Epilogue Four

Epilogue Four Noah

About ten years later

Six phones chime at the same time and we all trade looks.

I’m the first to drop my gloves and grab my phone from my bag to find a text from Roe to our family group chat. My mouth drops open as I read the text. Then read it again.

“Roe baby is bringing boys tonight,” I say, shocked. She might be fifteen now, but I never really thought this would happen.

“Boys?” More than one voice snaps from different directions.

Scar is the second one of us to pull out her phone. She hums and trades looks with Kade. “Think it has to do with what we heard earlier?”

He shrugs. “Only one way to find out.”

“What the fuck did you hear?” Luca growls and I’m nodding. He took the words right out of my mouth.

Scar’s text pops up on my phone, quickly followed by one from Roe and another by Kade.

Baby Girl

Proving another point?

Butterfly

Pretty much

Husband

Do we turn the psycho up or down?

I can’t look at my phone and not laugh every time Kade’s contact pops up. Scar thought she was real funny when she put that in, but even after all these years I can’t bring myself to change it. Not when it always makes both of us laugh each time.

The two of them are getting that look in their eyes again. The one that always spells trouble for all of us. Especially Declan, Luca, and me.

“I’m still stuck on the boys part,” Jade drawls, making Luca glare at his phone again.

Okay. Me and Declan then.

I pull out my phone and begin typing quickly.

Always down. The answer is always down.

Luca

If they’re boys the answer is obviously up.

Baby Girl

I agree with Luca

I shake my head and look for Declan. “Help me out here.”

“I still wanna know about the boys,” Jade repeats, but no one is paying attention to her. Though I still want to know what Kade and Scar heard earlier. No one can expect them to react sanely when our daughter is bringing home boys for the first time, but going straight to psycho is suspicious. Even more suspicious is them asking for permission. We’re missing something.

“How many boys?” asks Jade.

Declan

You’re going to traumatize some poor fifteen-year-olds.

Baby Girl

That’s the point?

“Three,” I answer absentmindedly. Oh fuck me. Now the twins are getting involved as well. I wipe my hand down my face as I read the texts coming in from Macey and Halle.

Cricket

Does this mean we can invite friends?

Ryder

No, we can’t antagonize the teenagers if we are worried about the seven-year-olds.

Sweet girl, why would you even want to? We just got the news and already all hell is breaking loose. Does Roe know just what is in store for these boys coming over? On a day when the whole family is going to be there as well. Ballsy of her.

Mayfly

Do you really want our friends there for this?

At least one of our kids seems to have some common sense. I can always rely on Halle to be the sane and rational one. Usually Roe is as well, but I don’t think she thought this through very well.

Cricket

Good point Hal.

You’re brave Roe.

Apparently, her sisters also agree with that sentiment. I can’t help but laugh. What the fuck is going to happen tonight?

Husband

You guys are so dramatic

Ryder

I agree with the twins

Luca

So we are turning the psycho up?

Dear lord, Roe baby, are you sure you want them to come over?

Does she hate them? I pause and tilt my head as I study Kade and Scar. Does she hate them? Is that why those two were so quick to jump to psycho levels? Jade’s mumbling to Ian about still wanting to know where these boys came from.

“What did you overhear earlier?” I ask skeptically. “What point is Roe trying to make and why?”

Scar shrugs, her phone still in her hand as she waits for Roe to respond. “She called us during school earlier. Said something about proving a point and then she thought she had hung up but we were still on the line and heard some boy teasing her about her nickname.”

My face scrunches as I think about that. Not exactly thrilled some shithead kid is giving our baby a hard time for any reason.

“Then we heard Roe threaten to cut his tongue out of his mouth,” Kade adds proudly. Well apparently, I wasn’t the only one not thrilled about it. Good for our girl. She’s her momma’s daughter, standing up for herself like that.

Butterfly

Normal level of psycho, you don’t have to change for these idiots.

Declan

You know their normal level is still pretty insane by any other person’s standards right?

Butterfly

Yes Daddy, that’s the point.

Baby Girl

Oh. I’m excited.

Butterfly

See you when you get home from work.

I’m suddenly less inclined to try and stop the psychos from harassing some fifteen-year-olds. Seems like they may deserve it after all. I trade looks with Declan, who shrugs. We won’t participate, doesn’t mean we won’t enjoy watching the fall out.

Scar has a wicked gleam in her eye that promises trouble. I wonder if Roe knows the can of worms she just opened. She starts a low conversation with Luca and the rest of us move to the side of the gym as we watch her.

“One hundred bucks she goes full crazy tonight,” Ryder says.

Declan scoffs, “She’s grown out of that.”

We all give him exasperated looks and he waves us off. “Okay, of course she hasn’t. But she won’t go full throttle on some fucking fifteen-year-olds.”

“I think I agree with D,” I hum. “She’s crazy but she won’t go all out for kids.”

Kade shakes his head. “I’m in. I’m betting full assassin gear. Tats on display, suited up with blades and at least one gun.”

I roll my eyes. “They’re just kids,” I argue.

Kade shrugs. “Kids bullying our daughter.”

I clench my jaw. I don’t think Scar will go that far, but the reminder kind of makes me hope she will. Roe has been honest about her troubles at school, but she seems to have a handle on it. Though I’m curious how it’s led to this. “Still kids.” But my argument is only half-hearted.

“Just so we’re all on the same page,” Jade drawls, throwing her gloves down at our feet. “Roe’s bringing three of her bullies tonight? Bullies that are also boys? To our family party? Tonight?”

I nod. “That’s the gist of it.”

She trades looks with Ian and chuckles. “So, who’s going to tell the twins?”

My mouth drops open. Can’t believe I forgot about that part of it. The twins are extremely protective over her. Even more so than Trevor who’s at school with her.

Ian rolls his lips. “Okay, hear me out. Maybe, we don’t tell them?”

“Oh, I like surprises,” Scar chirps. “Someone should bring popcorn.”

I huff a laugh. I still can’t believe our little Roe has grown up enough to be bringing boys home.

Let the chaos ensue.