Page 88 of Iron Hearts

I tucked my girl into bed not long after and it tore me apart to leave and not get beneath the covers with her – but there would be plenty of opportunity for that later.

I went home, got some sleep, ground through a half a day at work the next day and took care of the more pressing shit, and ducked my head into Stormy’s office to let him know what was up.

“Yeah, man – go ahead,” he said. “It’s quiet enough around here.”

“Thanks, man,” I said and I’d left early. A quick run past the hardware store, and I was on my way back to Rarity.

I didn’t need my truck, so I’d left it back at St. Augustine. The tools I’d left at her place could easily fit in the saddlebag of my bike for the return trip. I would re-install her toilet and see if her brothers would behave for a chance at an all-expenses-paid trip to the Gator Farm up my way.

She was radiant when she answered the door, even if she was still frayed around the edges some.

“How goes it? Crew pull another mutiny today?” I asked.

“The beatings will continue until morale improves,” she said rolling her eyes and stepping aside to let me into the house.

The living room was a war zone of toys and little boys playing robots, one of the Transformers movies on the screen.

“Who’s dat?” one of them asked, running up.

“Guys,” Rarity called, and the other two stopped their WWE wrestling moves long enough to scramble over and join their brother.

“I was here last night. Don’t you remember?” I asked them.

“Yeah,” three little voices chorused back at me.

“Aden, Braden, and Caden – meet my friend Striker. Striker, these are my little brothers who were being stubborn little billy goats last night.”

“Ah huh.” I nodded sagely. “I remember that. Have you boys been good today?”

“Yes,” they all chorused.

“No,” Rarity recited with them and frowned.

“Well, how come they say ‘yes’ and you say ‘no’?” I asked.

“Throwing food at each other at the breakfast table is being good?” Rarity asked her siblings with an arched eyebrow.

“No,” they all chorused sadly and I fought not to laugh.

“Tell you boys what. I’ll make you a deal.”

They all perked up.

“You behave yourselves the rest of the week and this weekend, I’ll take you, and your sister – your mom, grandparents – whoever you want, to the Alligator Farm up by where I live.”

“Alligator farm?” Braden asked.

“Real life dinosaurs,” I said, nodding wisely.

“What?” That definitely got Aden’s attention and Caden was just as curious.

“Only if you’re good for sissy,” I told them. “And your mom, and your memaw and pop-pop.”

The boys all looked at Rarity who said, “Don’t look at me. The deal’s with him!”

“Can you do that?” I asked them.

“Yeah,” I got back from all three.

---