by S. E. Kloos
Since he was still covering her mouth, she just shook her head.
Smiling at her, “They started as chores done around the farms and ranches, shit I been doin’ since I was kid, and still gonna be doin’ at home. The only difference is, I ain’t gonna get paid for it.”
Looking up at him through her lashes, Elizabeth pulled his hand away, smiling. “You don’t have to retire. Maybe, just slow down a little? How about, one weekend a month instead of every weekend, the Nationals and any subsequent qualifying tournaments for it, and your birthday. Does that sound alright?”
Xander grinned at her. “Added up, that’s more than I ride now.”
Elizabeth lifted a shoulder. “But it’s more spread out.” Then she giggled. “Now, take it or retire.”
Snorting, Xander shook his head. “Deal, Little Darlin’.” Then he pressed his lips to hers.
In the background, the news came back on;
In local news... At the first of seven qualifying events of the National Rodeo Championships, a fight broke out which resulted in the arrest of twenty five men. Among those arrested was a man from New York, who was wanted for jumping a posted bail bond on counts of assault and domestic abuse against his girlfriend. Brandon Westfall, the only son to the acclaimed plastic surgeon, Steven Westfall, is in critical but stable condition in a local Las Vegas hospital. Though the full extent of his injuries have not been released at this time, sources tell us that the young man will be lucky if he will be able to walk upon release.
The local police tell us that the fight started after the ground was littered with printed flyers of an old wanted poster from back in May, when Westfall first disappeared from New York. One officer even told one of our reporters that had that fight not occurred, they more than likely would not have known he was there. He would have once again escaped capture, stayed on the run, and continued to be a danger to the young lady he was accused of harming. Her name has not been released for her continued safety.
Xander pursed his lips and huffed. “Damn.”
Looking up at him, Elizabeth blinked. “What?”
“They didn’t kill ‘im.” Xander cocked his head to the side. “Then again,” glancing down at his girl, Xander’s smirk was wide enough to show his teeth, “that means I still get to shoot ‘im.”
Chapter 40
“Whoever said this shit was beautiful has the most fucked up, distorted definition of the term I have ever seen.”
Dropping back against the pillows behind her, Elizabeth gasped for breath while doing her damnedest to glare at him. “Xander...”
Not hearing the warning in her voice, Xander looked over at her. “No, seriously, this shit is all kinds of creepy.”
Glaring harder, she growled and crooked a finger at him, grabbing his shirt when he was close enough to get her hands on it. Nose to nose, she growled, “There is a person comin’ out my crotch, which you put there. Shut the fuck up before I make sure it can’t ever happen again.”
Hit with another contraction, she let him go to curl around herself, pushing for what had to be the millionth time. She had been in labor for going on 20 hours at this point, and she was sick and tired of the kid still being inside. Voice strained, she was still no less sounding like the pissed off mommy, “Come on you stubborn little bastard, come out so you can go to your father.”
It took another fifteen minutes, five more threats of castration towards Xander, and two more pleas to the baby before the room was filled with the sounds of a baby’s first cry.
In the waiting room, there was a very large congression of people waiting on news of the birth. Xander knowing that, he made his entrance in the most dramatic way possible.
Throwing the doors open, leaving his arm spread wide, he had a proud, beaming smile on his face. “It’s a boy!”
The room erupted into whistles and cheers, Mrs. Steele quickly going to her baby, wrapping him up tight in her arms.
Returning the embrace, he added, “both mama and baby are doin’ just fine.” Looking at Kenny, he nodded behind him. “Lizzy should be ‘bout ready, iffin ya wanna go back and see her.”
Bev pulled away to look up at her son. “And, what’s my little grandbaby called?”
Xander smiled at the pride in her eyes. “Parker Jay, Ma’am. Wanna go see ‘im?”
Scoffing with the playful look, she inquired, “Does a bear shit in the woods? Take me to meet my boy.”
He chuckled a bit. “Yes, Ma’am.” Looking back at the room, he offered, “He’s still gettin’ checked over, so only three at a time ‘til he gets taken back to his mama. Who else wants to come?”
Kyle and Mr. Steele both stood up to follow Xander, after Kenny told to Kyle to go first, since he was going to go see his daughter.
Xander escorted his mama through the door, back to where the newest member of their family was getting a bath and all that. He would then be taken to his mother, once she was moved to her postpartum room.
Stopping at the window to the nursery, Xander pointed his son out to his parents and big brother. “There he is, puttin’ up one hell of a fight against wearin’ a diaper.”
