Page 23
NATHANIEL
Bright pink, yellow, and blue party balloons decorate Elijah’s backyard. Even the pig pen has streamers hanging off it. Because today is a big day for the Sinclair family, it is my first grandbaby's birthday.
I hear the back door close. Looking over, I spot Elijah holding the birthday girl. He is absolutely enamored and obsessed with his daughter, Sid Sinclair. Behind him Rain follows, her stomach poking out from under her tee. She is nearly six months pregnant with their second child. Never did I think this future would be mine.
Elijah and his tendencies didn’t leave much room for companionship, but when he found Rain, his entire life held a new meaning. He started to show more fire and passion, and a willingness to learn and understand her human nature. He thrives on making her happy, how she felt becoming the most important thing to him. And now that’s been extended to his daughter.
He still couldn’t give two shits about anyone in such depth, and I am convinced he is still trying to kill Rylee, but it’s fine. I’ve explained to her that if he wasn’t fazed by her, that’s when she should worry. Because she would have been dead already.
The Devil’s Society was a rather smooth transition, considering the circumstances. We kept a lot of outside contacts, dealers, suppliers, law enforcement, banks, and academics, and many later even admitted they prefer dealing with us. We are fair, but firm.
Initiation nights are not announced and they are nothing like Hell Fire Night. We keep to ourselves and don’t involve the town. Everything is internal; those involved in the lifestyle only. And no more masks. People know where they stand, they know the rules and that you either follow them or end up six feet under. We also had to take the bodies down from the church after a few days, as they started rotting with bodily fluids oozing out of their orifices. It was fucking vile.
Elijah was annoyed, but I told him next time we needed to set an example, and he could remake his version of the ‘last supper.’ And that poor priest, E is up his ass all the time whenever he sees the old guy. He holds his arms out and preaches about him being our new bitch.
To be clear, the priest isn’t our bitch, but we do use the church, often for meetings, and other extracurricular activities. And the town seems to appreciate the new changes. Of course they were rattled by the events leading up to our takeover, but we’ve embedded ourselves within the community to help better it; while also fulfilling our own agendas.
I hear Rylee squeal first, rushing over to her cousin Cecilia, who just arrived with my brother, D.
I am one lucky son of a bitch.
D looks at the girls, confused, then heads over to sit with me, looking stressed. Shaking his head in disbelief, my brother whispers, “She’s pregnant.”
“Who?” I question back.
“Cecilia. We just found out before coming over.”
I smile. Standing, he meets me as I embrace him, and joke, “You are so fucked, brother. They both will have you wrapped around their fingers.”
“Don’t I know it. But fuck.” He pauses. I can hear his thoughts racing. “What if I’m too old for this?”
Stepping back, I laugh. “You are, but it doesn’t change anything. You will still love that kid unconditionally regardless. I mean, look, I’m about to have another grandkid and couldn’t be happier.”
Then a loud scream startles us from behind.
Cecilia must have just told Rylee, she’s jumping with glee. This catches the entire party's attention, and D takes the heat off his lady by announcing, “I knocked her up.” Everyone starts to laugh then cheer. Congratulations roll in and I step back, allowing him to mingle. He hates mingling so this brings even more joy to my day.
Before I can make my way to my granddaughter, Greta barks at me impatiently, “Now where’s that psychotic son of yours?” Yes, she is still living here.
The Ranch was rebuilt months ago but she’s never moved in. Most of the girls returned and even a few guys. It’s great, but Greta never returned. She helps run it, but has really passed the reins over to Rylee for the more day-to-day operations. It’s a big step and secretly, I’m proud of her, because Rylee is fucking killing it as the house mother.
Pointing behind me, I reply, “He went to feed the pigs.”
The cleanup crew from last night dropped off a few bodies to Elijah. He hates overfeeding them so he rations the bodies and feeds the pigs every couple hours. It’s impressive, he cares for those pigs more than I thought he would.
And the body farm is still in my fucking backyard. And the worst part, we are used to it now. The smell doesn’t bother us and sometimes we wake up with new faces littering the yard. Rylee has even started to name them like they are her new friends.
If we let Karma outside, she pisses on them. Warning them this is her territory. And recently, Elijah has started to grow lion's mane and oyster mushrooms off their skin. I don’t want to fucking know, so I don’t ask. But I still wonder why he can’t do this at his own fucking house, look at all this land.
“Do you smell that?” Elijah sniffs the air dramatically. Sid giggles in his arms. This should be good. I laugh as he continues, “Greta, did you shit yourself?” An unexpected roar of laughter bursts from my mouth.
I can feel anger radiating from her body. If she doesn’t throw her walker at him at least once today, I’d be impressed. “Oh, you motherfucker. You know that’s your pigs.”
Rain comes to stand next to me. I wrap my arm around her shoulders and pull her close. Kissing the top of her head, my lips move on her hair. “You can tell me. I know you know.”
The overwhelming excitement I have, to have another grandbaby, is really embarrassing, but I don’t fucking care. She slaps my chest and looks up at me, mouthing, “Boy.”