Saving Us(17)

"You know you like it. Ask Miranda how much she loves Ty sundaes."

"I know all about your dumb sundaes. You're disgusting!" She continued to try to free her hands.

I decided to stay out of it. No matter where we were, the two of them would always get into trouble. My sister was in the kitchen feeding Jake. He was wearing his little blue tractor hat like always. It was easier to tell the twins apart when they wore them. Jax had a green one. He'd learned to take his off though. "Hey. Where's Amy?"

I sat down next to my sister and kissed the top of her head. "She's at mom's takin' a nap. I think she's worn out from the ride or somethin'. She was real quiet at the cemetery."

"She better be up to a nice dinner. We're all goin' out for steaks later." Miranda shoveled another bite of something green into my nephew’s mouth. He smiled as I scrunched my face up. It looked nasty, but he kept eating it anyway.

Colt cleared his throat. When I looked in his direction, I saw he was holding Christian. She had a pacifier in her mouth and was playing with a strand of her own hair, while her head rested against her father's chest. "Daddy's little girl, I see."

Colt kissed his daughters head. "That she is. Just wait until you have one of your own. You'll see. You can't help but love them."

Just then, Ty came back into the kitchen. His hat was off his head and his clothes were all wrinkled from wrestling. "You can't help but want to have meat like mine?"

Colt and I looked at each other and pretended that we didn't hear him. Giving Ty attention only fueled him. "I'm having a boy."

My sister chimed in. "You don't know that for sure."

"Yeah, I do. It's goin' to be a boy."

Everyone just shook their heads. "Dude, I love my boys, but I gotta tell you, there ain't nothing like seeing your daughter look into your eyes and knowing you are the only man in her life. Tell him Colt."

Colt looked from Ty, then back to me. "I hate to admit this. He's right, though. Boys grow up to be tough, but our little girls always need their daddy to protect them. I always want to be her hero. Just wait."

"Yeah, it has to be a boy. I'm sure of it."

Van walked into the room still wiping her face off. She tossed a towel towards Ty. "Thanks to you, I have to go up and get another shower. I have this crap all in my hair."

"Does it take you extra time since your belly is so giant?" Ty backed up against the counter as he said it. He knew she was going to kick his ass.

"I am not fat. Take it back!"

He continued to laugh, even as she approached him. We all watched Van get up in his face. She grabbed his cheeks and squished them together. The more Ty laughed, the more angry she got. He knew she couldn't physically hurt him, so he kept taunting.

Finally, she pushed away from him and walked out of the kitchen. Ty leaned down and wiped off his son's face with the rag. "Tell Mommy to stop getting you dirty. You need to look good for all those little hot toddler chicks."

The twins were going to grow up thinking they were God's gift to women. Sometimes, I found it ironic how everyone had always said that about us guys too. I guess it was a vicious circle.

I only stayed at Colt's for about a half hour before they all started to get hungry and request that I go get ready for supper. Amy was in the shower when I got back to my mom's house. I slipped into the bathroom and removed my clothes. She screamed when I opened the curtain at first, but calmed down once she saw that it was me. I grabbed the soap and started washing her back. "How was your nap?"

She shrugged and leaned her body against mine. "Fine. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Blaze. Why would you even ask that? I'm always fine." I didn't feel like talking about my father, or the reason that we were in Kentucky in the first place. I'd come and done what I needed to do. That was the end of it.

"I was worried about you, that's all."

"There ain't nothin' for you to worry about. Just drop it, alright?" I felt bad for being a dick, but I wanted her to shut up. I wasn't going to let myself be vulnerable in front of her. It wasn't going to happen.

"Fine, geesh, you don't have to be mean."

I rinsed off my hair and climbed back out of the shower without saying a word. I had a chip on my shoulder and didn't feel like talking.

By the time Amy came out of the bathroom, I was already dressed and heading out into the living room. I just wanted to get with all my family so that she wouldn't bring it up in private. Amy was the only person in my life that could make me emotional about things. I loved that she was special like that, but hated that it was possible.

I could tell she was annoyed with me, so I struck up a conversation with John about hunting. The women climbed in the backseat of the car and we headed to the restaurant.