Page 3 of Brood

Chapter Two

The pattering of running feet bounce off the walls in the small trailer as I step inside, right before a small body with tiny arms comes barreling into my legs. “Whoah there, Kas. You about knocked me over.” I pat my son’s back, and he snuggles further into my legs. “How was your sleepover?” I know he isn’t going to answer me, I still ask.

“He was an angel as usual.”

“Thanks for taking him. It’s good to be home.” I give Cammy only half my attention as I lift my son into my arms. His bright eyes shine back at me, and even though it would be a gift to hear him talk, just looking at his face and seeing his expressive eyes is enough.

“No problem. You know I’m here for him.” She comes closer to us and ruffles Kasin’s hair, getting a smile from my son. “I’m also here for you too,” she tells me as she always does in a softer tone before grabbing Kasin’s bag. “You have fun with your dad today Kas.” She leans in and kisses him on the cheek and extends his bag for me to take.

“Thanks, Cam.” I tell myself I don’t see the hurt Cammy tries to hide when I don’t broach the subject of us any further. At one point, there may have been an us but not anymore. Though she has become a trusted friend and an amazing surrogate mother for my boy, that is where things with us will stay.

I’m out the door and buckling Kas into his booster seat when my phone rings in my back pocket. I wait until I’m inside my truck to flip open the phone and answer the call. “Yeah?” Shutting the door behind me, I start up the truck and reverse out of the small parking space in front of Cammy’s trailer house.

Piner’s voice gets right to the point, “Got a tow for you this morning.”

“Can it wait? I’m taking Kas to breakfast.”

“Yeah. The owner is at the café. Iris has her there.”

“Taking in a stray, huh? A local?”

“Didn’t sound like it.”

“Right. I’ll take care of it after breakfast. Later.” I snap the phone closed and navigate the rest of the way across town to Iris’ café. The town is small with a total of maybe fifteen houses, one bar, the café, and the clubhouse— which used to be a school.

“You excited to see Iris?” I ask Kasin as I unbuckle him and scoop him up into my arms. He’s a bit on the small side for a three-year-old and sometimes has a little trouble expressing himself, which can bring on a Texas-sized tantrum. His little finger points toward the café as his body starts to wiggle from my grasp— meaning he wants down now. “All right. Hold your horses', little man.” I place him down on the ground, careful to make sure he has his footing before letting him go, and he takes off toward the door to the café. I watch him as he gets there, waiting to see if he will get the doorknob by himself. In our house, I changed all the knobs to lever-style, so it was easier for him to open. He hasn’t quite gotten the hang of twisting the knob. As I watch him struggle to try and open the door, my chest constricts as it always does. Each time I witness my child struggling with things his brain should be able to figure out my heart cracks just a little more and my anger for Cora flames just a bit brighter.

“I got it, dude.” Kas steps back with a wide smile on his face and jumps up and down at the sight of Roman, who bends down eye level with my son. “You damn near got it that time, didn’t ya?” Kas responds with one sharp nod of his head. “Go on in.” Roman stands and opens the door. “Save me some bacon,” he calls out as Kas takes off inside. “I don’t know how you can stand back and let him keep trying over and over again. Fuckin’ breaks me to watch it, can only imagine how it feels for you,” he expresses, running his hand through his dark shoulder-length hair. It’s still wet from the shower he most likely took this morning.

“You have no idea, brother.”

“Good to see you home.” Roman sticks out his hand and pulls me into his chest to smack me on the back.

“It’s good to be home. Road gets longer every time I take it.”

“I’m sure Rock and Premo appreciated the help.”

“They did, but damn, getting shot at isn’t as fun as it used to be, maybe I’m getting old,” I complain but laugh it off, hiding the fact that the scrape I just came home from was a close call for me. The small ache that still lingers in my side when I move reminds me that now I’m nearing my forties and not as bulletproof as I was in my twenties.

“You are an old bastard, aren’t ya?” Roman jibes and just barely misses the punch I throw his way by darting into the café.

Once inside, the mouthwatering smell of Iris’ cooking brings comfort and a growling stomach. “There you two are!” the woman herself calls out as we take our seats at the table. “How was the run? Did you see my grand babies?”

“Not this time, I’m afraid.” I don’t elaborate any further, she doesn’t expect me to either. “Good to be home, though.”

“And it’s good to have you home. Here eat up.” She places an overflowing plate of eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast in front of both me and Roman, who doesn’t even wait for her to take her hand from the plate before digging in. Kasin is already sitting on his much higher seat at the table, munching down his scrambled eggs with his little fingers. “Oh, before I forget, a girl came in here not too long ago. Said that her car broke down—”

“Piner already called me. Kas and I will go and get it after breakfast. How’s that sound Kas? You want to ride in the tow truck?” My boy pauses in his eating to shoot an excited smile my way.

“Good,” Iris says then looks around the small area, bending down closer, she lowers her voice, “I don’t think she is taking a vacation.”

“What?” I ask around a mouth full of food, confused as to what she is getting at.

“The girl. She seems… I don’t know… off?”

“Like she is bat shit crazy or missing more than a few marbles?” Roman butts in, not bothering to keep his voice down.

“Like she is running from something,” Iris explains, shooting Roman a warning glance.

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