Of Wolves and Oranges

Chapter 16: Jaco

It was great to see my kid brother again. Ric had always been the life and soul of the party and he was going for it full bull tonight. He yanks at my beard.

"Word had it that you were a fat, old, mountain man but hey this has style. Now youre a fat, old, hipster!" He punches my paunch playfully and I growl. Its too close to home. I have really let myself go, but now I have a reason to live again. A 5ft 4, curvy blonde reason.

I have been keeping an eye on her all evening. Smiling and nodding at people she obviously doesn't know. She stiffens when Detective Cabashi approaches but relaxes as her friend starts talking to him. Max is there and true to his word keeping her in drinks, but it should be me. I just want to make sure she is protected and fed. Max joins us with beers, tossing us each a can. Ric is one of the people he really opens up to and they start shooting the shit. He and Ric are complete opposites but I often feel like I'm the odd one out.

"Hey, you know Ma is expecting you at lunch this Sunday? Since you've been gone its just Max and me getting the, 'I want grandkids' speech every week. Now it's your turn to take the heat..."

Ric continues to ramble on but I am distracted by a guy who is approaching Golf. Her face lights up and she stands to greet him. He pulls her into a quick one-armed hug and then moves over to do the same to Sonja. I listen to their conversation as I watch.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to meet you. You're looking ok now, though. The crash couldn't have been too bad."

Sonja moves to his side, "No, but she dislocated her shoulder, maybe you should take a look at it since you're the surgeon, Owen."

He turns away from Golf scanning the crowd, "Yeah sure, later, Liz. But let me tell you about this case today, it was crazy. It took me five hours to operate, I had to fix both his femurs which were fractured and I had to plate his pelvis. He's in intensive care now but if he pulls through the first day or so he should be ok. Fuck, I'm exhausted and need a drink."

Golf asks, "So are they going to arrest him?"

He gives her a strange look, "Not that I know of. There were officers trying to talk to him today but we sent them away since he really wasn't conscious. Supposedly he was a hijacker, but I can't imagine how he got his injuries. As I always say, hand over the keys and let the buggers go. Not worth the fight."

I growl as I watch Golfs face fall, and Ric turns to me. Then turns to see where I'm looking.

"What's with you and the human tonight, bro? You haven't taken your eyes off that group since I arrived. Looking for some new tail? I know Bethany the B would give it up and at least she's good to look at."

"Bethany and I are over, Ric." I growl. "I don't give you grief over all your women, so leave mine out of it."

"Well, maybe you need to spell it out to her because that bitch ain't getting the message." He grunts.