Breath Of Life

“That sucks, dude. Is it causing friction?” Houston asks.

“I’m trying hard as hell not to let it do that. I love her, man. I don’t want to lose her because she’s doing what she thinks will keep her and those she cares about safe.”

“And you’re not worried about that?”

“They already damn near killed me. I’m going to be afraid that they’ll what, finish the job? No. I can’t let them walk after all the pain they caused me. It’s too personal for me.”

“I don’t know. I’ve never been in the situation, but I think you should watch your back.”

“I am, believe me. I’m more worried by the fact that they haven’t tried shit with me yet.”

Houston frowns. “Maybe you should stay in a hotel for a while, dude. I know you got the money.”

“If it comes to that we will. I think the cop would put us in protective custody if he knew we were on board to testify. It seems a bit over the top, though. We’re not talking about the mafia here.”

“Hey, whatever keeps you safe. If you need the time off or different arrangements, you know I got your back.”

“I know, brother, and I appreciate it. Now fill me in on what’s going on with you.”

“I see what you did there. The news is in. We’re not having triplets ... but we are having twins.”

“Jesus Christ, dude, what kind of super sperm do you have?”

Houston laughs. “I don’t know, but I think Liv is plotting my death when I sleep.”

“I can’t blame her. Damn, dude, six kids under ten? Good luck with that.”

“Don’t rub it in or anything,” he mumbles.

“Oh, believe me, I will, just not in front of Liv. I don’t want to catch hands.”

“She wants to meet Quinn.”

“Haven’t they already?” I asked.

“Yeah, but that was when she was just a friend of Efia’s. Now that she’s your girlfriend everything is different.”

“So she wants to grill her?”

“More than likely. In the fourth month of pregnancy, I don’t ask too many questions.”

I snicker as I break open my brown bagged lunch and pull out a panini.

“She’s making you lunch now?”

“How do you know I didn’t do it myself?”

“Dude, you’ve never made a panini in your life.”

“True, but she brought home this machine, and it’s so easy and delicious.”

“That’s how it starts. Little by little you acquire her items and then ‘your’ items until you realize you’re pretty much living together.”

“If the circumstances were different, I wouldn’t mind doing this the right way, you know?”

He whistles. “You thinking about moving in together.”

“Yeah, man, having her home with me is incredible. I can’t imagine going back to having a bachelor’s pad when this mess is o