Bev giggled. “You didn’t like ‘em either, Xander. You kicked your daddy in the nose -I can’t tell you how many times- when you was a baby.” Then she tsked, “My lord, he is just about the most precious little baby, Xander.”
Propping himself on the railing below the window, Xander beamed at the praise, “Thank you, Mama.”
“Mr. Steele?” The nurse giggled when three sets of eyes turned her direction. Scratching her temple, she explained, “I meant the daddy of the newborn.”
“Yes, Ma’am?”
“Elizabeth is still being moved to her new room, so it’s gonna be about twenty minutes or so before the baby will be taken back to her. Do you want to come in and see him?”
When Xander nodded, he was asked to show his wristband, then was allowed into the nursery. His baby boy pointed out to him before the nurse left them to get acquainted. He wasn’t dumb enough to get between that baby and his mama though.
Once she was seated in the rocking chair with Parker in her arms, Xander leaned against a counter that was next to it, just watching his mama rock his son, all kinds of thoughts and visions dancing through his mind. The foremost of them being exactly how long after this should he wait before he asks his girl to marry him, since there had been a grand total of eleven death threats in the last twenty-one hours.
Epilogue
“Uncle Kyle?”
Smiling at the curiosity in the voice, Kyle leaned his head back to look up, the spitting image of a four-year-old Xander sitting on his shoulders. “What’s up, Little Man?”
Confused beyond belief, Parker tilted his head to the side while giving him the finger. “What does that mean?”
Covering Parker’s hand before his mother saw that shit and had his hide, Kyle shook his head. “Don’t do that.”
“But you did.”
Looking around for his tiny little sister-in-law, Kyle sighed. “That means... um...”
“That your Uncle Kyle is an idiot, and your mama gonna whoop ‘im.”
Turning to the very amused face of his brother’s best friend, Kyle groaned. “fu...dge.”
Wyatt let out a loud snort before laughing just as hard. “You gonna get it, Ky. If them two can keep it clean ‘round that boy, you certainly can.” Looking up at the tyke, he added, “Your mama lookin’ for ya, Parker.”
“Am I in trouble? Uncle Kyle was the one that wanted to leave where mama said to stay.”
Smirking at Kyle, he promised, “Then I guess it would be Uncle Kyle that gonna be facin’ her wrath when y'all get back. She just about ready to rip her hair out, ‘cause ain't a one of ya said you was goin’ anywhere.” Then he locked his eyes on Kyle’s, “And ya daddy out lookin’ for ya, too.”
There was no stopping the forbidden word from escaping Kyle’s mouth at that dreaded statement.
Before there was any chance to head ba
ck, Kyle caught sight of Xander heading their way on Spirit, since Rocky had been retired out, looking both relieved and ready to murder him.
Xander glared at his brother when he was closer. “Elizabeth gonna have your hide, Ky. Any reason ya didn’t open your mouth to say you was takin’ him out, just lettin’ her think he wandered off? She in a uproar you ain’t ever seen b’fore.”
Before Kyle could say anything, Parker cut the tension right out of the air with a call of “Daddy!”
Glaring at Kyle just a second longer, Xander turned to his son, the glare now replaced with a flat look on his face. “You in for it too, Youngin. You know better than to go off without tellin’ ya mama where you goin’ first.” Once Parker nodded, Xander plucked him off Kyle’s shoulders, settling him in front of him on the saddle. Looking back at Kyle, he offered, “Word of advice... wait a bit before you head on back, ‘cause my wife ready to kill you.”
Once Kyle nodded, Xander tapped the horse’s sides and turned him in the direction of his frantic wife, giving his son an ear full for taking off until he was once again in his mother’s sights.
Once she calmed down, Elizabeth took Parker to the stands to watch his daddy in the final round of the Nationals. When she was joined by Wyatt and Kyle, she cracked Kyle upside the back of the head before helping her son up on to Wyatt’s shoulders, so he could see.
It was the last event of the competition. So far, Xander had done very well. She wouldn’t let Parker watch him ride the bull, but had agreed to let him watch the saddle bronco round.
When Xander was called as the next rider, Elizabeth smiled up at her baby boy. “You ‘member how to count to eight, P.J.?”
Grinning at her, Parker nodded. “Yes, Mama.”
“And do you ‘member what daddy said about that number?”
Smiling getting bigger, he answered surely, “Yes, Mama. It takes 8 seconds to win.”
Nodding at him, Elizabeth turned back to the corral at the sound of the buzzer, blowing a loud whistle when the gate opened. Parker began counting out loud.
“One....”
