CRYPTO: Infidelity (Book 1)

CHAPTER 30: CHILDREN

Everyone ordered their drinks and the bartender was especially kind to us the whole time we were there, not out of fear or intimidation, but out of thankfulness.

After almost an hour of chatting, Rockie got a call.

"Sorry to cut this short," he said when he got off the phone, "but we have work to do."

"But you can't drink and drive," Birdie pointed out.

"Crypto will drive us, won't you, Crypto?" Rockie asked.

"Well, I..."

"You don't have work tomorrow morning, do you?"

"No, but-"

"Good. Then you can drive us."

"What about me and Birdie?" Willow asked. "Who's gonna drive us home?"

"Crypto will drop you off," Rockie said.

"Is that fine with you, Crypto?" Birdie asked me.

"Of course. No problem," I said.

"Great," she said with that sweet smile of hers.

"But, uh, not everyone can fit in my car," I said.

"We can take my car," Jordan offered.

"Your car can fit seven animals?" I asked.

"We'll have to remove the car seats, but yeah."

"Wait. Car seats?"

"Yeah. I have three kids."

"After all the time I've spent with you, how come I didn't know you had kids?"

He shrugged. "You never asked."

"Do you have a wife too?"

"Of course."

"Wow. How come we haven't met her?"

"She doesn't know about... well, you know. She thinks I'm a firefighter."

"What about you, Duke? Do you have anybody?"

"Nope. I'm a single pringle, like you."

"You can put the car seats in my car for now, Jordan," Cam said.

We walked out to Jordan's SUV.

"Shotgun!" Duke said.

"Ha! I don't think so," Rockie said. "Either me or Jordan is sitting in the front."

"But! But! I said shotgun! You're breaking the rules!"

"It's not your car," Jordan said. "I think Rockie should sit in the front to give directions."

Rockie smiled smugly.

"I never get to sit in the front," Duke complained.

"Boohoo," Rockie said.

Duke bared his teeth.

"Duke, you wanna have a window seat?" I asked.

"Well, I'm certainly not sitting in the middle," he said.

"Me either," Willow said. "I get carsick."

"Anyone wanna help me with the car seats?" Jordan asked as he tried to unstrap them.

"I won't be much help," Cam said, "but I'll show you to my car when you're ready."

"I'll help you, Jordan," Rockie said. "Duke, why don't you get the other car seat?"

"Why don't you get the other car seat," Duke mocked quietly to himself. "I don't see Crypto doing anything."

"I'm driving," I said.

"I wasn't talking to you!" he said.

"He's totally drunk," Birdie whispered to me. "Don't mind him."

The guys went to Cam's car to drop the car seats off.

"Aw, that's cute," Birdie said. She was looking at a bumper sticker on Jordan's car that said 'cub on board' with a picture of a baby jaguar.

"Do you think you want kids someday, Birdie?" I asked her.

"I do, but Rockie isn't on board with it. He says he doesn't like kids. What about you?"

"I haven't thought about it much, but I think I would like to have kids someday."

"Me too," Willow said, "but I don't like the idea of pregnancy, or birth, or nursing..."

"Adoption is always an option," I said.

"I've always liked the idea of adoption," Birdie said.

"Boy or girl?" Willow asked her.

"I don't really have a preference," she said. "I guess I lean more toward boy but I'd be happy with either."

"I think I'd like a girl," Willow said, "until she becomes a teenager."

"What about you, Crypto? Boy or girl?" Birdie asked.

I shrugged. "Either? Which one's easier to raise?"

They both laughed.

"They both can be awful in their own ways," Willow said.

"But worth it," Birdie said.

"It's too bad Rockie doesn't want kids," I said.

Birdie's face drooped. "Yeah," she sighed.

"How come-"

"Alright, let's get this show on the road!" Rockie said from a couple parking spots away.

Jordan tossed me the car keys.