* * *

I was making my way to our bedroom with the new stuffed toy in my arms. It was like the tenth one I’d bought in the last month. This one was about three feet tall, and cute. Mouth will probably hook him up with her surveillance shit. She’d turned the nursery into a showroom for NASA. There were more cameras and recording shit in there than the damn space shuttle. I think Mouth has ADHD or some fuck. More like she hasn’t offed anyone in a long time and she’s fiending.

It has been a rough few months with me trying to blend the two families and keeping her ass out of it. It makes her crazy but I threatened everyone that if they went around me this time they’d be done no matter who the fuck. That had kept her ass quiet so far but I think that had more to do with the child growing in her womb than anything else. It sure hasn’t done anything about her damn mouth.

One mystery that still baffles me to this day though, is her new relationship with Jimmy.

For some reason the two of them are now thick as thieves, but knowing his dumb ass she’s probably milking him for information. I pulled him aside and grilled his ass once and he assured me that he wasn’t stupid enough to go against my orders.

Apparently, she’d shanghaied his ass into helping her in the garden one day and they got to discussing flowers or dirt or some fuck. Now he’s her little errand boy. The twins are always complaining about some fuck the two of them got up to during the day until I started cutting them off with ‘is anyone bleeding, hurt, or dying?’ As long as the answer is no, I tell them to shut the fuck up and leave me out of it.

It doesn’t matter what they say, Mouth gets her way any damn way in the end and I’m tired of dealing with her shit. She wasn’t in the kitchen cooking for a legion like she’s been doing every day for the past week or so. Her due date is a week away and she calms herself by cooking and baking to the delight of the greedy fucks who are always hanging around my house.

Poppy took over my old place in the city and he and the Rossis pretty much live there when they’re not off doing whatever the fuck it is those three are into. I have the sneaky suspicion that they and the mouth have something going but no one’s talking. I did walk in on some kind of meet between the four of them a few weeks ago, but when I asked the twins what that was about they played dumb. My ass; they don’t go more than ten feet away from her unless I’m around so I’m pretty sure they know it all.

I’d been gone all day trying to tie up loose ends so I could take some time off when my son comes; maternity leave and shit, I don’t care how much Mikey and Tony tease. My sisters will probably find a way to have them give birth for them, whipped fucks. But they sure have been having a blast at my expense these past few months.

As a first time father, I’m here to tell you that this shit is scary as fuck. Every twinge I’m ready to take her to the hospital. I spend as much time fucking with her stomach as I do fucking her, and that’s a lot. Her hormones are out of whack and my dick is her therapy.

She’s been waddling around here for the last few days barking out orders like Napoleon at Austerlitz. Everyone else but ma and I are afraid of her shit. Ma just laughs, rubs her shoulder and kiss her forehead with an ‘you’re going to be okay, you’re doing fine.’ And I usually just fuck her out of whatever space she went to in her head.

About the third time I heard ma tell her that shit, I kinda got the feeling she knew something I didn’t, so I pulled her aside and asked. After getting through telling me how lacking I was in understanding because of my male genes, like she didn’t birth my ass and it was my fault, she finally let me in on what was eating Mouth.

“Shane, she’s your wife, but she’s still a young girl going through something life changing without her mama here to support her.” Her aunt’s been here six fucking times in two months giving me shit. I didn’t say that out loud because even I knew it wasn’t the same. From that day ma was on twenty-four seven duty. Which she loves because she’s nosy and likes sticking her nose in my shit.

I personally think she’s a little overwhelmed as well. The kid wasn’t born yet and already he has a life. Little shit already has more gifts than both of us put together for the wedding and that shit had filled two rooms. Plus, everything was about the baby. That’s also how she was running this new con.

Everyone ran to do her bidding because she was using her pregnancy to get whatever the fuck she wants. All it takes are those four words. ‘It’s for the baby.’ Said of course while she’s rubbing her bump and giving people doe eyes. I see right through her shit, but I still give in all the same.

