A Beautiful Funeral

  "Where did you go?" I whispered.

  His tongue made a wet line from my thigh to the inner folds of my most sensitive parts, and I let out a quiet sigh. "Oh. There you are."

  Travis gripped my hips and pulled me toward him, just as eager for him to be between my legs as I was. I could hear his legs brushing against the sheets, getting more excited with each flick of his tongue.

  Just as I felt my insides building to release, he crawled to lay beside me, pressing his lips against my skin. Running his tongue up my belly, he followed the dark line that had formed beneath my belly button, spanning to my pelvic bone sometime during my second trimester. The baby stirred, and Travis jerked his head up, smiling and running his palm over the place our son had moved. It was such a strange combination--sex and parenting. It didn't seem to be a struggle for Travis, to go from foreplay to attending to a wet bed or nightmare, and then returning to feeling sexy and desirable. Transitioning from mom to lover was more difficult for me.

  Travis pulled me on top of him, running his hand over the small of my back to my ass. His fingers pressed into my skin as his eyes scanned my naked body from my hair to where our skin met. Everything around us melted away, and I was nineteen again, feeling his hands on me for the first time. Sex with Travis Maddox had always been amazing, but something about the way he worshiped my body when I was pregnant made it even better. I had never felt more beautiful or wanted than at that moment, and I would feel even more beautiful and wanted the next time he made love to me.

  Travis gripped my thighs, steadying me as I slowly lowered myself onto him. The black leather braided bracelets on his wrist tumbled up his tensed forearm, drawing my attention to his tattoos dancing on the surface of his skin. I let my head fall back, biting my lip to keep myself from moaning. A quiet sigh left my lips instead. Travis rocked his hips just to reposition, and I tensed, already feeling close to climax. My body reacted so differently during pregnancy, to everything. Best of all ... sex. Not everything was such a bonus, but bigger breasts, my husband catering to my every craving, and the ability to come faster than my husband were certainly the highlights. All Travis had to do was slip his fingers beneath my panties, and I was a flustered mess.

  I slowed my movements, and Travis complied, letting me set the pace. His russet irises pored over me, relishing the moment. His eyes rolled back, and he groaned. As soon as the noise escaped his lips, we froze, waiting to hear a pause in the light snoring on the floor below.

  I covered my mouth, trying not to giggle.

  Travis smiled for a moment, and then his gaze fell to the place where our bodies met. He rolled his hips again, arching his back to bury himself deeper inside me. I had to concentrate to hold back, both hoping he would hurry and dreading the end.

  "My God," he whispered. "It blows my mind every fucking time how good you feel."

  I anchored my knees on each side of him, lifting up so I could feel him against me as I slid down around him again.

  Travis paused, his eyes moving around the room. I started to speak, to ask him what was wrong, but he held his finger to his mouth.

  We heard raised voices downstairs, and Travis closed his eyes, disappointed and regretting his next request. He patted me gently on the thigh, and I climbed off him, watching as he hopped out of bed and pulled on a pair of red basketball shorts. He put on a navy blue baseball hat and swung it around backward, hiding the mess I'd made of his hair while he was between my thighs.

  "I'll be back," he said, leaning down to kiss me. His lips still tasted like me.

  The muscles of his chest rippled as he moved, rushing to get downstairs to find out what was going on. He closed the door behind him, and I fell back against my pillow, frustrated. As Travis made his way downstairs, the snoring of the twins picked up, echoing one another. Travis's voice joined the symphony of deep tones, and then I heard him yell.

  I jumped up, glancing out the window to check for any signs of danger before wrapping myself in my robe and rushing downstairs. Travis was standing in the center of the living room, toe-to-toe with Trenton. Shepley was standing between them, his hands flat against their chests.

  "What the hell?" I hissed, trying to keep my voice down.

  Travis immediately relaxed and took a step back, letting Shepley stand between him and his brother.

  Trenton watched me for a moment and then frowned, looking up at his bigger little brother. "I'll be right back."

  Travis pointed at the floor. "I said no one leaves the house. That means no one, Trenton, Goddamn it! You shouldn't have let her leave in the first place."

