Chapter 4

“So, this is pretty sweet, ain’t it?” Angelica asked both Shawn and I now, as we each enjoyed the root beer float that she made with French vanilla (just to be different or a joke at Shawn’s expense?).

“Almost as sweet as your pussy and ass. I suppose that I’ll have to content myself with eating the latter from now on ... and this, of course,” I winked at her.

“Oh, I think that you can both still LICK both holes ... just not FUCK both of them, okay?” Angelica winked at us now.

“Good, because even not being a big anal guy, I enjoy the taste of your culo,” Shawn confessed.

“And I the flavor of your pussy juice,” I smiled now.

“Glad to know, guys! This shows that neither of you is miffed or sulking or offended that you will have to stick to plugging two holes out of three. This arrangement of ours is working out rather well, wouldn’t you say, fellas?” Angelica licked the ice cream off her lips as she winked at both of us again.

“So ... I’ve been meaning to talk to you ... I got an offer with another employer ... and I’m still thinking of it, but I’m loath to jump ship while you’re with our company. If I take it ... it’s a big fucking pay raise, for the record. A major one,” Shawn informed Angelica like a dutiful boyfriend.

“Do tell. Who is this major employer of yours now?” our lover inquired of him.

“The United States Government,” Shawn let that penny drop.

“The Feds? In what capacity?” Angelica wondered aloud, as did I.

“Secret Service,” Shawn really threw us for a loop now.

“Secret ... Service. Are we talking about Presidential protection details?” I asked now the question that hung in Angelica’s throat like so many lumps.

“No. But almost as risky. Treasury stuff. Financial crimes. I won’t go further into it, but I wanted to talk to you about it first. This is a major change for both of us ... and it might increase the demand on Damien. One of the reasons that I was more ... willing to accept him. You’d need him for whenever I’d be unavailable.

“Whenever I’d be back, though, I would hope that Damien would make himself ... a bit scarcer. Another reason that I pushed for marriage when I did. That and it would make you next of kin, just in case. Relax, most of my job is desk duty, but there will be some danger now and then, babe. And I’d want to take a hall pass or two with me, just in case. I don’t want to risk cheating while gone, but I might get rather lonely without my girl,” Shawn clarified.

“Wow ... just wow ... okay ... sure ... yeah, I’m gonna be worried as fuck at times, but this is a big move for you. And I’ll be a housewife. We could use the money, especially with a baby. And this will certainly impress my parents more than your current position.

“It will also make it easier to push for Damien to take my job. And I honestly think that he should. He’s better suited to it than you. No offense,” Angelica agreed, fighting back tears from her fear of harm coming to her man in favor of her pride in his ambition.

“I agree. Damien is a lot better suited to running a microbrewery than me. It’s been fun, but this is far more him than me. Personality. Ethos, if you will. Which is saying a lot, because I’m Irish. Incidentally, you implied that you pulled strings to get this job. What strings?” Shawn asked her now.

“My Uncle Miguel’s widow, Tia Marcia. He left her the brewery and it can be a pain for her at times. She’s not cut out for the stress and frustration, and unlike some other relatives, she actually likes Damien. She doesn’t have too much long for this world. If it’s all the same to you guys, I’m gonna recommend that she leave the brewery to Damien in her will, in fact. Though she might leave it to me. In which case, I’ll probably rent or sell it cheap to Damien. Sound fair?” Angelica asked us, much to my shock.

“Sure ... but that’s not... , “ I started to say “not necessary,” but Angelica stopped me with a kiss.

“Hell with that. I told you that no one in the family wants it anymore. La Raza Micro is yours, because you’re the best suited to run it. Uncle Miguel would want it run by someone with a passion for it, for excellent, crisp, Tejana-style cerveza. So what if you’re not Hispanic? You’re dating me, so that makes you an honorary Mexican. Just keep me on as a silent partner, if you will, An investor,” Angelica urged me, and yes, we kissed on it, just as she then kissed Shawn to confirm her blessing for his new career in the United States Secret Service.

“Whatever else do you want to discuss while we eat our floats and kill time?” I asked my lover as she sat and flirted with both of us.

“Your own ... domestic situation. It’s ... very unique, or at least rare, from what you’ve told me. You’re sleeping with your sister, Alexis, your stepsister Daisy, and your stepmother, Caroline. Where does your ... father, or for that matter, your mother, fit into this picture? I’m just curious, that’s all. Not judging, papi. I know that you’re a good man. Your ... family affairs have never changed my mind about that,” Angelica was curious now.

“Okay, here’s the deal. Let’s start with my mother. Her name is Octavia. She ... let me put it this way. Are you familiar with a sect known as Christian Science? Well, putting it mildly, they’re really neither very scientific nor very Christian, at least from what I’ve come to see. They neglect their health on the theory that sickness is an illusion, because the body is an illusion. Forget medical care, okay? Not gonna happen. That was my childhood. Bruises? Too bad. Bronchitis? Forget about it!” I laid out some groundwork to make things better understood.

“Okay, I’m all ears, baby,” Angelica really perked up now.

“Anyway, I was seven years old when Dad had enough. It was after Alexis damn near died of pneumonia. He filed for divorce and got custody of both of us. Very unusual, but when the judge learned of, well, those rare beliefs, he felt obliged to award Dad custody with some supervised visitation rights for Mom. It wasn’t easy. Dad had to work a lot of hours and he was a bit of a womanizer besides, even then.

“How he juggled it all, I don’t know. The man lived off espresso, cappuccino, and whiskey, I can tell you that much. We were basically latch-key kids, Alexis and I. No, I don’t know how we got those names, to this day. Still better than more unnecessary childhood ailments getting worse, I can tell you that much.