I was almost to the door wondering what kind of shit she had waiting to heap on my head when I heard the first scream. I dropped the bear and pulled my piece as I broke through the door going low, then high, scanning the room. There was no one there but Mouth who was doubled over on the bed grabbing at her round tummy.

I put my shit away and hoofed it to her side. There was a water stain gathering beneath her and I pulled my phone and called ma. “Ma, it’s time.” We had this shit planned out. She’d call the others and take care of everything else while I see to my woman and kid. I called the asshole doctor next and barked at her.

I was sick of her shit too. She was calm as fuck when I told her what was going on and asked me a million questions before I asked her which the fuck one of us had gone to medical school and how the fuck was I supposed to know the answers to her shit. So much for having it all planned out. No amount of planning can ever prepare you for the fear that gripped my bowels when Mouth screamed again.

I picked her up and yelled for her team who came running. I directed them to her bags and rushed outside as fast as I could while carrying her. “Breathe, Mouth.” I fell into the breathing exercise easily as I placed her in the back seat and got in beside her. She had a death grip on my hand as Mikey and Tony came running.

We peeled out into the night with a caravan behind us. Mouth would choose the dinner hour to do this shit when everybody and their mother were on the damn street. “Drive Mikey.” Basically I was telling him to mow down any motherfucker that got in the way.

I don’t recall much of what happened once we reached the hospital. I only know that I never left her side. There were voices all around us but I couldn’t tell you what any of them said. Mouth was doing her best but she was in a bad way. When she wasn’t digging holes in my hand and screaming bloody murder, she was giving me the stink eye.

“This is bullshit.” She’d just had a contraction so I thought that’s what she was bitching about.

“I know, I’m sorry.” I had no idea what to say to her. I’m not gonna lie and say I’d do it for her if I could. That shit just looked wrong. But I felt her pain.

“Oh you’re gonna owe me big time for this, Flanagan.”

“I know, I’m sorry.” What the fuck?

“Don’t you placate me you…. Ahhhhhhhhhh.”

She wanted to argue now? I knew her mouthy ass was scared so I let her rip into me both figuratively and literally. She took the skin off my hand.

It’s amazing what goes through your head when your wife is in pain. All I could do was hold her hand and wipe her brow while feeding her that bullshittery that she was going to be okay. She gave one last howl and I heard my baby’s first cry. My vision blurred, as I looked over at him and felt some of Mouth’s fear grip me for only a split second, before it was replaced by the most intense joy.

“Give him to me.” Mouth held her arms out but the nurse told her they needed to clean up the little guy first. I don’t know what is the usual procedure here, but I do know these people had no idea what the fuck they were dealing with. I saw the kill lights enter her eyes and laughed as I leaned over her. “Behave, I’ll get him for you.”

I didn’t have to because the doc placed the baby on her chest and scolded the nurse. He was a mess but he was still the best fucking sight; after his mother of course. That same nurse came and took the baby after only a few minutes and moved across the room to clean him up. Mouth did not like this woman so I thought it prudent to get her the fuck outta there before she gutted her with the doc’s scalpel.

I walked over and took the baby from the nurse before she was through. She wasn’t too happy but who gives a fuck. I looked down at my son and choked up. It felt like I’d been waiting for him to get here forever. “Hi little prince.” He was so small, and helpless it gave me pause. My world had just changed.

From this day on there will be someone else with a part of me in them walking the earth. Someone that I’m completely responsible for until the day I die. That’s some humbling shit. Anybody fucks with him I’ll kill them myself, unless his mother gets to them first.

I could’ve stood there all night just watching him, but I knew there was an order to these things. If I bonded with Mouth’s kid before she did she’d have my nut sac. I whispered a little something in his ear before passing him to his mother who stared at him in awe as she held him close to her chest.

She looked young and tired and nowhere near old enough to be anyone’s mother. Meanwhile, the kid barely fit in her arms he was so big. Damn, Mouth’s gonna rip my ass a new one once the adrenaline wears off. The kid was a bruiser, definitely takes after his old man.

