As we watch Parker’s bed burn, the mood changes. Becomes less chaotic and more thoughtful.
Doc takes me aside and points his machete at January’s back. “Enough mayhem. I need to fuck that girl senseless.”
“Agreed,” I say. “Where?”
“Not here,” he says shortly. “I wouldn’t fuck January here if it was the last place on earth.”
“On that, we’re in agreement.” I turn to Eli. “Should we call Gretzky, get the chopper?”
“Youshould do that,” he says and throws me a cell phone he found abandoned on a coffee table.
I quickly crack the device and call Gretzky, who answers on the second ring. “Heard there’s been some trouble at the Parker compound?”
“He’s dead as shit, Gretz.”
“Ding dong,” Gretzky says, which is as close to acongratulations, the war is over, I love you boysas you’re gonna get from him. We arrange to meet on the lawn in ten minutes and the five of us head to Parker’s backyard.
“Fuck this place is ugly,” Doc says conversationally, throwing a lit match into a hedge.
“He had too much money,” Eli says, settling onto the grass with a new bottle of Wild Turkey. “Too much money and no idea what to do with it.”
“He couldn’t stop,” January says quietly. “No matter what he had it wasn’t enough, he had to keep growing. He was like cancer.”
“He was,” I agree and smile, settling in next to Eli. “I can’t tell you how good it feels to talk about Parker in the past tense.”
“Well, we all know who we have to thank for that,” Eli says with pride. “Our beautiful, precious girl.”
“And Emilia,” January reminds him.
“Of course.”
Eli holds up the whiskey. “To Emilia.”
“To Emilia,” we all say and take a drink. January takes the bottle last, holding it up and smiling softly. “I can’t.”
“Why, Pryntsesa?” Adriano says roughly.
January toes the ground with her bare feet and it strikes me how beautiful she is, with her hair like ebony, her lips as red as any of the roses on the nearby bushes, and her skin pale as purest snow.
“I’m pregnant,” she whispers, and I close my eyes. Gold sparks behind them and I feel myself grinning from ear to ear. The girl I love is having a baby. I’m going to be a father.
“Guys,” January urges. “Say something. I’mpregnant.”
“We know,” all four of us say at once.
“What?!”
She’s so surprised she’s almost angry and we all start laughing which only makes her madder. Adriano stands and lifts her off the ground, giving her a big hug. “Congratulations, my dumpling. I love you so much.”
“Thank you,” January says hotly. “Why isn’t anyone else congratulating me?”
I shrug. “I don’t think I have any words that could make this moment better.”
“Me neither,” Eli says.
I look over at Doc, he’s got an arm behind his head, staring into space. I don’t know if it’s real to him. If I had to guess, it might not be until the kid is out in the world.
Adriano silently slides a hand over January’s stomach, and I have the weirdest urge to cry. Sometimes I wondered if he had enough left in him to love, now it’s undeniable. He was still whole underneath all the scars and crazy shit. A hibernating grizzly just waiting for the right time to venture back out.
