by L. Ann Marie
Jeremy laughs and I look at him while taking a sip of coffee. He signs, ‘You are a little crazy, but we are more.’ I give him a nod thinking he’s my new favorite of the day and he cracks up. At least they aren’t looking at me anymore. Brantley throws silverware on the table and gets plates by Jacob. I get bread and make toast. If someone comes into your house before seven and starts making breakfast and feeding your baby, the least you can do is make toast. Jacob cracks up and I think the whole family got doused in a happy river somewhere. He starts speaking in Mohegan and I’m lost. They all laugh and I know I’m the center of this bout of laughter. I just keep making toast.
Brantley pulls me to the table and puts a plate in front of me then sits with Mucimi in his lap while he eats. Happy boy sits watching everyone, but keeps looking at Jeremy. When Brantley is done I take Mucimi and we both get kisses.
“I’ll be home as soon as I can. Thanks Jacob and Jason. Je we have to go.”
“No. Staying.”
My eyes snap to his face; he looks determined to stay. I look at Brantley. He’s pissed. I would go just to avoid that look. “You were supposed to go back today.”
They’re not talking out loud, but I know a whole conversation is going on by the looks they’re giving each other. Brantley puts his hand up. “Explain that to Prez.”
I hold my laugh in. Jeremy smiles at me. ‘You never said a word,’ I think and hear him laugh in my head. Oh damn. I get pictures from Mucimi and new voices talking and now laughing. Like my own isn’t enough? He looks at Brantley. “Done.” Brantley picks up his bag and walks out.
“I think you pissed him off Je,” Jacob says smiling. He puts his hands up. “I’m not saying you’re needed or not. I’m just saying he’s pissed. Fix it before he gets to the chopper.” Jeremy nods.
They’re a close family. I’m glad. Taylor stands up. “I’m on early. Thanks for breakfast.” He smiles at me.
I give it back. “You’re welcome. I slaved over the toaster this morning, I’m glad it’s appreciated.” They laugh and Jason follows him out. Mucimi climbs on the table and crawls toward Jeremy, when Jeremy moves to take him he sits and looks at him moving Jeremy’s hands away. Jacob laughs. Freaky kid shit. They watch each other as I clean up the kitchen, then as I get the pans from the garage for Done. Jacob takes them out back to rinse them out. They’re still watching each other after I have all the potatoes washed. When I get the onions in a cheesecloth bag, I’ve had enough.
“You both win the staring contest. Now mylittle happy boy needs some clothes so he can stare at his little friends outside.” Jacob laughs and takes him to get some clothes on.
“Jeremy what do you say to him?”
He gives me a funny look. “He understands more than he should. What do you say to him, what kinds of things should I be giving to him or show him?”
He looks around and it hits me. I get my tablet from the living room and hand it to him. He pulls my books up and then pulls other books and toys up. I hit the favorites on the pages as he’s moving from page to page so I can find them again. He keeps going and I’m surprised he pulls up a news site and see it’s good news. Everything he shows is about people helping or accepting all people.
He stops and looks at me. “Yes.”
“What about Stella?”
He smiles and pulls sites about energy and clean water, games that she has to think fast and build things, lasers and luminescent activities that look fun and interesting. “Books?” I ask, knowing that Mitch sends her things, but I don’t know what. He pulls books a little more advanced than mine, but along the same line. I see Arthur and laugh.
“They point at more, deeper,” he says slowly and I look at him. It costs him to talk. He nods.
“Would an old fashioned Erector Set be better than Legos?”
“Yes. Stella and the twins.”
“Justice and Aquyà.” I think they would like that.
“No, Teller and Phoenix.”
Holy crap. “For the older boys?”
He pulls models of solar powered toys. “Building. More.”
“So basically I’m getting them science for middle and high school level?”
He opens the notepad and types.
I don’t know what that is. We learn different. Everything is to see there is more.
Teach them how to be more.
Teach them how to think for themselves.
Teach them about finding solutions themselves.
Teach them to teach others to live happy, peaceful lives.