I stood over the two of them protectively as the voices in the room registered once again. It was only then that I realized I’d blocked everything else out for the last five minutes or so. Mouth watched the nurse like a hawk when she took the baby again so they could tend to his mother and finish cleaning him up.

I finally let ma and the others in once she was decent and pretty much got pushed out of the way when ma and her baby hogging ass got the first look at her grandson. The men didn’t come into the room but stood like sentinels outside the door, getting their fair share of looks.

She was going to be here for at least another half a day so the plan was to have someone on her and the kid at all times which should be easy since they were going to be in the same room, except for the times the kid had to be checked over. The doc hadn’t said anything had been wrong so that shouldn’t be an issue. You bet I checked all of that shit out months ago.

I ran the women out after thirty minutes or so because Mouth was looking tired. Ma had to be air lifted out the damn room and I had to deal with her crying shit before I could get back to my little family. I sat on the chair next to the bed and watched the two of them. She was radiant, her face glowing as she looked down at him.

“He’s beautiful Arianna, you did good.” I cupped the back of his head in my hand and leaned over to kiss her lips. “Beautiful!”

I spent the night in the private room with her and the baby, sitting up each time anyone came close to the door. The men had changed guard outside but I knew everything that was going on out there.

By the time the sun came up I was tired as fuck. I hadn’t slept a wink all night. Junior had woken up during the night and I’d watched my wife feed our son for the first time. I used to think Mouth was her most beautiful when she was under me looking up as I drove into her, but that shit was nothing compared to the sight she made now.

She hadn’t gone back to sleep afterwards and we’d stayed up together, me lying beside her as we both held our boy. Ma descended on us at about nine and took over and I took the opportunity to use the bathroom to shower and change.

They came to take him somewhere to weigh again and check him over before checking them out. Mouth gave me a look but she didn’t need to. I never planned on anyone taking my kid anywhere without me on their ass. I followed the nurse, a different one this time since I’d pulled the doc aside and told her if she wanted the pushy nurse to live she’d get her the fuck away from my wife and kid.

Mikey and Tony who were still beaming like proud uncles flanked me. “You two look like idiots.”

“What?” Tony said around the Stogie in his mouth.

“You fucks don’t smoke.” He shrugged and grinned.

“You know you have to get Mouth a push present right.”

“A what now?” I kept my eyes on my kid through the glass as they worked on him. My boy was fucking beautiful, I can’t wait for them to bring him out and put him in my arms so I can get the fuck out. I don’t trust hospitals one fuck and Mouth was already looking at the nurses squinty eyed, fucking pain in the ass.

“You know, a gift for having the kid, that’s what they call them.”

“How the fuck would you know? You don’t have a kid Tony.”

“The girls be talking and we be listening, just forget all that and get her some shit.”

“Like what jewelry? Does Mouth look like the kind of female to go for that shit?”

“Bro, all females like jewelry even the ones who pretend they don’t. Besides it doesn’t have to be jewelry. She’s your woman you should know what she likes, get her something she would appreciate.”

“Fuck no, I’m not getting her murdering ass no bow and arrow.” The two idiots rolled their eyes at me and moved the fuck on. Thank fuck, I was enjoying Junior before they came with their shit.

Fuck, what am I supposed to get her? Ma might know, yeah. Nah, I have to figure this one on my own. If I go running to ma for advice the mouthy one might find out and ride my ass.

The nurse brought my boy back out and handed him to me with a nervous smile. She kept throwing looks at the two Corleone impostors at my side. Shit, Mouth and her mob shit is stuck in my damn head. I walked back to the room like I was holding a grenade in my hand, scared as fuck of dropping him.

He opened his eyes and looked up at me with his mother’s eyes and fucking owned my ass. In that moment I was sure that I’d made the right choice to get out. I wanted this little boy to have the world without having to constantly look over his shoulder for the next motherfucker that was trying to take what’s his.

