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"I can help"

She shakes her head again "They said it won’t be but a fewSeth home, and he can help irls in the rearview irls squeal

After ice cream and a quick stop at the store for diapers and kid food, she stops at a stoplight "Are you sure you don’t want o with you?" I really wouldn’t lasses down to hide her eyes "Thanks, Reagan," she says "I think I got this"

I don’t believe her Not at all

Pete

I’an, so I call her from Reed’s, the tattoo shop where I ith my brothers Since no one was at ho up the phone and take a deep breath So her off in five minutes at the shop I have no idea what happened with Matt, but he has Reagan’s car and she rode hoer I don’t particularly like that, but Matt wouldn’t do anything to hurt her At least not on purpose

Finally, she walks in the door I have ainst someone’s back as I draw an outline She blows out a frustrated breath as she walks through the door "Everything okay?" I ask I can’t stop what I’ht now

"Fine," she says "That was so strange"

E on a lollipop She’s so fking cute in her coe?" she asks

"Those kids," Reagan said "I’m worried about them"

She tells us the story and all about the aunt that had never seen the kids before "Maybe Matt knows lad he went," Reagan says "He would have hated it otherwise"

A woman walks in the front door, and everya short, short skirt, and a fitted top with an open back "What can we do for you?" Friday, the girl who runs the front, asks

"I’d like to get a piercing," she says, and she bites her lower lip

"Can one of you do a piercing?" Friday calls Friday is really pretty in a Katy Perry kind of way She has tattoos on her shoulders and across her back and up her legs I know about the ones on her legs because I put them there She has skulls and cross bones and turtles and some really weird shit And she dresses all retro, like a pinup girl froaze in the place turns to the wos!" Friday yells draan’s mouth falls open She walks over close to ," she hisses I do them all the time, but I don’t even want to do them anymore She cups her hand aroundare mine"

My heart swells I like this I like it a lot "Sorry," I say "The little lady has spoken" I lift an, but Erins He shakes his head "Can’t do it," he says

"Why not?" Paul blows out a heavy breath

"Because I want to have sex tonight," Logan says "And toht after"

Sa a cake somewhere And we all knohere Matt is Paul thron the pencil on the table where he was drawing a tattoo "You guys are worthless," he complains "And puy whipped"

I’h-fivesone for the teaeous "The things I have to do so you guys can have sex" He hitches up his jeans andHe takes Friday with hioes behind the curtain because we have learned through the years that you don’t do intiynecologist always having a female nurse in the roo funny

She leaves, and Paul sits down and then starts to laugh He throws a napkin at uys suck," he says

Friday stands up and says, "Let’s go get a hot dog"

"I got a hot dog for you," Paul says

"Prorabs her in a headlock and rubs the top of her head with his knuckles "I’d hook you up if you liked dick, Friday"

Fridaybad

Friday isn’t a lesbian, but Paul thinks she is When she first started, he hit on her pretty hard, and she started talking about one of her girlfriends one night He assuht, and she admitted toaround a bunch of theht yet It’s too funny watching hiuys, and I like her that way I couldn’t think of her as a girl if I tried, and that was before I even an with her around the corner to get a hot dog They leave, and I can’t keep frorins atin her pants," I say

"I can look," he tosses out, still grinning

A boy runs in the door carrying a box This happens a lot in our neighborhood Kids need to eat, and they take any opportunity they can to make a buck "Do you want to buy one?" he asks, and he shows me what’s in the box

"How ive hihome with you," Paul warns "What if it’s sick?"

Oh shit What if it’s sick? I stuff it intosure it can breathe "I’ll take it to the vet"

"You better do that before you give it to her Her dog just died, dummy"

"Fine I’ll be back in a little while" I turn back to Paul "Do you have any cash?" I grin at him

"Fuck, it was cheaper for rouses But he reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallet

"Tell Reagan I’ll be back in a few," I say I walk out, keeping a gentle hand around the bulge in an

It feels kind of strange going out the door with Emily and Friday, but they’re both parts of the Reed family, and I want to be a part of it, too "I think Paul was checking out your ass again," Emily says to Friday Friday twitches her hps in the short skirt that flares around her hips It’s very Marilyn Monroe, with the ties that go around her neck and the short, belled skirt