Chapter 41: Family Honor

October – Year 1

We drove back to the hotel and made love to the wafting aroma of White Castle. After a great night’s sleep we rose, made love, showered, made love, showered, made love, blew off another shower and went to the lobby for breakfast.

“Waffles and apple juice make a very nice simple breakfast. I tried the milk, but it tastes funny.”

“You mean it tastes like cow’s milk and not the milk you are used to?”

“Uh-huh! I guess that is more accurate.” I chuckled.

We finished up and went back to our room to pack and call my son to let him know we were coming over. We managed with a minimum of ass and ball grabbing and then we checked out and drove to my son’s apartment. He was just getting up at 11 so I assumed that he was out late with April. We knocked on the door and after a few minutes he opened it.

“You look like shit!” I was amazed.

“Funny I feel like shit.”

We went in and found the place to be cleaner than my daughters house. There was the normal bachelor clutter, but it was pretty clean. Nonetheless he really looked beat up.

“Are you ok, Mike?”

“Not really. April and I broke up last night.”

“No!” Erin was the first to exclaim.

“What happened son?”

“After the funeral, we went to Boomers house and I guess I was spending too much time with Belinda and the kids, but at some point I went looking for her and found her being held by some guy. I asked what was going on and he smart mouthed me. I told him that April was my girlfriend and he told me that I should ask her if that was the case. I asked April what was going on and she told me that if she was not the center of my attention then she was going with this guy. Then they walked out the door.”

“Oh fuck. Have you heard from her?”

“Nope. I helped Belinda put the kids to bed and I just came home. I was going to go by April’s place today and pick up my stuff.”

“Do you want me to go with you?”

“No. Oh, one more thing. Last night before I left Belinda, she handed me a letter from Boomer. I haven’t read it yet. She had a real funny look on her face.”

“Where is the letter? Let’s take a look at it before you go to April’s”

Mike went into his bedroom and came back with the letter, well more like a small envelope shaped package. He handed it to me and sat in a big chair in front of the TV. Erin and Lynn had taken a seat on the couch and were watching the drama unfold.

“Why give it to me? It is your letter.”

“Because if it is from Boomer; I am afraid of what it says.”

“You know something!”

“Yeah, I do. Please read the letter for me.”

I sat down between my wives and opened the letter/package. As I opened the paper inside a gold ring fell out and my son saw it and dropped his head to his hands. I picked up the ring and handed it to Lynn. She examined it and passed it to Erin. I read the letter.

“Little O, my brother. I’m sorry. Really. This shit is too much for me. I love my wife and my kids. I love you. I hate this life. Too many backstabbers. Too many life suckers. The last time I went out with Belinda there were guys hitting on her when I went to the head. There is no more honor. There is no more brotherhood, except with you. I am going to do it. You know Belinda loves you. I think that she loves you more than me because of the way I have been. Please, my brother. Take care of my family and if Belinda does love you, please love her back until she can find a man or you realize that you love her too.”

“I knew it.”

“He left you his family?” Lynn asked.

“Yes. We made a deal when we were deployed. I vowed that I would take care of Belinda and the kids if he ever fell. He knew that at some point he was going to go before me. I made a damned vow, Dad.”

“Does that mean what I think it means?” Erin asked.

I looked at Erin and nodded. Lynn touched my arm. I looked at my son as he rubbed his eyes.

“I need to get my shit from April and I need to call Belinda. Looks like I got myself a wife too, Dad! Any meaningful advice?”

I looked at my wives.

“Mike, I got very lucky. I don’t think that ‘get lucky’ is the best advice. You would be better off talking to Lynn and Erin. They are the wisest people I know.” Each of my arms got a squeeze,

“Mike, does your vow mandate marriage?” Lynn asked.

“No, but when Boomer said ‘take care of’ that means in every way possible. I suppose it means marriage and adopting the kids and taking over for Boomer in every way.”

“How well do you know her, Mike?”

“We dated in high school. We were never intimate. Boomer was her first, but she told me at her wedding that it should have been me. I have always had feelings for her, Boomer knew it. Let’s go to April’s.”

“Now you want me to go?”

“No. Now I want all of you to go. You are just what I need right now.”

We went down to the cars. I got in and Lynn looked at me and nodded. I nodded back and she knew what to do. She got into the car with my son and Erin got in with me. Mike led the way and in 20 minutes we were pulling up to an apartment complex. Mike parked and I pulled in next to him.

