Page 80 of Gator

The second Devlyn smelled the pizza, her nose scrunched, and she stopped chewing. Slowly swallowing the food in her mouth, she asked, “Is that a pepperoni pizza?”

“Yep.” Worm smiled. “Along with salami, olives, and anchovies.”

“Oh God!” my woman said, quickly covering her mouth as she hightailed it out of the kitchen.

“What the hell?” Donut gasped as he looked at Worm.

“Yeah, brother,” Braveheart said, placing his hands on the table, glaring at Worm.

“Explain, now,” I sneered at the fucker.

Worm simply shrugged his shoulders and took another bite. “It was a simple deduction, really. Devlyn has been enjoying everything New Orleans has to offer since she arrived. From Juju’s food to her favorite sandwich, the muffuletta. But there is one thing she hasn’t touched.”

“Pizza,” I whispered, my eyes widening with glee as my stomach grumbled.

“Bingo.” Worm grinned. “She hasn’t touched a single pizza.”

“Yer a genius!” Braveheart declared, reaching for a slice only to have Worm slap his hand away.

“Mine,” the fucker sneered. “Go buy your own.”

Braveheart looked at me. “Can Ireallykill him now?”

Glaring at Worm, I reached for a slice, daring the fucker to slap my hand. When he didn’t stop me, I moaned as the hot gooey cheese hit my mouth. “This is heaven.”

“Give me a slice,” Donut said threateningly as he reached for his throwing stars. “Or I will permanently embed my stars into your bones.”

Knowing when he was beaten, Worm shoved the pizza box toward the middle of the table as the rest of my brothers grabbeda slice. Slightly sulking over losing his claim to the pizza, he grabbed a soda can, popped it open, and muttered, “You’re all ingrates. I was the one who figured out Devlyn couldn’t stomach pizza, and this is the thanks I get.”

“You want a thank you,” I said reaching for the last slice. “Bring enough pizza for everyone.”

Epilogue

“And they lived happily ever after.”

“Tell me another, Papa.” My youngest yawned, snuggling deeper into her pillow. Her sister already long gone into dreamland.

“Tomorrow, sweetheart. It’s late, and Papa needs his sleep.”

“Papa?”

“Hmm.”

“Do you know the story of Uncle Donut?”

Smiling, I leaned down and tucked her quilt around her. “I sure do. Would you like me to tell you tomorrow?”

“Does it have a happy ending, too?”

“Oh,Chèr,” I whispered. “There is nothing happier thanThe Donut, The Butterfly, and The Mad Scientist.”

“Wow.” My little girl smiled. “I love you, Papa.”

“I love you too, baby,” I whispered, kissing her forehead.

Turning off the light, I got up and walked to the door, pausing to look back at my three miracles.

So much like their mother.

---