Chapter 11 #2
“Now, any of you that aren’t participating are welcome to watch from the towers using the metal stairs over there,” Martha explained, pointing toward the bay doors that led out to the course.
“You can stay in the middle or get a different view of the field by using the wooden bridges that connect them. Feel free to cheer on your favorite teams, but don’t give them any help.
Players, make sure you put on the armbands Smokey gave your team captains.
When you’re hit, put your hands up in surrender and make your way back in here before you go up to watch the rest of the competition.
If there are any injuries or the game needs to be stopped for any reason, one of the employees stationed around the field will blow their whistle to stop the action.
All guns will need to have their safety turned on and be pointed up immediately. ”
◆◆◆
BERNADETTE RUSSO
“Let’s go up while everyone finishes suiting up,” Cydney, one of Bella’s closest friends who also happened to be married to a friend of my husband’s, suggested as she started walking toward the stairs that Mrs. Forrester had pointed out.
“I’m coming with y’all,” a woman said from behind us.
I turned just as Cydney said, “Jewel! What are you doing here?”
“Gamma asked a few of us to come in case anyone gets hurt,” the woman said as she looked around. She laughed softly before she said, “Hopefully, the only thing that will be hurt is some egos, but from the looks of a few of these people, age may be a factor.”
“Bernadette, this is Jewel. She’s one of the crew who just so happens to be a doctor,” Cydney said.
“Jewel was born without a filter,” Lark warned as she walked up the steps beside me.
“It’s not that I don’t have a filter, birdbrain; it’s that I don’t give a shit,” Jewel argued.
“That too,” Lark said, without taking offense. She looked resigned when she explained, “She’s my aunt.”
“Are both of my sisters down there, or just the crazier one?” Jewel asked.
“Mom isn’t here, but Aunt Willow is out there with a few of the other women.”
“Which ones?” Jewel asked.
“Liberty, Izzy, and Terra.”
When Jewel giggled like a kid, I asked, “Why is that important?”
“They may be older than some people on the field, but Terra’s a ringer. So is Izzy. Liberty’s married to a military family, so she’s no stranger to guns and ammo. That’s for sure.”
“She’s related to Bella somehow, right?” I asked.
Lark shrugged as she started up the second flight of stairs and said, “I guess she’s her honorary aunt. Both of Liberty’s sisters married into the Conner family, so she’s been around since Bella was an infant.”
“Which group are you here with? Mobsters or bikers?”
“Both,” I answered with a laugh. “My husband is Matteo’s biological father, but he hasn’t been part of their family business since he went to prison years ago, so he’s in the biker category, I believe.”
“Oh, best of both worlds! Bossy Italian mafia man and hot biker? How fun!”
I nodded as I laughed again. “It is the best of both worlds. And he’s a chef, so the perfect man really.”
“He’s mute?” Jewel asked. When I looked confused, she explained, “When you said perfect, I just assumed you meant he doesn’t speak.”
I barked out a laugh and asked, “Have you met my friend, Blue?”
“Not yet,” Jewel said with a sly grin. “What makes you think I should?”
“You might be her long-lost daughter. Maybe even a sister.”
“Let me see if I’ve got this straight,” Lark said as we got to the top of the stairs. “Blue is Santa’s sister. He’s married to Frankie, who is Stan’s aunt, and . . .”
When Lark’s voice trailed off, Jewel asked, “Stan is Constance, right? Rin’s girlfriend?”
“Yes, she’s Rico Romano’s daughter,” I replied. “She’s going to be in the wedding.”
When we walked into the structure centered right in the middle of the main area, I saw that the players were all on the field and tried to find Stamp among them.
“So, Gamma sorted out the teams, huh?” Jewel asked.
“She did. She even portioned out the major players as evenly as possible. I think those two boys on the blue team are Stan’s brothers.”
“There are two older teenagers and two younger ones that belong to her somehow,” Cydney explained.
“And the demon spawn?” Jewel asked.
“Terra and Willow’s team has actual female bodyguards on it, so they didn’t get any of the kids.”
Jewel raised her eyebrows and asked, “Gamma didn’t even give Koda to his own grandma? Wow. She took that fair and impartial shit to the extreme.”
“She gave Lyric and Scoot to Bella’s team, and Koda and Griffin to Dylan’s.”
