MC: LaPonte (20 page)

Tiny slaps my back, "nice
driving Danny."

Pres, Doc and Casper are
here. All that's left is VP's crew. I look at Geek. "Where's
VP?"

"Relax Brother; he's the
one you never have to worry about. He's on his way, give them ten
minutes." He smiles and slaps my back. “Nice fuckin driving
Brother.”

I head to the bar, I need
a fuckin drink. I get a beer and sit so the wall is on my right.
Luke comes up and asks if I want to go one for old times’ sake.
Fuckin Brother pisses me off. "Sorry Luke, I'm taken."

"Brother she's pregnant.
You can get some sweet pussy without the stomach." He tries
again.

"Fuckin taken. The lowest
thing a man can do is fuck around on his pregnant woman. You think
she got that way on her own? My fuckin kid is what's in that
stomach. I put him there. I don't cheat. Whatever we did is over.
You want to talk about your day I’m there but I’m done fuckin
around." He walks away shaking his head.

Patches comes over.
"Brother heard you drove a rig today." I nod. "Fuck, that couldn't
have been easy. I'm glad you made it back."

I smile, "Me too." He
laughs. I watch the Brothers, everyone is in good spirits. Rob is
sitting by himself. I nod to Patches telling him I'll be right back
and go over to him. "You doin ok?" I ask.

He looks around, "Feeling
like I let the Brothers down."

"I told VP your father
died in a truck, he didn't ask not one single question. He called
Geek and told him to ride in the truck. Geek wasn't told why. You
know VP, he isn't talking about this. Let it go Rob. I was High
Security when I first got my cut now I’m a Building Super. Everyone
does their part that’s what makes it all work. You did your part.
That's what was needed. That's what you did." He finally looks at
me.

"Thanks Danny. I'm so
fuckin glad it was you in the truck." He looks away.

"Don't sweat this Rob,
grab a beer and be happy we did what needed to be done." I slap his
back and go back to Patches.

VP walks in with his crew.
A cheer goes up. He scans the room and stops at me. I lift my beer
to him, he lifts his chin. He continues to scan until he sees Pres
walking toward him. He says something and Pres laughs. "Brothers,
grab a drink, go home, do whatever the fuck you want knowing we did
what needed to be done. Hammer and his crew are home safe and
sound. Thank you for playing your part Brothers. It took all of us
to get it done."

I look at Rob and lift my
chin as I'm walking out the door.

Chapter Twenty
Five

One month…

Just getting back from
Kate's doctor appointment, I get a call about the solar panels at
the Bakery. Shit. I drive to the Bakery with a smile. I'm so happy,
my boy and Kate are both doing fine. Kate is excited it’s a boy. I
can't wait to tell Rich, he's always wanted a brother. I was hoping
for some time this morning to take it all in. I have a plan
building in my head for the crib. I chuckle. I have months, what
the fuck is my hurry?

Walking in I see Peg.
"He's on the roof." I nod and go back out and around the
building.

The guy is at his truck.
"You Danny?" I nod and give him my hand. He shakes, telling me he's
John. "The roof has room for two more panels. Do you want me to add
them?"

"What about the weight, I
don't want the roof caving in the middle of winter."

He smiles, “Baxter's are
taking care of you, these are the new panels. They are cheaper,
produce more and are light weight. Your eight panels weigh less
than two of the old."

"You're fuckin kidding
me." I look at the panels. He tells me to lift one. It is fuckin
light. "Add the two." He smiles and nods. "Leave the bill for all
the buildings with Peg at the register. Thanks for checking on
that.” He nods again.

I get a coffee and head to
the shelter houses on the other side of town. We have a roof going
on two but the other two are occupied. I pop in just to make sure
the Brothers aren't doing anything that would fuck with the clients
inside the occupied houses. When I get there two Brothers are
eating ice cream with two kids. I smile at the picture they make. I
walk toward them, the boys are scared. "Doug, did you get me
one?"

Doug smile, "Brother,
Brian ate it. I told him to save it for you but he couldn't
resist."

