll leave Baby Ryan here with you, and we’ll go on a vacation,” Slade said.
“Ha,” Ryan said. “Try taking a baby from a new mother. See what happens.”
“Scarlet and I will go on vacation for both of you,” I said. “Problem solved.”
Chapter Thirty
Slade
I kicked everyone out of the apartment when I noticed how tired Trinity had become. She was too polite to say anything, but she had her fill of socializing. Now she just wanted to get some sleep and spend quality time bonding with her son.
“I’ll clean up in the morning.” I was too tired to deal with the drinks and food then and there. I sat beside her on the couch and looked down into our son’s face. “He was Mr. Popular tonight.”
“Because he’s cute as hell.” She smiled when she looked into our son’s face. “I’m so glad he’s handsome like you, Slade. Every mother is going to be envious over how good he looks.”
“Yeah, he’ll definitely be a heartbreaker.”
“No,” she said quickly. “He’ll be a gentleman. I can already tell.”
“You can?” I asked. “He doesn’t have much of a personality right now.”
“No. He does.” She stroked his soft head. “He doesn’t care what other people think. He’s calm and relaxed…choosing to live in his own world and by his own rules.”
I thought she was reading way too much into it. “You must be tired. How about I watch Ryan while you shower and get ready for bed.” She hadn’t showered since she came home from the hospital. I knew she was eager to freshen up but she didn’t want to walk away from Ryan.
“Thanks.”
“No problem.” I took Ryan from her hands and placed him in my lap. “We’ll watch the Yankees together. He doesn’t know it yet, but that’s his favorite baseball team.”
“Maybe he won’t like sports.”
My eyes snapped wide open and I gave her the most terrifying expression I could muster. “Take that back.”
“What? He might not.”
“No. He will. Trust me.”
“He might not…”
I covered his ears. “Don’t plant those ridiculous ideas in his head. He’ll be a social reject if he doesn’t like sports.”
She rolled her eyes and got off the couch. “I’m off to shower.”
“I mean it. Don’t ever speak of it again.”
“Whatever you say, babe.” Her voice drifted away and she shut the door behind her.
“Alright, little guy. It’s just you and me. What do you want to do?”
He closed his eyes and went to sleep.
“That’s cool.” I grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. “You sleep and I’ll watch the game.”
***
Trinity got ready for bed then got under the covers. She placed Ryan beside her in the center of the bed so he couldn’t roll off. Then she turned off the lamp and closed her eyes.
I got into bed beside her, a little confused. “Baby?”
“Hmm?”
“Uh…aren’t we gonna fool around or something?” I didn’t mind Ryan being there but maybe we should leave him in the crib until we’re finished.
She turned on her side and faced me. “Fool around?”
“Yeah.” We always fooled around. Every single night of our lives—even if she was on her period.
“Slade, I can’t have sex.”
“I know,” I said quickly. “That’s why I said fool around.”
“I don’t your hands anywhere down there. Everything still hurts.”
“Well…I have the magic touch.”
“And I’m really tired. I’m sorry.” She rested her hand on Ryan’s tummy.
Now I was left hanging and a little confused. But she just had our son a few days ago so I wouldn’t be a jerk about it. But this better not become a regular thing. “It’s okay, baby. I understand.” I got into bed beside her with Ryan in between us. I was used to holding Trinity all night long but now there was a small person between us.
I had to get used to the fact there wasn’t just two of us anymore.
But three.
***
I walked into Cayson’s office with Ryan sitting in the front of the satchel. It was a backpack that held newborn babies upright so I could use my hands for other things.
“What are you—” He stopped when he spotted the baby sack in front of him. “Uh…you look…absolutely ridiculous right now.”
“No, I don’t.” I sat down and linked my fingers together behind my head. “Look? Hands free.”
He kept staring at the baby satchel, his eyes on Ryan. “I just can’t see you wearing that. I don’t even wear that.”
“Well, it’s a great invention. I can text while I walk, drink a milkshake while holding my son at the same time. I can do a ton of stuff. A lot safer than me carrying him all the time. I might drop him.”
Cayson kept staring at me, clearly trying not to laugh. “Why doesn’t Trinity have him?”
