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“Lo.” I pick up on the second ring to an unknown caller.
“That last loose end has been dealt with.”
The line goes dead, and I light up a cigarette. Crystal’s cunt ass. Got word she’d been arrested for selling and lost her kid. Couldn’t afford for her to throw Hazel and me under the bus to make a deal to save her own skin. I don’t care how she was taken out, only that she was. Last I heard about Max he died from sepsis. Guess when Hazel fired them rounds, she clipped his ass too.
I hope he’s rotting in hell with his pig shit brother.
I don’t tell Hazel about Crystal. Less she has to think about that time in her life the better.
I place a call to Murder. “It’s done.”
“Thank fuck.”
“Yeah, the other was a false alarm. You don’t need to hurry back. Enjoy the rest of your vacation. I’ll fill Lily in tomorrow.”
“If that’s it I got a pregnant woman crying because she wants a peanut butter and strawberry banana smoothie.”
“Shit. Best get to it then.”
“Ya fucking think?” He chuckles.
I put out my cigarette and take a long pull off my beer and watch Hazel giggling with Andi at the bar. No doubt they are talking about Viking. Those two need to get it over with and fuck, except she’s engaged to another man. Still though we all know they want to bang.
Some years later
I pace the hall of the hospital corridor ready to tear my own hair out my nerves are so fucking frazzled. After years of practice Hazel and I are welcoming our own bundle of joy into the world. She kicked me out of the room. Said all my pacing was driving her crazy. Lily is in with her now. I can’t handle this. The thought of her in pain or danger is enough to drive me insane. I don’t know if our baby will be a boy or a girl. My beautiful wife said she didn’t want to know until the birth. That all that matters is that he or she is healthy.
On that we agree. Deciding on a name is a whole other battle. If it’s a boy he’s gotta have a badass name. No kid of mine will have a pussy name like Oliver or some shit.
The door to the room opens and Lily pokes her head out. “Get in here. It’s time.”
I rush past her to my woman.
“There you are,” Hazel practically growls in a demonic voice. Sweat beads drip down her forehead, but in my opinion, she’s never looked more beautiful.
“You kicked me out,” I remind her.
“I didn’t think you’d really go.”
Fuck me her hormones have been all over the damn place throughout the whole pregnancy. I don’t think I can go through this shit again. Not to mention all the nights without sex and the fact that I lost my favorite room in the house. The den of sin as Hazel christened it has now been transformed into a nursery. I hang my head. Loved that room. But I love Hazel and our child more. She grips my hand, nearly squeezing all the feeling out of my fingers.
An hour later we welcome our little peanut into the world.
I hold my child for the first time. I hug him to my chest and vow he’ll never know what it’s like to be unwanted, unloved, or forgotten. Not as long as I’m breathing. I continue to hold him, rubbing his back in soothing circles.
Hazel smiles at me and I know I’ve done it. I’ve given her that beautiful life I promised.