Maile gave him a playful elbow in the gut. "Admit it. I'm a pest most days, but after a couple of weeks away, you missed me."
He shrugged and then dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "Whatever you say..." He tipped his head toward the house. "Go in and see Kawehi. Food's on the table."
Maile hopped to the side clapping her hands. "You don't have to tell me twice." She started to run and stopped short halfway between the driveway and the house. "What about my-"
Pallas waved at her. "We'll get them. Go in."
Maile blew Pallas a kiss and ran up the steps.
He knew that the kiss was for Palls, because if she'd been giving him a big ol' heaping helping of a middle finger.
Even the drive through the H-3 Tunnel didn't make her smile, but being home and the prospect of seeing her cousin made Maile light up from the inside.
Pallas sighed and shook his head. "You're going to burn a hole in her back if you keep staring at her like that."
"Fuck off, Pallas."
His friend, and yes, soon to be leader, shook his head. "You know, if you weren't always such an ass to her, she might be a little nicer to you, too."
Cameron looked at Pallas wondering when his friend had lost his marbles. "I don't need to be nice to her. I just have to keep myself from killing her. And you, hopefully, will keep her from killing me." He moved around to the side of the truck and opened the two doors to get the suitcase out. He lifted it onto the ground and sighed. "Why does it feel heavier now?"
"Perhaps it's just the weight of your personality." Pallas smacked him on the back. "You're just an ass, Axl. Get used to it. I'll get the other bag."
Cameron pulled the bag along the cement walkway and with a flex of his muscles, he lifted the bag and climbed the steps to the porch.
He opened the front door and leaned in. "Kawehi? You want me to bring the bags in or leave them out here?"
He smiled when he saw her sitting at the dining table, her hand on the fullest part of her belly.
"Bring it in. You never know when it's going to rain."
"Or when a chicken is going to crap on it."
Kawehi turned her head to look at Maile. "Hey... watch the language!"
Cameron lifted the bag over the bottom of the door frame and set it inside on the side of the doorway. He smiled at the way Kawehi moved her hands to opposite sides of her belly. "What are you doing?"
She looked at him and followed his gaze to her belly.
She frowned. "What? I'm covering the baby's ears, so she won't hear her aunt swearing like a sailor."
Cameron stopped in his tracks and made the sign of the cross over his heart. "Heaven forbid."
The door behind him closed and Pallas set the second bag down beside the first.
Cameron saw him step up at his side.
Pallas looked at the group. "What did I miss?"
Maile shook her head. "Your big oaf of a teammate is pretending to be Catholic."
Pallas turned to look at him and Cameron looked back. "You're Catholic?"
Cameron shook his head and sent a glare toward Maile. "What are you talking about?"
She spooned a bowl of stew for Kawehi and then filled another bowl. "I had girl friends from Sacred Hearts. They had to do the," she moved her hand over her heart, "the cross thing.And doofus there," she pointed at him with a silver soup spoon, "is doing it backwards."
Pallas looked at him again.
