Chapter Text
Honey’s life thrives on routine. With two young kids, it was vital to maintain some sense of balance and order. However, the most crucial reason the routine was sacred in her life was her children's father.
Andrew Cody was set in his ways. She learned long ago not to mention doctors or pills, yet in her unprofessional opinion, she knew he for sure had OCD. She knows that if she badgered him relentlessly, he would cave, mainly if she used the kids against him, but she also knows his aversion to doctors - medication - is because of Smurf. So she doesn’t push or prod because, if anything, it doesn’t truly disrupt their lives. It doesn’t interfere with them raising their two beautiful baby girls.
She smiles widely, thinking about their oldest daughter, Solana. At 6 years old, she is a big girl, which she tells Andrew and her whenever she gets the chance. She no longer needs her nightlight, though she doesn't mind her dad checking to make sure there are no monsters under the bed or in her closet.
Amelia, their youngest child, is 4 years old. With her auburn hair and quiet demeanor, she takes after Andrew. Amelia always preferred to be tucked in by Andrew. Although she didn't typically prefer bedtime stories read to her, she liked hearing Andrew tell her stories about them together and growing up.
A part of her wonders if Andrew would be agreeable to having a 3rd child. She misses when her girls were babies. Her job as a phlebotomist did provide good benefits, and she got a raise. They were comfortable with her legitimate job. Besides, with Pope’s unconventional work, they didn’t have to rely on daycare. Honey smiles as she walks out of the clinic, thinking of ways she could make Pope puddy with agreement; however, her smile fades when she sees the two figures standing next to her car.
Her sister-in-law has seen better days. Though as she looks at the young boy gripping his mother’s hand tightly, he seems physically healthy. Lord only knows what Julia had exposed the child to. The last time Julia was around the family, it erupted when Andrew cut her off completely. So this has to be a calculated move.
Julia knows that the Codys would be quick to dismiss her, but Andrew was the closest sibling, and if anyone could talk with him, it would be her. She prays that Julie won't cause a scene.
As she approaches. Julia nudges her son, Joshua, to greet her. It’s unsaid, but everyone knows that Baz is the father of Julia’s son. It’s evident now in the shape of his jaw and nose. She didn’t know Baz when he was young, but she could see the likeness. But by giving birth to two of Andrew's children and tracing his face, she can glimpse Andrew's and Julia’s youth in the children.
“Hi, Aunt Honey,” the boy says timidly. She wouldn’t be surprised if the boy didn’t really remember her.
Honey gives him her best smile as she bends. “Hi, sweetie, you are getting big.”
He smiles. “I’m 8!”
“Really! You are growing up so fast.” She tells the boy as she tries to observe whether she can spot any apparent neglect, aside from the boy's apparent thinness. “Did you eat yet?”
She hates how he looks up to Julia for an answer.
“We haven’t yet,” Julia admits.
Honey stands. “How does McDonald’s sound?”
Honey took them to a McDonald’s that had a play area. J had wolfed down the food before asking hesitantly if he could play, which Julia had allowed.
Julia was nitpicking her Big Mac. “Thank you for this.”
Honey leans back in her chair. “We’re family.”
Julia gives her a hesitant smile. It is the same closed-lip smile she would see occasionally on Andrew.
“How are Andrew and the girls?”
Honey crosses her arms. “Do you need money?”
Julia flinches as she begins picking at one of the napkins. Julia looks out to where J is playing on the jungle gym with other kids.
“Can you watch J for a bit?”
That question straightens Honey's spine. She is used to Julia asking for money, a place to lay her head, or, worse, protection from a deal gone wrong. Not once did Julia ask them to watch J for any extended period, despite how much Honey has told her that J is always welcome.
“You don’t even have to ask. What’s going on?”
Julia pushes a strand of greasy brown hair behind her ear. “I signed up for a 90-day rehab program. I will get out in time for J’s first day of school.”
A genuine smile crosses Honey’s face. “That’s great, Jules.”
The praise has color returning to Julia’s cheeks. Outside of the drug use, Honey did like Julia. She knows Julia has been the only one who has honestly looked out for Andrew and had his best interest at heart. She knows how much Julia’s addiction has damaged their relationship.
