Yeah, okay. Fuck this job.
Me: Unemployment it is.
I slammed the doors shut on the back of the van and whistled at Donnie, my boss. This kinda sucks, he’s actually a great guy, but…I need this too much. I need her.
“Don! I’ve gotta head out after this run, mate. Sorry, but somethin’ came up and it can’t wait.” He nodded and raked his gray hair back, stepping out of the garage to the sidewalk.
“That actually works out. The wife can’t pick up the kids this afternoon, so I need to pack it up early too. We can bump the last one to first thing tomorrow morning. Funeral for that one isn’t until Thursday, according to the paperwork.”
I have to admit…I’ve never had an actual job in my life, and I’m kinda shocked it was this easy. “I’m not gettin’ the slip?” Donnie smiled and craned his neck back in confusion.
“Uh…were you hoping for one?”
“No, I just…nevermind. Thanks, mate. See you tomorrow?”
“Yeah,” he laughed, shaking his head. “Later, kid.” He clapped me on the shoulder as he walked past and threw up two fingers once his back was towards me. “Lock up the shop when you get back!”
Hmm…okay. Well…I might could get used to domestic life…?
Or I’m just convinced she makes everything better because she’s been wrong about her worth her entire life. And I’m gonna prove it to her if it takes the rest of mine. Who would have thought that the tattoo sitting above that perfect haven between her legs, would be the forefront of my fucking existence? Lucky. Me. And I can’t wait to pay homage to it in the next couple hours.
I cleaned myself up as best I could in the office bathroom before I locked up and left later on, and now I’m about to pull into the circular driveway at Leviticus House. I don’t know why I’m nervous. I’ve already been in here once today, and with way more uncertainty…but this is a milestone for both of us and I’m about to barf all over the Nova.
4:58…Do I go ring the doorbell? Does a funeral home have a doorbell? Fuck…
I shut the car door…obnoxiously loud…I sorta thought maybe she’d hear it. I’m betting she did, and she’s making me do this the hard way on purpose. She’s probly watching me right now, the little schemer. I took the hint, and admired the roses on my way up the stairs. Braughton’s hidden in here somewhere, and I think it’d be bad form for her parents’ first impression of me as their daughter’s—boyfriend?—to be caught takin’ a pish all over their pretty flowers. Maybe another day. I hit the little glowing button and shoved my hands into my pockets, andseconds later…two little people showed up behind blurry stained glass. I could hear them arguing over which one was gonna open the door. Must be her girls. It cracked open, and the older one blushed when she stared up at me, the tiny one pushing her face past her hip to get a look.
“Are you here to see Auntie Sev?”
“Actually, no…I came to see you. Are you Emmy?” Her eyes boggled and her face shined red.
“Uh…yeah?”
“Oh, good.” I reached a hand out and she looked at it like she wasn’t sure what to do. “I had to come over. I’ve never shook the hand of a gold medalist.” Her mouth dropped open, and she was missing her two front teeth when she grinned bashfully and put her tiny hand in mine.
“Oh, my gahh…”
“Em! You better not let Mema hear you say that.”Seven appeared from down the hallway and smiled at me while her niece gave me a thorough inspection, our hands still locked together. “Hey,” she blushed, picking the little one up and parking her on a hip. She opened the door a bit wider, and I saw it…right there. For a split second.
My future. What it could be. What I’ve never really cared for it to be until I met this lass. It’s crossed my mind in the past couple months. I did hold out that hope. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have taken the diamond Simon paid me with the night that I’d left her apartment, and had it cut into a coffin shape and set into a white gold band to ask her one day…when she’snotplotting my murder. But I didn’t fathom how much I’d suddenly want my own bairn on her hip.Ourown bairn. Years down the road when we’ve enjoyed some time not digging graves for bad guys or making stews in her steel sinks. Not looking over our shoulder for something terrible to be chasing us down.
“You gonna decorate the porch, or come inside?” she asked, snapping me out of it. I blinked, and shook it off, following her through the door and into the house. Emmy held my hand and led me down the hall, and to another door where a heavenly fucking smell was coming from another part of the house.
“You got alottatattoos. Did you wanna be a coloring book when you grew up?” I barked a laugh, and Seven snorted in front of us as we walked into a spacious living room. “Auntie Sev said that’s what she wanted to be if the mortician stuff didn’t work.”
“Sure did. It’s a much easier job, actually.”
I smiled down at her and winked. “Never thought about it, but if you wanna fill in all my spots later, you might could convince me?”
“Oooo,really?!”
Seven put the little one down and pointed a finger at Emmy. “Not if you don’t eat your boobie beans.”
What the hell is a boobie bean?
“Bruh…who eats green beans withpizza?” She took off running, dodging Seven’s hands when she tried to tickle her, and they disappeared into the dining room. I looked up to find both of Sev’s parents beaming at me.
“Um…Mom, Dad…this is Malek. Please don’t be strange.” She looked about as nauseous as I felt, tucking her gray hair behind her ear while I stepped forward and offered my hand to her father.