I made it back to the room and ma acted like I’d stole some shit belonging to her. “What took you so long? We’ve been ready to go for hours.” I don’t see how since I’d only been gone fifteen minutes tops, but I’m not arguing with her glassy eyed ass. What’s with women and babies that makes them even more nuts than usual?

I’m sure the hospital staff was glad to see the back of us as we left. Her old man had brought in a few of his men and I had the baby’s new team there as well to follow us home. The twins had trained them, but the next few days will tell how good they are at their jobs. It had only taken Alec and Zane damn near a year to get the hang of watching over his mother.

* * *

The little shit don’t sleep for fuck. I haven’t slept four hours straight since we brought him home. He has a whole room to himself but I don’t think he’s spent more than ten minutes in there. Mouth put him down in there the first night, came back to bed and jumped right back out to go get him. Fucker will probably sleep in my room until it’s time for him to go off to college the way Mouth’s acting.

Since that night he sleeps in a bassinet next to the bed where we can watch over him. I asked her why the hell she put so much surveillance in his room if she wasn’t planning on leaving him there and her answer fucked me up. “I don’t want him to die in his sleep Shane.” What the fuck? Who the fuck’s been filling her head with that morbid shit? I was ready to shoot the asshole.

“What the hell are you talking about Mouth?”

“You’ve never heard of crib death?”

“Fuck is that?” She rolled her eyes and explained and I haven’t really slept since. I guess I’ll watch him sleep until he’s about five.

* * *

“Mob boy, what’s this?” I threw the key on the bed next to her and dropped down beside her and the baby. Damn, how the fuck do men not implode after this shit? I don’t even know what to do with myself since the kid was born. I don’t want to leave the two of them alone for longer than it takes to shower.

“It’s your gift for having the kid.” The shit had taken longer than I’d expected and I had to threaten some people to get it done. My boy turned his head when he heard daddy’s voice. Fucking kid is worst than his mama; has me tied up in knots and he can’t even talk yet. I lifted my finger to tickle his little chin and my heart rolled over in my chest when he looked at me with his mother’s eyes.

“Huh?” I knew I shouldn’t have listened to those fucks; she was looking all kinds of confused.

“The push thing, what the fuck?” Now I was getting pissed because she’s looking at me like I’m bent.

“Okay, but what is it?” She shook the key at me.

“A yacht. The fuck is so funny?”

“You know normal people get like a bracelet or a necklace.”

“You’re not normal baby so this is just right. Gimme the kid.” I rolled onto the bed and opened my arms for him. We’ve been fighting for the past two weeks over who got to hold him. She doesn’t let the kid go. I once found her asleep with him on her chest.

She gave him up with minimal fuss like she hadn’t been here with him all day while I was out taking care of shit. We looked like the perfect American couple with our newborn. The room was filled with her mom’s favorite flower and the roses that were still coming every day. The evening light shone through the French windows that surrounded the room and fell across the king sized bed where we sat playing with our son.

“You told me once you wanted to travel, I figured this is the best way to do that shit, the less people around the better.” Yep, because your crazy ass thinks everyone is a danger to our son and the world being what it is we’ll never get through the damn airport with you and your shit.

She gave me a rundown of their day and showed me the hundred and one pictures she took of him. It’s a good thing we’re out. This kid’s whole life has been chronicled since birth. I did my husbandly and fatherly duty and oohed and aahed over everything like they didn’t look the same as yesterday’s.

* * *

* * *

“The baby’s down for her nap.” I looked up at her horny ass; I know that tone. I work out of the house most days though I still head into the city a couple days a week to the office. This nine to five shit is trying; I work harder now than I did when I was in the life. But all I have to do is look at my wife and kids to kill that noise.

I dropped my pen and got to my feet for a stretch before taking her hand and leading her out of the room. “Why didn’t you get me? Did you lift her?” I patted her round tummy and led her to the bedroom. “No, she climbed in by herself. I thought you were busy.” Like that’s ever stopped her before. She seems to think as long as I’m in the house that I’m fair game no matter what the hell I’m doing.

