Page 11 of Curves for the Crass (Rejected 8)

“What the fuck is he doing here?” Canaan growls, standing and stomping his way.

“Who is that?” I ask and am floored when he growls.

“My dad.”

What? I thought he ran off, no longer in the picture, gone with the wind.

“What the fuck is he doing here?” I growl, stomping up right beside my man. Now we’re on the same page, and there will be hell to pay.

“Canaan, good to see you, my boy! You’ve grown so much.” The man smiles and opens his arms, ready for a hug.

“That's what happens to fucking children, you piece of shit. Even when you leave them high and fucking dry for years, guess what happens? They grow the fuck up,” Canaan yells.

“I am your father. You will not yell at me,” the man says, putting his hands down and scowling at Canaan.

“Father? Tell me the last fucking time you were EVER a father to me?” Canaan seethes.

“Well, that’s not my fault. There was this job. I got hooked up with the wrong people. I had to leave to protect you and your mother,” he babbles on and on.

“Oh, that job? Was it named Sheryl? Too busy fucking her like you got paid for it? Having more kids and raising them in that two-story dream house with the white picket fence? How dare you show up here! How dare you come anywhere near her! She was a good mom. She was always there for me, but when you left, you might as well have taken her heart and mind with you. She lost it, and what did I lose? Both parents. What the fuck could you possibly want now? To rub it in that she’s dead, and you still get to be here? Wasting air?”

“No, I came to pay my respects,” he says, puffing out his chest, but he won't meet Canaan's eyes.

“Now tell us the real reason you are here,” I say menacingly.

“And who the fuck…” Canaans' dad cuts off at Canaan’s step toward him and menacing growl.

“Alright. Alright. I came here about the life insurance policy. I’m in a bind and could really use..”

He doesn't get to finish. Canaan steps up and punches him right in the face. He doesn’t stop there; he keeps wailing on him before the preacher yells out.

“Alright, young man, while I think he more than deserved that beating, you have a bright future ahead of you… plus, I don’t like doing more than one funeral in a day,” he says before turning and heading back into the church.

We all stare after him, wincing at getting caught beating up an old man in a church parking lot. Then we hear a booming laugh. It doesn’t stop, and we all turn in unison to look at Canaan, who is doubled over laughing his ass off. When he finally gets himself under control, he looks at us and smiles.

“Guess all I needed was a bit of bitching and punching. I feel great! Let's go get something to eat.

Epilogue

Canaan

Four Years Later:

“Uncky Madooo! Unky Madoo!!” My baby girl Everleigh jumps off my lap, screaming at her Uncle, who is coming through the door.

“Damn, what am I, chopped liver?” I ask, getting to my feet and turning to my brother-in-law and my sweet, traitorous baby girl.

“Sowwy daddy, we’s gets tacos,” Ever says, grinning and kissing Mateo on every inch of his face she can reach.

“Yeah, baby girl, we get the tacos,” he laughs, tickling her side.

“Hey, baby brother. How’s your senior year going?” Mercedes asks, coming in from the kitchen looking as sexy as ever.

She filled out even more after we had our baby girl, and I hope it happens again with the next baby I plan to give her soon. I’ve been trying to find the perfect time to bring up having another baby, but I’m too impatient. After she ended up pregnant after our first time together, saying we were scared would be an understatement. Still, with the love that we share and our family of aunts and uncles behind us, we made it just fine. My mom had a small life insurance policy, which was enough to get us out of town and help put the cost down for my brothers and me to start our custom bike shop.

Our lives have been busy, but full of love and laughter. Even through the hard times. Like when Mercedes was kicked out by her parents for getting pregnant. How they tried to force Mateo to stop all contact. We stopped contact with them that day and never turned back, but Mateo refused to let me, Mercedes, and Ever go. He fought and finally told his parents if they tried to make him choose, he would pick us. They gave up and just try their best to ignore it. We just ignore them and live our lives full of happiness.

“Is Bram coming toway?” Ever asks Mateo. I watch closely as a look of longing and heartbreak comes over Mateo’s face.

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