“You are the only one I trust with him,” Julia admits. Honey knows precisely what she means. Honey knows how to navigate dealing with Smurf. For the sanity of all those involved, Honey keeps away from Smurf outside of a weekly family dinner and allows the girls a day or two of unsupervised time, but that was pushing it, in her opinion.
Honey nods her head. She reaches across the table and grabs Julia’s hand. “I’m proud of you.”
Julia clings to her hand, and she can tell that the young mother is fighting tears. “Do you need a ride?”
“If it is not too much to ask.”
Andrew Cody is tried. Honestly, he hated even remotely agreeing with Baz on anything, but the jobs they were doing weren’t enough anymore. The risks Smurf was taking with them didn’t justify the time away from his family. Reluctantly, he had to agree that hitting banks needed to be retired. They needed to think more creatively.
Though at least this job would keep them comfortable for a while. Unlike his brother’s, he knew how to save money to support his family.
He also knew his mom purposefully kept him longer tonight, knowing how much he hates missing the girls' bedtime routine.
He doesn’t know what offense Smurf thinks Honey has committed, but he will appreciate the time away from his mother. Pulling into the driveway of his house, it’s dim with only the hallway light by the side door on.
Andrew had found them a small, cozy house, the perfect size for their family. It was one of the older beach houses on the shoreline, offering the illusion of privacy.
It was a bit big for his taste, as they only had Solana at the time, but he remembers Honey's offhand comment that she doesn’t want to move around a lot. He had been tempted just to buy land and surprise her with a house built by him. It was sheer luck that he came across their current home.
And Honey has been making it their home every day, and he is grateful for the size, especially once they had Amelia. The girls’ tea parties could get very extravagant.
Closing the door to his truck, he is quiet as he makes his way inside his house. The home smells like vanilla and sugar cookies, and as he crosses into the kitchen, he finds a platter filled with a couple of dozen. He doesn’t think of it as odd, as his girls love baking sweets, and he is sure that if one of his brothers comes over, they will be gone within minutes.
It's a habit of his to make sure every door and window is locked before setting up the alarm system, which he would even have trouble hacking.
And he quickly notices a pair of kids’ shoes that do not belong to his daughters. The pair of black Converse shoes is nearly torn to threads, and pulling the tag down, he sucks in breath at the name written in there.
He would never forget that handwriting.
He rushes up the stairs, and he checks on his two girls, who are sleeping soundly in their beds. He goes into each of their rooms, careful not to wake them, ensuring they are safe.
He then hovers at the guest room door. He opens it slowly and finds a little body swaddled in the big comforter. He doesn’t see another body, and he doesn’t know whether to feel relieved or worried.
He makes his way to the master bedroom, wondering what is the disaster his sister has gotten herself into. As much as Julia despised their mother, she didn’t seem above using her manipulative tactics, as he knew it was a calculated move to reach out to Honey. Honey wouldn’t turn away a child, especially her nephew.
He enters the room slowly. He finds Honey in bed, hidden under the blankets. He already showered at his mom’s, so he just stripped down to his boxers before sliding in next to Honey. Honey used to be a heavy sleeper, but motherhood changed her sleep patterns. Any type of sound or movement wakes her.
“Babe?”
He slides in behind her and pulls her into his arms. He presses a kiss to her head. “It’s me. We will talk in the morning.”
As a kid, Andrew always had trouble sleeping, and even now, despite the exhaustion of the job his mom puts him on and having two kids, his body doesn’t punish him for it. He gets about 4 to 6 hours of sleep each night before Honey’s alarm wakes him up, or one of his daughters comes in to use their bed as a trampoline.
Yet, today is Saturday, and his girls will probably sleep in, all of them. He moves from the bed and slides into a pair of basketball shorts before taking a piss and brushing his teeth. As he walks down the hallway, he hears movement coming from the kitchen.
He trudges his way downstairs. The last time he heard noise in the kitchen, he found his oldest trying to climb the counters for sweets.
Instead, he finds his nephew, J, sitting at the table with a juice box. The boy looks at him with his large owlish eyes. It’s weird seeing his and Julia’s faces so prominent on the boy. He didn’t know if it was for the best that there was no trace of Baz in the kid.