I started pulling at her clothes before the door closed behind us and she turned in search of my lips. I sank into her suddenly starved for the taste of her like I hadn’t had her just a few short hours ago before we left the bed. Her hormones are going nuts again but by now I’m used to her shit, plus it helps that her pregnant body makes my dick hard as fuck.

I had her top off and her milky tit in my mouth while I tugged her cargo pants down and off her legs. Laying her back against the bed I tugged her panties down her thighs before giving her my tongue. Her taste had changed over the years. Whether from the pregnancies or just getting older, there was a new flavor that was even more addictive than before.

Her pussy is fatter with the baby in there and the thick lips closed around my tongue each time I slid it into her. She leaked pussy juice like a faucet and I drank as fast as I could while fucking her on and off my tongue until she came screaming.

She pushed my head away when she’d had enough and attacked. My shirt, like many others before it, was nothing but a rag by the time her freaky ass was done with it and I had to help with my pants before she ripped my dick off in her haste. I flipped onto my back and helped her straddle me with my dick in her hand.

I looked down between us as she rubbed the head of my cock back and forth over her slit and teased her clit. “Mouth stop fucking around.” My kids take catnaps in this bitch and if I had one more interrupted fuck I might shoot some fuck in the head. Not my kids or wife though, maybe Mikey or Tony.

She laughed that tinkling laugh that always wrap itself around my heart and remind me why I love her as much as I do. Why I put up with her shit and always will ‘til the day I die. She pushed just the tip of my cock past her pussy lips before pulling it back out again. She did that shit over and over until I threatened to take over.

She finally sat on my cock and when I slid into her it felt like I was fucking into a soft fluffy pillow of goodness. “Damn you’re tight.” No wonder I like breeding her ass, her pussy feels fucking amazing. I put my hands on her hips as she rode up and down on my cock, gritting my teeth hard so I didn’t shove too deep and hurt her.

She couldn’t reach my mouth and it frustrated her so I sat up and fed her my tongue. “Shh, calm down.” I ran my hands up and down her back until her high-strung ass calmed down. I hadn’t been able to slam her since she entered her final trimester but find that taking it slow and easy had its own merits.

My hands went to her tummy and I felt the baby move as my cock thumped and throbbed, dripping a fuckload of cock juice inside her. She clasped me to her with her arms around my neck, finally able to get close. We shared a long torrid kiss and she squeezed her tight pussy muscles around me.

I leaned back when she got too uncomfortable holding the same position for too long, my hands going back to her tummy. “Shane, there’s something I wanna talk to you about.” She dragged her nail down my chest.

“Oh shit.”

“It’s nothing like that.” She slapped my chest making me jerk which made my cock move inside her.

I sat up again and covered her lips as I moved inside her. I slipped one of my hands between us and found her clit. I fucked until she got off and then stopped, taking soft little nibbles of her lip before pulling back to look at her.

“What is it then?”

“I was thinking… Since we already have Shane Junior, could we name this one after my dad?”

“Roberto Flanagan? You’d be shooting motherfuckers everyday for beating up your kid for that fucked up name.” Her face turned thunderous and she looked like she was giving serious thought to maiming me. My dick got harder, longer.

“Then we should give him both his names. Roberto Rossi.”

“Mouth, I know you’re an independent, strong willed, badass, Beyoncé loving bitch, but don’t go too far. Don’t forget who’s the man here. My son will never have another man’s name, no matter who.” She gave me one of her looks and teased my nipple with her nail.

“Fine, then can we call him Ari?” Her face blushed and I wondered what the hell was wrong with her, and then I got it.

“You always have to one up me huh. I’ve got my Shane so you’ve got to have your Ari. Why didn’t you give Lilliana your name?” She hid behind her hair and I pushed it back making her blush harder.

“Because I’m your Arianna.” Damn!

“Damn straight baby. Ari Flanagan, I like it. Hi little Ari.” I kissed her mound.

