Page 30 of Van

“We could do that. Can’t hurt,” I say. Mask nods his head, agreeing with me. It can’t hurt to have a sit down with them. It might ease some of the tension we feel right now.

“Then let’s do that. Let’s set up a meeting with them and see what the fuck is goin’ on. We don’t need a war with seven fuckin’ guys,” Mask says, addressing the room. We all agree, and church is ended. The guys file out and back into the main room as I linger with my cigarette.

“You two good now?” Mask asks, wanting to know about Chy and me.

“We’re somethin’.”

“You fuckin’ did all that over a woman?”

“She’s different, Mask.”

“She’s also pregnant. You didn’t want kids,” he reminds me.

“I know. But maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, yeah?”

“Is that you, Van Macintosh, that I hear sayin’ it might not be that bad?” he laughs. I know it was never me. I never wanted this, but things change.

“Yeah, that’s me. I want her, and she comes with a kid. What can I do but accept it?”

“You know it’s not gonna be that easy.”

“Nothin’ good is ever easy, yeah?”

“You might be right there. You think you’re ready to be someone’s stepdad, though?” he asks me. I shrug my shoulders and grab the beer sitting in front of me, bringing it to my lips. I take a long pull before sitting back in my seat.

“Can’t be that hard, right?”

“What the fuck do you mean it can’t be that hard? It’s raisin’ a kid, Van. It’s teachin’ a kid right from wrong. It’s showin’ a kid how to be a man.”

“Exactly. Not that hard,” I repeat. He laughs.

“You’re fuckin’ insane,” he tells me. I laugh this time.

“I want his mom. What the fuck am I supposed to do? Say I can’t deal with the kid?”

“No. You can’t do that. They come as a package, but are you ready for that?”

“I will be.”

“When?”

“When he gets here. I’ve been thinkin’ about this shit, Mask. I really want to be with her. I like her.”

“Then you better man up and handle that shit. She’s gonna depend on you, Van, and that’s not somethin’ you can just walk away from.”

“I know. I’ve thought about that too,” I tell him.

“Have you or have you been thinkin’ with your cock?” he asks. I get it. I get why he thinks that way, but I’ve actually thought about this. I’ve thought it over, and I know what I need to do. If I want Chy, I need to man the fuck up and accept what this is and what it’s going to entail.

“I got this, Prez. I promise,” I tell him.

“You better because the girls are gettin’ attached to her and want to keep her around,” he says.

“No shit?”

“No shit. They like havin’ her, and I think they’re excited about the baby, too,” he adds. I bet they are. They love having babies around here.

“I got this, Prez.”

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