“Wow,” Jewel said softly as she looked out over the field.
“Why is that such an issue?” I asked. “I thought they were arguing about who got those kids so they could make sure they were safe.”
“If the kids were on their team, they would be safe.”
“Right, but as long as everyone pays attention and doesn’t . . .”
“No! I mean the team that has the children will be safe from the children,” Jewel explained.
Frankie was out of breath when she walked into what could only be called a lookout and laughed when she heard Jewel’s explanation. “Yeah, that’s the real issue. They’re not worried about keeping the kids from harm; they’re worried about having those kids unleashed on them!”
“They’re that wild?” I asked.
“The children in our family can only be described as ruthlessly feral,” Lark explained.
“Exactly. The three of you are still those children!” Jewel exclaimed. She looked at me and Frankie and said, “Cydney has been trying to kill my niece Amethyst for years.”
“In Squid’s defense, Amy isn’t innocent in that fight,” Lark argued.
“I’m not blaming her. If Amy weren’t so quick, I’d have drowned her nine times by now!”
“Which one’s Amy?” Frankie asked as she looked to the field.
“Pink team with the braids down her back. She’s a pediatrician here in town,” Cydney explained.
When Frankie and I just stared at the women in shock, Jewel laughed and said, “It’s all my mom’s fault. I blame her.”
“Is she . . . ?” Frankie looked up and hummed before she said, “I’m trying to think of a nice way to ask if she’s horrible, but I can’t come up with one.”
“She’s wonderful! She can be a little terrifying when she gets a certain look in her eye, but you’ve gotta push her pretty far for that to show up,” Lark assured us.
“But those children out there belong to your generation, right?” I asked Cydney, Lark, and Zoey.
“Three out of the four are my niece and nephews,” Lark answered.
“Did your mother raise them too?” I asked.
“It’s a community effort,” Jewel answered with a shrug.
“Mom didn’t think kids needed screen time at all.
She was the kind of parent whose motto was, ‘Go outside and play before I kill you.’ That’s why my siblings are all certifiably insane and have had feral offspring that are now raising tiny terrorists who are in the planning stages of taking over a medium-sized country to turn it into a 24/7 amusement park with a petting zoo. ”
“She’s right. Griffin has the plans drawn up and everything,” Lark agreed.
“How old is he?” Frankie asked.
“Eight.”
“And you think your siblings are nuts because your mom made them play outside?” Frankie asked.
“Unhinged,” Jewel said with a nod. “All of them.”
“Are any of them out there?” I asked as I looked over the gathered players.
“Just one. Aunt Willow. Uncle Atlas and his wife aren’t here . . .”
“He's a nutty computer geek, but his wife is fantastic and keeps him tranquilized,” Jewel interrupted.
“My mom is next in age . . .”
“Summer is completely bonkers and has 311 children.”
“There are only seven of us,” Lark reminded her. “Aunt Willow is the one with all the tattoos who was really excited to be here.”
“Also crazy as a loon. She has 512 children.”
Cydney rolled her eyes and said, “She has nine kids. Amethyst is her daughter.”
“Then there’s three more besides Jewel.”
“And they are all nuts!” Zoey said before Jewel could comment.
Lark smiled before she said, “Gigi was doing something right, though. Three of her youngest four children became doctors, and the other is an attorney.”
“And now the grandkids want to stage a coup to build an amusement park?” Frankie asked. When Cydney, Lark, and Zoey nodded, Frankie laughed and said, “They sound wonderful, but only because they’re not mine. I really want to meet your grandmother.”
“You have. Shannon is our Gigi,” Lark told her.
“The woman I was talking to the other night has . . .”
Frankie’s voice trailed off as she tried to count, but Lark saved her the effort and said, “She’s got seven children, and I’m not even sure how many grandchildren or greats.”
“She’s fantastic!” I said, remembering how much fun it was to sit and chat with her and her friends. “I just love her!”
“Mom was sitting at the table with y’all for a while.”
“Which one is your mom?” I asked.
“Summer,” Lark answered.
“Mine is Ella,” Cydney added. She pointed at Zoey before she said, “And hers is Carlie.”
“No way!” I glanced over at Frankie in shock and said, “I would never have guessed! There must be something in the water here.”
The younger women laughed before Lark patted her stomach and said, “Yeah. Our moms have been saying that for years.”