“You remember who I am?” He asks the little boy.
“You’re my Uncle Pope,” the little boy says timidly.
Pope nods his head as he goes to start making coffee. “Where’s your mom?”
“Aunt Honey said she is sick and she is with people to make her feel better.”
Pope does his best not to snort at the thought of his sister trying to do rehab again.
“You want something to eat?”
“Aunt Honey said she was going to make waffles.”
“Those are your Aunt’s specialties. You’re going to have to wait for her to wake up.”
“I can wait.”
“You want some fruit instead?”
J nods his head.
Andrew fills a bowl with cut-up fruit for his nephew to munch on. The boy gives him a quiet thank you. Andrew goes back to making his coffee when he hears Honey’s familiar footsteps. She enters with a tired smile.
“Good morning.”
Andrew watches as J gives his aunt a blinding smile, especially as she presses a kiss to his head. She gives him a sheepish smile as she comes over and kisses him on the lips. She goes to pull away, but considering he didn’t get to spend much time with his girls, he wraps his arm back around her waist and brings her back into a kiss.
He feels her smile in the kiss before she pulls away and looks at J. The boy is munching on his fruit, but the dusty color tainting his cheeks exposes that he was observing them. Andrew didn't want to think about what his sister had exposed the kid to.
“Did you sleep okay?” He hears her ask the boy.
“The bed was really soft.”
“Is that a good or bad thing?”
“Good,” he says proudly.
Honey smiles as she caresses his head. Andrew’s chest tightens at the sight of Honey with the kid. It’s the same feeling he gets when he watches her with their daughters. He wonders if she would be open to having another child with him.
“How bout we get you comfortable on the couch in the living room. I’m going to start on breakfast, okay?”
The boy nods enthusiastically at his aunt’s words. Andrew takes a sip of his coffee when Honey comes back from helping J get comfortable. He sets his mug on the counter as Honey wraps herself around him. He is rewarded with another kiss and a hug. This time it's deeper and less restrained because of the presence of a kid.
“Morning,” she whispers.
“Sleep good?”
She nods her head before she looks up at him. “You got home late?”
“Yeah, everything went good though.”
Honey sighs and gives him another kiss before she moves to begin making her famous waffles.
“Julia just showed up at my job. Said she was going to rehab. Asked if we could watch J.” Honey tells him, ripping off the band-aid.
“How long is this vacation for her?” He asks gruffly.
“Andrew…”
“It’s true,” he tells her. They’ve been doing this song and dance for years. Sure, he has some guilt from when Julie tried to rob them when she was pregnant, and he let Smurf take her back to a crack den, but now he has his own family - his girls to think about. Julia burned her bridge with him when she tried to steal jewelry he had gotten for Honey, and he caught her.
“And us having J is just going to stir shit up.”
“J is innocent in all of this,” Honey reminds him as if he didn’t know.
“How many days?”
Honey sighs, knowing the conversation is at an impasse for now. “90 days.”
Andrew nods his head as he goes and finishes his coffee.
Considering Andrew doesn’t have a typical 9-to-5 job, he has no problem being the girls' caretaker during the day. In fact, he prefers spending time with his kids to spending time with his annoying brothers. His days are spent having tea parties, playing dress-up, going on ice cream runs, going to the playground, and having spa days. Andrew wouldn’t trade any of it for the world.
However, for some reason, his girls seem to love their Uncle Deran, and as his little girls are part fish, with Deran’s love of surfing, he does take them all to the beach. Yet, today the routine is different since J is with them.
It’s been a few days since the little boy has been staying at his house. He knows that after today, Smurf will know about his presence. Typically, his mother will give him a few days' peace after jobs before she demands to see her granddaughters. Considering Honey’s and Smurf’s shaky relationship, Smurf gets one overnight visit a week in the summer and one during school.
On any other visit, Andrew makes sure he is chaperoning, especially after she tried to throw a party with his girls, and thankfully, Deran had enough sense to call him and keep the girls in his room.
But if J is going to be here for 3 months, he knows this is going to dredge up something for Smurf and Baz and cause collateral damage to Catherine. Andrew thinks he is too old for this shit.
