Chapter Nine
R emi rang Beth for a video call while Sarah, Winnie, and Jesse finished getting the stuff together for lunch. Regina had talked with them this weekend regarding their dad and Hope, along with Hope’s concerns.
The sisters had had a late-night call last night and discussed how best to help their dad and got an update on the surveillance project. Beth and Flick were making progress bit by bit.
Remi wished they could move it along. She really wanted everyone around for the birth of their baby girl. She’d always envisioned a family birth with everyone there. War wasn’t sold on the idea, but he’d agreed after she’d given him a blowjob last night.
She chuckled, thinking how horrified he’d be if she told him she’d gotten the idea from how his mom handled his dad. Oh, maybe she’d save that one for when he really ticked her off.
“All my girls are here except Beth,” Locks said, walking in and hugging each girl in turn.
“I’m here,” Beth said from the screen.
“It’s not quite the same. I can’t hug you, and it’s killing me to not be able to back you up,” Locks said.
“Dad, there isn’t much to back us up on yet. We’ve done a lot of surveillance, and we’ve found a few breadcrumbs, but nothing actionable yet. Soon, I hope,” Beth said, smiling and waving at everyone. “My lunch isn’t as good as yours, but Flick grabbed us some Texas barbecue. Now, if only I had some of Sarah’s pumpkin bread.”
“I can mail you some in a care package, or if you’ll see Bootstrap, I could send some back with him,” Sarah said.
“Please. Something from home would be welcome, but we’re not here to talk about me,” Beth said.
“Oh, nice segue in,” Jesse said, grabbing a sandwich along with chips.
“I agree. Dad, get a place, then we can chat,” Winnie directed.
Locks paused with a plate in his hand, looking around at his girls.
“Why did that feel like a threat?” Locks asked.
Remi chuckled. “Consider this lunch with your girls an intervention.”
“I thought we were going to go into this lightly,” Sarah said, tossing a sandwich on her plate, glaring at Remi.
“No, that’s what you suggested. I believe I agreed to do what I thought was right,” Remi grumbled, nudging Sarah away from where Remi wanted to grab a sandwich.
“Pregnancy has not made you any nicer,” Sarah grumbled.
“Oh my gosh, Winnie and Jesse weren’t kidding,” Beth said.
Remi and Sarah turned to glare at the screen with Beth.
“About what?” they growled.
Laughter pealed from the other sisters.
Locks chuckled too. Both his pregnant daughters had been a tad more sensitive to disagreements.
“Oh, like you both don’t know. You two fight over everything and use your pregnancy as an excuse to try to get your way. It’s so funny when you’re against each other because then you can’t use it because you’re both pregnant,” Winnie said.
“Let’s sit down and eat,” Winnie said, motioning to the table beside the island.
Remi was glad they were meeting at Winnie and Bear’s place because she didn’t want to have to clean up the kitchen after, and if it was at her place, she’d need to. Winnie’s snotty tone just guaranteed Remi would be walking out before clean-up. Sure, she might have used her pregnancy a couple of times to get her way, but honestly, why the hell shouldn’t she?
After becoming pregnant, she believed that everyone should be catering to pregnant women. She was growing the next generation while her husband got to strut around acting like he’d done all the work by knocking her up . His part had taken seconds—okay, maybe minutes when he was working hard—but her part took months. She and every other friggin’ pregnant woman didn’t get nearly enough credit for their contribution to the continuation of the species.
Sarah had brought up those machines that simulate labor for men after she’d been complaining to Scoop about how the baby seemed to give her a pain in her vagina. His glib response about the beauty of pregnancy had put him on Sarah’s shit list. The group text with the sisters had gotten a little heated. Remi wouldn’t be surprised if Sarah ordered multiple machines to let every man on the compound experience just a little bit of what they were going through.
Last night they’d gone over how to bring up Locks’ moving on, but Remi wasn’t so sure it was the right way now. She took a bite of her sandwich and groaned at the flavor. It was just a sandwich, but Beth had suggested Bolthouse’s Burger Special Sauce to put on it and sent them some. It gave her sandwich a fantastic flavor.
Of course, it could be because she was past the puking stage of pregnancy, and Remi was just thrilled to be able to eat anything and keep it down.
“So what’s this intervention you all think I need?” Locks asked, then took a sip of his iced tea.
Remi had to hand it to her dad; he wasn’t one to shirk from a hard conversation. She chuckled.
“What’s funny?” Locks asked.
“Your words made me think you’ve never run away from a hard conversation, even though there were times I’m sure you wanted to. The ‘boys’ conversation,” Remi said, giggling.
Laughter pealed from the girls.
“Oh my? Mom had given us the birds and the bees, the period talks, and valuing yourself, but Dad had to give us the duct tape demonstration,” Winnie said, chuckling and grinning.
“Yes, oh gosh, the duct tape,” Jesse said.
Remi chewed and swallowed before continuing. “I am so going to use that with my boys and girls when it’s time to talk to them. Seeing Dad take it and adhere it to the sand-covered counter again and again made such an impression.”
“I’m a visual learner, so seeing the duct tape get less and less adhesive with each time really hit me. A reminder that not only was I giving a part of myself away each time but also taking a part of them with me,” Sarah said.
“Your mom and I didn’t say never have sex. We just wanted you to make smart, informed decisions and not just give it away to some little pissant jerks who wouldn’t appreciate it,” Locks said.
“I think the other reason it was impactful is because we trusted Dad and his opinion and knew his demonstration came from him wanting the best for us,” Beth said.
Remi nodded and winked at the screen. Her youngest sister was quite good at setting up a conversation.
“So, if you haven’t figured it out, we want what is best for you, Dad. And none of us think that you being by yourself is what is best,” Winnie said.
