Page 17 of Irons

All the guys were turned away from Addie and trying their hardest not to laugh.

Creed shut his eyes for a moment and sighed before he opened them. “Who taught you that word?”

“Da stupid Maween!” Addie nodded real big.

“Addie, sweetie, all Marines aren’t stupid. Just the ones that eat glue and we have a lot of them around. Which one was it?” Creed asked.

She pointed at Weston who looked like a deer caught in headlights. Addie pointed at him. “Uncle Twaviss say he too stupid for Army and he should be a Maween.”

Creed chuckled and looked at me then Weston. “She’s right, you know? Picking a fight with a six year old about those damn snow cones again? Not smart, buddy. You know we are trying to break her of this kind of behavior.”

Weston pointed at Addie. “She’s evil! All I did was say no about taking her to the commissary for a snow cone. She started calling me names and I shot back.”

Creed looked at Addie. “We told you no about going to the commissary. You can’t bully the boys into taking you places. You know they’re scared of you.”

I reached in the fridge for a beer as Creed tried to correct Addie.

“Weston’s a pussy boy.” Addie declared.

The entire room fell silent, and I almost dropped my beer. I watched as Creed’s face slowly turned red. “No way, you said… wait…did that stupid Marine teach you that word?”

She shook her head. “No, you did, daddy.”

Creed’s jaw dropped. “Me?” He pointed at himself.

Addie nodded really big. “I wud at doggy twaining and you yelled at a pwospect. Say he was a mother fu…” Creed put his hand over her mouth and looked around for Morgan.

At that point I had to turn around and laugh as silently as possible so Addie wouldn’t see me.

“Addie, those are bad words daddy shouldn’t have said. If mommy hears you, she’s not going to be happy. No more bad words, okay?”

“But daddy.” Addie tilted her head. “It’s no bad word. You say da odder night you wuv mommy’s tight pu…”

“Oh my God!” I had to stop the whole damn thing. “Let’s go.” I made strides to the back door and opened it for all the guys to follow. I barely had the door shut before we all burst out into uncontrollable laughter. Except for Patrick, he was cursing and holding his ears. That in fact, made us laugh harder.

“Did you hear that, Rossi? Your sister has a tight pussy!” Axton was crying from laughing so hard.

“Fuck you, Axton!” I thought Patrick was going to start crying, but then I heard someone clear their throat. We all turned and saw Darren standing there with his arms crossed.

“What did you just say about my niece?” He must have just walked out and missed the whole thing with Addie, but we were laughing too hard to notice.

“Shit.” Axton rubbed his neck. “I didn’t say it, Addie said it.”

Darren lifted a brow. “Excuse me?” To make it worse Darren was in his Sheriff uniform and had a gun in his holster.

Axton pointed at Weston. “It’s all his fault.”

The back door opened, and I saw Addie. “Where’s your mom and dad?”

“In sheshon wif Auntie Vawerie. Mommy’s started cwying because Daddy say bad words. He in twouble.” She looked up and her eyes lit up. “Uncle Darewin!”

She jumped into his arms. “Addie, did you get Daddy in trouble again?” Darren asked.

She nodded real big. “Mommy earwatchinol. Babies make her cry.”

Darren tilted his head. “She’s what?”

I cleared my throat. “I think she’s saying irrational.”

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