Page 35 of Half Blind

“You gave me poisons created by the Snake Charmer, which killed people,” Jared replied.

Gabriel cocked his head and said, “You have always been one to think more deeply than the subject requires. There are times in life, Jared, that a chicken is simply a bird. Yes, it is tasty and can be prepared at least a hundred different ways to fit any culinary taste, but at the end of the night, it's just a bird.”

Jared stood up. This is where the conversation always went with his boss. He didn't care if he'd known the man for twenty years. He didn't care if what he did for a living cleared out the refuse of the world. He didn't care if he was paid well. Gabriel Neary was a meddling menace.

“And this bird you want me to marry it, and help raise them girls?”

“Jared, at the end of the night, she is a woman and you are a man,” Gabriel told him. “She is so smart, downright brilliant, if I may say so, and there is documentation to back me up. However, there are times she doesn't know what to do with all the information surging through that big brain of hers. A woman like that needs a man who can think as fast as she can, come up with workable solutions, and not try to cage that pretty bird.”

Jared stopped pacing to glare at Gabriel. “What is with you people and caging the frickin' birds?”

“Because we both know why the caged bird sings,” Gabriel said, smiling. “See what I did there? Stay here with us for a couple of days. Give her time to miss you. Let the other pieces fall into place, then, head home to your family.”

Jared didn't like not discussing matters needing to be discussed. One was the people on his trail. Two was the Archangel's desire to marry him off to a woman who milked venomous snakes and kissed like a demon and made his pants tight. She also made him want to make cute babies with her that slobbered on themselves and called him daddy.Damn it.He found himself angry for wanting a life with her and those children. Anger also stung him around the lips about what would happen if the trouble chasing him caught up and Myrtle had to deal with the issue.

“What about the other issue with that team? Gabriel, we were not playing on the same side,” Jared said. “Those kids I thought we were sent in to help, and they were loading up half for the Chrysalis.”

Gabriel paused, looking at his long-time friend and the man he called when the job needed to be done right. Jared had a prime and fair sense of right and wrong. If there was a wrong and he could help, he would. He trusted the man with his life.

“Speaking of the Chrysalis, The Cranberry, with an assist from Mr. Yield, shut down three of their warehouses last month,” Gabriel said. “She only fired one bullet into the leg of a woman who held out, not wanting to tell her where the other two warehouses were located.”

“Only one bullet,” Jared said, pursing his lips in disbelief. “She is disconcerting. How did she get on with Yield?”

“He is fascinated with her, and he kept going on about how she packed his Go-bag,” Gabriel said. “Funny thing, coming full circle, The Bushmaster's brother, his best guy friend is Mr. Yield. An odd relationship to put it mildly and Yield was the best man at his wedding. He even gets along with Tim.”

“Well, that explains that,” Jared said thinking of Yield’s flamboyant cousin. “The kid, The Bushmaster, wanted to have the man chit-chat with me about his future; told me his dad wouldn't understand. He also said he wanted us to be friends.”

Gabriel was laughing. “Really?”

“What's so funny?”

“If you made a friend in that one, your other issue will take care of itself. You only have to wait a couple of days, then head home to your new family,” Gabriel said.

“You're not funny.”

“Not being funny. Myrtle's farm was my intention for you to ease into your old age,” Gabriel said.

“I am so sick of you! How in the world do you think this is going to work out? I show up with my suitcase and collection of bullets, and she's going to clear half a closet in the bedroom for me? And what should I tell a woman who spent the last five years milking a moferking Gaboon viper about sharing her bed and taking care of wayward young girls? Explain this to me before my head explodes. I'm just supposed to walk in there and say, ‘Hey, The Archangel chose you to be my wife,” Jared said, trying not to hyperventilate.

“No, you return home and tell her The Archangel has chosen you as the only fella he deems worthy to be her man,” Gabriel said, looking at him.

The huff and puff in Jared deflated. There was no humor in his eyes when the Archangel said the words. Jared pointed at himself in disbelief at the Archangel’s regard for him as a man.

“Yes. I love her and promised her grandmother to always look out for her. My shift has come to an end,” Gabriel told her. “I have found the man who will be a husband and life partner and a man she can trust to be around the young women sent for her care.”

“But I want children of my own,” Jared whimpered out of his mouth, feeling defeated.

“And you shall have them,” Gabriel said. “Your shifts of heading up the ground crews have ended. Take your bow. We'll take it from here. But stay a day or two, do some hunting with me. I need dude time. You know, we can have the man chit-chat.”

“Again, I can't stand you,” he said, looking at Gabriel. “Seriously? Her? As my wife? I can see it.”

Later in the day, he planned to call her, let the lady know he'd made it in and to keep an eye out for the trouble on his tail. Jared also wanted to let her know that he'd be back in a few days. Gabriel's back was straight as he walked down the hall towards the cries of a child. He had yet to meet the creator of the noise and assumed that was where his friend was going, to retrieve the slobbering noisemaker for introductions. In the interim, he took out his phone and made the call. She needed to hear from him now instead of later. He wanted to hear her voice and break the waves ahead of the arrival of his headfirst dive.

“The answer's a Lemon,” she said in the line.

“I made it safely,” he said. “Are you and the girls, okay?”

“Yes, the posse came looking for you. Helen was ready for any wild ideas they wanted to bring.”

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