Page 172 of Devil’s Disciples

“I was just wondering.”

“What about you?” I asked.

“I’d love to be able to have kids,” she said. “I wasted my chance by being married for so long.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m past my prime.”

“Hell, you never know,” I said.

“Actually, I do. I’m six months into menopause.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I’m unable to have kids. On the upside, I don’t need to worry about birth control.”

The thought of having children in my life made me itch. “I guess the birth control thing’s a plus.”

“What about marriage?” she asked.

“What about it?”

“What are your thoughts in it?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Growing up in a house with only one parent and having four friends that either had no parents – or one parent – made me kind of look at marriage as a joke. What about you?”

“It’s a sheet of paper that’s as worthless as the lies that are printed on it,” she said.

“Sounds like we’re in agreement on that.” I nodded toward the horizon. “You’re going to miss it.”

She turned toward the ocean and gasped. “I know why they call it Sunset Cliffs. This is going to be amazing.”

As she gazed out at the horizon, I admired the contour of her face. I’d never seen anyone as beautiful as she was. Her beauty was so much more than what could be seen. Each day seemed to expose another quality about her that I found remarkable.

I never would have imagined a woman being an active part of my life, but then again, I never knew women like Kimberly existed. Spending a day without her was a thought I didn’t want to think about.

It was time for me to take the big step. To take our relationship tit he next level.

I brushed her hair behind her ear with the tip of my finger. “Before the sun sets. I want to ask you something.”

She kept her eyes fixed on the multi-colored horizon. When the sun disappeared behind a cloud – just above the horizon – she glanced at me. “Okay.”

“Goose is having his Friday deal on Friday, and I was wondering if you might want to go. Baker’s Ol’ Lady will be there, so there’ll be at least one person you can talk to besides me.”

“Goose is the guy down the street?”

“Yeah. The one that was there the day I smacked Tito.”

“What’s the Friday deal?”

“It’s a deal he has every Friday. It’s not mandatory, but most of us go. It’ll be a chance for you to meet the fellas. Give ‘em an idea of why I’ve been missing for the last month.”

She looked at me and smiled. “Sure. I’d love to.”

“Goose is a good cook.”

Her eyebrows raised. “So, we’re going to eat there?”