Mikey completely ignores the scolding, instead choosing to focus on Larkin.“Don’t you want to come to your Uncle Mikey?You look just like your daddy, poor thing.Maybe you’ll outgrow that and look like your mom instead.”
He’s cooing.Actually cooing to her in a little voice that has me wondering what alien has invaded my brother’s body.He rises to his full height, which is still two inches shorter than me, and pleads again.
“I’m not going to drop her.”He extends his hands again.“Just let me hold her.She’s adorable.”
Maybe it’s from being dumbfounded into shock, but I relent and transfer her into Mikey’s eager hold.“Be careful with her.She’s little.”
“I got her.”He says and then focuses all his attention on the angel in his arms, cooing voice back in action.“Don’t I Little-Kins?Uncle Mikey would never drop such a pretty baby.Especially one that’s my niece.You and Uncle Mikey are gonna be thick as thieves.”
To my absolute shock, Larkin’s entire face lights up, the dimple in her cheek making an appearance, her tiny hands clapping in delight as she beams at my brother.My absolute, pain-in-the-ass, perpetual thorn in my side, dick of a little brother seems to have won my daughter over in less than a minute.
“Miwey!”She chirps out.Not quite Mikey, but said with so much baby conviction we all knew what she meant.Cheeks puffed, eyes bright, proud as hell of herself.Dropped the two syllables like it was a divine revelation.
My insides turn glacial.This baby, who still hasn’t gifted me with a single “Dada”, or even a pity “Da”, just joyfully christened my brother after one smile.You could see the actual joy flash in Mikey’s eyes.
I turn my head slowly toward Lily, expecting a look of horror on her face.One that should match the betrayal, the violence, the paperwork to disown my brother being filed internally.Instead, she’s attempting to muffle laughter behind a hand covering her mouth, practically convulsing while doing so.
Larkin just continues to beam, seemingly delighted by the chaos she has unknowingly wrought.
“Give her back.”I demand, slipping my fingers under her armpits to try and reclaim her.Mikey dips his body, pivoting to the left, tightening his hold on Larkin.
“No.”He swings his gaze around to me.“You’re just mad she likes me better.”
“Boys.”Lily is standing between us before I even have a chance to blink.“She is not a toy.”She reaches out and tugs the baby from Mikey’s arms into her own.“When you both learn to behave like adults, we can try this again.”
“Couple of bitches is what you two are.”Dean mutters from a nearby couch, taking our show in from the sidelines.“Letting some baby pussy whip you.”
“Hey, that’s my daughter you’re talking about.”I kick his sneakered foot with my booted one.“Don’t be an asshole.”
“Language!”Mikey chastises, pointing to Larkin.Is he for fucking real?
Dean rises, shaking his head.“I’m going to my room.I’ll catch you for soundcheck.”
“Take him with you.”I order, jerking my chin toward Mikey.
“I’m going, I’m going.”Mikey declares, following behind Dean, flashing a smile to Larkin as he walks by her.“See ya later, Little-kins.”
“Did your brother give my baby a nick-name?”Lily ponders out loud, looking from me to the closing door.
“I don’t know what in the hell that was.”My brow furrowed as I respond.“Or who.I ain’t ever seen my brother act like that.”
Lily, Larkin and I arrived in L.A.a little over an hour ago on a private jet that Cherry had arranged for us.There was no way we were ready to announce to the world that I had a baby, let alone that she and her mother were on tour with us.Taking the jet kept things under wraps, and made the trip much easier for the three of us.
We were staying in a hotel for the next two nights while we were here.Cherry had gotten us a two-bedroom suite so Lily and Larkin could have their own space, but also enabled me to be with them.
She had also somehow managed to find an additional bus for us to use for the rest of the tour, if we needed it that long.Or, if things didn’t go well, I guess one week.
It was in San Francisco though, which was our next tour stop, so we’d have to jet it there, where we could finally get settled in and hopefully get into a routine.I was counting on Lily staying for more than a week.
With the amount of stuff she had packed for Larkin, it sure seemed like she would be staying awhile.She had a car seat, a portable crib, a high chair, a stroller, some bouncy chair thing, endless amounts of clothes and blankets and diapers and toys.Don’t even get me started on the bottles, the sippy cups, tiny bowls and silverware.I had no idea how much crap a baby needed.
She wanted to bring the cat too, but I had to squash that.At least until we were on the bus, then maybe we could see if it was possible.Until then, Teddy was staying with Briana.
“Well, it went much better than I expected.”She’s got Larkin on her jutted hip, exhaustion written all over her.
“Dean was kind of a dick.”I frown.“Wasn’t expecting that from him.He’s usually the receptive one.”
“It’s a shock, Luc.”She defends, smoothing a hand over Larkin’s unruly curls.“I’m sure the last thing they want is a baby on tour with them, cramping their style.”