Yet, having J around, he isn’t sure exactly how he feels. The kid is quiet and self-sufficient. He easily reminds him of himself and Julia when they were kids. His speech is way too mature. He knows about bills, cooking, and household responsibilities, and it makes his stomach churn to see how much Julia wants to be the opposite of his mother, following in her footsteps.
Though his daughters love their cousin. Amelia, his youngest, was hesitant, of course. Wary of the new person in their home, but warmed up to him as he helped her color. Solana didn’t understand the concept of stranger danger. She was quick to accept J in their house as she had her typical bossy nature.
As he watched the kids interact, he thought J likes being a kid as his daughters included them in their adventure. He also notices the kid preens under Honey’s attention.
As the kids sing their Disney songs in the back, he worries about how his brothers will take J’s presence.
As he pulls up to his mom’s to pick up Deran, he finds the boy already outside, as usual. His face set in a scowl, no doubt because of something his mother did or Craig.
Andrew didn’t even have the chance to put the car in park as Deran hopped in his truck.
“Pope,” he greets before he turns to greet the girls, but his greeting dies on his tongue as he looks at J.
“Hey, Uncle D,” the girls greet, not deterred. Deran clears his throat and does his typical tickle game with them before he sets his eyes on J.
“You remember me?” He asks the boy.
J nods his head, sheepishly. The expression on his face reminds him of him and Julia as kids. He doesn’t like the feeling in his gut.
He ignores Deran burning a hole in his head as he puts his car in drive. “Put your seatbelt on,” he orders his brother.
They make it to the beach, and Andrew triple-checks that he has everything he needs and that his girls' swimming vests are securely fastened. Solana is more interested in surfing, while Amelia likes to play in the sand. He watches with keen eyes as Deran takes Solana out into the water to teach her to surf.
Andrew begins setting up their area on the beach with the help of Amelia and J. J has been quiet since Deran got into the truck.
Amelia tugs J along to the front of their beach blanket as she informs him of the massive castle she wants to build. He learned long ago to help only when Amelia asks. So he keeps himself occupied watching Solana and Deran in the water.
Eventually, Solana, wet and giddy, runs and jumps into his arms, “Did you see Daddy! I was able to stand and ride a little wave.”
Andrew chuckles. “I did. Uncle Deran is a good teacher.”
“He is the best!” Solana agrees as she wiggles out of his arms.
“I’m hungry, Daddy,” she says as she goes to rummage in the drink cooler.
Andrew snorts as he opens the other cooler for their snacks. He hands his oldest the box of grapes, crackers, and cheese. With Solana eating, he tells Amelia and J to pause their building of the castle, too. He knows that after this, Solana will take a nap under the umbrella. Amelia will want to swim with Deran before she wants a nap 15 minutes later. He just doesn’t know J’s schedule.
The kids are hyper and enthusiastic as they eat. He knows that means their nap will be deep and relaxing. Deran takes Amelia out in the shallow end. Solana is already drooling on her towel with her bucket hat. J just watches the waves intensely.
“Your mom ever take you to the beach?” He asks his nephew.
J looks startled at being addressed. His eyes blink like an owl's. “Sometimes.”
“Do you know how to swim?”
“I can float.”
“Do you want to swim?”
J nods his head. Andrew looks back at Solana before he gets up with J, following.
As always, with a day at the beach, Andrew picks up some food, and they head back to his house with Deran. Now that the kids are occupied in the girls’ playroom, he is left with his little brother in the living room.
He already knows the topic Deran wants to breach. He decides to rip the band-aid off quickly.
“Julia went back to rehab. Approached Honey, so now we have J for 3 months.”
Deran snorts. “She knew what she was doing with that one.”
Pope grunts. The last thing he needs is Honey and his mom going at it again. They never got physical or verbally aggressive, but they played a rough game of passive-aggressiveness. It had only gotten worse after the girls were born. He still doesn’t know if Smurf is upset or glad that he only has girls and not a boy.
He is sort of grateful he just has the girls, as Smurf’s attention will wane as they get older. With Honey as their mother, they won’t be able to manipulate them or use them as tools for her own agenda.
