Loyal
“And that’s pretty much how I got my van,” Chewy beams at me from across the breakfast table.
Looking around I make sure the girls are nowhere nearby. I blink twice to try to process what I just heard when a snort has me looking at Mira.
“It’s a lot, right?” the tall blonde grins.
“Um, yeah, kinda.” I actually had no idea what a Batman or a bobblehead was until Remy leaned over and showed me apicture on her cell phone. “How did you fit a Batman bobblehead where you did?” I ask.
“That was 90% skill and 10% divine intervention I’d say,” Chewy replies, eyes in the direction of her man who has their daughter on their lap.
That’s another thing that is confusing me. I’ve spent most of breakfast listening to crazy stories of these women being kidnapped, getting into fights, persuading people to give up information, all sorts of things, and yet they are also so kind and nurturing. Almost all of them have children, multiple in Blanche’s case. Almost all of them have careers on top of being Ol Ladies as well. I know that there are women out there that do it all. I learned that once Eden’s Keep ended. But I never met so many successful women in one place at the same time. Or so many men who were willing to help with the children.
“Anyway girl, I hear you’re training to be an EMT. How’s that going for you?” Vi asks me, trying to feed the little girl in her lap.
I can tell just by looking at the toddler that she must belong to one of the Tombs’ brothers. They all share a striking resemblance to each other. Almost like Vex and his brothers and sisters. I search for him in the common room, eyes landing on him in the doorway, smiling softly at me. I give a small wave. He mouths “You OK?” and I smile and nod. Because I am OK. More than OK actually.
“So, what’s that about?” A beautiful dark woman with a lot of hair asks me. Flicking my eyes down to her vest I notice that she belongs to someone named Judge.
“Oh, that’s Vex. We’ve known each other forever.” I shrug.
“Aaaaaand?” Mira asks, leaning forward.
“And, he ah, he said he was my man.” My face heats and I look away, trying to hide my beet red face.
“Well, now that’s something,” Pops says, with a gleam in his eye. “Turns out he doesn’t need my help after all.”
“There wouldn’t be any need,” Chewy says off handedly. “What?” she asks when we all stare at her. “He’s the chaplain. Which means he’s there for moral support and guidance. To be chosen for that job you kinda need to be in tune with people and have good values and stuff.”
“Weird. I just think of him as my annoying big brother,” Blanche says, trying to wrestle her child into her front pack.
“Are you ever gonna let that kid use her legs?” Ana asks, pointing at the flailing toddler.
“No. She’s the last of my babies. I want to keep her with me as long as I can,” Blanche answers before flipping Ana the bird.
“Yo, Loyal, I got a woman at the gate, says she knows you,” Saint calls out into the room.
I excuse myself from the group and make my way through the Common room, only stopping when Vex lays a gentle hand on my forearm.
“You good, babe?”
The endearment hits me in the chest, the warmth spreading to my stomach and even further down. “Yeah, I’m good, just someone at the gate for me.” I smile.
His brows pinch together slightly before his hand lands on my lower back. “Let’s go see who it is,” he says as he gently guides me out the doors.
We make our way down the drive toward the gates. There, leaning heavily on them is someone dressed in brightly colored clothing. My breath hitches and I pump my legs, sprinting to the gates, Vex following close behind.
“Joe! Oh, no, no, no, honey, can you hear me?” I touch her bruised face through the metal of the gates while Vex keys in the code to get them open.
Metal screeches and they roll open, Joe falling into my arms, both of us hitting the ground as my body takes her weight.
“What happened? Joe, can you hear me?”
“Hey now, no need for tears,” her hoarse voice whispers, throat working hard. “I just studied too hard, burned dinner.” She tries to smile at me through a split lip and I hold her to my chest.
“Hey! You all good?”
Footsteps thunder toward us, Switch’s booming voice washing over me. He’s a doctor. He’ll be able to help. I look around wildly for him as huge men surround us, talking gently so as not to scare my friend.
