Page 126 of Sinful Skulls
I wait until I hear her soft snores before letting my eyes fall closed. My thoughts drift to Rachel.
“When I get to Heaven, I’m going to ask God to make you a dad,” Rachel slurs as I’m helping Jackson put her to bed. “That way Jackson’s baby will have someone to grow up with.”
He leans over and whispers into my ear, “Sorry, bro. She’s been in a lot of pain today. We had to up her morphine.”
I go back to fluffing the pillow behind her head. “Oh yeah? You think he’d really trust me with a kid, huh?”
She smiles at me and rubs her nose. “I’m going to make sure he gives you an ornery little soul.”
Jackson shakes his head and laughs. “Well, I’m glad mine’s already in the oven. She’s going to come out sweet as cherry pie.”
His mom sighs happily. “I bet she’ll look just like Willow.”
“Let’s hope so,” I joke.
“Hey.” Jackson punches me in the arm playfully.
“I’m going to ask him to give you a boy,” Rachel continues. She’s used to our rough housing.
“No. Fuck no. If he has a boy, I’m not letting that little fucker anywhere near my daughter.”
I hold my hand over my chest, wounded. “My kid is going to be the most awesome little dude ever.”
Rachel laughs and pats both of our cheeks. “I love you boys. You’ve given me the best life.”
I slide my hand over Daisy’s stomach and stare at the ceiling. My fingers splay over her abdomen protectively. “You’re just trying to make a believer out of me,” I accuse quietly, hoping Rachel can hear me. “But if this baby comes out a boy, you might just have me convinced.”
Epilogue
Daisy ~ Two Years Later
Danielle and I do one last walk through my exhibition. “I’m nervous,” I tell her.
“Don’t be. It’s exceptional work. Really. I guess I’m just curious how you talked them into this. I think I would have been too intimidated to even ask them.”
I only laugh because I understand what she’s saying.
Brody waves to us from the other side of the door. Anthony rushes to open it for him. He immediately takes Jack from Brody’s arms. “There’s my little buddy,” he says, tickling my son.
Danielle smiles as she watches them. “Go on, show Brody around. Anthony and I will watch little Jack.”
Brody kisses my cheek, and I take his hand. We leave our son in the lobby with the couple who have become like an aunt and uncle to me.
“The parents will be here soon. They were enjoying margaritas at the hotel bar when I left them.”
He stops in his tracks, and his eyebrows all but jump off his face when he comes to my first exhibit. “Ho-lee-shit.”
His fingers wrap around the back of his neck as he glances around. He leans over and whispers in my ear, “You better frisk Dirk before letting him in or someone might end up with a knife in their back.”
It makes me laugh. “We’ve already talked about it. He’ll be fine.”
Brody whistles low as he peruses the room. “They’re all of Dirk and Jesse?”
“They are.”
“Wow. They’re all so different, yet every one of them is fucking intoxicating.”
He pauses in front of one where Dirk is kneeling in front of Jesse, and he’s kissing the inside of her thigh. Her bare foot is perched on his knee; her fingers curled in his hair. The entire piece is done in charcoal. It’s one of my favorites.
