Page 111 of Severed Heart

“I’m boarding now.”

It’s my first genuine smile since I left Delphine on the porch.

“He’s going to be stoked, Sean too.”

“Are they ready?”

“More than,” I assure him, knowing his brother is most of the reason his heart beats. Sean and I are the reason for the rest of them. What I’ve come to realize is that after slowly losing my own family these last few years, I’m with my brothers in totality. Aside from Barrett, who’s been unexpectedly keeping himself occupied with Charlie since the first day he checked on her and Jane in the labor house. Rumor is that Charlie is giving him chase. According to Barrett, not a lot of chase, but he’s declared he’s in it for the long haul. Time will tell. My own long-haul chase is still up in the air as my clock starts to continually tick out. I stare into the cooler as Tobias jars me by speaking up.

“Where did you go?” T prompts.

“Sorry, just thinking of a way to distract myself until the cavalry comes home.”A way that doesn’t include racing to your childhood home and burying myself in your aunt.

In that sense, this situation is a little fucked, but worth it for her. My predicament now is that I was attempting to give Delphine space and time to come to me, but with Dom’s order to meet him at his house, that timer’s been set. The feeling in my chest was not at all one of protest with an excuse to show up. I have to face her and whatever decisions she’s made. However, the fact that my cell phone hasn’t rumbled since that night isn’t a good sign.

“Keep me updated,” he spouts, and not as a request.

“Will do,” I say, “see you soon.”

“Tyler.”

“Yeah, T?”

“Are you telling me everything?”

“I don’t talk personal shit,” I tell him, grabbing a bag of chips and jerky off an end cap.

“Yes, brother, you’ve made yourself very clear on that. But I’m here.”

“I know.” I run my hand through the top of my hair after setting the drink and snacks down on the counter. The cashier stands from where he was perched, reading a paperback on a nearby stool.

“If I’m honest right now, I’m not looking forward to the haircut.”

A deep chuckle sounds over the line. “The payoff, though,” Tobias reminds me.

“Yeah, the fucking payoff.” I half grin, half grimace, knowing that this step will set so many of our plans into motion. “See you soon, brother.” I cut the call a second before a toddler barrels into me.

“Whoa, buddy, where’s the fire?” I ask through a chuckle, bending down to see the little guy’s mouth smeared with ketchup, his tiny fingers covered in it as well as he chews.

“What’re you eating?”

“Shicken nuggets,” the little boy replies, his dark brown eyes wide.

“Oh, yeah? Love chicken nuggets,” I tell him.

“Sorry about that, man,” the cashier says.

“It’s fine,” I say, taking in the little guy’s features as a woman races down the aisles toward us, calling his name.

“That you? You Zach?” I ask.

“I, Zach.” He presses a tiny ketchup-coated finger to his chest.

“Oh my God, I’m sorry,” the woman says breathlessly as she approaches. “So sorry,” she admonishes, scooping the toddler in her arms as we both stand before she shoots the cashier a glacial side-eye. “I told you I was doing inventory and to watch him.”

“It’s fine,” I tell her, “he’s adorable.”

“That’ll be five fifty-two,” the cashier says.