Chapter Banana Chocolate Chip
Banana Chocolate Chip
Max
One foot in front of the other. Hope is safely in bed. She crashed the moment we got back from the hospital. Fiona went to her room silently.
The shower I just took did nothing to help with the fatigue, but then what do I expect when I didn’t sleep at all last night.
Coffee might help.
“Are you watching Hope sleep?” Everett peeks over my shoulder as we walk down the stairs.
“When you have kids, you’ll understand.”
“What? That you’re an overprotective nut? I’d just set up a program to monitor their vital signs. Way less intrusive.”
Everett still underestimates me. I flip screens to the one with Hope’s vital signs.
“Oh.”
Exactly. “Sometimes I just need to see with my own eyes that she’s still alive.”
“I don’t really know Gabe, but yesterday was scary. It was like watching my mom die again.”
None of us stopped to think about how this might have affected Everett. I stop and lean against the wall. “That had to be hard.”
He shrugs. “It was like she was there one moment and gone the next. I’ll never got to say goodbye.
I don’t even know where they buried her or if they buried her.
It was common for them to cremate remains.
She’s probably just dust that they tossed out without a single thought. These people aren’t human.”
He went through so much. “What was your mother’s name?”
“Tanith.”
“It started with the same letter as Mom’s.”
“That’s really common for twins.”
“It’s wild to think Mom had a twin who she never met. Was your mom a good cook like mine?”
Everett shrugs. “I don’t know. We didn’t have a kitchen.”
A bunker without individual kitchens. These little clues will help.
“Sharing your family—”
“Our family. You’re part of us forever.”
Everett blinks back tears.
“We’ll never make up for the fact that you lost your mom, but at least you’ll have someone looking out for you when she can’t.”
“Will you threaten doctors and offer to buy hospitals for me, like you did for Gabe?”
“I will.”
“Fiona almost lost her mind yesterday when Antonio tossed her over the wall. I don’t think she’s ever broken a rule in her life.”
Fea’s broken laws. “Not by choice.”
“You picked the best woman in the world. You know that, right? If I were five years older, I would have fought you for her.”
Everett wouldn’t have stood a chance. “Maybe if you put on a hundred pounds of muscle in those years.”
He flexes a scrawny arm. “I’m working on it. I gained some weight this week.”
“Let’s keep that up. It smells like Mom has something wonderful cooking in the kitchen.” The thought of food turns my stomach, but I’ll eat to keep up my strength. The family needs me to do whatever I can during this time.
“I don’t think it’s your mom.”
“Huh? Why do you say that? Mom always cooks when she’s stressed.” The more stressed she is, the more complex the dish.
“We’ll see.” Everett smiles.
That kid likes messing with people’s heads.
We climb down the stairs together and head into the kitchen.
Fiona takes a tray of muffins out of the oven as we step in. “Hungry?”
“Oh yeah.” Everett walks over. “Your banana chocolate chip muffins are the best.” He winks at me.
The kid knew by smell that Fiona was cooking.
I can’t wait until I know just by the scent that it’s my woman in the kitchen.
Unlike Everett, I walk over and wrap an arm around Fiona as I steal a muffin.
“They look amazing. Thank you for making them.” She cooked for my family after not getting a moment of sleep all night. Any other woman would have gone to bed.
My woman thought of others’ needs first. I’m going to have to carry her up to bed before she works too hard. But not until I kiss her silly. Maybe I’ll start with that delectable neck of hers.
Dad walks in with Dash on his arm. “Your mother will be down in a few minutes.”
Why doesn’t it surprise me that Mom didn’t go to sleep either?
“Those smell delicious. Thank you, Fiona.” Dad walks up and nabs a muffin from the platter.
Dash makes a grab for it.
“You need some teeth for that, little man.” Dad expertly moves it away from those grasping hands.
“I don’t think he cares.” I know I wouldn’t have when the food smelled this good.
“There’s more in the oven. I thought you could bring some for those that might need it later.” Fiona tries to wriggle out of my arms.