"That so?" I look at the
boys. "Is it really that good?" The little guy nods, the older one
looks terrified.

"Tomorrow, I get the ice
cream and Brian will get to watch me eat it." I say with a smile
and ruffle little guys head.

"We get ice cream tomorrow
too?" Little guy asks.

"Absolutely. I'll be here
at one with ice cream. I need to know how many I need, you going to
be here?" I watch him smiling.

He smiles, nodding like
crazy. "My brothers too?"

"How many? You can't count
Brian, he ate mine today."

"Darren is hurt he can't
come out, my mom likes ice cream. Can you bring one for her too?"
He has tears in his eyes. The bigger guy holds his hand.

"Tell you what, how about
I get all the stuff for banana splits and you can make as many as
you want for dessert tonight. But you can't share with Brian." I
give Brian a dirty look. He hides his smile.

"Thanks mister. You a
pirate?" Brian and Doug crack up.

I squat down for him. He
stuffs the last of his cone in his mouth making me smile. Moving
closer he touches my face at the scar . "Nope, I'm just Danny, I
had an accident and it broke my eye. I wear the patch ‘cause it's
ugly and I don't want to scare small children."

He nods pulling his hand
back. "I'm a big boy. I'm not scared. Darren's ears broked that's
why dads always mad. It's not Darren's fault, God made him with
broked ears so we learn to be nice to everyone. It don't matter if
you're broke." His brother takes a step and touches my
scar.

Fuckin hell. I look up at
the guys, they freeze watching. "I think you're right. A wise
little man gave me some advice when I first had my accident. He
said, 'some people have scars on the inside where you can't see
them, some on the outside where you can. No matter where the scars
are, they make you stronger.' I think that's true. Everybody has
scars, so if you're good to everyone you're helping make them
stronger."

The older boy opens his
mouth, "we, www, we help mommy and DD, Ddddaaaa, Darren all the
ttt, ttt,tttime."

"Then you must be pretty
strong little men. When you build up strong in other people, you
don't even know it, but it's building strong in you too." We all
look over at the banging at the house.

The older boy runs. Little
guy grabs for my hand. Brian says, “fuck, I'll be right back." I
give him money to get banana split stuff with every topping they
have. He moves toward his truck and I see the boy on the porch.
Fuckin grown man beat this boy. I let little guy pull me
over.

Darren looks scared. His
face is bruised, he has a bandage on his arm. Fuck, I hope I get
this right. I let little guys hand go and sign 'hi Darren' working
my fingers slow. He smiles and signs so fast I don't understand. I
hold my face and laugh. I use my other hand telling him 'slow'. He
nods still smiling. I tell him my friend went to get ice cream for
him. He thanks me.

"We can't talk with our
hands; dad said we have to talk reglar." Little guy
says.

I look at him trying to
think of the words I know. I sign and talk, "Darren's scars are
inside. If you help, you get stronger too. It helps him if you can
talk to him. It makes him stronger so he can live like everyone
else." I'm watching Darren hoping I did it right. He smiles and
makes a noise as he signs, 'I'm going to teach them, mom says I can
now.’ Fuckin father kept him alone in the middle of his fuckin
family.

"That will make all of you
stronger, good job Darren." I say and sign knowing I got it right.
He stands straighter and smiles. I wonder where their mom is. They
shouldn't be outside. I ask, "Where is your mom?" Darren answers
with a frown, 'sleeping, she can't wake up.' Fuck. I nod at him
pulling my phone I turn toward the road.

"Babe, I'm at one of the
shelter houses. Three boys, one deaf. They’re outside, say mom is
sleeping and can't wake up. Can I go in?"

"Yeah, I'm at security
with Doc. We'll be right over."

"Can you take me to see
your mom?" I sign 'can I see mom'. Darren opens the door and limps
in. Fuckin hell.