“What? Because she’s the woman she should have the baby at all times? Pretty sexist, man.”
He narrowed his eyes on my face. “Don’t put words in my mouth. Skye has been inseparable from Cedric since the day he was born. She dropped her career for him. I’m just surprise Trinity let you take him away.”
“She needed some rest. She went to a spa treatment. Her back is really sore from giving birth. Her shoulders are tense too. I want her to relax, so I offered to take Ryan out and about. That way she could take a bath when she gets home. Later tonight, she’ll be obsessed with him again.”
“Well, that was nice of you.”
I shrugged. “She shoved a person out of her vagina. This is the least I can do.”
He chuckled. “Good point.”
“So, whatcha wanna do?”
He gave me a blank look. “Slade, I have to work.”
“Right now?” I looked at my watch and saw that it as ten thirty. “You can’t take an early lunch?”
“If I eat now, I’ll be starving by the end of the day.”
“Just save something in your fridge for later.”
“I can’t leave right anyway because I have a meeting in half an hour.”
I pretended to snore. “Talk about a snooze fest. I thought bosses were allowed to do whatever they wanted.”
“Who gave you that idea?”
“I don’t know,” I said with a shrug. “Sean and Mike?”
“They own the place, Slade. I don’t own the CDC.”
“Maybe you should.”
“Are the two of you going to get out or what?”
I rolled my eyes and got out of the chair. “Fine, fine. I can’t take a hint.”
“It wasn’t a hint,” he said with a laugh. “I’m actually telling you to get the hell out.”
“Alright, man. We got it.” I turned around lowered my voice to Ryan. “Has a tampon up his ass, huh?”
“I heard that,” Cayson said with a loud voice.
“And I’ll say it again.”
***
Silke was covered with clay when I walked inside. Her features were hardly discernible because the clay was on her face and in her hair.
“You look like shit.” I came closer to her, hoping it really was my sister underneath all that dirt.
She gave me a warning with her eyes. “Your face looks like shit.”
“Hell no. Everyone keeps saying how cute my son is because he looks just like me.” I took off the backpack and pulled him out of it. He giggled quietly when I lifted him into the air. “Holy shit. He just giggled.”
“Of course,” Silke said. “They’re human. At le
ast, I hope yours is.”
I sat at the table where she was working and held Ryan against my chest with one hand. Silke’s sculpture equipment was on the surface. She was spinning the mixer just a second ago. “What are you working on?”
“I have an order to fulfill. I’ve been working a lot more hours.”
“Wow. So you have regular customers now?”
“Sorta,” she answered. “There’s this distributor who takes my art pieces and sells them to different department stores. He makes a bigger cut when he sells them, but I still get a good amount. Plus, it’s free advertising.”
“Cool. Good for you, sis.”
She washed her hands in the sink before she grabbed Ryan. “Hello, my little nephew.” She took him from my arms and placed light kisses on his forehead. “You’re my favorite nephew ever.”
“Well, duh. Looked at him.”
She spent a few minutes with him before she handed him back over. “What brings you here?”
I explained the situation with Trinity. “And then Cayson kicked me out of his office.”
“Well, he’s right. He needs to work—as do I.”
“You make your own hours. You work when you feel like it.”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t kick you out.”
“Like you ever would.”
She placed the wet sculpture into the oven and turned on the timer. Then came back to me at the table. “Need anything? Water?”
“Nah. I’m good. And Ryan has bottles of breast milk.”
She examined me with him, watching me delicately hold him. “You’ve taken to fatherhood pretty well. I’m surprised.”
“Ouch.”
She chuckled. “I didn’t mean that in a bad way. You’re just doing so much with your life I’m surprise you have time for this.”
“No one has time. But everyone can make the time.”
Her eyes softened at my response.
“It’s really not that bad. When I need to do something, I just take him with me. He’s well-behaved and quiet. And he’s adorable as hell. We have fun. Except at night when he hogs Trinity and her tits.” I rolled my eyes. “I haven’t gotten used to that, and I don’t think I ever will.”
“That won’t last forever. Ryan will be her obsession around the clock for a while.”