  "Who the fuck put you in charge?" Trenton snapped.

  Travis tried to stay calm. "You have no idea what you've done."

  "What have I done?" Trenton said, taking a step toward Travis. "You seem to know more than the rest of us. Why don't you enlighten me?"

  Travis sighed, frustrated. He wasn't allowed to say anything until Liis called the next day. "You stay here. One of the agents will pick her up from work."

  "I'm not sending a stranger to pick up my wife," Trenton spat. "You wouldn't, either."

  "Trent, you can't go out there."

  "Why?"

  "Because you can't," Travis said.

  America padded down the stairs, flinching from the dim lighting offered from the lamps in the living room. She hooked her arm around mine, waiting to hear more in hopes of understanding what was going on. The brothers hadn't argued in years, certainly not like this. It was unsettling, and I could see they were both upset about being on opposite sides of a disagreement.

  "I'm going," Trenton said.

  Travis went to grab his arm, but Shepley stopped him. He communicated with his eyes what we all knew. If Travis attempted to physically stop Trenton from leaving to pick up Camille, there would be a brawl in the living room.

  "Trent," Shepley said, following him down the hall. America followed him.

  Travis was breathing hard through his nose and shifting his weight from one foot to the other, trying to release the negative energy. It reminded me of the way he behaved just before a fight.

  "You're okay," I whispered, touching his shoulder. "He doesn't understand you're just trying to keep him safe."

  Travis was glaring at the hallway, listening to Shepley try to persuade him to stay. "If he'd just trust me for once. Stubborn motherfucker."

  "He trusts you," I said. "He's thinking about Camille."

  Travis's shoulders relaxed, and he reached back to touch my belly. "We have to think about everyone."

  "Let Shepley and Mare talk to him."

  Travis rubbed the back of his neck and began to pace, waiting for his cousin and my best friend to talk sense into his brother. I had planned for broken hearts and tears. I even assumed there would be anger once we came clean about the lies; even when we explained it was the only way to buy time while keeping everyone safe. I wasn't prepared for the brothers to turn on each other.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  AMERICA

  SHEPLEY FLATTENED HIS HAND against the door, begging Trenton with his eyes not to take it further. Jim, Jack and Deana, and the kids were still asleep, although I wasn't sure how with all the loud whispering. The lamp in the living room was the only light on in the house, and the air conditioner had just kicked on, drowning out the crickets whose chirping was just announcing the arrival of summer.

  At three a.m., there was no traffic outside and no headlights sliding across the wall, just the old bulb in the corner of the living room surrounded by a dirty white drum held up by a five-foot tall Lucite column with a brass base. The entire home looked frozen in 1980, except that it hadn't frozen. Everything was worn, stained, tattered, or marred, mostly by the five boys who grew up here.

  The light from the lamp didn't quite reach the hallway, so we stood with Trenton in the dark.

  "Shep, I love you, but get the fuck outta my way," Trenton said. His dark form moved toward the door, but Shepley moved in front of him.

  "C'
mon, cousin. You're going to punch me in front of my wife?"

  Trenton frowned and then turned to me. "Turn around for a second, Mare."

  "No," I said, crossing my arms.

  Trenton sighed. "I have to pick up my wife from work. I have to leave now. I don't want her to have to wait on me."

  "Agent Perkins can do it," I said. "He can leave right now. He's ready to go, standing in the kitchen, keys in hand."

  As Trenton became more agitated, I threw my arms around him and squeezed. "Our kids are here; your nephews and nieces. Your dad is here. Travis and Shepley can't save everyone. We need you here, Trenton."

  "What if something happens to Camille?" he asked, conflicted.

  "Do you think whoever the agents are protecting us from are going to hit The Red Door before the house? She doesn't even work there anymore. Not technically," Shepley said.

  Trenton glared at my husband. "Would you leave it to a stranger to pick up your wife when we all know people are out there hunting us down?"

  Shepley sighed, and his shoulders sank. "No."

  Trenton put his hand on the knob. "Then don't ask something of me you couldn't do yourself."

