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“What happened to New Guy?” Casey asks.
“I broke up with New Guy a while back. You gotta keep up, little bro.”
“Apparently.”
“You should come with us, Stacey,” I suggest. “Two weeks at Camp Kawkawa, molding impressionable minds. Charles and Stevie will be there. Stevie’s been asking about you.”
Yeah, I said that to twist a metaphorical knife into his heart. Sue me. I’m not above a little guilting for his own good. He’s not just Casey’s brother, he’s Casey’s twin, and they have some kinda weird bond thing that’s affecting Casey above and beyond the usual. Several times this week, Casey’s put his hand over his heart, wincing. I thought he was fucking with me at first, but it’s happened enough I’m starting to believe it. I at least believe that he believes it, and that’s enough for me.
Stacey bites his lower lip. He turns his head to gaze at the door where the kinky twins disappeared.
“They’re coming back here after camp, though, aren’t they? Casey told me your parents are applying to be their foster parents.”
I huff and nod. Yeah, but still. Camp is camp. Special shit happens there. It could heal his broken heart.
“Good, I’ll see them then for sure. We’ll organize a family-friendly game of street hockey with the Meyers.”
Nothing hockey and Meyers related is family friendly and he knows it. Even I know that now, and I’m the newest add to the group.
“Hey, Hockey Daddy. You comin’?” one of the young men calls from the bedroom.
“Hockey Daddy? Seriously, Stace?” Casey says.
Stacey shrugs, smiling. “Cool tattoo, by the way, bro. I’ll show you my new one when you get back. Have fun.” Stacey wanders unapologetically toward his paramours.
“Gee, I can hardly wait to see what the fuck he got inked on his body when he was out of his damn mind,” Casey says with all the sarcasm.
“Tattoos can be removed,” I remind him.
“Not easily. Fuck, this is a disaster. Do you think I should give Dash the heads up? This is gonna be a surprise and a half after a long shift at The Wicklow.”
“Why would he care? He’s got his man. Won’t he be happy that Stacey found, uh, two someones to play with for a bit?”
He chews on his lip. “I don’t know. Stacey’s dated other men, and had boyfriends around the house, but he’s never been this ‘in your face’ about it because it causes a weird-ass tension around here.”
There’s got to be a reason for that tension. “Leave it,” I say.
A slow smile spreads its way across Alderchuck’s face. “Are you sayin’ we use our powers for evil today, Sutter?”
“I always use my powers for evil.” I spin him around so I can see his face. The penny attached to the necklace I gave him shifts, falling to the center of his chest. I got him a titanium chain for it so that it doesn’t break during our rough activities.
“Not true. It was real nice what you did for Charles and Stevie.”
My parents weren’t my first choice because I was hoping we’d be able to find a blood relative. All kinds of shit happens betweencouples, and we don’t have clear stories about either of the kids’ dads. The best we can fathom is that Charles and Stevie’s mom was with Stevie’s dad before Charles remembers anything but him being around.
Charles isn’t keen on his bio dad. I think he should meet with him—at the least—and I’m working on convincing him to that end.
Asking Mom and Dad was nerve-wracking. I didn’t expect it to be, but there was a lot to consider. Especially Isla. Charles and Stevie are nice kids, but they’ve got a lot of shit going on. Dad was already familiar with Charles, but after she met them, Mom was on board, too.
“I think they’ll be good for Isla,” she said. “And Isla will be good for them.”
So long as they don’t annoy her. She might only be ten years old, but she could have them doing her bidding.
We’re going to keep looking for a relative, but for now, it works. Mom and Dad will take them to visit their mom. The Meyers have said they can stay with them whenever they want.
“My only act of purity for the season. Now, get your ass dressed.” I smack his thinly-clad ass for good measure. “I want to beat rush-hour traffic and get to the Curtis brothers’ house in time for the big cookout.”
“Gee, can’t fucking wait.”
