MC: Pres: Book Four

by L. Ann Marie

  He smiles. "With it, Tess gets a home that's hers. Patches has his bigger house. You're close to your siblings and Danny and Kate know I'm all in. It was a multi-purpose gift." He smiles proud of himself. I freaking love him. I hug him. Danny hugs both of us.

  "I fuckin love you guys." Rich says hugging all of us. Tess and Patches pile on laughing.

  Rich, Patches and Tess get breakfast on the table and call us in.

  Ben

  I look at Danny; he's thinking the same thing. Something is up. The doorbell rings before we can move Tess puts her hand out for Jessie. He goes with her to open the door. "You’re fuckin kidding me?" I say softly. Fuckin Tracy looks like shit. She's using again. I stand up to throw her fuckin ass out. "Dad you have to let it happen so it can be done. Patches can you sign for Darren?" Kate puts her hand on my arm and I sit watching my son talk to this wasted woman that use to be his mother. He handles her like he's a fuckin grown up. I'm just watching until he says she always told him he wasn't hers. My fuckin blood is boiling. I pay attention.

  "I never told anyone, but I remember it. This is my family. They love me even though we don't share blood. I got a mom for Christmas; she loves me like a mom should. Anything that you want to say you have to say in front of them. You forgot that we take care of our own. They'll help me if I need it. I just have to hold my hand out for them to reach me. You have to talk where I can reach help if I need it. What did you want to talk about?" My fuckin son is so smart and knows what a family is.

  Tracy is crying. "I wanted to say Merry Christmas and I miss you."

  "Merry Christmas. You don't miss me. If you did I would have known. You would have called to say so. You miss having people that love you around when you want them. I'm sorry you're broke and our strong wasn't enough. But I'm just a little boy. You need to fix yourself and find your own family now. We can't be it anymore. Sometimes you have to let people go in order to be happy. You have to let us go and we have to let you go. It's time." He ended it just like that. I'm so fuckin proud of him. I can't look away from him.

  Tracey looks at everyone. "I guess you turned him against me." What the fuck? She fuckin leaves and doesn’t fuckin call him and we're the fuckin bad guys? I stand up again. Jessie stops me from moving with his hand up.

  "They don't talk about you at all. That's how they are. They didn't have to say anything to me. Your actions are what I have to go by. You didn't earn anything because you didn't give anything. I think you should leave now." He puts his hand out to the side. As I make it around the table she walks out the door. I go to my boy with tears in my eyes. He's trying so hard to be strong. I hold onto him while everyone has a hand on him.

  "I am so fuckin proud of you Jessie. I'm so sorry she said that to you." I say in his ear. He tells me he loves me. He’s crying so quietly. It hurts me to know I can’t fix this for him. When he lifts his head off my shoulder he looks around. He sees Kate and leans toward her. She grabs him and doesn't let go. I step back and watch. I guess it’s already fixed. She's his mom. That's his normal. I get why Danny stopped me from correcting Devan. They love each other like mother and son. Danny hugs them both. I watch as Jessie holds onto Danny. Danny lifts him so Jessie's head is on his shoulder. I hold Kate.

  Jessie looks at us. "I'm sorry I didn't want Tess to tell you. I thought if you knew you wouldn't let her in. She needed to see that we're all done."

  He's so fuckin smart. He's right though. "I agree with you on this one. You should have told me what she said to you Jessie."

  "You were hurt enough dad." He says as if to explain. He's fuckin eleven.

  "It's not your job to cover me Jessie. I have family and a whole fuckin club of Brothers to cover me. You need to be a kid and let me be a dad. Promise me you won't hide things from me."

  "Jeesh dad I'm a kid. Tess knew about today and saw no one was going to get hurt or she would have told you." He fuckin makes me laugh. I look at Danny. What the fuck do I say to that?

  "Fuckin eleven year old boys. They're good kids and too fuckin smart. What are you going to do?" He shrugs.

  That's it. I guess we're done. Jessie slides down Danny and brings the kids back to their toys. Fuckin kids.