We followed him up to the third floor. He stopped in front of a door and knocked a few times. The door opened and there stood a naked April and the guy I assumed that she had taken home last night. He was naked as well.

“I’m here to get my stuff. Then I’ll leave you two alone.”

“Who said you can have it back?” The guy said.

“April, at least you could drop me for a guy with at least a third grade education.”

“I’ll kick your ass.”

“No you won’t. And even if you did at some point in the fight, if it looked like you were going to beat my son’s ass, I would sneak up behind you and hit you with something very hard and heavy. Then I would hurt you.”

“Sweetie, can I kick him in the nuts when he is down?” Erin was smiling at the naked fool.

“Yes, dear.”

“April, I am assuming that all of my stuff is in the same place, so I’ll just get it and be on my way.”

“Go ahead, Mike. I’m sorry.”

“Yeah.” My son walked into the bedroom.

I followed as he took the stuff he had in a couple of dresser drawers and put them in a big gym bag. He moved to the closet and stuffed a few shirts and pants into the bag. He went to the bathroom and came back with an open box of condoms.

“You used my rubbers to fuck my girlfriend? You couldn’t bring your own?”

“I took your girl and so why not? Her pussy and her ass are mine now. If you got all of your stuff, you need to get out.”

“April. Why him? Why a total douche?”

“Mike, can I talk to you alone?” April pleaded.

“April, you ain’t talking to him alone. You are not his girl anymore.” Naked guy was trying to sound tough.

“Come on.” Mike took April by the hand and pulled her into the bedroom and closed the door.

I moved to stand in front of the door, blocking Naked Guy from following.

“They need to be alone. You will let them be alone. Do you have anything that you can put on?”

“Why your bitches aren’t used to seeing a real man naked?” My wives began to laugh.

“Paul, let him be. You were right. He is not a very smart guy.” Erin spoke as she moved closer to Naked Guy.

“Shut your mouth, bitch!”

In the flash of an eye Lynn shouted at Naked Guy and as he turned, Erin moved in and kicked him square in the nuts with her pointy shoes. He dropped to his knees and she kicked him in the ribs. The bedroom door opened and Mike walked out with April. She was crying and Mike was stone cold. I had seen that look when he lived with me after his return to the States from his deployment.

“We are done here Dad. Moms are you ok?”

“Moms? That is a new one.” Erin laughed.

Mike walked out the door with his stuffed gym bag. Lynn and Erin followed and I took up the rear giving a half salute to April as I closed the door.

“That went well. Lynn thanks for the distraction.”

“No problem lover. I remembered you telling me what to do that night at the bar when Paul was out of town. I dropped the beer, the thug turned his head and you pointy booted him into never-never land!”

“So you two have done this before?” Mike asked.

“Once. Erin owns a bar and has to deal with folks, she taught me a little.” Lynn replied. “Mike what did you and April talk about?”

“What we talked about in the car. April and Belinda had a talk. Belinda told her that I was in love with her and that April needed to find another guy. April got pissed and revenge fucked the first guy she could pick up. She is sorry, but she knows that I do love Belinda. She apologized for doing what she did. I apologized for my feelings, but told her that I could not break my vow.”

“Let’s go to Belinda’s house. Lynn please ride with me this time.” Lynn nodded and got into the rental, while Erin and Mike got into his.

We drove to Belinda’s house and parked in the driveway. Mike walked up to the door and rang the bell. The door opened and Belinda took him in her arms and kissed him for a long time. He embraced her and kissed her back. We watched from a distance, until they broke their embrace and Belinda waved us in.

“Welcome to my home. Big O it is good to see you again. Lynn, Erin, it is good to see you two as well.”

“Belinda, you do not seem like the typical grieving wife.”

“No, I’m not. Boomer gave me two great kids, but his soul was tortured. He was hell to live with. He never hit the kids or I, but he was a walking dead man. When he was deployed, his soul died. He did things there that killed him. When he was over there, he told me that he was going to get Mike to vow to take care of me. He knew that I loved Mike. He knew that it was my wish to have married him.”

“He told me that,” Mike said, “after I took my vow to him. I knew he wouldn’t lie to me. When I came home, I knew it was just a matter of time before he ended himself. I came to the house and played with the kids more and talked to Belinda more, building a relationship with them all. The ring that fell out of the letter was not Boomers, it was mine. Boomer had it made for me when we came home.”