I'll Fight Hell to Hold You

Gene And The Snake

While browsing the Grand Canyon Museum, Gene came across a glass display case containing a huge rattlesnake. He was talking to it while Eric and the kids were enjoying milkshakes. He asked if he could buy it, which caused Eric to nearly faint. "It's dead, right? You just want to display it right?" whispered Eric, eyes wide. 

"No sweetheart, it's alive and I want it." grinned Gene.

"Hell no!" came the reply. "If you get that-that thing, I will divorce you before we ever get back home."

Gene just grinned and continue to talk to it. Eric knew Gene wouldn't really buy it but he still wanted far away from it. He took Jason and Jenny outside to the play area while Delilah stayed with Gene. She was her father's daughter, her love of reptiles evident. 

"Da! Me see!" she squealed happily. 

"Dear lord! Another one!" mumbled Eric. He hoped at least of his kids grew up disliking reptiles. He laid a bet it would be Draco. 

It soon became time to leave. Gene settled on a huge stuffed snake for himself and a smaller one for Delilah. Jenny chose a stuffed horse and Jason wanted a stuffed seal.  Eric chose a 3 foot tall flamingo for Draco and smaller toys for the four girls. He refused to look at Gene the whole way back to the hotel. 

At the hotel that night, Eric slipped outside to take a swim around eleven. He left Gene sleeping. He had just gotten into the pool when he heard a rattling sound. "Very fucking funny!" Knock it off Gene! Now!"

When he didn't hear Gene laughing or anything, Eric grew terrified. "G-G-Gene!" he called. "Gene!" No one responded which made Eric even more terrified. He started crying from fright. 

Inside, Gene had woken up with a feeling something was wrong. "Eric?" "Baby?" He heard crying outside and bolted out of bed. "Eric!"

Running outside barefooted, Gene could see Eric huddled in the corner of the pool shaking, tears running down his cheeks. "Eric?"

"S-s-s-snake!" squeaked Eric. 

Gene heard the rattle and switched his cell phone light on. A huge rattlesnake was slithering out of the pool area. Gene quickly ran to Eric and grabbed him in a hug. "Sh, baby. It's gone. Come on."

Eric clung tightly to Gene, soaking them both. Pool water and tears dripped onto the concrete. Gene got Eric into a warm bath and tried to calm him down. "Baby, it's okay. Come on, try to relax."

Soon Eric calmed enough to try and sleep. Gene held him close the rest of the night. He decided it would be best to let Eric sleep as much as possible until he felt better.