  Steve and Jess walk in. Fuck, they must have passed her. I tell him Tracy just left. He knew. Fuckin Brothers. Danny tells Steve Jessie handled it and she's moving on.

  Little Ben says he's checking on his Brother and walks out. "Fuckin kids." We all say.

  I go to Tess. "You told him so he wasn't hurt?"

  "Yes. I told him she was coming. I didn't give him details. Nothing bad was going to happen, it was just so sad. I saw what happened after I told him. It changed but didn't change the sad. You stayed calm with Kate and Danny's strong and Jessie got strong from all of us. I'm sorry I didn't tell you but no one was in danger and I promised him." She has no fear or embarrassment. She's getting so fuckin strong.

  "If I would have known, he wouldn't have handled it. He needed to do that." She nods. "This is going to happen a lot with you. Promise you will never shield us alone. If there is any danger, you have to promise to tell someone so they can help you decide what's right. I would suggest Peg or, if Sally is staying, Sally. Can you make that promise to me?"

  "Oh yes. Sally is staying and she's going to help me." She’s so fuckin happy I can't help smiling; I kiss her head and turn around.

  "Fuckin Tess." Everyone laughs.

  Twenty Nine

  New Year’s Eve

  Kate

  I've been drinking apple juice and sprite all night. Danny kisses me and asks if there's something I want to tell him. Fuck! I wanted to do this later. We have a house full of people.

  I pull him toward the garage on the way he grabs Ben. He freakin knows. Freakin men! Once we're in the garage Ben looks back and forth between us. "Kate has something to tell us." Danny says. Ben looks at me.

  "I'm pregnant." I tell them. Danny laughs and picks me up kissing me.

  When he puts me down we look at Ben. He's in shock or something. He doesn't move. "Brother your woman just told you she's pregnant. You need to say something here." Danny tells him smiling.

  "We don't know whose baby it is." He says with a confused look.

  I laugh. "It's ours."

  "Does it matter? They're all ours." Danny says to him.

  He smiles. "Fuck no. A baby." He picks me up spinning me around. Freakin men! Rich did the same thing when I told him. I hold my mouth as if that will hold it in. Danny stops him. He looks down with a smile. “I’m going to be a father a-fuckin-gain! This time I get to see it from the beginning. A baby.” He slaps Danny on the back. “We’re having a baby.” He turns around and walks back into the house. We stand there looking at the door.

  Danny cracks up. “This is going to get interesting.” He bends and kisses me again. Just when I think I’m going to suffocate he lifts his head. “Thank you my Beautiful K. I hope we have a girl that looks just like her momma.”

  “I love you Danny. I thought you’d want a boy. How did you know?” I ask him. Really I want him to kiss me again but I ask anyway.

  “Love you too baby. We have too many boys, need some girls so we can dilute the testosterone before they all hit teen years.” He says smiling. I crack up. “You’re not drinking. Since you’re trying to cover that fact, I figured there was a reason. A baby would be a reason. When are you due?”

  “You’re too freakin observant. Six months.” I tell him hugging his middle.

  “If I wasn’t, you wouldn’t be so fuckin happy right now.” He smiles down at me.

  “Don’t gloat.” I pull him back to the party. He’s freakin laughing. We walk in the door and everyone around us claps yelling congratulations. Freakin Ben.

  “I’m gonna fuckin kill him.” Danny growls out. “That was for you to decide. I’m sorry baby.” He looks at me. I’m sure my stunned face isn’t helping ease his first reaction.

  I clear my throat. “It would have gotten out at some point tonight I gues
s.” He leaves my side to find Ben. Shit. I let it go. Freakin Ben. Danny won’t really kill him.

  Jess comes up to me. “I didn’t realize you were telling everyone.” She’s smiling.

  “I didn’t plan on anyone knowing for at least another month. I wanted them to have a chance to get used to the name change thing.” I tell her.

  “Oh he’s telling them that one too.” She cracks up.

  “Fuckin Ben. I need a freakin drink.” I look up and people are making their way to me but waiting for me to be finished talking to Jess. “It’s going to be a long freakin night.” I turn and smile at a group of people and Jess freakin laughs.

