Chapter Two-Hundred and Four
Tyler threw his cards on the table, crossing his arms over his chest. "I fold." He stated, watching as John pushed his entire pile of match sticks into the center of the table. "I hate that damn photographic memory of yours."
John chuckled, taking Johanna from Julia as she handed the baby to him. "Watch it." He warned, glaring at the state workers as they passed through the room. "My goddaughter's first word will not be a curse." He bounced Johanna in his arm as she began to fuss, knowing that she probably needed burped. He kissed her head, setting his cards face down on the table as she spit up on her bib. He wiped her chin with the sleeve of his flannel, smiling as she opened her blue eyes to look up at him. "There you go Cupcake. Is that better?" He smiled as she reached for his face, letting her touch his chin. "Are those fingers for me?" He asked, gently biting her fingers with his lips pulled over his teeth. "Nom, nom, nom." He grinned as she pulled her hand back, rubbing his nose against hers in a little eskimo kiss. "Are you being greedy?"
"Johnathan." One of the men motioned for him to stand, waiting for him to give the child over to one of his friends. "Take your shirt off for me, please."
John's eyes changed, the dark brown becoming shot through with yellow. "Fuck no." He stated, gripping the fabric of his shirt with white knuckles.
"John-"
"No! It's my body and I get to decide who gets to see it and who doesn't!" He shouted, his hands starting to shake with the memory. "I'm not letting someone take that from me again!"
Clarissa touched John's shoulders, knowing that if he wanted this to go away he had to show them that the scars were old. "Pumpkin… please." She took his cheek in her hand, brushing his hair behind his ear as she met those eyes that were shot through with yellow fear. "You're safe."
John gave a small nod, and if she hadn't been in contact with his head, she never would have seen it. He reached to his shirt collar, pulling at the buttons until the fabric fell from his shoulders and he stood before them, bare from the hips up. "They're all o-old…" He mumbled, letting the men walk around him and even touch a few of the smallest scars above his waist.
The men nodded, pausing as they saw the upside-down cross carved into John's lower back. "This one is new." One stated, running his finger over the raised scar tissue. "How did it happen?"
John squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block the memory out. "Gang. They… raped me…" He jumped as Claire's gentle hands touched either side of his face, forcing himself to be grounded by her.
The men nodded, backing away as John pressed himself against Claire in a strong kiss. They turned to the adults, smiling in approval at how well they'd passed inspection. "Our only concern is the children playing poker."
Cody barked a laugh, picking up a cookie and dipping it into a glass of milk. "This is just to decide who gets the remote tonight!" He flinched as Johanna cried, taking her from Jim and handing her off to John. "Here, you know how to calm her down."
John chuckled, rocking the baby as he sang a soft tune for her.