Something else spectacular occurred to me. “This shit’s gonna confuse the fuck outta your uncle. He won’t be able to keep calling you that now, his brain, what’s left of it, won’t be able to keep up.” She rolled her eyes and huffed.

“You done? You got what you wanted outta me?” She snorted and shook her head.

“One last thing. What do you know about Beyoncé?”

“You blast her shit when you’re pissed at me. You’re supposed to know your enemies.” She almost fell off my dick laughing before I stopped her by sucking her tit into my mouth.

I tried not to drain her tits as she came all over my cock again. “My turn.” I eased her off my rod and helped her onto her hands and knees before lining up behind her. I slid my cock covered in her juices and mine back into her sweet hot pussy and she hissed and spread her legs wider.

Her tummy rubbed against the bed as I stroked in and out of her making sure to hit her spot with each one. If I could cum in her ten times without recharging I would. Her ass was nicely cocked in the perfect position to take my dick as I started pounding it to her while she threw her ass back and spurred me on.

She isn’t very vocal during sex but that’s fine by me. I just need to look at her, feel her, have her, and that’s enough for me. Her body tells me all I need to know. I felt her tense up and reached for her clit again as I butted against her g-spot. She howled and slammed herself back hard taking me in balls deep.

“Fuck, Mouth.” I pushed her off my dick a little expecting to see blood, but all I saw was a dick covered in pussy goo. “Are you hurt?”

“No mob boy, get to moving.” Yeah, let her feel one twinge of pain later over her greedy shit and I’ll be at fault.

We’d been fucking for a good hour now between her talking shit and her teasing. My boy was ready to reach the finish line.

I planted one foot in the bed and one knee beside hers for better leverage and fucked into her as hard as I dared without hurting my kid. I’ve fucked her through two pregnancies so I know my limits.

When she bucked and clamped down on my shit, I took that as my cue to hose down her insides with my cum. If she got going again before I got off I’ll be in her all day and then she’ll bitch about being sore later.

I shot off a pretty good volley inside her, each one seeming to set her off again and she came about three times before I was finally drained. I knew from the way she sighed and dropped like a stone that she was going to sleep. Thank fuck this kid took mercy on his dad. With the other two she was the one usually knocking me out with her pregnant pussy. Fucking thing is a trap.

I followed her down keeping my weight on my arms, not ready to pull out of her yet. It’s the only time in our lives that the three of us are one and I like to stay in her as long as I can to keep the connection. She was out before her head hit the pillow.

I stayed there a moment longer before easing my length out of her. I would clean her up, but I’ve always liked leaving her nasty with my seed. It does something to me knowing that she’s asleep in my bed with my seed wet on her, in her.

With one last kiss to her cheek and shoulder I moved off the bed and went to clean up before heading out of the room.

* * *

Mouth waddled her ass into the kitchen a few hours later with her face set on ‘bitch’. I got sidetracked by her ringer, who followed close behind her. I was halfway out of my seat before my little girl reached me. My kid walks on her toes and always looks like she’s going to topple over and crack her head open.

“Dada.” She chortled and made a beeline for me with her arms up in the air to be picked up. I snagged her and sat her on my knee as I watched her crazy ass mother frown into the refrigerator. “You planning a hit on the fruit bin?” Her pregnant ass has been twice as miserable with this pregnancy as the other two.

“I just got a call from Junior’s school.”

“What happened?” This ought to be good. Mouth’s been down there twice already in the last month telling those people how to do their job. Me, I stay outta shit. I got tired of all the pitying looks they give my ass whenever we go down there together or I go alone.

They smile wide when they see me coming; I give them enough fucking money to make sure my son and his little friends get the best of everything. Mouth, is another story. They run and hide, literally when they see her ass coming.

I knew to a man they were wondering how I put up with her shit, but not one of them had the gonads to ask me that shit out loud for fear that she’d end their ass. They didn’t know she wouldn’t have to because I would if they were ever so stupid as to say one fuck against my wife.