  Danny

  I see him on the patio. “We need a minute.” He follows me to Patches room. I open the door and close it. Fuckin Brothers fuckin anywhere there’s a door. At least they’re behind a door. I open the laundry room door. “Thank Fuck.” He laughs.

  “What’s going on?” He asks. He has no fuckin clue.

  “The baby was Kate’s to decide when we tell people. She wanted people to know about the name change before the baby.”

  “I told them that too.” He’s fuckin proud.

  “Fuck Ben it wasn’t yours to tell. She was white as a ghost when we walked back in to people clapping. That news is a woman’s to share. She tells us when it’s ok.”

  His shoulders drop. “I didn’t know. I never had a baby.”

  Fuck, I let out my breath. “Tell her you’re sorry and you didn’t know. Then keep your fuckin mouth shut about the baby. Let her tell when she’s ready.”

  He’s fuckin smiling. “I’ll tell her I’m sorry but everyone will know by tomorrow. She won’t have to tell anyone.”

  Fuckin Ben. “She wanted people to get the name change first so it doesn’t look like it happened because of the baby. She has a fuckin job that those things matter Brother.”

  “Fuck. I didn’t think about that.” He runs his hands through his hair.

  “It wouldn’t fuckin matter to me but she has to run on donations and people don’t always understand the Brotherhood. They overlook some things but others won’t be so easy. That’s why she doesn’t get inked or dress like the other old ladies. It matters to her.” I don’t know how else to get him to understand why she protects her reputation so rigidly.

  “Fuck. I never thought about that. I forget about her having to raise money. We should just give her what she needs.” He isn’t getting it.

  “You can’t just give it to her. She’s not the type of woman that would accept your money like that. She worked her fuckin ass off getting to where she is. She did it with networking and contacts all over the fuckin county and beyond. You need to let her run raising money and covering what she can. She makes the decision what programs run. It means something to her to raise that money. It means something to her to have a good reputation. We have to let her make her own decisions, raise her own money and protect her reputation. It’s one of the reasons we love her Brother. She’s motivated and makes a difference in our part of the world without us stepping in and doing it for her. You got to let her do it her way.”

  “You’re right. I’ll go talk to her and keep my mouth shut.” He turns to go. “Thanks Brother.”

  Ben

  I find Kate. She gives me a look. She’s pissed. Fuck. Danny was fuckin right. I go right up to her. I don’t care that people are around. I need to fix this. “I know you wanted your name change to be known and we haven’t really told many people about it besides your work. I should have thought about that. Your work is important to you. It should have been important enough for me to think about it. But I never had a baby. I didn’t know I was supposed to wait to tell everyone. I’m excited and proud. You told me tonight so I wanted everyone else to know too. I’m sorry baby.” I watch her. Women around us actually say 'awww.' They must be drunk.

  She smiles and hugs me. “We’ll figure it out. Thank you for telling me though.” She pulls me down to kiss her. The women say 'awww' again. Definitely fuckin drunk. She smiles and pats my chest. “Go do your guy things. I’ll find you when I’m done with the girl talk.” That’s it. We’re all done. I love this fuckin family. I smile and go back to the patio with the Brothers.

  Thirty

  One Month

  Danny

  I watch Tess service dog Max getting tested for his certificate. He always with her but I need to see all he's trained for to feel comfortable with him protecting her. Steve and Ben feel the same. Steve surprised me showing up. He's taken to Tess and worries about her protection like me and Ben. He's trying to draw Max away with some ham. It's not working, he grunts and nods waiting for the next task. Bob comes out in a foam suit. He yells at Tess. She's scared but looks at Rich the whole time. Max sits in front of her and growls. As soon as Bob tries to get closer Max pushes him away. When Bob tries to touch her Max goes wild, biting the back of the suit he pulls Bob out of reach then runs in front trying to get him down on the ground. Steve smiles. "Good dog." He's satisfied. We watch the rest of his tasks being checked off and he gets a new vest and certificate. Tess is so proud of him. I'm wondering how he'll be when she has a vision. They're coming more frequently now. Her companion therapist, Sally has stepped back, soon she'll only have Max.

