“Ship,” Everett finished for him, watching Bo’s reflection.
“Yeah.” Shep chuckled, but the sound was devoid of life. “Ship.”
Bo sighed. “Uncle Ev-rhett?”
“Yeah, bud?”
“Do we get to go home soon? I miss… I miss my daddies. Penny’s crying cuz she misses our daddies, too.”
“We’re working on it, I promise.” Everett stroked Penelope’s back in slow, soothing circles. “It won’t be all that much longer until we’re on the road and heading home. You’ll see. But first, we have to figure out what’s going on, and we’ve got to get Jayne back in the car. Shep, you’re going to have to give me more to work with here. The Feds?”
“Like, the Federal government?” The eye-roll was implied from Shep’s tone of voice. “You know, the people youdon’twant to piss off?”
Everett took a leveling breath. It was in his best interest to remain calm, if not for himself, then for the kids. “I know who the Feds are.”
“Okay, so then I don’t get what you’re asking.” Shep glowered at him. “I did something that pissed off the Feds. They’re up there right now, in my bedroom, torching all my stuff. I can’t think of another reason why my feed would be dead and our apartment building wouldliterally be on fire.”
“We’re gonna miss the parade and all the ants.” Bo pushed himself off the window and buried his face in his hands. He sounded miserable. “I don’t wanna be here anymore.”
Ahead, people had started to honk. A second police cruiser had arrived, and an officer had begun to direct traffic. Soon enough they’d start moving, but Everett’s heart urged him to stay put. Up ahead, Jayne had been pulled aside by one of the officers, and despite how tall and proud he stood, Everett noticed the tremble in his arms and the tension in his posture. He’d sprung from the car and rushed toward danger without hesitation, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t terrified.
Everett couldn’t leave him alone. Not now. Jayne needed his support.
“It’s almost time to go, bud,” Everett told Bo. “See up ahead? The police have arrived and they’ve started to tell all the cars what to do—do you see them?”
Bo lifted his head and gazed out the window. “Oh.”
“But before we go anywhere, we need to go get Jayne and make sure he’s with us.” Everett watched as Jayne clenched his fists and tried to sidestep the officer to get to his apartment. It didn’t work. The officer pushed him back, causing Jayne to stumble and almost fall. Everett’s pulse skyrocketed, and his gut screamed at him not to wait a second longer. If he didn’t act now, things were going to get bad. “Shep, can you drive?”
“Uh… yeah?”
“Good. Once we get out of the car, come sit behind the wheel for me. If the police direct you out, keep driving. Head somewhere safe—back to Alex’s, to a friend’s… it doesn’t matter. All I ask is that you drive somewhere safe where someone will be home to take care of you until I can come get you.”
Shep balked. “Are you insane?”
“No.” Everett opened the door and stepped out, Penelope still clinging to his chest. “Get behind the wheel.” With traffic now being directed, the cars ahead had started to move. “Quickly.”
“Why me?” Shep mumbled. “Why are these goddamn crazy things always happening to me?”
While Shep started wiggling out from where he was wedged, Everett opened the back door on Bo’s side of the car and crouched down to Bo’s level. Bo looked at him with sad, uncertain eyes. “Hey, bud. I know that you’ve had a long day, but I need to ask you for one more favor. Can you do it for me?”
Bo looked at his knees. “What is it?”
“I need you to come on an adventure with me and Penelope. It’s going to be a little scary, but you’re a big boy now, and I trust you. All you have to do if you get too scared is remember that I’m there with you, and I won’t ever let anything happen to you. Not ever.”
Bo looked over his shoulder at Shep, who’d succeeded in extricating himself and was getting out of the car from the other rear door. With a fearful, withering sigh, he faced Everett again, then nodded.
“Good boy.” Everett stepped back, allowing Bo room to exit the vehicle. “I’m really proud of you, you know—it takes a big boy to be so brave.”
“I am a big boy,” Bo declared. While his voice was still small, it was bolder than it had been before. “I’m all growed up.”
“You definitely are.” Everett held out his hand, and Bo took it. “Now come on—we’ve got a whole lot of adventure waiting for us, and only so much time left before your dads come home.”
13
Everett
“You really don’t seem to understand,” Jayne said through gritted teeth as Everett approached, “so I’ll say it again—I live in this apartment building. My brother and my son live here, too. All of our things are inside. Our furniture, our clothes, our food, our electronics… if you don’t let us in, we have nothing. This is our only place to stay. You can’t turn us away.”
