Page 65 of Otto: The Hawthornes

“Why?”

The question hit me right in the solar plexus and it was on the tip of my tongue to tell him that I’d been ordered to, but I couldn’t get the words out. Sometime between when I’d been kicked in the balls with the order to marry Esther and sitting down at my parents’ table, something had changed.

It wasn’t like I had some burning desire to marry Esther, far from it. But I also didn’t want people to think that I was being forced into it. She didn’t deserve that. When she’d stood surrounded by women that morning but looked at me for reassurance, I’d suddenly realized that it wasme and hernow. Somehow, we’d become a team.

I could think of worse things.

“We’re havin’ a baby,” I replied blandly.

“You don’t have to get married just because you’re havin’ a kid.”

“You’ve met Esther.” I shrugged. She wasn’t the type to shack up with someone without being married.

“Still—”

“Your brother’s made his decision,” my dad interrupted. He knew about the order. “Leave it alone.”

“She won’t fuck you again unless you’re married,” Rumi said, pointing at me. “That’s it, right?”

I was out of my chair before I even realized that I was moving.

“Rumi,” my dad roared, his hand slapping against my chest.

“Sorry,” Rumi muttered, his hands held up in surrender as he stared wide-eyed. “I was jokin’.”

“You want me jokin’ about Nova?” I asked through gritted teeth. My dad’s hand was still pressed against my chest like he wasn’t sure if he was going to have to hold me back or not. “Imean, didn’t she start hookin’ up with you because you were both drunk?”

Rumi’s expression darkened, but he stayed in his seat. “Point taken.”

“Is the coast clear?” my brother Micky asked, poking his head in the back door. “We started comin’ in the front but I heard you yellin’ so we came around back to give you a minute.”

“Yeah,” I waved him in as I sat back down. “All clear.”

“Cool,” he replied, opening the door wider so Rhett could come inside.

“Grandpa was yelling,” Rhett announced as he strode toward the table. “Rumi!”

“Grandpa’s always yelling at Rumi,” Myla said wryly as she came in behind him. “Why the heck did Micky pick me up today?”

“Because I asked him to.” Dad looked past her. “Where’s Titus?”

“He said he was goin’ to a friend’s house,” Micky replied warily. “Didn’t he clear it with you first?”

Dad shook his head.

“That little fuck,” Micky muttered, pulling out his phone.

“We’re home,” my mom called from the front of the house. “Come help us carry shit inside!”

I was on my feet and headed toward the living room before anyone else. Rumi had been giving me shit calling me a worrywart, but that was exactly what I’d felt like all day. I knew that Esther was fine with my mom, but I’d still felt anxious while she was out of my sight, especially knowing they’d detonated the cabin. The Sons of Calgary were going to be looking for answers and we were the first place they’d look. Allowing the women to go all over town hadn’t been a good idea, and I should’ve said something, but I’d been too concerned about Esther’s feelings.She deserved a real wedding, with decorations and a dress and all that shit.

She was standing inside the doorway, her hands full of bags, and she reminded me of a wilted flower.

“Hey,” she greeted with a small smile, little wisps of hair tickling her cheeks. “I spent all the money you gave me.”

“Good. That’s why I gave it to you,” I mumbled, taking the bags from her hands and setting them on the couch.

God, she was pretty. The braid in her hair seemed to make her look softer or something more approachable. If I was being honest, so did her little round belly. I’d always found Esther attractive, in a purely aesthetic way, but once I’d seen her naked with her hair pooled beneath her, that attraction had grown into something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. It was electric.

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