  Ben

  Rich and Patches seem satisfied with Max. They stay when Sally takes Tess to the Bakery to show them Max's certificate. We watch the Bakery feed and see them talking then they sit with their coffees. Patches tells us she had a vision this morning. He's worried she didn't say anything after. Max sat on her feet and she held a pillow. No crying, not even a tear. I think it's one he should let her have and tell him. The fuckin girl lives with cameras watching her constantly. She's entitled to keep somethings to herself. Rich isn't concerned. Patches still wavers then says he doesn't know how to let it go. Steve cracks us up telling him he could start by not stalking her. Patches just walks out as we laugh.

  Kate

  Danny takes me for lunch. We order then he tells me about Max. "Why are you worried Beautiful K? He did everything perfect."

  "It's not Max; I think he's going to be great for her. She's gained so much independence because of him. It's the visions. She sees and relives so much. They're happening more now. I hate that she has to live seeing people get hurt. What kind of life is she going to have? It's going to beat her down eventually."

  He holds my hand. "I don't know baby, we'll help her through this. There are enough of us that watch over her and keep her smiling. She can still smile after being a slave, she'll be able to get a handle and live through this." He says but I can see he's worried too.

  "I feel like there's more we can do but I don't know what that is." I tell him then go back to my lunch. He's eating and quiet. I know he's thinking, if he can figure a way he will. He always does.

  Thirty One

  Two days

  ben

  Fuckin Brothers skimming. I make it to Jess' office just as Steve's pulling in. The computers are trashed. Jess' flash drive is gone with a stack of PO's that would tell me who the fuck is skimming and how much is gone. It dawns on me Tess isn't here. Fuck! I pull my phone. "Find Tess, she's not here or in the Bakery."

  Rich tells me she's at the Sub Shop. He already tracked her. I go back to Jess and ask what she knows. She explains the POs with different prices that Tess caught. She had Tess pull all the POs and put them on her desk. She knows it's a flooring crew but not which one. Fuck. Steve answers his phone and walks to the door. Tess comes in with Max. She looks right at him making me smile. She stays on the side of the door by Steve. Jess walks to her and gives her a hug. They talk and Tess smiles. Jess asks her about the POs and she says she made copies and filed them and she ran a report like a detective and left them in the printer. Fuckin Tess is a lot smarter than anyone gives her credit for. I pull the sheets, fuckin hell. Thirty grand over eight months. Steve comes over he reads through and fuckin growls. I look up and see Peg come and get Tess, she walks her out the door proba
bly to avoid the Brothers in the office and kitchen.

  "You think she had a vision about this?" I ask Jess.

  "She's really smart, I don't know." She tells me.

  "No, was surprised when she walked in. Didn't see this before." Steve says.

  Jess sits and opens drawers at Tess' desk. "Yes!" She pulls a flash drive out. I tell a Prospect to get my laptop from my truck. Jess plugs it in and looks at me with a smile. "She backed up before she went for lunch. Who does that? I'm going to ask her and see if she needs a ride home." She rushes through the kitchen to the Bakery.

  I run through the POs while I wait. "Get HS up to speed. We have the copies and the flash. Fuckin Brothers knew where the cameras were. Pick them up. I want Jess to go over Tess' numbers to make sure they're right and she didn't miss any. Fuckin Tess or Jess could have been in here. Fuckin Brothers are lucky they weren't. It would have been a death sentence." I tell Steve pulling my phone.

  "Geek, get me new computers for Jess and Tess. I need the program's put on them. Tess backed up until lunch so they didn't lose anything. I'll have Jess call."

  I call Keith. "Get me a nameplate for Tess' desk and a new chair for both Tess and Jess. Come look at the office before you leave today. Make sure they have what they need tomorrow, Geek will handle the computers."

  Jess comes back in with a smile. "She backed up because Geek told her to whenever she shut off the computer." Steve laughs.

  "She listened?" Fuck me.

  "Computers are new to her; she had only seen them on TV when she was with her family. She does everything exactly how she's told. She's friggin smart, so she does it fast too." She's happy with Tess. Good for them. I'm glad it's working out. It will build Tess' confidence too.

  Kate