“Oh, no, you don’t. Have I told you how much I love you today?” I kiss my way slowly up her neck.
“Kids, there isn’t enough time for that. I need to talk to you two boys in my office before your mother gets down.”
That’s not good. Are we going to make arrangements for Gabe? I give Fiona a peck on the cheek and follow Dad back to his office.
As soon as the door closes, Dad says, “Max, I need you to do something for me. Everett, you’re welcome to join him, but you don’t need to if you think this might be too hard for you.”
“Whatever you need.” Whatever it is, it isn’t going to be pleasant.
Dad reaches into his pocket and pulls out a slip of paper.
“This is your grandmother’s current address.
Your mother swore years ago that she wouldn’t ever speak to her parents again.
I was going to do this myself, but I need to be with your Uncle Antonio right now. We’re worried about his mental health.”
He’s been getting better for years now, but I can see why Dad is worried. “You want me to ask her about Tanith.”
Dad raises an eyebrow. Then, understanding dawns on his face. “Yes. We need to know whatever she might know.”
Every detail she can remember will help.
“I want to go.”
Dad nods. “I thought you would. Now, both of you boys should know, you might not receive a warm welcome. Everett has a better chance of being accepted, but expect your grandmother to be hostile at best.”
“Why?”
“Because our grandmother is a bigot.”
Everett’s mouth drops open. “And she might accept me because I’m white?”
“It’s possible.” Dad takes Dash’s fingers out of his hair before he can start yanking.
“I don’t want anything to do with a woman that doesn’t accept my family.”
That kid fits in our family so well.
“She might not talk to either of you. You need to be prepared to convince her in other ways.” Dad looks at me.
“I ain’t hitting an old woman.”
We both hold back a laugh.
“Dad meant I should be prepared to pay her for information.”
“Oh.”
“Though anyone who threw my mother out in the street late at night wouldn’t warrant much of my sympathy.”
“She did that?” Everett’s eyes go wide.
Dad nods.
“Fine, I’ll hit her if need be.”
We both know he won’t. Not that he could hit anything hard enough with those scrawny arms of his.
“Consider it done.”
Dad nods. “Now that that’s taken care of, I can focus on more important things. But let’s eat first.”
***
If I didn’t already know Fiona was made for this family, I would now as she’s pulling out her sixth tray of muffins. She cooks for an army.
“This was so kind of you, Fiona.” Mom sips her tea, staring at the muffin on her plate. “Everyone is going to appreciate them.”
“I was just happy that I could help before heading to work.”
What? “You’re not going to work. You haven’t slept yet.”
“So?” Fiona unties her apron. “I’ve missed sleep before and worked. Those kids are counting on me.”
No, there’s no way I’m letting her push herself like this. “Surely there’s someone who can cover for you.”
“There is, but I’m not going to ask her. These kids need stability in their lives. They need to know when people say they’ll be there, that they show up. So I’m going to show up.”
No.
No.
No. “Fea.”
“She’s right.”
Why did Mom have to take her side?
“As long as you aren’t pushing yourself too hard. Burnout isn’t fun to recover from.”
Mom would know.
“One long day won’t cause me to burn out. And if need be, I can take a nap in my apartment during lunch.”
I hate everything about that idea. EVERYTHING. “I can’t take you to work today.”
“That’s fine.”
No, it’s not. “I need to be there until Micky and The Ghost are taken care of.”
“Maddox will protect me.”
Telling a man that another man will protect his woman is like waving a red flag in front of a bull.
“Why don’t I drop your mother off with your aunts, and then I’ll take Fiona to work. Aleksei and Rio can keep an eye on Antonio. “
Aleksei is more likely to keep a fist in his face, but at least Uncle Antonio won’t do anything stupid if he’s knocked out.
“See, that will work. Your dad can hand me directly over to Canyon or Maddox.”
CANYON.
“Perfect,” Fiona smiles.
It’s anything but…Today is officially the worst day ever.