“Yeah, I think Bolt can handle getting himself fed and off to school, and Shadow can make it to work without me.”
“Yes to the first, and I’m not so sure about the second.” I release Ruthie. “I’m leaving right now, because I know you’re in no condition to go toe to toe with me which is what you want. I’ll be back tomorrow and so help me God, if you run or try to keep me out… Do you understand me?”
“I hear you, Skull.”
“Ruthie, I’m serious.”
“I fucking heard you,” she snaps.
Pregnancy has turned her into a hellcat. I’d smirk if we weren’t in such a shitty situation. “That mouth, though.”
“Get used to it,” Ruthie says.
Blue steps between us. “I got this, Skull.”
I back out of the bathroom, never looking away from Ruthie. Her eyes are narrowed slits, but the color is back in her face. I leave the bedroom and grab Blue’s set of keys off the table in the hallway. I remove her set of keys to Ruthie’s house for insurance. I leave, lock up behind myself and get on my bike with one thing on my mind, alcohol and someone I can trust.
***
I see the porch light on as pull up in Shadow’s driveway.
He opens the door and waves the bottle of Jack at me.
I kill the engine and climb off. “Your old lady tell you?”
“Only that you and Ruthie got into it, and you were going to need your friend Jack and Jim tonight.”
“Shit, might need to throw in ole Jose too.”
“Only if you want to meet Earl in the morning.” Shadow raises a brow.
“At least he might take my mind off my troubles when I wake up,” I say as I make my way up the drive.
“What the hell happened, brother? After the floral garden and the chocolate factory, I figured she would’ve warmed up.”
“I think she did. Then she found out she was pregnant.”
“Oh, damn.”
“Yeah well, I didn’t take the news the best because she doesn’t know about the family curse that I’m terrified I’ll pass down to the kid.”
“Did you try to tell her?” Shadow asks as we walk back into the house.
“All she heard me say was no and flipped her shit, dude. I left because I was afraid she was going to make herself sick or miscarry.”
“Jesus. Do you want it?”
“It’s not a matter of want. It’s whether or not having it is the right thing to do. I saw what my father went through, and my mom wasn’t much better. If that’s the kid’s fate, what kind of quality of life would they have?”
“Hey, they’ve made huge strides in medicine since then,” Shadow says.
“Yeah, but they’d still struggle. I know that fear. You wait around every year to see if the curse manifests. Every outburst or mood swing during puberty is something to fear. Because it might be a possible onslaught of an episode. It’s hell on Earth, brother.”
“We can’t help our genes.” He leads me through the house to the patio out back.
“No, but you can decide if you procreate.”
“Looks like fate took that choice out of your hands.” Shadow hands me the bottle of Jack.