Give them the tools and freedom to learn everything they can, so they can be the best at who they are to become.
Let them learn with no limits.
Our ancestors will teach them inner peace.
Our fathers will teach them to defend.
Our Brotherhood will teach them loyalty.
Our families will teach them honor.
You teach them love. It is what you have to give. Teach them with all that is in you, through love. Always love.
I nod with tears in my eyes. He puts his hand in mine. Jacob puts his hand on my other arm just under my tattoo. “Be the best at who you are meant to be. That is right here.” I nod at him and look at Jeremy. He looks tired. “His brain runs so fast. When he slows it enough to talk or write it takes a lot out of him.”
I take Mucimi from Jacob and put him against Jeremy. He smiles and holds him close. Mucimi stays still with his head on Jeremy’s shoulder. “That would make a nice picture.” I hear the click and laugh.
Lily comes in with Teller and Phoenix. Mucimi wiggles and Jeremy puts him down. I hope he settled him. “It is enough,” he says slowly.
I kiss his cheek. “Thank you. I have a better understanding than the freaky kid shit Brenda told me about. With everyone on lockdown I’m not sure I’ll get to meet the teacher.”
He shakes his head no. Okay then. Lily watches and I tell her about Jeremy’s recommendations. I have to show her the Erector Set and other types of buildable toys. She loves the idea. Jeremy and Jacob take the boys out to the deck and we order a bunch of things for the school.
While she takes over ordering from the pages he marked, I get my laptop remembering about kryptonite panties. I order cute superhero panties with lace edges and some boy short style then I decide to get every kind they have. I get a couple of bras to match. Jess cracks up behind me. “I didn’t hear you come in. I’m trying to find panties I’ll be able to wear more than once.” They find this funny. I roll my eyes thinking what a waste it is to throw away panties daily. “You think they make disposable panties, you know, something that doesn’t pollute the environment with blended elastic and crap?”
Jess sits and pulls my laptop to her and starts typing. Lily smiles at me. “You just started a revolution and don’t even know it.”
I laugh, but I think she’s serious.
***
Brantley
I go through the files and look at the spreadsheets as we fly. In the SUV, I get the outline done and hand my laptop to Prez. He’s been looking at the spreadsheets with all of our information merged with the MC’s.
At MC-Baxters I print the outline twenty times and get to the meeting room. “Sorry. I didn’t know how many we needed. This is with the new information pinpointing who and how much they got. The boards are updated and should show everything.”
Geek reads it. “Fuck. How often do you update it?”
I stop and look at him. “Every hour as we’re working, but more if I need the information. The techs are working on fifteen minute updates right now.”
He goes to the computer and moves Victor over. The board flashes off then on. “Fuckin’ kids. I updated it last night.”
I finish passing the pages and sit. Prez pushes my laptop toward me. Jason is on OC. My heart speeds up when I open it. Ortiz is in the air. Fuck. I show it to Prez.
“Pres, Ortiz is in the air headed to New York.”
Pres looks at Geek. “It’s safe to say we
don’t have this new information or the ability to keep up with the Princes IT?”
Kevin and Uncle Danny laugh. “It was only a matter of time. They have more specials too,” Uncle Danny says looking at Dakota.
Pres doesn’t look like that makes him happy. “VP and Jamie do you need time with this new information?”
Uncle Steve doesn’t look up. “Yeah. Need the boards separated like Brantley did.”
Victor looks at me. “Go a foot apart.”
“MC and Princes separated?” He’s confused and it’s all over his face.
Prez tells me to run the boards so Victor sees it, in my head. I sit beside him and show him. He’s nervous. This isn’t his normal job. I type ‘who does this?’ He answers he doesn’t know he was called in a few minutes ago. I ask if he wants out and he signs ‘yes.’
I look at Prez. “I know you want me at the table, but would it matter if I ran today?” ‘He’s KC but not HS and isn’t comfortable here.’ I tell him in my head.
He looks at Pres. “Is that okay with you Pres?”
Pres throws his hands up then looks at Dakota. His hand goes through his hair. “Yes, it’s fine. Thanks Victor for stepping in,” Pres says looking at Geek.