“You going to tell Baz before family dinner?” Deran asks.
Pope shrugs his shoulders. He knows that he should, but at the same time, he won’t. He prefers not to think about the history between his sister and Baz. He has to if he wants to be cordial with Baz and not punch his teeth down his throat. Even if they don’t talk about it, they all know Baz fathered J.
And even if Baz didn’t want a relationship with J or his sister, he could at least provide monetary support.
“Well, this will be interesting,” Deran comments.
Pope sighs. Never a dull day with his family.
Honey puts in one of the golden hoops in her ear, and she can feel Andrew’s gaze burning into her skull. The family was getting ready for the weekly dinner at Smurf’s. Thankfully, her girls were well-behaved for the most part as she got them ready before taking her shower. Andrew had come back from supervising the kids after she exited and began to get dressed.
She turns in her seat as she looks at the father of her children. “Is there a problem?”
If she were anyone else, she would probably falter under Andrew’s piercing stare.
Andrew gives her a knowing look. She knows his concern is about Smurf. Their relationship has always been hot and cold. Honey was aware of who the Codys were. It was hard not to in Oceanside, but she never personally associated with any of the family. However, her high school boyfriend of three years was friends with Craig. So by association, she had become closer to the family than she intended, especially as she found Craig to be an asshole.
Looking back, the relationship was never healthy. All they did was argue and fight. She would leave, and he would come back with gifts and apologies. Yet, a part of her was soothed that despite the tumultuous relationship, he never ventured to another bed, or so she thought.
When she found out that he and Craig were sharing girls, she decided to attend a Cody party on her own free will.
She never willingly made it through the door. No, she had found a crowbar and located her ex’s precious Mustang. The sound of glass shattering had broken through the fog of weed and indulgence. She remembers her ex screaming. Lights from cameras and phones. People were laughing before he tried to attack her.
She doesn’t remember much before strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her away from the scene as she screamed and tried to claw her way out of his grip. It was then that she formally met Andrew.
She remembers his blank expression as he told her to calm down, as he brought her to the room that she would discover belonged to him.
He wouldn’t let her leave until she had calmed down before he took her home. She remembers the quiet ride, and the mortification was steadily creeping in before he seemed to sense her turmoil and told her not to worry about the damage.
She couldn’t find it in herself to question his words as he led her into her house. And from that day, Andrew had never left her life. As much as she loves Andrew, she isn’t going to lie and say it has been easy.
She had to deal with the moral ramifications of being with a career criminal and of what she was willingly turning her eyes away from. She knows the man she has decided to spend her life with has split blood. And then they gave each other two beautiful daughters, and the risks of his lifestyle were greater. She knows that Andrew has been relieved with their two girls. Knows that Smurf is able to wield an influence over the boys he fears.
It’s a fear that makes her angry as she knows each pregnancy has brought a fear of their child being a boy, and Honey aches for another child. She would love another girl, but she can’t help but want a little boy as well.
Having J around has only reinforced the ache of wanting more as she sees him interact with her girls.
“Smurf isn’t going to like that we have J here.”
Honey sighs. “Smurf doesn’t like many things.”
Andrew doesn’t say anything, his posture stiff in the corner of their bed. He has been the referee for many of the verbal skirmishes between Smurf and her, especially once she started giving him babies. Smurf could swallow her pride coming behind her, but the matriarch of robbers could not stand being placed fourth between all the women in Andrew’s life.
Honey moved from the seat of her vanity to find a perch on Andrew's lap. He instinctively secures her as his arms wrap around her.
She gives him a soft smile before pressing a kiss to his nose as she would do to her girls. She catches the twitch of his lips from her action before leaning down and pressing her head on his shoulder, where her nose is pressed against his neck, and she inhales his scent.
Andrew is quiet, his hands rubbing soothing circles on her back. She knows their moment of quiet will last so long before one of the girls barrels into their room.
“You want another one, don't you?”
She should have known Andrew could see the wanting in her eyes as she looked at J. He could sense the ache that was clinging to her.
“Would it be so bad?” She replies softly.
He takes a deep breath, and he is saved from answering as their girls barge into their room.
Honey likes to think she gets along with Andrew's brothers for the most part.
