Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 69303 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69303 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
I started a load of laundry, then ventured into the first bedroom where the littler kids—though they were still teens—were staying.
After picking up even more laundry, careful to keep our stuff separated from Chevy and Aella’s kids’ stuff, I ventured to the bigger kid room.
When I got through the door, I stopped, unable to believe what I was seeing.
Then I yelled, “What are you two doing?!”
I would like to say that I’d been really careful about not seeing Jack in a personal situation for a long time, but this time I was able to see all.
Also, there was Tillie.
Naked as a jaybird.
Both of them scrambled to cover up, Tillie grabbing her discarded dress, and Jack grabbing his pants and stepping into them.
“What the fuck?” I cried out. “Couldn’t you have at least closed the door!”
There was a moment of silence and then, “Mom, it’s not what it looked like!”
I shook my head. “What was it that you were doing, if it wasn’t what it looked like?”
Jack cleared his throat. “I was just finger-banging her.”
I rolled my eyes. “That’s a sack of shit, and you know it.”
Tillie cleared her throat.
“Are you even using protection?”
It was Tillie’s turn to talk when she said, “I have an IUD.”
An IUD.
Jesus Christ.
“Thank God for the small things.”
A voice cleared beside me, and Aella said, “What’s going on?”
I could see that stupid smirk on her face.
I wanted to slap it off.
I’d given her so much shit last week, and here I was in the same damn situation.
“We’re trying to stop!” Jack cried out as he threw his hands out wide. “But we can’t.”
Aella made a sound in the back of her throat, and I turned to glare at her. “You’re one to talk.”
Aella’s own child had been caught in the middle of certain deeds just last week.
It was that time, I guessed.
I thought I had more.
Sure, Finnian had given Jack the talk, just in case, but Jack’s girlfriend, Tillie, was very quiet and introverted. I hadn’t thought they were at that point in their lives.
“What’s going on here?” Cort arrived at the door, his grin lecherous. “Jack, why are you half naked? And you know better than to let Tillie come in here.”
Jack puffed out a breath and hissed at him. “Fuck. Off.”
“Sorry, no can do.” He laughed. “I can see that you already tried to do that, and I don’t want to make our ma mad at us.”
I slapped him upside the head and snapped, “Get out of here.”
Cort left with a laugh.
Aella didn’t laugh, but she did hurry out as she rushed out of the room.
“How long has this been going on?” I asked.
They both looked at each other. “A little over a month.”
I rolled my eyes. “Tillie, out. Jack, sit.”
Tille left like a bat out of hell and left Jack to fend for himself.
At least she had some brains.
Jack sat, and I looked at him honestly. “You’re too young and inexperienced to know this, but IUDs aren’t one hundred percent effective.”
Jack blanched.
“You can ask your Uncle Gunner and Aunt Sutton. They had an IUD baby,” I promised. “And if you’re not interested in going to play lacrosse collegiately, that’s fine. Having a baby makes a lot of things impossible.”
Jack drew in a deep breath. “We’ll use condoms.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You fucking better.”
“Are we done?” he asked hopefully.
“For now,” I grumbled. “But expect me to let your dad know. He’ll talk to you. I’m too mad to do that right now.”
I left him there, then tossed Tillie an “I’m watching you” look as I passed.
Tillie ducked her head, and I marched past her, right out the door to the communal fire pit.
The silence was deafening.
“Don’t even start,” I grunted as I sat down.
Finnian sighed. “I thought a do-gooder like her would’ve been more convincing.”
“You’ve met your son, right?” Audric snorted. “He’s a Casanova. He’s a good-looking kid with all that auburn wavy hair—my wife’s words, not mine—and he’s a fit and popular athlete. Like someone’s going to be able to say no to him if he puts out even a little bit of his charm.”
Audric had a point.
I knew our kids were good looking.
Hell, look at who his father was.
Remembering how impossible Finnian had been to resist, I knew this was a losing battle.
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”
Aella snickered. “What was it that you told me last week? Kids will be kids?”
I flipped her off. “Go fuck yourself.”
Aella giggled.
Chevy pulled his wife into his arms and said, “Don’t tease her, dear. You know how out of control you were last week.”
Aella groaned. “I swear to God, I never signed up for this! I feel like these kids are turning into a bunch of sex fiends.”
“And y’all aren’t?” Denny entered the conversation. “I swear to God, we all have to beg to go downstairs when y’all go places because all y’all do is have loud sex. It’s disgusting. You all are disgusting. Mom, can I have ten dollars? I want to walk down to the sugar shack at the corner.”