Page 10

Chewy

“ W hat did she say?” Remy asks, brow furrowed.

“I think she said ‘Tito dent awol’,” Ana shrugs.

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“No, she said ‘Tito hornors home’,” Mira says.

“That makes even less sense!” Blanche says, throwing her hands up. “That’s it, I’m dissolving this filler so we can understand her.” She waddles toward Pops who hands over a syringe.

Looking at Candice I have to admit, 7ml probably was a little too much. That and the amount of wine we gave her makes it almost impossible to understand what the hell she’s saying.

“Little too much, huh?” Rhodie asks with the smirk that never ceases to make me wet.

“Maybe, just a teensy bit,” I hold my thumb and forefinger apart just a little bit.

I look at Candice’s face at the same time Rhodie looks down at her. I take in her huge top lip. It’s almost three times the size it once was, and is an interesting shade of purple around the edges. Blanche looks over her shoulder at me, asking permission I think, so I nod in her direction. I mean, it’s not like you can fuck up removing filler. Blanche moves to stick the needle in, and a laugh escapes me when I notice that she is using the largest gauge needle we own. Candice must see it too, as she starts to fight against Rhodie. Hard.

“Stay still you silly bitch!” Blanche growls, gripping her cheeks, as she presses the needle into Candice’s lip and depresses the plunger.

“Whoa! That looks worse than before,” Remy whispers in awe.

My head tilts to the side and I have to admit, it’s definitely bigger than it was. “Blanche, did you use the right stuff?”

“I used whatever Pops gave me.” She frowns down at the syringe in her hand.

As a collective, we all turn to stare at Pops who is standing with his back to us as he preps my tools.

“Pops?” Blanche growls.

He turns, wide-eyed. He’s going for the innocent look. “Whoopsy?”

“Dammit, Pops! Now we really won’t know that the hell she’s saying,” Vi moans.

As if to prove a point Candice says something. I think. It sounds more like mooing.

“See?” Nat waves her hands in the air in a circle, indicating the mooing woman in the chair.

“Shit, keep your hair on girlies,” Pops rolls his eyes, and then stomps over.

In the blink of an eye he sticks a needle into Candice’s giant purple lip and injects. She squeals and then starts to sob when Pops very roughly starts squishing her lips.

“It’s like watching that Dr Pimple Popper woman,” Mira whispers to Nat who nods, eyes glued to the scene.

Weird stuff starts oozing out and it kinda is like watching Dr Pimple Popper. At some point Candice goes limp and the whole room freezes, then carries on like nothing ever happened.

“So, all we know is that she was working a front for the cartel,” Blanche says.

“Less the cartel, and more this Tito guy. From what I can find he’s cartel-adjacent,” Remy says, looking up from her laptop.

“What the fuck does that mean?” Rhodie asks.

“Well, he’s not working directly for them. I’ve asked Wire to search the dark web, but I bet Roman knows something,” Remy shrugs.

“Pops, you got anything to wake this bitch up? Get this show back on the road?” Blanche asks, hands on hips.

“Is it me or is she crazier than usual?” Rhodie whispers, causing a shiver down my spine as his breath brushes my outer ear.

“No, she’s definitely worse than usual,” I whisper back, sliding my arm around his waist and leaning into him.

“Here you go, girl, give this a little shake, take the lid off and wave it under the bitch’s nose,” Pops says, tossing the smelling salts Blanche’s way.

She follows his instructions and Candice sits straight up, coughing and spluttering, lips flapping all over the place. It then takes 0.3 seconds for the scent to hit the rest of the room.

“Holy shit! Why is that so strong?” Rhodie asks, covering his nose with his hand, coughing.

“It’s my special recipe,” Pops replies calmly, a mask over his face.

“Close the lid, Blanche! Holy shitballs!” Vi yells.

Blanche is standing in the middle of the room, her hand outstretched, the scent of the salts permeating the air. My keen sense of smell is being inundated with ammonia and eucalyptus, eyes watering so badly I can barely see. There’s a commotion and a pop, then the sounds of something running down the drain underneath Candice’s chair.

“Aw shit!” Blanche mumbles.

“What’s happening?” Nat shouts, “I can’t see anything, my eyes are burning!”

“Fuck!” Rhodie growls, he leaves my side, moving toward where Blanche was standing, “Pops, get that shit covered up and toss the fucker!”

There’s rustling and the sound of the door opening and closing.

“Blanche, it’s going to be OK,” Rhodie’s voice says gently.

“I know it’s going to be OK! I’m just pissed that I can’t fucking see or breathe out of my nose!” she yells back. I let out a sigh, I can hear everyone around me so I know they’re all alright and haven’t been poisoned by Pops. Perhaps I shouldn’t have encouraged him to add more eucalyptus.

“Everyone else alright?” Rhodie asks.

Yeses ring out around the room, Candice says something and I think it’s Lovely’s voice that tells her to shut up.

“OK, let’s get you out of here. Vi? Can you please let Tav know that his baby is on the way?”