Her and Craig's relationship had been rocky due to his friendship with her ex. And she was not a fan of his recreational drug habit. Although her girls loved their uncle, and Craig always respected the boundary she had set, she did not want him around her girls if he was hungover from one of his favorite vices of the night.
Deran was almost like another kid of hers. She seems to like him the most out of all the Codys. She is never surprised to find him lounging on their couch or entertaining the girls while Andrew grumbles that he is going to charge him rent.
She knows the tenderness she feels for Deran is because it is clear he is the youngest. Yet, watching Andrew and his brother, she can see the softness Andrew has for Deran. The way he can unapologetically be his brother and not an enforcer.
She treasures how she has made her home a safe place not only for Andrew but also for Deran.
Outside of Smurf, the only person she has yet to warm up to after so many years is Baz, or Barry as she tends to call him out of spite.
She knows he doesn't like her for the same reason Smurf doesn't: she is an influence on Andrew that they don't like. And as much as she knows they try to use her and their girls to manipulate or exert control over the father of her children, she has never tried to persuade Andrew to lead a life he has never known.
She has always made it known to him that she would support him, but she wasn't going to follow him blindly. She wasn't going to be a meek mouse who would keep quiet, or worse, confuse his head if jobs took a turn and brought heat.
She would also advise him to be safe and trust his gut. She was in his corner. She didn't try to control him.
That wasn't a relationship or love. And she knows that Smurf and Baz hated that she just loved Andrew for who he was, not for what they'd molded him to be when it was convenient for them.
And she tries to keep the peace, knowing Andrew loves Baz like a brother. It is a bond she can't understand, but she does her best to respect it.
Yet there have been a few times when she and Baz would get into verbal spats over the way he spoke to Andrew. Or worse, pressure him into jeopardizing his body and safety for a job needlessly.
And it's even worse when Honey has to factor in Catherine. Lovely Catherine, who is now pregnant, doesn't know whether the woman is deliberately blind to Baz’s unhappiness about the impending fatherhood he is forced to acknowledge.
She can't find it in her to dislike Catherine’s willful ignorance, even if she can feel the disappointment from the girl at Baz’s neglect.
Andrew had been most attentive to her with each of her pregnancies to the point she wanted to smother the father of her children. Baz doesn't seem to care about the dark bags deepening on the mother of his upcoming child.
Or worse, how she clutches her stomach looking at J, who is taking in his surroundings while Baz’s grip on his beer bottle threatens to shatter it.
Andrew pointedly presses a kiss to all of his girls’ heads and ruffles J's hair as he follows Baz into her mother's kitchen.
He already prepared for the verbal assault his mother and Baz would bring once they saw J.
He knows Smurf will be passive-aggressive the rest of the night. She'll throw pointed remarks at him and Honey. Try to test her boundaries with the girls. Knows before they leave, she will say something below the belt to him in private and plot a job to remind him of his place - his loyalty.
He wasn't too sure about Baz. Andrew knows he is going to get some speech on letting Honey put him up to this. Questioning the influence he lets Honey have over him. It's the same song and dance he's been getting since he took up with Honey, and it's gotten worse since putting two kids in her.
Yet, Baz has always been careful when bringing up Honey. They've only gotten physical once, regarding Honey, with how Baz so callously dismissed her importance to him, and, worst, made him doubt his feelings for Honey and hers towards him.
It was the first and last time he had let anyone from his family hold any weight in his relationship. The only person he would listen to would be Deran.
But he wasn't blind to the fact that Baz did try to push up on Honey. He couldn't say that he was surprised. Baz always had a way of taking and tainting things for himself. It wasn't as if he chased girls or they were chasing him. It was rare for him to actively pursue anyone. Yet he couldn't deny he had crushes, and before he hardened and learned that silence was powerful and protective, he would disclose those innocent crushes to Baz.
And those innocent crushes soon found their way ensnared by Baz, and he still wonders how Julie let herself fall into his snare.
Yet, he had been shocked that Honey told him how Baz tried to make a move on her. He even recalled her saying that if their thing is sharing girls, there is no shame in it, that it's not her, and that they should end things. If he weren't so mortified at the thought of sharing her with Baz, he would have laughed.
