always believed. Our family will be safe and together in a house belonging to a large man with a broken heart.
PART 3: PLEASURE AND PAIN
ANDERS
The house is quiet when I return from the clubhouse. Topanga’s car sits in the driveway, and I find her stretched out on the couch. She turns off the TV when I arrive. Hurrying over, she offers a huge smile.
“I did good.”
“What does that mean?” I ask, wary of all the changes happening.
“I got your new family all set up while you were gone.”
“Again, what does that mean?”
“Fairuza and the younger two are downstairs. They’re sleeping in the front bedroom. There’s food down there, diapers, toys, everything they need.”
“Did they eat dinner?”
“Yep. I’ve gotten a feel for what kind of food they like. Tomorrow, I’ll take Fairuza to the store to look over groceries. I sense she prefers taking charge rather than having others care for her.”
“Where’s Pixie?”
“In your room, watching TV.” Topanga gestures to the office, where boxes are stacked. “Pixie and her mother went through the clothes and found things that fit them. Future looks adorable in his normal clothes. Now, if only I can convince them to let me cut his hair.”
“Topanga,” I say, and she looks scolded. “Thank you.”
Smiling now, she hugs me. “Pixie is so beautiful.”
“I don’t even know if she’s eighteen.”
“Does it matter?” she says, giving me a naughty grin. “They don’t care about the law. Do you?”
“It’s not legal shit that I care about. If Pixie’s got a kid’s brain, then she can’t want me like I want her.”
“I don’t think her brain is on kid stuff.”
“She kisses me like this,” I say, pressing my fingers to my lips and then touching hers with them.
“First, never tell Lowell I cheated on him with that kiss.” When I roll my eyes, she gives me a playful punch in the gut. “I asked Fairuza how old Pixie was, and she didn’t know. Isn’t that the weirdest thing? Then she asked what year it was. Once I told her, she did a little math and guessed Pixie was around twenty. On paper, anyway, you’re good to go. If you want to test her loyalty, have Conor come over and shake his fine ass for her. See if she seems interested. Women love that boy’s butt.”
“I’m never doing that,” I mutter and then add, “What would Lowell think of you talking about Conor’s ass?”
“Oh, it’s a frequent topic of conversation at home,” she says and grabs her purse from the table at the front door. “I know everything here happened fast, and it’s unclear what they want to do long term. Fairuza didn’t seem happy most of the day, and she rolled her eyes at me plenty. But Pixie only worried about where you were and if you were getting beaten up by the biker men. I really need to teach her better ways to say stuff.”
“I don’t want her changing,” I grumble, thinking of my flower child.
“That’s not an option. She learned the existence of microwaves. Everything is downhill now.”
As I offer Topanga a soft smile, my mind is on Pixie. “Should I check on Fairuza downstairs?”
Topanga opens the door and deeply inhales the early autumn air. “I wouldn’t. I don’t know how well they’ll sleep down there. I sensed they might end up on the floor. If you go down, you might wake up the baby. Let them sleep with their full stomachs, knowing they’re safe.”
“Thanks again,” I say as she walks to her vehicle.
Once in her SUV, Topanga waves before looping out of the driveway and heading to her house a few blocks over.
Locking the door, I enjoy the quiet of the house. I thought I lost that serenity when I invited four people to live here. Did I really miss the silence? Wasn’t it just a reminder of how alone I was in this house?
Rather than think too hard about where my head was earlier, I kick my shoes into the front closet and go looking for Pixie.
Though I find the TV playing, my bedroom seems empty. Then I hear Pixie’s voice saying my name and find her on the ground.
“What are you doing?”
Pixie stands up before stepping half onto the bed to give herself enough of a lift to climb into my arms. She rubs her nose against mine and then nuzzles her face in the crook of my neck.
“You smell like summer,” she whispers in my ear.
“I should shower.”
Pixie looks disappointed about that. Then she asks a