  Just as he opened the door, an agent standing on the porch turned to stand in the way. He wore a suit like the other two agents, but he was much bigger. "I'm going to have to ask you remain inside the home, sir."

  Trenton looked up at the agent, and then back at us and over my shoulder. I turned to see Travis standing at the end of the hall.

  "What the fuck is this?" Trenton asked.

  "That's Agent Blevins," Travis said, smug.

  "Why are you asking him?" Shepley asked. "Travis is just as clueless as the rest of us."

  Trenton's brow furrowed, and he lifted one hand to point four fingers at Travis. "He knows all of their names. Do you happen to know all the names of everyone who works at the FBI, Shep, because I sure as shit don't."

  "What are you trying to say?" Shepley asked.

  Trenton's face screwed into disgust, but at least he stepped away from the door. "I don't know. I don't know what the hell is going on, but I know he is part of it." He pointed at Travis.

  Shepley and I traded glances. This was going downhill fast.

  "I'll go with you," Shepley said.

  "Shep!" I said. "You will not!" I turned to Trenton. "You were told not to leave the house, but you took her anyway."

  "She works to blow off steam, Mare. You know that," Trenton explained. "She's had a rough day. I was just trying to ..."

  "We need to do this their way, Trent," I said. "They're just trying to keep us safe. Why would you do anything to make their job harder?"

  Trenton shifted. "You sound like Mom."

  "I know you want to pick her up so she feels safe, but we need to worry about what we can all do to actually be safe. No more crazy talk. No more Maddox machismo. Agent Perkins is going to bring Cami back, and you're going to follow orders until we get this figured out."

  Agent Perkins jingled the keys in his hand, and Agent Blevins stepped to the side to allow him to pass. The door closed, and Trenton stomped past us up the stairs. Shepley followed him.

  I returned to the living room where Travis and Abby were standing. When I was within earshot, they stopped whispering.

  "Well done," Abby said, patting my shoulder. I pulled away from her. My reaction startled her. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to--"

  "What aren't you telling me?" I asked.

  Abby's gaze drifted to Travis.

  "Don't look at him," I snapped. "I'm asking you. My best friend. My sort of sister-in-law."

  "Mare," she began.

  I arched an eyebrow. "Choose your words carefully, Abby. My kids are in the house hiding from some unknown assailant, and if you know why, you'd better tell me."

  "I," Abby began but winced. She touched her belly.

  "Oh, stop," I said. "Don't even try it."

  She blew out a breath and then reached for Travis. He held her to his side.

  "Really?" I asked. "You're going to fake a contraction to get out of telling me the truth?"

  "She's been having them for weeks," Travis said.

  I crossed my arms. "Something else you're not telling me."

  She stood upright and nodded to her husband, signaling that it was over.

  "Well?" I said.

  "Mare, not now. Abby needs to go upstairs and rest. Stress isn't good for her."

  I rolled my eyes. "Oh, please. I birthed three gigantic Maddox boys. No less than forty-seven hours of labor, and they were all over nine pounds. I only went to the hospital to have Emerson after I picked up Ezra from a two-hour T-ball practice. She's not the first woman to have a contraction."

  "America!" Shepley said from behind her.

  I crossed my arms, unwavering. "The truth. Now."

  Trenton returned, wearing an apologetic expression on his face. "I'm sorry, guys. I--"

  What sounded like a gush of water sloshed onto the carpet just beneath Abby's robe.

  "Oh. My. Lanta," Abby said, looking down.

  We were all confused at first. Travis was the second to react. "Was that you?" He lifted up her robe a bit and then looked up at her, his eyes wide. "Your water just broke?"

  She nodded.

  "Oh, shit," Travis said.

  "I guess we can leave now," Trenton deadpanned.

  I smacked the back of his head.

  "Ow!" Trenton said, rubbing the point of impact. "What'd I say?"

  "We're down to two agents," Travis said to Abby.

  She breathed, focusing on another, more intense contraction. From experience, I knew the ones that came after my water breaking were always ten times worse.

  "We should have someone come here," I said.

