Justice For Juniper (Tatienne Richard) novel Chapter 54

Clean Up – Part II

He rubbed his chest with pride and smirked, “you like, sweetheart?”

“You have tattoos. How come I never noticed them before?”

He was edging her backwards into the shower and she eyeballing the ink on his chest. “Does that say Mama?”

“It does. I got it when my parents were going through a rough spot to show my support for her.” He stared at Juniper, “I hope you don’t ever take Kyst back.”

She shook her head, “are you kidding? My mama would kick my ass from here to Mexico and back. It’s a long way to

Mexico from here.”

He chuckled, “it sure is.” He turned the water on and when it was warm enough stood her under the spray. “How is your tummy now?”

“Empty.”

“Are you hungry?”

“No. I mean, there used to be a baby in there, but it’s gone now. It’s empty. I think Kyst must have been jerking off all his good sperm and I was getting the leftovers.”

“I’m sorry you are sad, sweetheart,” he pressed a kiss to her forehead as he reached for shampoo to wash her hair.

She closed her eyes as his long fingers worked vigilantly to get the mess out of her hair.

“Don’t fall asleep on me in here,” Phineas‘ commanding voice was low and soft as he rinsed her hair.

“It feels good.” She whispered as he washed it a second time. “Do you think I’m a bad person?”

“Why would I ever think such a thing?”

“Because I’m really sad I am not having a baby, but I don’t know if I’m sad about Kyst.”

“You’re not sad about Kyst?”

“Beni told me your dad cheated on your mom.”

Phineas nodded, “he did, and it took me a very long time to forgive him. I went to therapy for a long time to address the fact the man I worshipped as a hero was fallible. He made terrible choices and he’s really fucking lucky my mother is a saint. He put in the work though. He went to therapy too. He did individual, couples, and family therapy. He spent years working on himself and trying to figure out why he was so consumed with the fear of getting older.”

“Do you fear of getting older?” she asked as she felt him reaching past her for her bodywash.

“Nope. I want to grow old someday. I want to have gray hair though. I really don’t want to go bald. Beni would look good bald. Not me. I think I’d look like Dr. Evil.”

She giggled. “You want to grow old with gray hair?”

“I tell you what,” Phineas shut the water off and reached for a towel and wrapped it around her body, tucking it under her arms and then reached for a second one to towel off her hair, “when you are feeling better, when the world doesn’t feel so volatile and your heart isn’t so bruised, there will be three men at your beck and call to give you as many babies as you want. If it doesn’t work the natural way, we will adopt or steal one for you.”

“You can’t steal a baby, Phineas,” she felt tears stinging her eyes at his sweetness.

“I would for you.” He smiled softly. “We all would burn this world to the ground for you Juniper. I don’t think you understand the impact you have on us in such a brief period of time.”

“All three of you?”

“All three of us.” He swept her up, carried her to the bedroom, and set her on the side of the bed. He looked around, “we may need a bigger bed though but for now, this one will do.”

“You’re really all going to stay with me?”

“There is nowhere else any of us want to ever be.”

“I think,” she pouted prettily, “I could really use some cuddles.”

“Then cuddles it is.”