Page 52 of The Syphon King

“Mah-Mah, you and the Belle Eveque and all the wives of the twelve will be over everything women and children.”

“We can surely do that,” Mah-Mah said, getting Beth and the ladies’ agreement.

“Pah-Pah, you’ll be head foreman with me on all building projects unless you want to be the boss.”

“Son, I get all my bossy needs met with your Mah-Mah who’s been very good at keeping me from retiring.”

The chuckles rolled with that.

“He’s tired of trying to retire,” Jek mused.

“Ain’t my fault the swamp got hit with a northern love bug.” Mah-Mah aimed her wicked brows at Beth and winked. “Not that I’m complaining.”

“I don’t think any of us are,” Bullets chuckled.

“Speak for yourself,” Traps complained.

“Maybe we should let thefatedicespeak for you,” Bishop said.

“Ohhhh, spanked by the Eveque,” Spook said.

“Getting back to the job,” Bishop said. “We’ll treat each Hatch like its own town. Everything relevant to expansion will be expanded by fifty percent. Schools, Swamp Hops, fully functioning self-sustained homesteads etc. Jek will give each leader an expansion list. Those who have Hoard-wide jobs like 8-Bit, Patches, and Bacon, will get with Jek on obtaining extra help for the added workloads. Any questions can be brought to—again, Jek.”

Mah-Mah raised her hand and Bishop nodded at her. “Now, hear me out,” she began, getting Pah-Pah’s audible sigh. She shoved him before she smiled sweetly. “In times of trouble and trepidation, it’s been my experience that it’s even more important—”

“She still wants her parties,” Pah-Pah finished.

“Only because I think it’s necessary for the women and children and especially the men who will be well overworked and in need of a good winding down,” she justified. “I was thinking of expanding our new church services y’all had planned with a little supper.”

“Little,” Pah-Pah mused while everybody snickered.

“Well, I mean it’ll be as big as it needs to be,” she said, defensive.

“I like it,” Seer said, getting her blinding smile aimed at him.

“I do too,” Bishop said, bringing her shocked gasp.

“Really?”

“I think we want to build bonds now more than ever.”

“Amen,” she cried, clapping discreetly then kissing Pah-Pah on the cheek. “The women will take care of all of it,” she assured, getting all their eager smiles of compliance.

“Well, if it’s okay, we can get busy with our side of things,” Belle Eveque suggested.

“We’re done enough for now.”

“We’ll be at the main house,” Mah-Mah said. “May as well cook up something while we’re at it.”

That was met with a round of eager approval before they all left out, leaving Bishop eyeing all of them. “I know I said we’re putting all current affairs on hold, but what can’t we afford to let fall through the cracks?”

“What about the Vickis,” Bullets said. “How we dealing with that mess?”

“We’re not, the Creole Kings will.”

“Whosaid?” Bullets wondered.

“Nidev. Already mentioned it and he guaranteed us they’d handle it.”

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