At the bedroom Darren
stops. I talk as I'm walking, "mam, my name is Danny. Your boys are
worried, I'm just checking to make sure you're alright." She
doesn't move. Fuck. I reach down and move the blanket. Fuck she's
bruised on the side I can see, her face, shoulder and arm." I watch
for her breathing. She's breathing. I squat down and touch her
shoulder. "Mam, I'm Danny, can you hear me." No reaction. I look at
the boys and ask them to open the door for my wife and Doc. Darren
stays in the doorway. I'm careful to hold the blanket shielding his
view but lifting to see if there's something obviously wrong. I
drop the blanket, there's fucking blood all over the bed. I look up
feeling sick but trying to blank my face. We've been outside all
this time while she was fuckin bleeding in here.

I hear the commotion
coming down the hall. Doc runs in, I turn and tell him about the
blood telling him to watch he doesn't say anything in front of
Darren, he can probably read lips. He nods. Kate comes to the door.
"I have the boys at the tv." She puts her hand on Darren. He makes
a noise and shrinks away.

"I got him K, help Doc." I
move to Darren signing 'Doc and my wife will help mom.' He nods. I
sign 'TV, brothers.' He nods and we walk down the hall. Brian is at
the door with three bags. The boys run over helping him.

We unload the bags, Brian
helps them make banana splits. I give them small bowls not wanting
them bouncing off the walls. The boys wait for Darren to get his
made. I smile as I'm walking out.

Kate meets me in the hall.
"She's bleeding internally. Doc's got an ambulance on the way. I
need to get someone with the boys."

I'm thinking that was a
lot of fuckin blood outside, what the fuck is happening inside.
"They need to sign." I tell her.

"We don't have anyone that
signs."

"Can they stay with me?
I'll take them home and feed them." That boy doesn't need to be
kept isolated.

"I didn't know you could
sign. Because of insurance, we’ll need to keep them in a shelter
house. How about you bring them to my house? It's set up with
things for them to do and it's closer to home." I nod.

"I have to meet someone at
the office anyway. That will work. Can you get me food brought in?
I'll take them to the diner for dinner."

With that big fuckin smile
she says, "Yeah." The EMT's knock. Thank God they didn't use the
siren. "Thank you honey. Keep the boys in the kitchen for me. I
love you." She gives me a quick kiss and goes to the
bedroom.

When I turn Darren is
standing there, his eyes are huge, filled with unshed tears. I bend
to him, 'Doc take mom to fix up at hospital.' He looks in my eye,
fuck he's scared. 'You stay with me, go to work, then we check
mom'. He nods still scared. I ruffle his hair. 'Doc leaves you get
bag clothes one day, one night.' He signs 'yes I pack for
brothers.' I smile, "thank you." I turn him back to the kitchen
hearing the gurney coming down the hall. Kate tells me she's riding
along and she'll call me.

Doc comes into the
kitchen. "I'll meet Kate at the hospital when she calls. She says
they should move to her old house. I called Tiny; Prospects are on
their way to get them moved. Are you ok with them?"

"Yeah, we'll be fine." I
tell him. Darren stands on the side of me and asks Doc about his
mom. "He's asking about his mom."

Doc looks back and forth
between us. "You understand him?" I nod. He looks at Darren. "She
is very sick. I'm going to the hospital to make sure the doctor
fixes her fast so she can come back to you." Darren frowns and
looks at me. I squat down and sign it to him. Well most of what I
can remember. He nods with a small smile signing, 'thank you.' I
tell him I have friends coming to move their stuff. They will bring
it to a house that's closer to mine and my wife will bring their
mom to them in the new house when the doctors fix her up. He nods
signing, 'no pack." I sign it back smiling. He nods.

Doc asks, "What did you
say?"

"I told him what you said.
Told him my friends are coming to move their stuff and Kate will
bring their mom when the doctors fix her." I look at the boys
talking with Brian. Fuckin father. My phone goes off. I answer and
look at Doc. "I need to go." I look at Brian. "Can you find the
seat for little guy here, I need it in my truck." I corral the boys
into the bathroom lining them up. I wash them in line. They think
this is funny as hell. Maybe the second ice cream wasn't such a
good idea. I smile as we get them in the truck. "We can't go any
further until you tell me your names." Brian laughs.