Page 71 of Misery and Ecstasy

Anger burns my apprehension away as Royce lobs disrespect at McKinsey. I’m about to speak up, but she beats me to it.

“Well, at least we have one thing in common.” Kins picks her water up again, tilting her glass in Royce’s direction.

The two of them exchange the most awkward, hatred-yet glee-filled laughter with one another I’ve ever witnessed. From that moment on, Royce and McKinsey are the only two people in the room who appear at ease, leaving the rest of us to worry that this will be yet another dinner that erupts into a fight.

* * *

“Can I help with anything?” McKinsey hands her plate over to Maggie as the girls clear the table.

“Not this time.” Maggie winks at her. “You don’t get to fulfill the noble role of kitchen wench until after you fully pledge your life to the club. Or unless you’re lucky enough to be the spawn of Satan.”

Her smile drops, and she shoots daggers at Royce before carrying the stack of dirty dishes into the kitchen.

“I think she likes Royce even more than I do.” Kins whispers so no one else can hear.

I laugh at her sarcasm, nodding in agreement.

“Trust me, the rocky relationship you have with your mother couldn’t hold a candle to theirs.”

“Let’s go, gentleman. Church.” Royce grumbles as he stands.

I catch him, briefly glancing at McKinsey, before he looks at me. Breathing in deeply, he sighs as though he’s conceding. It almost seems like progress was made tonight. They weren’t exactly laughing together in enjoyment, but they did find they have at least one thing in common.

The barest of tolerance for one another.

But his disrespect toward her won’t be tolerated, and I plan to address it.

“Are you going to be okay for a little? We shouldn’t be longer than thirty minutes or so.”

Maggie answers for Kins before she can speak.

“Oh, we’ll be fine. I’ll keep a good eye on her.”

McKinsey stands, and Maggie throws her arm around her shoulders.

“Tell me, Doc. How do you feel about chocolate fudge brownie ice cream?”

Maggie shoots me an evil but playful smile as Kins watches our exchange.

“Hey, you’re playing with fire now, Mags. You better leave me some.” Locking eyes with McKinsey, I flick my fingers from my eyes to hers. “You keep an eye on her for me, Doc.”

Her eyes twinkle as she rolls them, laughing softly.

I give her one last wink before walking down the hallway and into the chapel.

Taking my seat next to Royce, my stare is less than friendly as I wait for him to acknowledge me.

“What?” he spits without looking at me. The room grows quiet.

“You fucking know what. If any one of us would have spoken to Delilah the way you spoke to McKinsey, you would have had our balls on a platter.”

Finally looking at me, his jaw tics as he thinks about what to say. But he’s got nothing. He knows he was wrong. And he knows I lost some respect for him because of it.

“This couldn’t have waited until after church, when we had some privacy?” Royce looks around the room, clearly uncomfortable with being challenged in front of everyone. He’s right, though, and I may very well pay for it, but I don’t let that keep me from my tirade.

“It’s safer for you if we do this here. With witnesses and people to pull me off of you if I fucking snap.” Royce’s lips snarl in anger at my threat, but I ignore it and continue. “You had a chance to bury the animosity between you and the doc. Two people who didn’t want to be at that table tonight came to dinner. But only one of them had enough balls to put their differences behind them and find a way to move forward.”

In a huff, Royce stands so quickly, his chair is thrown backward and crashes to the floor.

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