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“I know this isn’t an easy situation,” I start again when no one says anything, pausing to try to swallow the enormous lump I feel in my throat. “I want you all to know, I don’t need anything from you. My grandma left me enough to get me started, it’s just that knowing medical information would be helpful.”
“What about Frank?” Jasper quietly inserts. “Do we ask him about getting tested?”
“Who’s Frank?” I ask, unfamiliar with the name.
“He was with us back in the day,” Flint answers after a brief pause. “He’s leaving town next week. He has several health issues and the VA facility in Boise found a bed for him. They’ll be able to give him the care he needs.”
From the awkwardness that descends over the room, I feel like I’m missing something, so I look to Bree for direction.
“In for a penny, in for a pound.” She shrugs with a little smile on her face.
“Don’t you mean, ‘cheaper by the dozen’?” I ask, and Mack lets out a loud guffaw while Roy and Flint snort. I give Mack a smile for enjoying my sense of humor, even though I took a swipe at my mom.
It’s just a little surreal being in a room with three men that could be my father—especially since Royce is only the second person I’ve been with.
“Crap!” I reach for my phone and see I’ve completely lost track of time. “Not to be rude, and I do appreciate y’all coming to me with this, but can we work out the details tomorrow?”
“Of course, Molly,” Mack responds as he awkwardly hefts himself off the small chair. “We don’t mean any disrespect to your mother’s memory and understand…”
Just then the door is pushed opened, and I nearly jump at the sound of the bell above the door.
“What’s up?” Royce asks looking around the room at everyone.
“I… They… I just need like fifteen minutes and I’ll be ready,” I tell him as he starts to cross to me. I’m not more than six feet from the door, but suddenly Mack is standing between the two of us, staring down at him.
“Why don’t we go outside and have a chat,” Mack interjects, his tone not leaving any room for debate as he points back to the door and Jasper snorts.
“And so it begins,” Jasper mumbles.
“No,” I groan out the word, pleased when I see Royce standing his ground. “Royce, come with me.”
I duck around Mack and thread my hand into Royce’s, glaring at the older man as I pull Royce toward the stairs with me. “Click the bottom lock on your way out,” I call over my shoulder.
“Sweets, mind telling me what’s going on?” Royce asks me again when I secure my apartment door behind him.
“Remember how I told you that I didn’t know anything about my dad?” I ask in return, grabbing two beers from my mini fridge and pointing him in the direction of my couch before I turn to my bathroom to get my hair and makeup done. “They want to do a paternity test with me.”
“Who does? Mack?” Royce calls out from the other room, and I pause as I apply powder to my eyelid.
“No, all of them. Well, not Jasper, but besides those three, some guy named Frank…” I stop talking when I hear him gasping for breath.
With one eye done and my applicator in my hand, I peer out to see Royce beet red and obviously trying not to laugh. When our eyes meet, he’s only able to hold his innocent expression for a second before a single name bursts from his lips. “Maury.”
He puts his beer bottle down so he won’t spill it as he continue to laugh and I rest my forehead against the nearest door jam. He’s right. I haven’t had time to process what just happened, but my life has become train-wreck-TV.
I’m laughing along with him when I feel his arms wrap around me as he pulls me into his chest.
“Are you alright?” he asks, even though I can feel his chest vibrating with mirth.
“Besides finding out my mom was a sweet butt?”
“Muffler bunny,” he whispers in my ear, the feel of his breath giving me goosebumps.
“Cut slut.”
“Patch pussy.”
“I’m going to guess you know a few more terms for it than I do,” I respond, putting an end to our game.
