Paper bag in hand I peeked in the kitchen from the garage, luckily it was noon.

McKnight was seated at the kitchen counter eating a soy burger on whole wheat with carrot sticks and water.

He glanced up at me as I looked around, then I asked, "Where's Diana?" Her car was in the driveway.

McKnight jerked his head towards Sanderson's house while he ate a carrot stick, "Reading the ultrasound for that crazy pregnant woman Sanderson is married to. Why?"

"I gotta a gift for you," I told him, quickly walking in the kitchen. At the sight of the McDonalds bag McKnight perked up. He looked at it as if it were gold.

I put the bag down on the counter, he quickly snatched it and looked inside, then up at me, stunned and speechless.

"Hurry up and eat it fore Diana gets back," I encouraged.

McKnight reached in and pulled out a cardboard box that contained the Big Mac, he grabbed a few fries and ate them, savoring the salty grease. He opened the box and took a large sniff of the burger. "What are you thanking me for?"

"Keepin my father outta my life." I grabbed his untouched sandwich and headed out of the kitchen, I had qualifying in under an hour.

Lucky for me I had all my locker possessions in my duffel bag, which was on the living room floor. I went into the small living room and knelt over my bag. Which was the size of the coffee table.

I unzipped it and pulled my shooting clothes out.

Green pants with dozens of pockets within pockets, some pockets still had bullets in them.

Big Mac in hand McKnight made his way in the living room, where he plopped down on the couch, "Anything to help."

I pulled out one of my grey ARMY shirts out, then as Diana called them, my "Combat Stompers" which made scuffs on the floor, so they got packed in the bag.

"How'd the visit with the shrink go?"

I made a face, then dug around for my ankle holster, "He signed off so I getta qualify t'day."

McKnight took a huge bite from his burger and chewed it thoughtfully, watching while I put my ankle holster on the duffel bag, along with my thigh holster.

"When is your mother flying over? She's coming to the wedding?"

I nodded, "Yeah. We're gonna pick her up on our way through Atlanta Friday, I think she'll ride with Albert, Momma ain't never liked my drivin."

McKnight shrugged, took another bite of burger, "Well I don't like your driving."

With my arm elbow deep in the bag I told him, "Eat your damn burger."

The garage door closed.

We both froze, well I froze, McKnight shoved that burger in his mouth like a damn snake. It was disgusting. It was like watching the discovery channel. He ate the damn thing in a matter of seconds.

Then Diana yelled, "Whose bag is that!"

She appeared in the living room, looked between the two of us, then pointed to her father whose cheeks looked like a chipmunks. "Do you know how much cholesterol is in that?" She demanded of him as he swallowed it, little by little.

McKnight held up two fingers.

She shook her head, "Two? No! Not even close!"

So McKnight then held up three fingers.

I swore from the look on her face she was going to kill him. She then looked in the bag, "What about these fries? They are a heart attack waiting to happen Daddy!"

So I defended him, "Darlin, its'a fat-free burger."

She looked to me, probably wondering if she could murder me and get away with it. But McKnight had finished the burger and cleared his throat, "Could I have the fries."

She glared at him, "Bend over."

I pulled my gloves from the bag and set them on top of the clothes. All my shit was out, so I grabbed it and headed for the bathroom down the hall.

McKnight's bathroom, while Diana threatened to have his stomach pumped.

The two could be heard from in the bathroom, even with the door closed.

I set my stuff down on the sink and separated the holsters from the clothes, then looked around McKnight's bathroom. Meticulous. You could have eaten off the floor it was so clean.

The shower curtain was ironed.

The sink and floor glittered practically, there were no soap stains or toothpaste on the mirror.

It made me sick.

But I pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it on the hamper lid. Then began to unhook my belt when Diana came storming down the hall, she opened the bathroom door and slammed it behind her, in a mood to fight.

P.M.S. turned her into a sexy raving psychotic.

She poked me in the chest and began to screech, "Are you trying to kill my father! What on earth would even possess you to give him that greasy food of death!"

I just stared as she ranted about his cholesterol and stuff. In wasn't really paying attention, she just looked really cute in her jeans and wife beater t-shirt. I couldn't stop myself from staring at her chest which was her fault since she had on a red bra under her shirt, which would show the top when she gestured the right way.

"Hoot!"

I jumped and met her eyes, "I'm sorry, I promise I won't do it again." A long time ago I would have argued. But now I had learned I could have a better conversation and had had better conversations with terrorists, then Diana on her period. So I just said those magic words.

Which didn't help, she poked me again and I tried really hard not to get more turned on.

"Stop staring at my boobs! I am all bloated and…..icky! You are not getting any until Friday at least! So keep your eyes above my neck!"

Damn. She was being irrational too, so I told, "I love you baby." Then my eyes glanced down, but back up, so I added, "Sides, you look really good in them jeans."

Which was apparently the wrong thing to say.

She glared at me, "These Are My Fat Jeans!"

She looked ready to kill me.

I had to be very careful about what I said next, anything could set her off. So I told her, "Baby I'm confused…..I don't know what to say."

She rolled her eyes and sighed, "Hoot." She rested her hands on her hips but when I reached for her she smacked them away.

"Why don't we go do somethin t'night. We could go down to the river an…." I concluded for her, she sighed, "Hoot do you ever not think about sex?"

I had to think about that question.

Diana shook her head, "Well it doesn't matter, you're not getting any until my period stops so go take Sanderson to the river and woo him."

I made a face, "He ain't got perky boobs. Or pink toe nails. Or nice smellin hair."

She laughed.

Thank God, it was about time. So I stepped closer to her but she put her hands on my chest, "Hoot, not now."

"Fine," I told her, but didn't move.

She then pushed me back and told me, "I have to go pick up our marriage license. So behave yourself. And don't shoot at Fowler again, aight?"

Fine! But I didn't tell her that, instead I asked, "If I agree to your demands, can I stick my hands in your shirt?"

"Behave yourself Hoot," she told me as she walked out, then yelled after me, "Stop staring at my ass!"

"Make me!" I yelled after her, then quietly added, "Please."