Page 25 of Cash

Feeling these emotions, I totally understand the whole Momma Bear comments I’ve heard said about mothers. Dads feel it too, ladies. Maybe it’s a little different, maybe not. What I do know for sure is that I will never understand Liam’s mom’s actions. Maybe she was doing what she thought was best for Liam, but I can’t condone her method.

When Liam quiets, I gently place his blanket back over him and head back to bed. Glancing at the clock, I groan when I see the time. It’s nearly daybreak, and I know Dad will be showing up as soon as he wakes. Finally falling asleep, I do it with a smile on my face.

*~*~*~*

“You look like death, Cash. One day into fatherhood and already you’ve aged badly. What the hell are you going to look like by the time Liam’s old enough to drive?” Dad cackles as he rocks side-to-side with Liam against his shoulder.

“Don’t listen to him. You’re still hot as all fu—” Terry insists before getting cut off abruptly.

“Finish that sentence and I’ll make sure you look very masculine in that rainbow-colored casket they’ll be placing your remains into,” Lola barks while slapping the back of his head with a dishtowel.

“Why must you always resort to violence?” Terry whines.

“Because it works?” Lottie asks sarcastically while setting full plates of food on the table.

I see Lola make a quick movement just as I’m taking a swig of coffee. I literally choke on it when Terry’s eyebrows hit his hairline, and he squawks at Lola, “Did you just dab?”

“I did. I dabbed it out,” Lola replies while shooting a wink my direction.

“How the hell do two old bitc… um, older ladies know how to dab?” Terry sputters.

“What the hell, fancy pants? We’re not too old to watch TMZ,” Lottie replies. “It’s not just for you girlie boys, you know.”

“We happen to be huge fans of Betty White too. If she can dab, so can we. You got any smart-ass comments to make about her?” Lola challenges.

“Who the hell is Betty White?” Terry asks with a frown.

“Who the hell is Betty White? What is wrong with you, Terry? Seriously, I want to know. First, you dress like you rummage for your clothing in dumpsters. Second, your tongue’s always hanging out of your mouth when Cash is around. Don’t make me see that again! Third, you don’t know who Betty White is. All of that adds up to a serious state of sadness about your life. That’s it! When breakfast is over, we’re going to binge-watch “The Golden Girls” on Netflix. While doing that, Cash is going to explain the gash on the back of his head and why Lola and I had to hear that he’s a dad second-hand,” Lottie states while tapping a wooden spoon on the table every couple of words.

“At least I got left out of that ass-chewing,” Dad says with a chuckle.

“You’re not off the hook yet, Lars. Cash having a baby but no wife. Hmmpf. You fell down as a father because apparently you didn’t teach him about where babies come from. Or how to use a condom. Birds and the bees, Lars. Not that we’re not happy to have little Liam, mind you,” Lola adds while placing a hand on Liam’s back.

“Thank you, Terry. Thank you for stirring them up,” Dad mutters.

*~*~*~*

Surprisingly without argument, Terry and the Aunts settle in side-by-side on the couch to watch “The Golden Girls.” I clean up the kitchen while Dad talks nonsense to Liam. When I hear a car pull in the drive, I know without looking it’s Taja. Walking to the front door, I open it just as she’s ready to knock. Standing behind her are Vex, Tessie and Bella.

“Hey, Cash. It’s okay that we stopped over, isn’t it?” Taja asks.

“Of course, it is. Cash loves us, and he wants Bella and me to meet our new nephew,” Tessie states as she pushes past Taja, goes up on her tiptoes to brush a kiss on my chin and then saunters past me.

“You never need to ask that, Taj,” I answer as she grins and flies by making a straight beeline for Liam.

I hold the door open further and shoulder bump Vex as he follows Taja. Closing the door after Bella enters, I look down into her smiling face for almost a second before she slams into me and buries her face in my chest. Placing my hand on the back of her head, I hold her there for a moment. When she pulls away, I’m surprised to now see a frown on her pretty face.

“I know everyone’s mad about Liam’s mom leaving him alone at the gym. That was horrible, selfish and mean. Please don’t be mad at me, but I’m glad she did it. He’ll have a great life with us, and he’s lucky to have you as his dad. What she did was wrong, but he’s better off this way than if she’d kept him. His life would have been worse with her. I wish my mom, my biological mom, would have left me at the garage when I was his age. I would only have good memories then,” Bella whispers vehemently.

I pull her face back to my chest and whisper in her ear.

“Couldn’t be mad at you if I tried, Bella. I’m glad she did it too because that means he’ll have you in his life. Love you, girl.”

“Love you, too. Now show me our newest angel.”

Walking into the kitchen with Bella, I see Taja and Dad locked in a stare-down. Dad’s still holding Liam and Taja’s not so patiently waiting for her turn. Vex is kicked back in my recliner while Tessie is sitting on a countertop, grinning at my dad.

“You held him yesterday, Taja,” Dad states.

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