Page 30 of The Crowing of Hell
“But you are right, Kenny. It doesn’t matter if the kid is mine or not. I can’t leave him or her with Sadie. She’ll wreck it. Hellfire is digging deep and turning up whatever evidence we can find to take Sadie to court and for me to get custody of the baby. In Hellfire, it doesn’t matter if you’re blood-related. If we consider a kid ours, it’s ours. End of story,” Rooster said earnestly.
“That’s something very special, to think and act like that,” I murmured as I stirred the contents in the pan again. Damn. Rooster kept showing his sweet side, and I was starting to feel more than I should.
Even now, at home, where Rooster should be relaxed, I could still sense his barriers firmly in place. Sadie had done such a number on him. I hated her on the mere principle of it.
“Plates?” I asked, and Rooster came up close behind me and reached up next to me. Shit, the heat radiating off his body affected mine, and I couldn’t stop the shiver running through me. Rooster paused and glanced down, a question in his eyes. I thanked my skin that my blush wasn’t as bright as it would have been on a paler tone.
Knowledge flared in Rooster’s expression, and then it blanked as he pulled five plates from the cupboard above my head. Rooster’s spicy scent wafted towards me, and I subconsciously leaned into him.
Rooster stiffened, and I pulled back.
“Do the boys eat a lot?” I asked, feeling embarrassed. After what I just thought, and then I did that. Shit. I was awful.
“They’re males, Kenny, they’ll lick the plates clean,” Rooster said.
I glanced in panic at the pan. It was full to overflowing, but had I cooked enough?
“Don’t stress it. There’s plenty, and I always have a pasta salad; they have that with everything, even stir fry,” Rooster added, opening the refrigerator door.
Feet skidded, and Kit poked his head around the fridge. He held out his hands, grabbed the pasta bowl, and disappeared. Then he reappeared and filled a jug up with ice water. Rooster waited, and then Brax appeared next and took a jug of fruit juice and finally Finn, who took away a crusty loaf of bread and butter.
“Bread and butter with stir fry?” I asked, confused.
“Easy trick with three growing boys. Give them a good dinner but fill them up on bread and butter. It’s a cheap tactic, but it sure as hell cuts down on food bills,” Rooster replied with a smile. As I served the plates, the kids reappeared and took theirs and scuttled away. Rooster carried mine and his into a spacious, bright dining room, and I was surprised tosee all the boys waiting patiently.
“They don’t like it?” I whispered to Rooster as he put my plate down and pulled out a chair.
“No, they know to wait for the lady to be seated. It’s rude to dig in when either the person who cooked it isn’t present, or the women aren’t sat. They may be Terrors, but they will have manners,” Rooster said firmly.
As soon as I was seated, Kit grabbed the bread and began cutting thick wedges off. Finn buttered them, and Brax dug in.
Rooster poured everyone a glass of water and then offered fruit juice to people. I was surprised to see the boys had set the table up properly and had included spoons and two glasses to drink from.
“They aren’t allowed fizzy shit at mealtimes,” Rooster explained. “It falsely fills them up, and then they’re hungry half an hour later. They’ll eat healthily and be better for it.”
“You’re a good dad,” I said, and Rooster pinked a little.
“Try to be. Apart from my brothers, I’m all they have. And while they have not had a mom, they’ve had Tati, and it’s not worth messing with her. Tati won’t have kids being rude around her, she’ll handle uncouthness but not ill manners or rudeness,” Rooster explained.
“Tati is Big Al’s wife?” I asked, wracking my brain.
“Yes. Tati looked after the boys a lot until they started school and was their mother figure, really,” Rooster answered.
“Our real mom was a drug addict and didn’t take care of us,” Kit explained, holding my gaze.
I wasn’t sure if Kit said it for the shock factor or what, but if he had, Kit had achieved his goal.
“Sorry to hear that,” I replied.
Kit held my stare. “Don’t be. We’re better off without her. Drugs ruin lives, and despite her, ours has been freaking perfect,” Kit replied with a glance at his dad for reassurance.
“I’ve never held back on what happened with their mother. The truth is important, and they need to be aware of the danger of drugs. So many teens assume drugs are great fun, my boys know better. They know drugs cost them a mom, and they know it killed her. Many state I’m wrong to expose the kids at such an early age. However, I’d rather them be aware than be dead,” Rooster explained, with a hint of defence in his tone.
“I agree,” I said with a nod. “If only some of my client’s abusive partners understood that or had been taught that. Drink and drugs lead to the breakup of so many families, and the children are often caught in the middle between two warring parents. Worse, the addict abuses the kids. I don’t think you’ve done wrong in opening their eyes to the danger. All three seem happy and loved and have a good head on their shoulders,” I said, smiling.
I watched as Brax took another piece of bread and wiped up the juices from the stir fry. Brax patted his stomach, and I smiled. Rooster had done an excellent job raising the kids. Their manners were impressive.They’d finished before Rooster and me but waited patiently for us to finish our meal.
“Clear the table, load the dishwasher, and bring in the fruit salad,” Rooster said.