“Wait, what?” I ask, blinking my eyes to clear them.

Rhodie has Blanche gently by the elbow, her grey stretchy pants have a large wet patch on the front. Oh, so that’s where the water sound came from.

“Holy shit Blanche is having her baby!” Mira yells and all of a sudden the room is full of activity.

I know Marx asked me to get rid of Candice so I’ll need to do that before we head out to the hospital.

“Let go! We need to finish this!” Blanche says, snatching her elbow away from Rhodie’s hold.

“Umm, shouldn’t we be heading out?” Rhodie asks, looking confused as hell.

“Not til we’re done,” Blanche says in a low voice.

“Filler me!” she says, hand out, waiting for another syringe.

“Blanche,” Lovely coos in a gentle voice, as if talking to a scared baby deer, “Are you sure you really want to do this?”

Blanche turns a cold look her sister’s way and Lovely stands her ground, hands on her hips. They stare each other down, and I’m impressed at Lovely’s ability to not blink for a very long time. I skirt around them both, picking up the filler syringe on the metal table. Uncapping it, I whisper “bye bye” to Candice and then lean in pulling the skin of her neck taut, just under her jaw until I locate the external carotid artery. Finding the perfect spot I press the needle into her neck, waiting for the skin to give way, then sliding it further still, letting it nestle just where I want it.

“There it is,” I whisper, then depress the plunger filling the artery with enough filler to cause a blockage. Stroke will happen in a few moments.

“Where is she?” Tav bursts through the doors just as Candice’s face starts to droop on the left side.

“I’m here, but I’m not done yet! We need to rid the world of this awful bitch.” Blanche indicates Candice whose mouth is now slack, drool running down her chin. “She has to pay for all the shit she put those women through, and all those sweet babie- ow, ow, ow!”

Tav doesn’t say a word, just stomps up to his Ol Lady and scoops her up in her arms. “You good, Dayz?”

Tilting my head I take in Candice’s slack features and the blue tinge of her overblown lips. I mean, it’s kinda hard to really get a good bead on them, given that they’re still purple in places but the hemorrhaging in her eyes tells a different story.

“Yeah, I’m good. Let’s roll out.”

Rhodie

We follow Tav into the common room so we can rally the troops. Well, that was the plan until Blanche growled at everyone to wait here and give her a two hour head start. Apparently she’d rather we be bored here than staring at the white walls of the hospital while Tav’s kid gets ready to meet the world. I’m not sure why she thinks this, but she’s said numerous times that Tav’s kid will take their time being born. I know nothing about having a baby, so maybe she knows something I don’t.

“So, what do we do now?” Mira asks, at a loss now that we’re just sitting here.

“Bets! What kind, how heavy and time of birth. Who’s in?” Rider booms, holding up a notebook, pen at the ready.

The brothers start yelling out weights and gender, but Chewy just snuggles into me, Laney-May in her lap after Mad Dog handed her over. She’s already in her PJ’s and Mama Debs assured us that she’s been fed, bathed and will be ready for bed whenever we decide. We still haven’t fallen into the perfect routine yet, but I think we’re bloody close enough. Laney is happy and healthy and seems comfortable here with our family.

“Come on Laney, let’s get you and Chomper to bed, hmm?” Chewy softly says, moving to stand. Laney shakes her head roughly, gripping onto Chewy’s shirt as she grumbles. “Yup, bed time for you, let’s go.” Laney fights even harder, first flopping back and almost toppling Chewy over to then going completely rigid as a loud yell leaves her little body.

She rocks back and forward, yelling “No!” at the top of her lungs and Chewy freezes. I rush to get up, to hold them both steady, Laney’s rocking and throwing her body around getting more and more unruly.

“Come here, Laney-May,” I wrap my hand under Laney’s arms and lift her into mine, wrapping my arm around her bottom half to try and keep her safe, but her kicking legs and head shaking and yelling is a little hard to control, especially from a little girl who up until now has been so very well behaved. “Hey, hey, shhhhh, shhhh. It’s OK, baby girl, I got you,” She throws her head into my shoulder and cries, her tears soaking into my cut.

“She’s a bit overtired I think,” Mama Debs says gently, giving Chewy a squeeze. “It’s been a big day, full of excitement. She’ll calm down and probably fall asleep as soon as you put her to bed.”

I give her a weak smile, then wrap my free arm around Chewy, pulling her into my side and squeezing. I know this would have overwhelmed her so I’ll need to care for my woman as well as my baby.

“If you need me to walk her, let me know,” Mad Dog offers, with a nod. Judging by my face, I’m sure he can tell I have no idea what he’s talking about. “When you were a kid you were just like her. Wanted to see everything, be everywhere, not wanting to nap. By the evening you were a little shit, you’d shake yourself to stay awake, scream, cry, kick. Anything to not have to go to bed. I’d walk up and down the hall with you until you fell asleep on my shoulder.” He shrugs, and I’m so fucking grateful we have all these people to help raise Laney. I’m the fucking luckiest bastard in the world.

