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Does she seriously think I don’t know what the term knocked up means? I may not have been born in this decade, but I wasn’t born yesterday.
“Say what now? Repeat that to me, Charlee. This isn’t the time to pull a prank on me. I’m holding on by a thread.”
“Pops.” She murmurs my name like I’m dense and need educating. “She’s throwing up more than she’s eating. Her belly is swelling, and her boobs are twice their normal size. She’s popping out of her bras and her clothes are tight. Have you really not noticed this? Have you even seen her lately or are you holding yourself up in the office twenty-four hours a day?”
“I’m trying to find and save my brother and her best friend, Charlee! I’m not trying to punish her or stay away from her on purpose. Don’t judge me!”
“I’m not judging, Pops. I’m not,” she says, holding up both of her hands. “All I’m insinuating is that maybe you need to take a few minutes out of your day and spend some time with her. She’s floundering. If she falls any deeper into her depression, you may lose her, lose them both if my intuitions are right.”
“Dammit,” I hiss, banging on my desk as my head hammers with a throbbing headache that hasn’t lessened in days. “This is the worst timing ever for this to happen.”
“Maybe. But is there ever a good time with the life we lead, Pops?”
“No. There’s not,” I answer my daughter honestly. “But until I know where they’re being held, I can’t stop and coddle anyone.” I’m disappointed that I can’t crawl into bed behind my woman and hold her until this nightmare is over.
“Pops. Coddle her, really? Don’t say stupid shit like that to her. Ever. It’s demeaning,” she berates me, quirking her eyebrow and popping out her hip.
“I didn’t mean it that way,” I defend myself. “However, if I stop following our leads, we could lose two members of our family who are depending on us to pull out all the stops and not quit fighting for their retrieval. Their survival rests on our shoulders. What do you think Shayne would want me to focus on more, that, or her? I’m not just doing this for me, Charlee girl. I’m doing it for her too… for all of us. We’d never be able to live with ourselves if something happened to them because I decided to take a timeout.”
“A few minutes without you won’t hurt anything, Pops. Stop being an asshole who uses every excuse in the books to not go see her. She’s depending on you too. You’re her emotional support person outside of Mera, and right now, you’re the only one here to give that to her.”
“Would you quit pretending like you’re my parent and it’s not the other way around? I’m your father for fuck’s sake! The way you’re speaking to me is unacceptable!” I roar.
“Then stop acting like a petulant child and be the adult you claim you are!” she shouts, slamming her palm on the doorframe before rushing out of my office with angry stomps echoing down the hallway behind her.
“Well, that was a fun conversation,” I muse, scrubbing my hands down my scruffy face. I haven’t seen a razor in several days. I hop in the shower to do a quick scrub down, then hop out and continue on with my mission.
“Pops.” Gunner sighs.
“You heard that, huh, son?”
“Yeah. As much as I hate to admit this, Charlee’s right. You need to go check on your woman. Reassure her that no matter what it takes, we will bring Uncle Luca and Mera home. Convince her that she’s done nothing wrong, and that this isn’t her fault. She’s spiraling, Pops. The only one who can keep her from falling down that hole is you.”
“Can you man the phones?” I ask.
“Of course, I can. That’s a ridiculous question.” He snorts, giving me the stink eye. “I’ve got this. Get outta here. Get some sleep while you’re at it.”
“Is that an order, President?”
“And if it is?” he counters.
“You and your sister have gotten too big for your britches,” I gripe.
“And who made us that way, Pops?”
“Touché, Gunner. Now fuck off.”
“You first, old man.” He snickers.
“I’ve got your old man,” I mumble, shuffling to the door. “Don’t forget where you come from, boy.”
“The old man swinging between your legs?” he asks, making a gagging sound.
“Exactly!”
“Yuck, Pops. That’s fucking gross.”
“It’s the facts of life, son. Do we need to have the birds-and-bees talk again? Do I need to remind you of how it all works?”
