Page 21 of Eternal Pieces
“No…just…have you mentioned this to Vi?”
He dries his hands with a paper towel and scrunches it tight in his fist. I see the shake in his hands. Then I notice the lean in his posture. He’s been pushing himself too hard again.
“She doesn’t need to know. If you tell her?—”
“I won’t!”
Deciding to drop the issue, I check the time. We’re picking Vi up for her first scan in a bit anyway, so we might as well call it a day here. “How about we head outta here early and grab some burgers?”
“We’re barely halfway through clean up,” he protests.
I say the one thing I know will make him change his mind. “I’m sure Vi’s not had time to eat yet either. We can pick her something up. You can choose for her.”
As he thinks it over, I push past him to scrub my hands at the sink. The last thing I want is dirt in my car.
Like shrugging out of a too-tight jacket, I feel his anger ease from my own shoulders. I catch his reflection in the mirror, and a sharp nod is the only answer he gives me.
I knew that would work.
The wind blowing in through the open window of my car is helping me stay awake as we drive to the burger joint. I’m going to have to grab a coffee there so I don’t fall asleep in the hospital waiting room. I barely slept last night, I was too excited and had to keep myself occupied by switching between eating Violet out in her sleep and playing video games.
At the drive-through, Max chooses a chicken sandwich for Violet, something to do with her needing the protein. He’s been a bit over the top when it comes to feeding her now that she’s pregnant. I’m not allowed anywhere near the meals he preps, and if Vi ever skips a meal, then he’ll feed her by hand. Now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure she does it deliberately to get hisattention. Not that it’s ever not on her. She is the center of our universe after all.
I park in my usual spot at Violet’s campus, far away from the trees so no birds can shit on my car while we wait. I learned that lesson the hard way.
“What do you think it’s going to be? Boy or girl?” I ask Max after taking a bite of my hamburger.
“I doubt we’ll find out today,” Max mumbles, his hands stuffed in the front pocket of his dark gray hoodie and his eyes locked on the flag pole on the lawn ahead of us. I can’t help but smirk as I remember castrating a certain creep called James while he was tied to it. That’s what happens when someone fucks with our girl.
“I know. Just thought it would be fun to guess, help pass the time. You’re extra grumpy today.”
He doesn’t say anything, and I doubt I’ll get much more out of him until he knows Vi and the baby are healthy. Leaving him to his brooding, I scroll through my emails on my phone. It’s weird having responsibilities now. There are so many businesses to communicate with to get everything I need to make my own one run smoothly. Deadlines to meet. Payments to keep up with. It’s a lot and I’m not used to it, but I am enjoying it.
Out of nowhere, Max gets out of the car.
“Where are you going?” I lean across the seat to ask him. He’s not even touched his food.
“She’s late.”
Checking the time, I find she’s only late by two minutes. “We’re not going to miss the scan. Chill out.”
“Something could have happened to her. You know what she’s like. She loses track of time studying and forgets to eat. She could have collapsed.”
That is an image I really don’t need in my head.
“Just check her location on your phone.”
She’s aware we keep tabs on her, and I think it’s actually a turn-on for her, the naughty girl.
Max gives me a look, debating whether to start the manhunt across campus for her now or to wait. With an annoyed sigh, he pulls his phone from his jeans pocket, and I see his shoulders visibly relax when he looks at the screen.
“She’s on the other side of campus.”
“I’m sure her class ran late or something,” I reassure him. “Give her time to get here before you start stalking her again.”
He doesn’t get back in the car. Like a guard dog, he stands out front with his arms crossed as he surveys the grounds, checking his phone every minute.
Leaving him to it, I finish my food and steal a handful of his fries.