“That idiot woman took offense because he corrected her on something in class. The principal had the nerve to tell me that although he was right, it was rude of him to correct her in front of the whole class. Didn’t she do that shit in front of the class? Where the hell was he supposed to correct her? I thought kids were there to learn not feed her damn ego.”

“You told him that?”

“Of course.”

“And?”

“And nothing, he said he sees my side.” Of course, the asshole principal has the hots for my wife with his old decrepit ass. If he wasn’t ninety I would’ve put one in him already for the way he damn near goes into a coma every time she’s around.

“So what’s the problem?” I jerked my knee up and down to give Lilliana a horsey ride making her laugh as she tried to eat her toes. This one is Mouth personified. She has a temper, loves to have her own way, and already knows how to wrap me around her finger with a look.

“The problem is, that woman has it in for my kid.” She was moving shit around in the fridge like they were at war. The poor teacher had the bad sense of judgment to tell Junior one day that he was disrupting the class. He in turn told his mother who after four and a half years of motherhood is more of a nut than ever. That poor woman has been on her shit list ever since then.

I playfully begged her not to off the poor woman. The fact is; Mouth has a spreadsheet on every person who has anything to do with our son’s school. She ain’t collecting that shit to invite them over for tea. “Mouth, your pregnant ass can’t fight, let me handle it okay.”

“What’re you gonna do Shane? Talk her to death?” I ignored her snippy ass and went back to entertaining my kid. Mouth had lasted two years before I bred her ass again, not from lack of my trying. Her body just seems to work that way, because as soon as Lily turned two, I bred her ass again. I think it has something to do with her nursing shit.

I heard the hospice rejects pulling my back door before they trooped into my damn house. Her old man headed straight for my kid and took her off my lap. I’m tired of threatening him over that shit too; no one listens to me anymore. Poppy dropped down on the chair beside me while uncle Al checked the pots like this was the fucking local eatery.

“What’s wrong with her?” Poppy inclined his head toward Mouth. Fuck it, that’s all I need. She heard him of course and launched into her shit again. These three started seriously discussing what should be done about this thorn in their little prince’s side. I know the kid is fucked when I’m the most rational head in the group. Even ma loses her shit if someone even looks side ways at her grandkids, but she has an especially soft spot for Junior.

“You fucks are bored?”

“Fucks, fucks.”

“Lily, daddy told you not to say that word.” It’s the only fucking word she says without fucking it up. She looked at me with the pouty lip and doe eyes. “Daddy’s not mad at you baby girl.” I reassured her before her asshole grandfather had to put in his two cents like I was going to let him fuck up my kid’s head like he did my wife’s.

I glared at him and the idiot grinned back at me. “I told you three about encouraging her in her shit. The teacher is just doing her job, she’s probably new or some shit.” I haven’t pulled my piece in damn near three years and I was trying to keep it that way. Mouth had gone even longer as far as I know, though she has a practice range that I had built for her that she uses at least twice a week. She probably needed blood. Crazy fuck.

As usual by the time the team came through the door with Junior I had a full house. It was a typical Friday, which meant party night in this family. We never discussed it, but I’m pretty sure she knew I was trying to give her back that special something from her childhood. So every Friday night my kids are surrounded by family, Mouth gets her special flowers delivered, and the tradition continues.

I’d had someone come and plant some outside our bedroom, but every Friday I still get her and my Lily their special delivery. I can see why Mouth had hung onto that memory. Lily is about the same age she would’ve been when her mom died and my little girl lights up every time she gets her flowers like her mama’s.

That night as we sat around the table eating and laughing, I watched Jimmy and Mouth and the new easiness between them and listened to the old generals spin tales for the younger men. My nieces and nephews were in high chairs yakking to their cousins having their own meet. Ma and dad were beaming at each other and spoiling their grandkids by letting them get away with not eating the shit they’d force-fed me as a kid.

Mouth and my sisters were talking baby shit and planning a shopping trip. Everyone was doing their thing but there was no doubt that we were together, that each person at the table was part of a whole. Even the twins and the kids’ security were included in our special nights. I’d given up my past life and gained something more. Family!