Neither of his sons knew what he meant by that. Inari and Ayla both reminded him of someone, and the last name, Jacobs, rang bells as well. After making a few inquiries, he knew exactly who they were. Not only that, but who their parents were. That discovery alone was enough to rattle him. Hearing that his sons had cut off their connections to both women made him feel better. The last thing he needed was any of them getting too close to the truth.
“Is Ayla being here going to be a problem?” Audiemar addressed Kong.
Sitting up, he clasped his hands together, the za starting to affect his mood as he studied the water in front of him.
“Nah. We’ll move out.”
“Move out? What about the kids?” Moose queried.
“It’s for the best.” Kong swiped his pants legs and stood. “You should keep her on. The kids will still be visiting, and you do need someone to make your meals, right? She’s almost done with school, and she needs this job right now.”
“She can stay,” Audiemar agreed.
“You were right. I need a wife.” Kong voiced to his father. “I need a partner. This accident has changed Nay. I don’t know if any of you have noticed?—”
“She can’t remember shit.” Moose dragged smoke into his lungs from the blunt again. “What happens when she does?”
“Right now, I’m not worried about that. She’s better with the kids, and I think it’s time we move back into our own home again.”
“You playing with fire, bro. Big ass fucking flames,” Moose described.
The growing familiarity of Mozzi and Coast’s banter floated through the doors outside. In joggers, a pair of slides, and no shirt, he sailed into the kitchen ahead of her, chewing his ass out in one of his big t-shirts and socks up to her calves.
“I can’t believe you ate all my damn wings, Moses! You are a fuckin’ asshole!” Coast sounded like she wanted to cry.
Gathered in a semi-circle, Moose, Kong, and Audiemar all listened with half grins. Mozzi didn’t let anybody talk to him crazy, but Coast matched his energy, and it was comical to see.
“I thought you was sleep! And that ain’t no fucking reason to throw no damn remote at me, Trouble! I swear to God if my eye turn black, I’m fucking you up! Gon’ have muhfuckas out here thinking I got my ass whupped ’cause yo’ ass worried about some damn food!” He yanked the freezer door open and reached inside for an icepack on one of the shelves.
“Order me some more damn wings!” Coast yelled, punching him in the shoulder when he came back to the counter.
“Fuck!” Mozzi growled. “You really gon’ punch me like that in the shoulder where I got fucking shot!”
Moose snickered and Kong shook his head. Audiemar looked on with humor. Jane would have loved to see this. Coast’s hands flew up to her mouth, and a gasp slipped off her lips.
“I’m sorry.” She tried to move closer, but Mozzi shot a hardened glare in her direction.
He was pissed, and in pain, but not wanting to take anything for it still.
“Yo, don’t fucking touch me right now. I’ll order your fucking wings.” He inched away from her, but Coast didn’t move.
She snatched the ice pack out of his hand and moved toward him as he tapped at his phone screen on the counter.
“I’m sorry,” she repeated, pressing it against his eye.
She leaned into him, and Mozzi’s arm slipped around her waist. Coast stood on her toes and kissed his lips, which he accepted, and they went back to normal. Or as normal as those two knew how to be. Audiemar knew one thing in that moment, if anything ever happened to Coast, it would be the undoing of his son. Mozzi deserved to experience this. Moose and Kong knew a woman’s love aside from Jane. Their younger brother had no idea.
“At least one of us is happy,” Moose muttered.
“For now.” Audiemar tipped his glass to his lips.
