Jody was breathing heavily when she finished, but I understood. I felt the emotion pouring from her as Jody defended her dead husband. She was unaware of the full story, but at the end of the day, I realised I was to blame. I’d got dirty and brought danger to our lives; I’d gone after Salvos and Mathews to protect her. And I’d been the one who hadn’t listened and thought Jody weak and couldn’t handle the truth. Jody was anything but delicate.
Our pain, my loss of the kids, that was all on me.
“Jody, I don’t want to replace their dad. I can’t. But let me take you out for dinner and tell you what actually happened. You owe it to me to hear me out.”
“Magic, I owe you nothing!” Jody snapped.
“You do, but you don’t know it. If I’d have realised you were pregnant, I wouldn’t have missed that appointment or been so cold. You were in danger back then because of me, and I was trying to protect you, and I fucked up. Jody, I longed for those kids. I’ve dreamed of them since I learned about them, and my dreams didn’t come close.”
Jody had opened her mouth to argue and then closed it. Anxiously, she bit her lip, a trait Jody had when considering her options. “You wanted Lars and Laila?”
“Woman, I wanted you and a family,” I promised.
Jody wavered.
I sensed it, so added, “Just dinner and a chance to clear the air. I missed seventeen years with them...”
“Sixteen and a half.”
“That’s long enough, babe. I can’t and don’t want to replace their dad. But I’d like to get to know them.” I’d beg if need be.
“Fine! But it’s not a date!” Jody insisted.
“Flammekaster!”Jesper yelled, jumping down the steps. Holy shit. The kid had a flamethrower!
Jody hit the floor moments before a burst of fire shot over her. “Jesper!” she shrieked. “Put the damn flamethrower down!”
“No dating my Aunt Jody!” Jesper threatened, advancing. I backed away with my hands up.
“Okay,” I agreed quickly. Where the hell did Jesper find a flamethrower? Holy crap. I’d swear Jesper was my blood even though it was impossible. Jesper was as fuckin’ crazy as me.
“Burn the fucker, Jesper! Death to Aunt Jody’s dates!” Viggo bellowed from a window. A water balloon landed at my feet, and I looked up. Jody raised up on her elbows as she stared. There was a smirk on her face.
“Nobody datesmin Mor! (my mom)” Lars announced, and a crossbow bolt bounced off my boot. Thank fuck they were steel-toe caps. Jody shouted at them to stop, but they were clearly focused.
“War! Death to the Yankees,” Henrik yelled from somewhere, and I was peppered with surprisingly sharp foam darts. I picked one up and grinned when I realised it had been filed into spikes instead of the usual blunt tips. These kids were freaking mental. All of them, and I kinda loved it.
There was so much to teach them. I’d win them over, and they’d become my padawans. I jogged to my Hog, not embarrassed to retreat. Obviously, I couldn’t exactly beat their asses. Although I had some ideas of my own. Payback was a bitch.
Jody
As Magic rode off with a contemplative look on his face, I was slightly worried. At first, it had been funny, but Magic was now considering revenge. The flame cut off, and I turned as kids appeared.
“What idiot let Jesper have the flamethrower?” I yelled, taking it from Jesper. He looked angry, but I could handle a pissed-off ten-year-old.
“Jesper got it himself. Aunt Jody, I told you he could pick the lock,” Oskar retorted.
“Damn Aunt Shirley, lord knows why she had all these weapons lying around,” I cursed, getting to my feet. I shook my head at the angelic looks the seven were displaying.
“Put them away, padlock and nail planks over the cupboard,” I ordered Lars, who looked amused.
“That won’t stop Jesper,” Lars responded.
“No?” I smiled evilly. “Then I guess you’ll share a bedroom with him,” I replied sweetly.
“Oskar, come on,” Lars growled out, giving me a dark look.
Despite Crook House’s size, there were only ten bedrooms. Laila and I had each taken one, leaving eight. The boys had their own, but Henrik and Jesper had chosen to share, as they did at their old home. That left me with three spares, two of which contained damp and needed repairs. Aunt Shirley had let maintenance lapse a bit.
