Tall, Dark & Lonely

Page 79

“You.”
“No, you do it,” she said dismissively. Every chance she got she talked down to him. It was irritating. He often wondered what he did to get her panties in a bunch.
“Fine, hand me my phone it’s behind you.”
She looked over her shoulder at the silver phone on his nightstand. “Just use the one in your pocket.”
He pretended not to hear. He wasn’t really supposed to talk about that phone. It was his Sentinel phone, GPS, and emergency beacon; basically it was his lifeline to the council. “It’s my work phone, Jill. I’m not allowed to use it for ordering pizza. Just throw me my phone.”
She tossed the phone to him. “I don’t understand why Ephraim quit his job with the police department to work with a sixteen year old working security?” Disbelief filled her tone.
“Believe what you want.” That was the cover story they gave. Luckily they wouldn’t have to use it much longer. The clergy needed to enter the house soon to add protection. The house required prayer guards and extra support. Ephraim said they would need to know the truth soon and he was thankful for that because even he wasn’t buying it.
He placed the order and tossed the silver phone back her way. “So, tell me what I want to know.”
Gossip. That was Jill’s best friend. As long as you allowed her to report it or gave it to her she would be your best friend. “Well it seems in seven and half months they will be letting out another room.”
Chris rolled his eyes. “Oh, that? I already knew about that.”
“You’re such a liar.”
“Puhlease, I was the first person after the two of them to know three weeks ago.” In fact, Madison had twisted his arm, literally, and made him go into a Wal-Mart an hour away to buy the damn test.
“Liar, why would they tell you and not us?”
He gave her a ‘duh’ look and spoke slowly to her in much the same manner. “Because he’s my father and she’s my best friend.”
“Hey!” Joshua griped.
“Besides you, little man, of course.” Chris reached out and gently punched Joshua on the shoulder.
Joshua nodded firmly, satisfied with the correction. “Of course.”
She snickered.
“What?” he asked mildly annoyed.
“He’s not really your father you know.”
“Tell that to our legal system,” he said dryly.
“Ephraim is too his Dad! You’re just jealous! He treats me like his son too and you like a daughter so I don’t know why you’re complaining, Jill. I think you’re just mad because he didn’t adopt you, too.” Joshua’s voice was crisp.
“I am not! I just think it’s weird! I mean he’s only what twenty-six! He can’t have a sixteen year old for a son. It’s weird!” Jill might have denied it, but the dark blush on her cheeks gave her away.
Chris didn’t correct her and tell her he was really 206 years old that was beside the point. Instead he shrugged a shoulder. “If it doesn’t bother me then why does it bother you?”
She looked around his room pointedly. “Of course it doesn’t bother you. He spoils you rotten.”
Chris followed her gaze around his room. Ephraim bought him a flat screen television, video games, DVD player, posters, clothes, computer and all the other stuff he never had before. When he lived with his mother he slept on old blankets on the floor of the trailer in a corner of the living room. He’d never even slept on a mattress before Madison and Ephraim took him in.
He kept his eyes on her face as he pointed lazily around the room. “If memory serves me correctly your room looks very similar to this one.”
She averted his eyes. “That’s not the point.”
“Oh, then pray tell what is? Are you pissed because I knew about the baby first or because Ephraim is my Dad?”
“Shhh!” Jill hissed, pointing to Joshua.
“It’s going to be a boy,” Joshua said offhandedly.
“What? How did you know?” Jill demanded.
“When Ephraim and Chris aren’t at work or training he takes me with him to run errands. Chris was with us and he complained that Madison keeps hitting him upside the head for stealing her ‘pregnancy food’.” He shrugged unconcerned. “It was really me, but I didn’t say anything.”
“You little punk,” Chris said, chuckling. He was impressed. The kid was coming along nicely.
“Hey, junk food is junk food, brother.”
“You knew and you didn’t tell me?” Disapproval heavily coated her words.
“Why would I? You have a big mouth and you throw tantrums like Candy. I also didn’t tell you that Ephraim wants to marry her and I don’t care what you think about that!”
“So, what is it, Jill? What’s your problem?” Chris asked. This spoiled brat act was getting old. Actually it was old months ago.
“I think she’s just jealous. I’m going to ask Ephraim to adopt me, too. Then Chris and I can be brothers and Ephraim will be my Dad for real.”
“He can’t adopt you!” Jill shrieked.
“Yes, he can! He likes me too! He introduces me to everyone as his youngest son.”
Jill rolled her eyes. “You’re such an idiot. Don’t you see what he’s doing? Remember when you were little and all of those guys bought us things or took us places?”
“Yes,” Joshua answered slowly. Chris didn’t like where this was going.
“He’s just using us to get to Madison. As soon as he gets bored with her or finds someone else he’ll stop being nice to us.”
“Liar!” Joshua yelled, but his lower lip trembled. “He bought this house so we could stay here.”
“No, he bought this house so he could stay here. As soon as he’s done with her we’re out.”
“That’s not true! He loves me! He even told me so!” Joshua dropped the game controller and started wiping frantically at his face.
“You can be a real bitch, you know that?” Chris told Jill as he pulled Joshua onto his lap.
“I’m just warning him. It’s best he finds out now instead of when we’re given the boot.”
“Save your warnings. They’re not necessary.” He put his arm around Joshua. He hated this bullshit that Candy did to them. His mother did her fair share of bullshit throughout the years, but at least he could tell when someone genuinely cared about him.
“H-h-he lied?” Joshua looked up at him through a rim of tears. Chris swore inwardly. Jill was lucky that he didn’t hit girls.
“No, he didn’t lie to you. If you want to ask Dad to adopt you I’ll go with you. If for some reason he can’t like maybe Grandma is going to do it or something you and I are brothers no matter what, okay?”
Joshua smiled weakly and stopped crying. “Really? You’ll be my brother?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t want Grandma to adopt me. I want her to be my Grandma and Ephraim to be my Dad.”
“What about Madison? Did you think about that? If he actually marries her, which I doubt he’ll go through with it, she’ll be your step-mother.” Jill really could be a bitch. So much like Candy sometimes it was scary. He hoped she didn’t follow other traits.