“Come on, little mama,” I whisper to Chewy, who is still wide-eyed, looking terrified.

We make our way into our room and in the short walk from the common room to here Laney has gotten heavier in my arms. Her head is lolling on my shoulder and her little arms are hanging slackly by her sides. I move silently to her bed, and Chewy moves up to peel the blanket back so I can lie our girl down.

“There you go, baby girl. Shhhhh, daddy and mommy are here.” I rub a hand down her back, up and down until her breathing deepens even more. “I think we did it, little ma-” turning, Chewy is no longer at my side. “Babe?”

Looking around the room I notice the closet door is ajar, so I move toward the crack. Sliding to the floor I lean against the wall, letting my head loll to one side so I can see Laney. I watch our daughter, her chest rising and falling gently, little breaths puffing out between her slack lips. The door cracks open a little, but I sit, a strong silent presence to my woman who needs to get her thoughts in order.

Rustling has me turning toward the door to find Gus, Jules and Pops in the doorway. I tip my chin and they move quietly into the room, Mama Debs bringing up the rear. They all find a place on the floor. Gus moves to the wall on the other side of the closet, Mama Debs and Pops lean against the bed and Jules sits, back straight and legs crossed just on the outside of the circle we’ve made. After a moment more people arrive. Ol ladies, brothers, anyone and everyone we hold dear are all crammed into our room, quietly supporting Chewy as she finds her peace after the overwhelm.

I’m not sure how long we all sit, some of us on our phones, others just with our thoughts. Marx is leaning against the far wall, arms crossed over his large chest. His gaze keeps darting to Lovely who is sitting all prim and proper on the bed. I know he has to be feeling like shit after what he said about Lovely, but fuck, he needs to sort that out and fast. A woman like Lovely won’t wait around forever.

“Why are you all here?” Chewy says quietly, standing in the doorway of the closet, her gaze bouncing around the room.

“We’re here for you, babe.”

“But why?” She searches the room again, “You’d be better off supporting Rhodie.” Her brows pinch as she stares at her fingers, “He’s the one that needs support. He’s a good father and I’m, I’m-”

“Don’t fucking say it, girl,” Pops growls, everyone in the room nodding in agreement with him. “You are a fucking fantastic mom, Tuesday.”

“But-”

“No buts,” Mama Debs says. “Laney is two years old. All two-year-olds lose their shit.”

Chewy’s frown deepens.

“It’s true. Bee is a little younger than Laney but she refused her daytime nap the other day. She played all day with the kids and then became overtired and overwhelmed and I was up until midnight trying to get her down.” Marx’s head snaps in Lovely’s direction, concern etched on his face. “She screamed and fought and bit and I felt like the worst mom in the world,” Lovely says. “Then she finally went down and when she woke up the next morning she was full of smiles and my world was right again.”

“This shit happens, Chewy, it doesn’t mean you’re a crappy mom,” Nat adds in, snuggling Rosie in her arms.

“But, I’m her mom . I should know this stuff.” Chewy squishes her bottom lip between her thumb and forefinger.

“You’ve been a mom for a week, baby girl. You’ve got time to learn this stuff,”

“And even then you’ll probably get it wrong,” Flack chuckles, sharing a look with my dad and Pops.

“I don’t like being wrong.” She scowls at the thought of it.

“Well, get used to it, Dayz,” Gus says. “In the meantime, we’re all here for you.”

Her shoulders start to drop and it’s magic to watch her realize that she has all these people at her back. Her face relaxes, her brow smoothing out and I know she’s about to say something out of pocket when her shoulders pull back. “I’m going to get more efficient at torture and dispatch. I’m a mom , I can’t spend all night in interrogation. Pops, tomorrow while Laney is having her afternoon nap you and I will do some research. We need fast, efficient ways to interrogate and then get rid of.”

Pops grins and nods “It’s a date, baby girl,”

“Yes. But after Laney’s nap. We can’t have her getting overtired again. It probably puts stress on her brain and her learning won’t be as effective.” She nods once and moves over to look at Laney in her crib. She tugs the blanket up a little, to cover Laney’s shoulders and then runs a hand over her curls. “Mama’s gonna learn everything I need to know to love you the way you need. Promise.”

I smile softly at my woman, and then nod at our family as they all quietly leave, one by one. Moving to stand behind Chewy, I wrap her in my arms as she leans into my chest.

“I love you, Tuesday Tombs. I can’t imagine anyone else I’d want to have by my side.”

“I’d never do this with anyone else,” Chewy huffs out. “I love you too, Rhodes Paxton. I know it’s soon, but I’m pretty sure I love Laney too. When I look at her it makes my chest hurt, right here,” she lifts my hand and places it in the middle of her chest, over her heart. “Do you think that’s normal?”

“I think that’s exactly how we’re meant to feel.”

She nods, her wild hair tickling my jaw, “It’s scary, but I like it.”

“Me too, baby. Me too.”