“Yeah, dude. I do.”
“Don’t call me that.”
I laughed until I cried.
page seventy-six/fuck some shit up
They left on a cold day toward the end of December. It was the Sunday after Christmas. They’d considered waiting until after tradition to go, but Ox thought it was best to get to Minnesota sooner rather than later. “I left a message for Aileen this morning to let her know we were on our way,” Joe said as he stood on the porch next to Gordo, his backpack slung over his shoulder.
Mark looked uneasy. “She didn’t pick up?”
“No.”
“That ever happen before?”
“A couple of times. It could be nothing.”
“Or it could be everything,” Joe muttered. He shook his head. “I don’t like this. Splitting up. It feels wrong.”
Rico groaned. “Don’t say that, alfa. You’re inviting trouble in.” Randomly, he made the sign of the cross over his chest.
Kelly rolled his eyes. “We’ll be fine. Joe will put in face time with the people in Caswell, and Robbie can do what he needs to with the library. It’s probably nothing. Aileen and Patrice have their hands full. They’re distracted.” He didn’t sound like he believed his own words.
“At least we’re flying,” Gordo said. He was clutching Mark’s hand and had been for the last hour. “It’ll be quicker this way, so long as none of the wolves lose their fucking minds and try to eat everyone.”
Robbie paled. “I’ve never been on a plane before. Do they really have vomit bags, or is that just a made-up thing? If they do, I’m probably going to need all of them.”
“You’ll be fine,” Mom said. “Kelly will be there with you. And Joe. It’ll be over before you know it. I promise.”
Chris and Tanner came back to the porch after having loaded up the other bags. “Just don’t eat the pilots,” Chris said. “Especially since you don’t know how to fly a plane.”
Robbie was horrified. “I don’t eat people—”
“Knock if off,” Jessie scolded her brother. Dominique laughed quietly as Rico took Joshua from Bambi, making funny faces at his son. “Don’t scare him any more than he already is.”
“I’m not scared!”
“We’ll be fine,” Ox said. “We’re on the first leg of the trip together. You have nothing to worry about.” He shot a glare at Chris, who had the decency to look contrite. “We need to get going.” He went to Rico and Joshua and leaned over to breathe the baby in. Joshua squealed as he reached up and tugged on Ox’s hair.
Joe squeezed Gavin’s shoulder before turning to me and jerking his head toward the SUV they were taking to the airport in Eugene. I told Gavin I’d be right back and followed my brother off the porch. Kelly came too.
“What’s wrong?” I asked in a low voice, knowing the others could still hear us.
Joe shook his head. “Nothing. Well, okay. Everything, but that’s not what I wanted to talk about.”
“Okay? What’s up?”
He hugged me. It took me a moment to hug him back, worried about what was going on, but I wrapped my arms around him. I laughed quietly when Kelly pressed against our sides, his arms around both our necks. Joe’s forehead was against mine, and Kelly leaned his on the sides of our heads.
“I’m scared,” Joe whispered. “I don’t like this. Being apart after finally being back together again.”
I shook him gently. “Duty calls. It won’t be for long. You’ll be back by the end of the week.”
“I know.”
“Joe?”
He sighed. “Just… watch them, okay? Don’t take chances. If something happens, do what you can, but don’t try to play the hero.”