  "No," Abby moaned. "I need drugs. I want drugs. Lots and lots of drugs."

  "Then what should we do?" I asked.

  "Get a towel and put me on the couch until you figure it out," Abby said through her teeth.

  I ran for a towel while Travis picked her up and carried her to the sofa.

  "Shit. Shit!" Abby cried. The demonic sounds she made after that sounded like a feral cat preparing to fight for territory.

  I folded the towel and placed it on the couch, and watched as Travis carefully lowered her to the cushions. He kneeled in front of her.

  "If I take you, they'll just have Agent Blevins until backup arrives, and that could be a while."

  "We have the other two," Abby said. Her face turned red, and she focused, breathing in through her nose, and out through her mouth. Her eyes filled with tears. "It's too early, Trav."

  "What do I do, baby?" he asked.

  "We have to go," she said, the contraction finally over.

  He nodded and pointed at me. "America, get the kids. Trenton, get Dad. Shepley, get the cars. We'll need enough seats for everyone. Tell Blevins to prepare to follow and to stay alert."

  "On it," Shepley said, rushing to the key ring holder to fish out the right sets.

  I rushed upstairs, going first to Travis and Abby's room. "Hey," I said with a soft voice, rubbing the twins' backs. They stirred but were pretty out of it. "James. Jess. It's Aunt Mare. I need you to wake up. We're going to the hospital. Mom's having the baby."

  "What?" Jessica said, sitting up. She rubbed her eyes and then poked James. He sat up, too.

  "C'mon, kids. I need you to get your shoes on and go downstairs."

  "Right now?" James asked. "What time is it?"

  "It's the middle of the night. But Mom's having her baby, so we need to go."

  "Really?" Jessica said, scrambling up from her pallet on the floor. She was pulling on her shoes when I headed for the next room.

  "Really. Downstairs in two minutes, please!" I said, rushing down the hall to where Olive was sleeping. "Olive?" I said, switching on the light. I sat down on the twin bed next to her. "Olive, sweetie, I need you to wake up."

  "Is everything okay?" she asked, rubbing her mascara-smeared eyes.

>   "We're going to the hospital. Abby is having her baby."

  "But it's not time yet, is it?"

  "No," I said. "It's early, which is why she has to go soon. We all have to go together, so please get moving."

  She stood up, stumbling around the room to dress, and I rushed into the next room. "Boys?" I said softly. Emerson sat up, rubbed his eyes, and then jumped on his brothers. They began to fight. "Stop. Stop it. Knock it off. Right now!" I snapped.

  They froze.

  "Aunt Abby is having her baby. We're going to the hospital. Get shoes on and let's go."

  "In our pjs?" Ezra asked.

  "Yes," I said. I searched for Emerson's sandals, finding one beneath his pillow. I wondered why for half a second before resuming the task of getting all the children dressed and downstairs.

  At the same time Jim was stumbling from his bedroom with Trenton and Deana was helping Jack with the zipper on his jacket, all six kids were in the hallway ready to go.

  "You're amazing," Abby said.

  "I'm sorry I gave you a hard time earlier," I said.

  She waved me away, letting me know that no apology was necessary. We were working on two decades of friendship, and nothing was going to interfere with that.

  Travis helped Abby to the truck, and Olive climbed into the back with him. Trenton drove, and Jim sat in the passenger seat. Jack and Deana climbed in with Agent Blevins. I made sure everyone was buckled in the van before hopping in next to Shepley. Agent Blevins' headlights flashed on, and then another two sets flashed on further down the block.

  "Shepley," I warned.

  "I think that's the other agents they were talking about." He clicked his seat belt into place, and we surged forward behind Travis's truck.

  With every bump, every red light, I thought about Abby.

  "Why does it seem like the hospital is a hundred miles away when you're trying to get a laboring woman there?" Shepley grumbled.

  I remembered the first time Shepley drove me to the hospital, terrified the whole way that I'd give birth in the car and wishing I'd had a home birth. But I wasn't in premature labor, either. Abby was particularly calm for what she was facing, but she was famous for her poker face. I imagined she was trying to keep it together for Travis and the kids.