Page 15 of Gator

“Wow!” Cameron gasped. “What’s Thore doing?”

“Digging your grave. Jump in,” the doc deadpanned, shaking his head. “Romeo, I hate to do this, but I need to go bail Josie out of jail. Can you handle Cameron and whatever the hell it is?”

“Sure.” My cousin rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “And let my cousin know if she needs help to castrate your balls, I’ve got the perfect knife.”

The doc grumbled, “She’s mad. I was just letting her calm down.”

“No, you were biding your time, trying to find a way out of the doghouse.”

“Whatever,” the doc muttered, walking off and yelling, “Just watch the brat and make sure he doesn’t get into trouble.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“Is Josie sure about that one, cuz? He seems a little wound tight for our family, if you get my drift.”

“He’s an educated idiot, but he’s harmless.”

“He needs to get laid.”

Romeo quirked an eyebrow at me and smiled.

“No. No. No!” I grumbled, shaking my head. “I don’t want to know that shit!”

“I’m already gonna have nightmares for life.” Romeo shivered.

Thore cleared his voice and sniffed. “Dearly beloved. Here lies Beulah—”

“Uh, Thore,” Cameron interrupted, tugging on his pants. “It’s a boy raccoon.”

Sniffing, Thore started again, “Dearly beloved. Here lies Beauford...”

After the longest eulogy for a stuffed raccoon I’d ever seen, I grabbed the brat and shoved him inside the tavern. The whole Biker Federation knew what that little shit was capable of. Ain’t no way I was letting him run loose in this town. I was already treading water with the good doc, ain’t no tellin’ what King would do to me.

“Stay away from the bar,” I ordered as Cameron took off running around the tavern, no doubt to check the place out. Pulling out a chair, I sat, and my cousin Romeo did the same.

“I see Thore’s gotten better with his eulogies.”

“He’s a fucking pro at ’em. I’m surprised he didn’t regale us with a few hymns. You should see mymôman’s backyard. Looks like a pet cemetery.”

“So, what’s this I hear you got a woman in the family way?” Rome smiled before adding, “The family grapevine is ringing off the hook, cuz.”

Groaning, I hung my head and nodded. “Yeah,Mômanripped into me the other day and, according to that brat, it’s all true.”

“Never pegged you to believe what a kid says. He give you proof?”

I nodded, reaching into my cut, before handing him a sheet of paper. Saying nothing, I watched as my cousin read the contents and whistled. “Damn, Wade. Don’t know whether to congratulate you or start plannin’ your funeral.” Sliding the paper back to me, I picked it up when he added, “What are you going to do? ’Cause your mom ain’t gonna let go of her granbaby?”

“I know,” I groaned, rubbing my hand down my face. “It’s complicated. My woman don’ want nuttin’ to do wit’ me.”

“And there’s the fact the last time she saw him, she held a knife to his balls,” Juju offered, placing two beers on the table.

Romeo coughed. “She did what?”

“In light of current events, I’m inclined to agree with her.”

“What do you mean?”

“I didn’t wear a condom, and while she took the morning-after pill, I should have known the family curse would rear its ugly head.”

---