Sarah leaned closer to Locks, sliding her arm around him. “We love the example you and Mom set for loving your spouse, supporting them through sickness and health, and honoring their memory. But love isn’t finite, and although it feels like everything is ending when we lose someone, we still have the capacity for love.”
“With the way Cannon and my relationship started, we’ve actually had this talk, but no one is guaranteed forever. Cannon told me that it would break his heart if he died and I allowed myself to be alone for the rest of my life. My hubby who had to have a wreck and be at death’s door before he figured out he was willing to risk it all on love. And it is a risk. I can’t imagine how hard it is for you to consider someone else,” Jesse said.
“Mom was amazing and infuriating. I know she would never ask you to be alone the rest of your life,” Winnie said.
Locks had wondered if his girls had a reason for inviting him, and he guessed this was it. To talk with him about moving on. Gah! Even the term drove a spike into his heart. He would never move on from his wife.
“She was, and she set the bar pretty high,” Locks croaked because he didn’t know what else to say.
“She did. There are so many times as a wife I think, hmm, how would Mom have handled this? I figured if she let you live through five pregnancies, then I can let War live through this one,” Remi said.
Locks bit his lip, staring at his oldest. Each girl had traits of Kathryn that he was blessed to see. And he may be alive, but it didn’t mean Kathryn hadn’t threatened him sometimes.
“I did live through five pregnancies. However, the garage did get a couple bullet holes during her pregnancy with you, Remi,” Locks said.
“Oh, on the back wall toward the ceiling?” Jesse asked.
Locks nodded.
“Dad, you have to tell us now. What did you do?” Beth asked.
“Why do you all immediately assume it’s my fault and not the hormones of the pregnancy?” Locks asked, smirking.
“Dad,” Jesse whined, motioning for him to continue.
“It was our anniversary, and she didn’t want to go out. She was seven months pregnant and just wanted to stay home. I offered to cook, but she said she just wanted some soup and a late dinner. I had one of the bail bonds vehicles that had been having problems. I said I was going to work on it and then I’d heat up the soup when I came in. Then, I went out to the garage,” Locks said, taking another bite of his sandwich and chewing slowly just because he knew his girls were waiting for him to go on. And sometimes it was fun riling them up.
“Dad,” Remi growled.
“Fast forward six hours later, and I’m just about finished with the vehicle.”
“What time was it?” Jesse asked.
“Ten p.m. I might have lost track of time. The first inkling I had that your mother was pissed was the bullet leaving the gun and lodging in the upper wall. I jerked and banged my head on the hood of the car. Pulled my gun and stuck my head out around the hood. Your mother shot off another round into the ceiling.
“She’s staring at me with her you’re-going-to-die look and motions with the gun to come closer. I come out from behind the car, sliding my gun back into my holster and walk toward her, wondering what’s going to happen.
“The next one’s going into your thick skull if you don’t get in the house and eat this anniversary dinner I spent fucking hours on, you thick-headed imbecile. I knew that I couldn’t say anything to fix this. I walked over, dropped to my knees, wrapped my arms around her and her big belly, and said I’m so fuckin’ sorry. I’m an ass.”
“And?” Remi asked.
“I carried her back to the house. Reheated the meatloaf, baked potatoes, and green beans that were not the soup she said we were having and spent the next few months doing everything I could to not be that jackass husband I’d been on our anniversary night.”
His daughters smiled at his words. He and Kathryn had some ups and downs. More ups than downs but he wouldn’t change a thing other than her leaving him.
“It’s good to know your and Mom’s marriage wasn’t perfect because sometimes I only remember all the good. I wonder how I could ever be as good of a mom as she was,” Jesse whispered.
Locks stood up and pulled Jesse into his arms. “You all have some of your mother in you, but you are also your own person. You’re a fantastic mom, but you’re the mom you’re meant to be. You’re not supposed to be like your mom. We grew up in a different time and faced different things than you girls will. You have to make your own path,” he said, hugging her a little tighter.
“Dad, I think you just said why we’re here. You have to make your own path without Mom. She wouldn’t want you alone. She’d want you to have love again and be happy,” Remi said.
“I agree. I don’t know your heart, Dad, but I have seen how your mouth quirks up a little and your eyes light up when Hope walks in the room. If you feel something for her, then you need to follow it. I know I speak for everyone when I say we want you to have someone to grow old with,” Winnie said.
The girls’ words had tears pooling in his eyes. He was happy he had their blessing, but change was hard. The What Ifs were endless. What if he opened himself up and lost Hope, too? What if he couldn’t be the man Hope needed? What if he died before Benji hit high school? Taking a chance with Hope meant taking a chance with Benji.
“And I’m guessing you might be worried about what happens to Benji if something happens to you and Hope. Bear and I have discussed it, and we would take over. Until then, he’d be our little brother, and how cool would that be?” Winnie said.
“Woohoo! I wouldn’t be the youngest anymore. How cool! Okay, so what do we need to do to get Dad on board?” Beth asked.
Locks sniffed and wiped a couple tears away. He’d cried and laughed more the last couple days than he had for a while.
“I think I need to sit down and really think about what I want. Your support, no matter what, means the world to me. Now, let’s quit all this crying and emotional stuff and break out some pumpkin bread. I want to hear all about you girls. I know we all live close, but tell me what’s going on,” Locks said.
He listened as Beth caught them up on what was happening in Texas. Then Sarah tossed in her take on her life along with her pregnancy. Each girl shared what was going on, and Locks realized that they needed to do this more often.
Even if they all weren’t in the same location, they could still get together. He had a lot to think about. What did he want for the rest of his life, and once he figured that out, how did he get it?