17. KNOX – BRO TIME
KNOX – brO TIME
A hollow space exists in my chest that Everlee usually fills. My fingers are almost raw from pressing the channel down button on the remote, but nothing grabs my attention.
Jax sits beside me on the couch, and I fall over and put my head in his lap. “Hold me. I miss her.”
He shoves me off. “Get the fuck outta here. She’s been gone for three hours.”
“But it feels like forever.”
“You’re a fucking idiot.”
My hands press into the seat to help me back up. I flick the television off and toss the remote onto the table.
Emmett walks into the room and quickly assesses the situation, then turns back into the kitchen.
“See. Even he’s finding it hard to be here without her.”
Jax just looks at me but doesn’t speak.
Emmett calls from the kitchen. “I’m fixing us some drinks.”
“Is it the one from Ev’s parents' house with the ginger and apple cider?” I yell out.
“Yes.”
“I don’t know if I can,” I moan, sadness ripping through me.
“I can’t with you.” Jax presses his palm on my face and gives me a light shove with a laugh.
Callum walks into the room. “What’s going on?”
"Knox feels depressed because Everlee isn't here."
“She’ll be home in a few nights,” Callum says.
“It’s toooo long,” I moan. “Our house is just getting more and more empty. First the pups, and now Everlee.”
“It’s almost been three weeks. Ruby is beyond spoiled with Ev’s parents, Lulu we see damn near every day, and Blaze and Sparky are living their best life at the firehouse with Beckett and Will. Plus, Ev said she’ll send pictures of Ruby, Blaze and Sparky tomorrow,” Callum says, sitting in a chair near the kitchen door.
Jax looks at Callum, then stands up. “I’m going to help Emmett. I can’t with him.”
Callum laughs and a minute later, Jax and Emmett are walking back into the room, each carrying a drink, with Woodford and Blanton following on their heels.
“Fresh mint and a peach garnish. Everlee would love this,” I pout.
“Cal,” Jax warns. “Get your boy.”
Woodford and Blanton jump onto the couch and start licking my face.
“Down. Down, down, down.” Callum claps his hands. “I’ve told you, I don’t want them on the couch.”
“Shut up and drink this.” Emmett hands me a drink after I redirect the pups off the couch.
“How are you all not upset by her absence?”
“It’s one night,” Emmett says, brows raised on his forehead.
“She’s at Lizzy’s bridal shower.”
“Exactly,” Jax starts. “A bridal shower, not a bachelorette party.”
“Oh. Right.” I won’t tell them I got confused, although they probably already assume.
“And even if it was the bachelorette party, it doesn’t matter. She’s ours and nothing will change that, even men waggling their dicks in her face. Plus, she’s with her brother and her and Lizzy’s mom.”
“Right, but Betty went with them and that chick is wild.”
“Wild?” Jax laughs.
“Fine. It’s just that she’s in her fertile window right now.”
“What?” Emmett’s head snaps in my direction.
Jax interjects, all kidding aside. “It’s the window before her ovulation where she’s most fertile.”
“Exactly what he said,” I say, thrusting my hands in his direction.
“How many days does this window last?” Emmett asks, setting his drink on the table and sitting on the floor so Woodford and Blanton can jump all over him. It’s their early evening routine.
“Anywhere from five to seven days.”
“But,” Jax points out, holding his finger in the air. “If she just started it today, her most fertile days will be a few days from now.”
“Right. Assuming that she’s on a normal cycle,” I counter, taking a sip of my drink. “Holy shit. This is good!”
Jax brings me back to the conversation. “Normal cycle. Is she on that? When was her last period?”
“Hold on!” I jump off the couch and race upstairs and grab the calendar that is tucked under my mattress. The irony that I’m hiding ovulation calendars and not porn under my mattress causes me to chuckle as I hop down the stairs.
Emmett is rolling around on the floor, growling at the pups when I come into the room.
Jax reaches for the calendar and studies it, counting and double checking my math, then flips back a few months. “Yea. I mean, you may be off a day, just because we don’t have a ton of data to go off of. The first cycle was a shorter duration, but the last one held closer to the twenty-eight days.”
“Agreed.” I sit on the couch beside him and point. “So, if we look at the past few months, then I’m projecting her next period to start around May 7 th . Giving it a twenty-seven-day cycle.”
“Not May 4 th ? May the fourth be with us,” Emmett says, lifting Woodford into the air.
“Anyway.” I roll my eyes and continue. “I know there’s still a lot of variables at play, but…”
“I guess we’ll just have to fuck her Sunday, and the next day, and the next, and the next,” Emmett teases, sitting up and taking another sip of his drink.
“Don’t we do that already?” Callum asks.
“Yes, but for fun,” Emmett counters.
“I feel like you two are making fun of us.”
“We are.” Emmett moves up to the couch to sit on the other side of Jax and puts his arm around his shoulder and leans forward to look at the calendar. “With all the writing, calculations, and red, yellow, and black circles, it looks like a thesis paper on the definitions and calculations of gravity or something.”
“Gravity?” Jax laughs and looks at him.
“Something. Our girl is not a mathematical equation to be solved.”
“This coming from the guy who wants to put a baby in her, maybe more than Knox.” Jax tilts his head down, staring at Emmett.
“My method is less numbers, more fucking.”
“That’s a solid strategy,” Callum adds.
“And one I can get behind,” Emmett laughs. “See what I did there?”
“Dumbass,” Jax mumbles affectionately.
Woodford and Blanton are toppling over one another, playing around one second, and the next, Woodford is bolting towards the door, sliding headfirst into the bells hanging on the knob.
“Knox’s turn,” Emmett and Jax both shout at the same time.
“I’ll take them this time,” Callum offers. “Never in a million years did I think we would all be sitting around a calendar talking about ovulations. I’ve turned the hot tub on and plan on sitting my happy ass in it when I get back.”
“No! That’s a wet heat and should be avoided!” I yell, nearly coming off the couch.
“Oh dear lord,” Callum mumbles, slipping the harnesses onto Woodford and Blanton.
Jax sighs. “Lord help me . He’s not wrong. I’ve been doing some reading as well. It could affect sperm count and motility.”
“Motility?” Callum asks.
“Movement,” I answer before Jax.
Callum opens the front door and pauses. “I never thought you two would agree on something, and if by the off chance you did, I never thought it would be sperm motility and ovulation calendars. It’s weird watching you both finish each other sentences. It makes me feel uncomfortable.”