Page 114 of Promises to Keep

Fraoch said, “The physician told me the process would take about twenty minutes, and then I can go home soon after. I think gettin’ m’tooth implant was much more trouble.”

James left one hand over his crotch, and put the other over his mouth. Then he said, “All kidding aside, it’s going to be fine, no worries. When’s the procedure?”

“Day after tomorrow.”

CHAPTER 53 - HAYLEY

Quentin drove us to the small medical center, we parked at the far end of the parking lot, and sat on the back of the truck while Fraoch went inside, by himself, to check in.

I chewed my fingernails, Quentin stood looking a little like a bodyguard while we waited.

A few moments later he came out with forms and I filled them out on the hood of the truck.

He said, “I joked with the lady, I asked if the physician’s sword arm was steady, and ye ken what, m’bhean ghlan? She dinna think twas funny, she dinna understand me.” Fraoch’s eyes went wide. “Och Hayley, I am tae hae a surgery on m’incomparable cock, and they canna even make a joke about swords?”

I said, “It’s not the comedy we need, though I do get that it would be nice to have a little bedside manner. Give her a look from me.”

I dotted an i on the form and passed him the stack. “Make sure to tell the doctor that joke, he might appreciate it.”

He strolled back across the parking lot to the medical center.

Quentin said, as he went in the door, “There he goes, our boy is locked and loaded ready to go.”

I said. “His dick is not a weapon!”

“That’s not how he thinks on it.”

“True, but he’s a human and there is a scalpel aimed at his private parts and we ought to just… I don’t know, be quiet and show some respect to the moment.”

“Absolutely.”

I said, “Besides, you’re partly responsible, with your baby making.”

He grinned. “You knew everyone was going to make babies, it was inevitable and Mags is on his third.”

“Yeah, I always knew I would be surrounded by babies. The deluge is still a shock. I didn’t know we would want the vasectomy so urgently, but here we are.”

He nodded. “Here we are.”

He reached into a cooler in the truck, pulled out a couple of sodas with one hand, and passed one to me.

“You’re going to make a good dad.”

He said, “You think? My dad was shite, you think I’ll do better?”

“Oh hell yeah, sheesh, you are not going to be anything like your dad or your stepdad, look at you, the kind of guy who takes care of all of us, and you remember to bring sodas.”

We both took a sip.

He said, “I’m going to walk the perimeter.”

“Always gotta be on guard?”

“Yep.”

He disappeared around the corner.

I scrolled through my phone, which was boring — we weren’t supposed to use social media, but I had an old anon account that I used to use to argue on Twitter with morons and sometimes I used it to look at other people arguing without actually arguing myself. I got a little sidetracked by something going on with Ryan Reynolds and then I heard a gunshot.

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