Page 54 of Marcus-stiltskin

I’m still in my bathrobe when I hear a truck pull up. I go downstairs, expecting to meet Marcus at the door, only to see Randy Lamar pulling up in his huge truck, horse trailer attached.

“I’ve got your horse,” is all he says as he goes around the back and opens it up. Ramona steps out regally, her tail swishing as she walks toward the back without even a glance in my direction.

“Where was she?” I ask, as she passes us by.

“She was at my sister-in-law's house, harassing her and Zane.”

“Zane? Is his girlfriend there?” I ask. I haven’t heard from Alyssa since I stopped attending witch school.

Randy shrugs. “I don’t know. I don’t think so.”

“Thanks for bringing her back,” I tell him, half heartedly.

“She’s a beautiful horse. Tell your man, if he ever considers selling her, call me up first.”

I nod as he gets back in his truck and drives away. Marcus reappears not too much later. “She came back!” he laughs as he comes to the back where I’m with Willow and the other donkeys.

“Not willingly. She was out at the Lamar’s place bugging their Luna and the youngest kid.”

Marcus shakes his head. “How far away is that?”

“It’s a ways from the Wild Hare–twenty minutes maybe?” I guess.

“Woah, that horse is fucking crazy.” He stops talking and puts a hand on my arm. “You okay, babe?”

“Yeah, just groggy. I probably slept too long.”

“Are you still going in tonight?” he asks, rubbing my back.

I nod. “I should be good to go by then and it should be a lot calmer tonight.”

“Should be,” he chuckles, shaking his head. Famous last words.

Thankfully, Zach and Zander are both off that night for Zach’s bachelor party. I’m not in the mood to see either one, and, honestly, I doubt they’re eager to see me either. I expect it to bea quiet night–people have got to be exhausted from the craziness of Halloween, but it turns out I’m wrong.

People must want to keep the party going. We have a big crowd, including lots of women, which are way more fun to dance for.

I go home wired and convince Marcus I’m well enough to keep him up well into the early morning hours. We get up, take care of the animals, then head over to Lugh’s and Jaqueline’s to play with the kids and have a late lunch. All in all, it’s a normal, peaceful Saturday. Just what I’ve been needing after all the past week’s insanity.

Back at the fire station, Marcus and I spend way too much time fooling around, so I’m happily late to the Wild Hare for my last shift of the week. I’ve been there maybe thirty minutes when there’s a knock at the dressing room door.

“Steeeeeeely! There’s a hot guy at the door for you! Says his name is Marcus.” Madison, the cocktail waitress, yells from the door of the packed dressing room.

“Oooooooo” the girls as a whole call out. Some days the dressing room is like a therapist’s office, sometimes it's a middle school sleepover. You never know what you’re going to get.

“Uh, oh, Marcus is showing up at work. Things are getting serious!” Marti teases.

Shania snorts. “That woman hasn’t been home all month. She’s been at Marcus’s getting the D.”

Everyone laughs. I roll my eyes and pull on a long sweatshirt. No one is on stage yet, and I’m not looking for extra attention on my way to the door.

The afternoon regulars, along with several hot fae ladies that live in the empty lot behind the Wild Hare, are still at the bar, drinking and bullshitting with all the normal mortals. You can always spot the fae girls on normal days because they look twenty, but dress like they’re twice their age in long skirts andbutton-down shirts. They can’t resist the noise and commotion of the bar during their short monthly transformation window when they can change from their natural tiny state to more human-size.

Among them, drinking and bullshitting, are my not-so-favorite Wild Hare patrons, the vape guys. Hunter, the taller of the two, is telling Norm about the exotic petting zoo for the hundredth time. “You won’t believe it,” he says as I pass by. “But I already managed to snag a pair of capybaras. They’ll be here by Thanksgiving.”

Norm catches my eye and shakes his head, the faint smile on his face making me think he was probably quite handsome back in his day. It’s early still and so there’s nothing going on at the bouncer stand where Eddie is sitting in his usual jeans and black t-shirt, leaning back in his stool as he chats with Marcus.

“There’s no cover fee, you know, you could have just–” I lose my train of thought as Marcus turns to look at me. In his arms is the freshest newborn I’ve seen since baby Jack was born. I put a hand on the bundle he’s holding. “Uh, Marcus, did you just deliver a child?”

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