Page 62 of Devil's Dilemma

I mingle, get a beer, but it’s with the hope Mel’s not becoming overwhelmed. I don’t want to intrude, so pause to one side of the doorway so I can hear the conversation inside, I lean in to hear better.

“Now you know it’s a boy, Mel, any thoughts about naming him?”

“Are you going to name him after Skull? What was his real name?”

“Kris,” I hear her reply. “I don’t know, I’d rather go for something more modern.”

“Archie?”

“That’s like the number one name now,” Mel laughs. “Something modern and unusual then.”

I don’t know why I should be relieved she’s not inclined to name the baby Kris. Maybe because it would be a permanent reminder that he’s not mine.

Of course Jeannie persuades her to stay and eat with us. It’s good to see her smiling and joking with the women, while my brothers are pretending not to be interested in the baby talk but are still passing that fucking photo around. I catch more than one sneaking looks from the piece of paper to her stomach as if realising there really is a tiny Devil in there.

Except for Paladin who’s not particularly interested, but then he’s from Tucson, and it’s far from the first sonogram picture he’ll have seen.

“Congratulations, Pyro.” Wills slaps my back loudly.

In a sudden lull in the conversation, his words ring out and catch everyone’s attention. Mel’s heard, and cocks her head to one side as if interested to see my response.

Embarrassed, I offer, “Ain’t nothing to do with me. I’m not the father.”

Mel’s face is unreadable, a sadness flickers over it.Does she regret that I’m not?Nah, I’ve just reminded her his real dad isn’t here, that’s all it can be.

“Hey, let me see.” Thunder takes the photo and examines it. “Ugly motherfucker isn’t he?”

The women gasp, the men all laugh, but when Thunder winks at Mel, she knows he’s joking.

“Better looking than you already, asshole,” says Demon.

“That wouldn’t be hard,” Rusty agrees.

And just like that,thank fuck, the attention is off me.

“Ro, come over here.”

Wandering back into the bar area, I go to where Pal is chatting with Judge. “Wassup?” I pull up a chair, turn it the wrong way around, and sit on it, folding my arms over the back.

“Judge, here, is thinking about getting a new exhaust. He’s looking at this type, have you fitted one like it before?”

I take the parts list he’s been examining. “Hmm, have to do a bit of a workaround, but yeah, I can make it work.”

Of course, we start getting into details and are joined by Sparky who offers some ideas. It’s quite a while later that I look around to see how Mel’s doing and notice her yawning.

Excusing myself, I walk across to her. “You look tired. Want to go home?”

She looks up gratefully. “I didn’t want to pull you away.”

“No worries, darlin’. You need me? Come and get me, okay? Don’t want you overdoing it.”

“I’m okay, but I’ve had enough excitement for one day.”

“Let’s get you home.”

We’re halfway to her house when a question out of the blue startles me. “What’s your real name?”

“Pyro,” I tell her, chuckling. “But if you’re asking about the name the government uses, I’m Brendan Evans.”

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