But he remembers saying that she didn't want to start trouble with him and his brother. He recalls that very night, as Honey found herself perched under the grip of his arm, the way Baz stared at her and smiled with a secret disbelief. He knows Baz thinks Honey never told him about his not-so-subtle pick-up lines.
Andrew wasn't stupid enough to notice that after he settled with Honey, Baz brought Catherine back into the picture fully. He still wasn't brave enough to settle with Lucy. Scared of what Smurf would do.
He closes the sliding door as Baz makes his way to the kitchen island.
“Really, man?” He has that smirk on his face that he uses to cover up that he is unsettled - grasping for straws - for a sense of control.
Andrew shoves his hands in his pockets. Silence doesn't work with Baz; pointless questions do. They rile Baz up, and he breaks. Insults will flood, and he will have to control the dam to decipher the true meanings. “You're going to have to be more specific.”
“You're just going to hurt your girls bringing Julia's baggage into your house,” Baz states unapologetically.
Sometimes he wonders if Baz really did love Julia. He questions whether Baz even cares for his nieces. Solana demands attention; she forces people to accommodate her, while Amelia steers clear of him.
“J is a kid. He's my nephew.”
Baz snorts. “Real convenient for you to care now, as I recall you letting Smurf drop Julia pregnant at a crack den.” Baz snaps his fingers. “I'm curious, does Honey know that fact?”
Andrew narrows his eyes. “Why do you care?”
“I can't show concern for my brother? You're surrounded by all these women…”
“If you have problems with an 8-year-old, who is your nephew, that sounds like something you need to figure out.”
Andrew is about to leave the kitchen when Baz's voice stops him. “You know, when you try to undermine me or play these games, you not only hurt me, but you hurt Cath.”
Andrew stills. His grip on the handle of the door tightens, especially as he looks out on the patio, seeing his girls surrounded by the viper nest that is his mother.
He turns as he stares at Baz. The mention of the Cath and to deliberately pick at a wound that took Andrew forever to let scab over and heal, it’s a predictable move by Baz.
Cath had been his friend first. She had been his, and considering how close the two of them were, as Julia began pulling away, he fell for her. Cath was the first person to be nice to him. Yet Cath never viewed him the same way. There was never a question whether she would want more with him.
Yet, he didn't think she would have chosen Baz. She was there to see the way he and Julia hovered around each other. She knew about Lucy. Hell, even turns a blind eye to Baz's not-so-discreet trips to Mexico.
She still went with him. Although he had some hope for her happiness when she and Baz finally split. He hated to say it, but Baz was less of an ass as a single man than with Cath.
Yet, a few months after Andrew let Honey’s presence in his life be known, he was greeted with the presence of Cath wrapped in the arms of a drunk Baz at one of Smurf’s parties.
And now, Cath is pregnant, and both of them look miserable. Before Honey, he did try to be an ear for Cath when she and Baz would get in their spats. In lieu, he would try to give Baz a heads-up on how to mend the rift between them.
Even if it burned to see Baz's callous treatment of Cath and to be a bystander to Baz's loose ways, he still cared for his friend. He wanted to see her happy.
He is ashamed to admit it, but it took a while for him to realize he couldn't serve as a mediator between the two. Cath had made her choice, and so did Baz.
Yet, the most important thing was that he had Honey. Honey loves him for who he is, not for what he can do. She never tried to change him.
Or, most importantly, she allowed him to exist with his flaws. She could see the good in him as well as the darkness, and she loves him in spite of it. She comforts him the same way she does their girls. Gentle, soothing, and firm, leaving no room to misinterpret the depth of her love.
She sees Andrew. She sees Pope. And she doesn't make him apologize for it. He knows that he would never get that, not only with Catherine but with anyone.
So he looks at Baz and his feeble attempt at mental and emotional warfare. If anything, he feels a surprising amount of pity for Catherine and her unborn child.
And he finds that he doesn't have any words for Baz. What could he say that would diminish Catherine even more?
Besides, Baz just wants a response. He wants an argument. Wants to highlight that he can be unstable and violent. Baz wants to feed into the myth of who they made him be.
