46
Bertha was a good cook. She was frying the stakes while I boiled the broccoli and carrots. Forrest didn't want me too close to the frying pan.
"Eula you don't have to be all over the pan now." he said. I pouted.
"I'm not going to hurt myself." I said looking at him while he sat with his brothers.
"I know but still you never know." he told. I wanted to roll my eyes but refrained from it and just went back to boiling the vegetables. Berth smiled thinking our mini quarrel was cute. Jack looked at me.
"So is it true you knew Al Capone, Eula?" he asked. Howard also looked our way while he downed some while lightning. I nodded.
"Yes I knew him. He is a nice man." I told. Jack scoffed.
"Nice? He's the most notorious gangers in all of Chicago he can't be nice." he told. I smirked watching the water boil with excitement.
"Well when he comes up the next time I will tell him what you think of him." I teased. Jack's head snapped up.
"Oh no didn't mean nothing by it." he said and Howard laughed.
"Oh now look who's scared." he joked.
"Oh fuck you Howard." he said. Howard smiled and looked at me.
"Next time, has he been up here before?" he asked. I nodded.
"Yes for my birthday. He bought me my car. Haven't you ever wondered how I got it?" I asked. Howard shrugged.
"Nope." he replied and took another gulp of his drink and I grinned. Once the dinner was ready we all got our plates and sat down. Jack looked up now at Howard as he ate.
"So Howard…when are you going to settle down and have a family?" he asked. I was stunned by the random question, but it was one to think on. I knew Jack and Bertha would get married soon. The big brother was the one without a woman and I wondered if he had found love. Howard gave him an ill mannered glare.
"That's none of your damn business." he stated and I was a bit stunned by his outburst and so was Jack and Bertha. Forrest looked at Howard.
"Hey it was just a question. No need to get defensive." he told. Howard snorted and Forrest glared a bit. "You got a problem?"
Howard shook his head.
"I ain't got no problem with nothing. Just drop it." he demanded and my eyes flexed at him for a moment and he glanced at me before getting up and moving out to the back door. Forrest and Jack just sat there not even saying anything. Forrest just cut his steak and moved some of his carrots onto my plate because he didn't like them. No one seemed to plan on getting up and I thought that was ridiculous. How could they just ignore the fact that their brother was troubled? I looked at the door Howard left out it.
"Leave it, Eula." Forrest stated eating his food. My head whipped towards him and he looked at me with commanding eyes and I looked almost disappointed at my husband and I lifted myself from the table and Jack and Bertha watched and Forrest watched with annoyed eyes. "Eula…"
"Don't." I stated sharply and his lips pierced in a thin line and I started to wobble from the room placing my hand on my back to keep me from falling back. I moved out to the back of the bar where Howard was smoking a large cigar. Smoke lazily floated to the sky. It was freezing. He didn't seem to notice me as he just stared at the trees. My eyes softened as I knew he was troubled by Jack's question.
"You'll catch a cold out here." I told him and he turned around swiftly and saw me and I smiled.
"Jesus Eula, you're the one who will get sick." he said coming over towards me and pulling off his coat and wrapping it around me. I smiled and held the large coat over me. He rested his hand on my back and I looked up at him.
"What's wrong, Howard?" I asked gently and he tensed and looked away.
"I'm the oldest here…I always thought I would find someone first before my brothers. Now Jack has Bertha and even Forrest has married you one of the most beautiful educated…African American woman in this town. If I had never called you a nigger then we would have never been talking, Forrest would've never met you…" he said then he looked down at my stomach. "And you wouldn't be having my niece or nephew. But I would never regret the action because you have made such an impact on everyone's lives, that…sometimes I wish you were with me instead of my brother."
As he spoke his mind his eyes did not leave my stomach and his hands continued to massage my stomach. I never knew he felt so strongly about not having someone with him. He was always the independent type. Who would've thought loneliness could come to him so quickly. My hands rested over his and I sighed lightly.
"Howard you are a good strong and wonderful man and a woman will come to you without you even seeing it. Don't worry about it because if you do…you'll put yourself in a dark place." I warned him gently. He exhaled through his nose while he nodded and gently leaned in and hugged me.
"You're right, you're right." he said and I hugged him back before pulling away gently.
"Come on let's finish dinner." I said and he agreed and we moved back inside and ate with our family. Once the moon was down and I had bathed I was lying down on my back while Forrest slept soundly beside me. His hand had rested on my stomach as well as if he needed my stomach to sleep. I think it was a way to remind him I was there. Beneath both our pillows were our guns, but I could not feel them through my pillow. Forrest didn't ask what was wrong with Howard or even what we talked about. I had a feeling he already knew the minute Jack answered him. I looked down a bit at his hand and it just rested on my stomach, like he was doing his best to connect with the baby while it was still inside me. Would he be afraid when I actually give birth in two months…in February?