Victor relaxes and whispers a thanks to me. He throws chin and leaves fast. I look at Pres. “I didn’t want to embarrass him. He’s not used to seeing the boards.”
Pres throws me chin. “Thanks Brantley. We need more IT apparently.”
I’m not sure if I should, but I tell him he’s wrong. “No, you need to trust the kids to do the jobs they are capable of doing. No one had a problem with me being here when I was sixteen. You don’t show the same level of trust to Ricky as you did Little Ben. You’ll keep getting a lower return because of it.” From the corner of my eye I see Prez freeze and think I’m going to get shot. I don’t take my eyes off Pres.
“He’s right. No kids run IT like Jason and Brantley. Ricky is never in meetings and they’re relegated to Security or HS, but rarely go out on Ops.” Thank fuck Uncle Danny is here. Geek agrees.
Pres throws me chin. “I didn’t realize we were holding them back.”
I might as well jump. “It’s not so much holding them back, but not letting them loose. If everyone is limited in what they are asked to produce, you’ll only get that result. In IT everything changes by the minute. If they don’t get to see it, learn it, and apply it, they’ll never be able to use it. It’s not like shooting. You need to be free to explore what’s out there and how to use it. The KC is making money, good money, but they’re not helping here. They’ve learned to program, not use.”
Pres looks at VP. “Why is Ricky not here?”
“Not HS or Officer. Runs Little Brothers and KC. You said too young.”
Prez laughs. “Aaron’s HS. Jacob and Billy are HS IT. I think Brantley’s right, if you put a limit, you’ll get no more than that. Every kid here qualifies for HS. They did before I left.”
“We need to regroup,” Pres says.
I look around and everyone is watching him. Prez sits up. “I can help with that if you need it or want my help, but Ortiz is our priority and he’s in the air scheduled to land in six hours. I think we need to get Jessie and VP or Dakota to New York.” He looks at me. “Did anyone board with him?”
I pull the sheet. “He has six with him. Jason says they look like mercs. He’s running the faces now through Jax. They’re flying commercial and had no luggage. An SUV is booked at Hertz. No hotel has been found.”
VP stands up and looks at Jamie. “You or Two, Jessie and Dakota.”
Jamie looks at Kevin. “With Steve gone, I need to plan.”
Kevin stands up looking at him. “You’re forgetting Little Ben again. He’s his father’s son and was taught by Pres.” He looks at Prez. “Someday everyone will see all that you are Little Ben. I’d like to be there when they do.” Prez throws him chin and watches him flip his bag to his shoulder and walk out. Fuck he’s pissed. This is awkward.
VP looks at Pres. “Don’t give him shit.” He walks out with Jessie and Dakota following. I look at Prez. I don’t really know if we’re welcome here.
Pres runs his hands through his hair. Uncle Danny stands up. “This is fuckin’ ridiculous. LB get with Jamie and figure out what the fuck we’re doing. No one else here is trained like you are to plan shit like this. Brantley tell them all the shit we missed because we’re so busy keeping our kids, we’re not allowing them to be who they were meant to be.”
Pres’s head whips around to him. “Where are you going?”
“To get breakfast. Maybe by the time I get back someone will tell me what the fuck my job is today.”
Prez takes my laptop and moves by Jamie and they put their heads together. I pop out the section of the board we added to. “The people that are being picked up...”
***
“Thank fuck. That was fuckin’ intense,” Prez says as we walk out.
“Yeah.” It’s a walk to the chopper so I figure I have time. “What’s up with Pres?”
He slows and I know he’s deciding what to tell me. “The vision from Sheila’s wedding. I was pissed and showed him I could take care of my Club without his help. I didn’t think it through. We’re all his kids and as pissed as I get at him, it was me that caused this fallout. I haven’t found a way to fix it and it just keeps getting worse.”
“You should go for a ride with him and talk it out. Before the boys were born you used to do that like once a month.”
He stops and looks at me then pulls his phone. “Pres, we have nothing planned on Wednesday do you want to ride?” He waits then smiles. “I’ll be here at ten.”
