Part 7 (1/2)

”What's so funny, kids?”

”Ramifications!” I yelled into the summer air and all the guys lost it, even Terran and Archer. We grabbed our aching ribs and Jonesy fell off the bench while Gramps looked on, perplexed.

Finally he smiled, looking at the nonplussed girls, ”What's with the guys?”

Mia summed it up perfectly, ”They're apes, Mac.”

”Oink-oink,” Jade added, looking at me with tears streaming out of my eyes.

”Turnips,” Sophie said, picking the s.h.i.+ttiest vegetable on the planet, making us guys wail louder.

”Nah... I vote for pigs,” Tiff said in a bored voice, looking at us like ants scurrying on a hill.

Gramps gave the girls a considering look, stabbing me with the end of his broom like a one hundred ninety pound dust mote and I barked out another laugh. His eyes finally settled on Tiff.

”Looks like you girls have a small problem with an animal fetish,” Gramps said, coming swiftly to our side, a grin riding his face to bursting.

Yeah, that.

I wiped my eyes, just another day at Gramps'.

CHAPTER 5.

I sat on Gale's easy chair with my hands dangling awkwardly between my knees.

Nothing was easy right now. I watched the couple across from me and saw what was on Clyde's face.

Love and devotion.

Him diggin' on Gale shouldn't have worked for me but it did. It made sense, she was AFTD, so was I. As long as a person didn't dwell on the specifics of the whole thing, it'd roll just fine.

But, there was the small detail of them dating... and everything that meant.

Clyde sat back casually, his suit unb.u.t.toned, his hand clasped loosely in Gale's, his fingers brus.h.i.+ng against her knuckles casually.

Intimately.

I swallowed. Then took the plunge, ”Here's the thing.”

They gave me their full attention. ”I need you guys to be on the down low until my probation's up.”

Bobbi sighed. ”I'm sorry Caleb. I'm on thin ice myself. I don't know if I'll be reinstated, and with the way things are between me and Raul...” she trailed off and Clyde stiffened at the mention of Garcia's name, squeezing her hand and she winced.

”I apologize,” Clyde said, pressing his lips to her temple and she turned into his gesture like a cat searching for cream.

Wow.

His gaze locked with mine. ”I am learning to control my strength, understand it.”

Right.

”Anyway, if you guys wouldn't like... incite riots and stuff, that'd really help me out.”

Bobbi shrugged a little helplessly, when I knew full well she was not helpless and responded, ”We've got to be able to have a life. Move forward.”

Clyde said, ”Roberta knows my intentions toward her are honorable.”

I met his eyes, the deep green impenetrable. ”I know Clyde. But, others don't understand.”

Clyde gave a smile-turned-smirk. ”I have gathered that.”

”What can we do?” Gale said, giving me steady eyes.

s.h.i.+t, I was only almost seventeen, what did I know? I plowed forward anyway. ”Ah, I don't think you can legally... ah get married or anything. I mean, technically, Clyde's dead. There's like proof and everything.” I c.o.c.ked an eyebrow and Clyde nodded while Bobbi lifted her pulse-reader and thumbed it.

She handed it over to me and I looked where she'd marked it.

It had Clyde's birth and death certificates linked. The luminescent green characters underscored what I'd just said. In glaring detail.

I looked up from the reader and met her eyes.

Gale, such a bada.s.s cop just a few months ago had been brought low by her own emotions.

Mainly love.

Her eyes filled with tears and she whispered, ”I love him, Caleb.”

Clyde looked at her with such tenderness I was embarra.s.sed to observe them together. But I was somehow responsible for it all, I had to help.

”I know,” I said simply, because it was true. They seemed so right together.

I stood and they did as well. ”I can't help if you keep acting like you guys are normal.”

”We are!” Bobbi protested.

Clyde's eyes narrowed at my words.

I put my palms up in supplication. ”Ya are to me, but I'm AFTD, death is normal for me... in all its guises.”

Clyde's eyebrows rose. ”Don't say it,” I said to Clyde but Bobbi laughed. ”Sounds like somebody is getting philosophical.” She smiled and I frowned.

Clyde reached a hand out, our eyeb.a.l.l.s level to each other, and squeezed my shoulder, a flash of death energy surged and he smiled, the connection flexing between us. ”You are becoming the man you were meant to be. I am glad to be here to see it... Caleb,” Clyde said somewhat awkwardly.

I nodded, it was great to be done with the Master moniker.