Page 57 of Surviving You, Scotch and Sammy 1

“And yet you’re sneaking out under the cover of darkness? Stuff was decided in the heat of the moment! The fact you’re continuing your plans after the huge bombshell yesterday is the heat of the moment. Plans change, so we adapt. We don’t just forge forward because we’re proud.”

My glaring eyes snap to his. “This isn’t me being proud. This is me taking care of business. This is me taking care of my wife and baby. And don’t talk to me about proud. We still don’t know who hit you the other week. Why won’t you tell us, huh? Now who’s hiding shit?”

Marc rolls his eyes and steps back. “Whatever. The two are in completely different fucking universes. Now you’re just reaching.” He turns back to me with eyes of sadness instead of anger. “I don’t wanna fight. I just don’t wanna lose you. I don’t wanna lose either of you. Reconsider and stay? We’ll take care of you guys, we won’t let her folks anywhere near her.”

I step toward him, dropping my now full bag on my bed, and take him in my arms, squeezing him in a hug so tight, we both laugh to let off some steam. “I promise we won’t go far. You’re my brother, and I’m not just throwing that away. We’ll be around, and if the baby is a he, we’ll give him your name as a middle name or something.”

He laughs quietly. “Luc will be pissed.”

“Nah, my kid is strong enough for four middle names.”

“And if it’s a girl?”

“Then it doesn’t matter, ‘cause I’m locking her in a tower and she won’t speak to anyone anyway.”

Marc chuckles softly as his eyes drop to the floor. “Jesus, I’m devastated you’re ditching. I wanna see this shitfest first hand. You think you got problems looking after Britt and Kari… Your world is about to fucking explode.”

I laugh and squeeze his shoulder a final time. “You already got your baby girl, Marc. You’ve played daddy to Kari for long enough. I’ll be calling you for advice, I promise.”

“Good luck with that shit. Kari’s an angel, and I still feel like an old man with worry.”

“She’ll be alright. We’ll take care of business.”

“We always do,” he mutters. He turns around to search in the dark, then pulls on jeans and turns back.

I frown. “What are you doing?”

“I’m coming down with you. I wanna hug the baby mama. I kinda like her too, you ass. It’s not all about you.”

“Marc--”

“You know Ang and Luc will be there, too. You’re smarter than that. Don’t be that guy.”

He’s right, and I even had my heart set on them being there. It’ll prolong the goodbyes, but I’ll be glad to have my brothers with me.

Half an hour later, Marc and I slowly ride onto the dirt road surrounding the lake, and I pull up beside Ang’s car while he sits on the hood spinning his keys on the tip of his finger.

Luc yawns obnoxiously. “‘Bout time, asshole.”

I look around the lake as my heart beats with exhilaration. Tonight, I get to sleep in the same bed as my wife. This is the first day of the rest of our lives, and I can’t wait to get started.

I step up to Luc, because that’s what’s expected of me, and I hit him in the shoulder. “Shut up, ass.”

“I’d argue I wanna be asleep right now, you know, beauty rest and all that shit. But your face looks like a Mac truck ran you down, then backed up and did it again. Seems to me I’m pretty enough.”

“That was me,” Angelo announces proudly. “Wanted to give him a proper send away.”

“You’re both assholes.”

Angelo stands from his relaxed lean against the car, and when he steps toward me, I actually have to consciously not flinch. My face hurts like a bitch, and I might cry if he hits me again.

He holds his hand out to me to shake, and though I frown at his formality, I extend my hand too. “I love you, Ang--” My hand doesn’t stop on another soft palm, but the sharp point of keys. “What--”

“You can’t take your pregnant bride off on an adventure on a bike, bud.”

“I can’t take your car.”

“Sure you can. It cost me less than three-hundred bucks to buy. The rest was time spent, and now that I’ve fixed her up, it’s time for a new one.”

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