He slaps my back and pockets his phone. “I always miss the little shit, to him, maybe it’s not so little.”
I laugh. At the chopper I hug my dad. “Thanks for the ride, Dad.”
He climbs in the chopper smiling. “Jeremy invited me to the clam boil. I hope you have enough for us.”
I laugh seeing my mom, Aubrey and Mase. “I’m sure we do.”
We get back and my dad gets them to the Compound. We get to Security in time to see the last pick up by HS. Thank fuck all the watchers are out of the picture now. With no information getting through, Ortiz will have to find another way.
Jamie has an HS crew flying to California. They’ll start fuckin’ with Ortiz and his businesses. Using the holograms, it will be interesting to see how Ortiz will handle Jessie being there. Since he was known to the seer, Jamie figures his is a good face to show. I don’t like putting Jessie out there, but if it has to be someone, Jessie can handle the heat.
VP isn’t answering his phone and all tracking dropped at the Compound. I watch the feeds at the airport and see Kevin on his laptop sitting at the end of the concourse. When the flight arrives he closes his laptop and walks out of my view. I pull another feed, but he’s gone. I drop it and watch for Ortiz. “There he is,” Prez says from behind me. “Let’s get to the clam boil before all the food is gone.”
“You don’t want me to follow him?” We have him right here.
“Nope. That’s what Jessie, Dakota, Kevin and my dad are doing. Let them do their jobs. Ours is the next one.”
I close it down and stand up. Chevy and Josiah are on. “Call me if you need me,” I tell Josiah.
He throws me chin. “Roger Coder, but it’s going to be a slow night.”
At the Compound I’m surprised to see Mitch. “I’m glad you got here before I had to leave. They wouldn’t take me to Security.” She rolls her eyes making me smile.
“Did you need to see me?”
She bounces and hands me a cuff. “Jeremy helped me get it done quick. I brought the jammers for the buildings and we have twenty cuffs for now. Jared helped with the skin so it’s not noticeable. We tested the jammer at the daycare and it works all the way to the gate.”
I hug her. “You’re unbelievable. Thank you for getting it done so fast.” I’m so fuckin’ relieved the kids will be safe.
>
She steps back. “Kevin had to leave, but he wanted me to tell you about the satellite. Jess got the hologram set and it’s a huge hit. Gaming is the way to go. I never would have believed it, but they’re paying through PayPal and one of the gaming companies wants a contract. Since it’s not something I’m familiar with and I’ve been busy, he asked that you look at the paperwork and let us know if we should wait for an offer from a bigger company.” She hands me an envelope.
Wow. They’re asking me for advice. “I can look at it, but I’d like to talk to Ricky and Diego. They know more about gaming companies than I do. I just thought of the need for the new technology and the satellite just sitting there.”
She smiles. “We have some time. While we’re deciding, we have plenty of paying customers. Where do we send the money?”
“Princes main account. We’ll hold it until we have enough for another satellite.”
She laughs bouncing. “We are too. That should be by next month.” Chet walks closer. She rolls her eyes again. “Let me know what we should do and we’ll get the money transferred tomorrow. I have to leave now. Apparently I’ll turn into a pumpkin if I don’t.”
Prez laughs. “Thanks for the jammers Mitch. It throws relief knowing the kids will be safe.”
She starts moving. “The cuffs are for the adults too. Jared is working on enough to cover the Club.” She gives a finger wave and hugs the boys. I crack up.
Prez looks at me. “You need to ask Ricky and Diego?”
I smile at him. “They need to see that they have the answers right there. Mitch is the best way to start that rolling.”
He laughs slapping my back. “I’m fuckin’ starving Brother let’s find the food.”
Chapter Seventeen
Two days
Holly
I feel his hand skimming over my ass. I moan and roll my hips into him. “I like this as much as the giggle.” He’s got that sexy sleepy voice this morning. I move so I’m on top of him. “Morning beautiful.” He holds my waist and grinds me into him. I moan again, liking the feel of that. He sits up with me on him and moves us back.