Yet, it surprises Andrew that none of his family has figured out his restraint, especially when his girls are present.
He marches over to the kitchen island. He wants to smile as he notices the way Baz tenses as if he overestimated what he would do. Andrew doesn't say anything as he just grabs the ceramic plates to set the table.
Cocktail hour is over.
Honey keeps her face neutral and fights the urge to follow Andrew with her eyes as he follows Baz into the kitchen. She knows how Baz and Smurf work in tandem to try to unravel Andrew. Instead, she reclines in her seat, her eyes moving to her girls, and J. Solana is showing J some of the toys Smurf has gotten her, but Amelia is like her father.
She has never really warmed up to Smurf. When she was a baby, she would cry anytime Smurf held her. Her baby girl is standing by the edge of the chair near her thigh.
“You okay, baby?” She asks.
She can tell her little girl wants to climb on her lap since Andrew isn't an option.
“She is just like Pope when he was a kid. Always standing and watching.” Smurf states, her voice loud and amused.
Amelia's brows always furrow when people address her dad as Pope. She has never liked it.
“Go show J some of the toys Grandma Smurf gave you,” she urges gently.
Her shy girl looks conflicted before she makes her way to her cousin and sister.
“Looks like she is going to inherit those auburn curls,” Catherine states.
Honey smiles, as she has been so happy to see an obvious trait one of her girls inherited from their father.
“How are you feeling?” She asks the mother to be. Her bump is small, but prominent.
“Tired,” she replies with a laugh.
“It's going to be nice having another grandchild around,” Smurf comments. “It would be nice to know my oldest was roaming around.”
Honey fights the urge to snort.
“But I guess I should be grateful his mother does feed him and not just her habit.” Smurf continues.
“He's a good kid,” Honey states. J is smart and kind, and she hopes his family doesn't take that away from him.
“How long is he staying?” She knows Smurf is fishing. It would be in her best interest to tell the woman the truth. But she doesn't.
“As long as he needs to.”
Catherine is surprised by her response. Honey knows that Catherine takes Smurf's backward compliments without complaints. Catherine is about keeping the peace, but Honey knows that will change once the baby is born.
She knows it will only make Smurf worse.
Smurf lets out a laugh as she takes a sip of her margarita.
Honey turns her attention back to her children. Watching as Solana tries to boss J around, she thinks her oldest is going to cause a lot of headaches for their family. She doesn't miss, though, how Amelia makes her way to the sliding door and practically beams at Andrew, who is coming out with plates.
Her daughter follows him as he sets the table. She waits patiently, knowing Pope is setting the table meticulously, before Amelia is scooped up in her father's arms.
She is surprised Amelia even learned to walk with how much she preferred Andrew's embrace. Honey’s eyes flicker past the loves of her life when she spots Baz watching Pope from the kitchen.
“Well, dinner could’ve gone worse,” Honey comments as she and Andrew are finally alone in their room. They have the house to themselves after the family dinner, when she allows the girls to spend the night at Smurf's.
Craig never showed up, and with J’s presence, it was more awkward than normal for the adults, at least. She could always rely on Solana to keep the conversation flowing. She isn’t going to be surprised if her daughter gets into the theater or something.
Though she knows J picked up the weird current surrounding all of them.
Andrew doesn’t reply as he removes his shirt. Honey sighs as she removes her jewelry and walks into the bathroom to start a shower.
She wants to ask about what happened with Baz in the kitchen, but she trusts he will tell her when he feels comfortable. She can guess the subject matter, though.
She removes her clothes and then steps into the shower. She sighs as the water cascades over her. It's only seconds later that Andrew joins her. He is still silent behind her as he wraps his arms around her.
She relaxes in his grip as she leans against him. Eventually, he presses a kiss to her head before they separate and begin to wash.
It's a quiet shower. There are a few giggles as she pinches Andrew's butt. He slaps the washcloth at her in response.
It's only when they are drying off that he starts to speak. She is wrapped in a fluffy green towel as she walks to her dresser with her sleepwear.
“You know I love you and the girls.”
Of all the things she expected him to say, that wasn't it. She turns to look at Andrew, who is leaning against the doorway, his towel wrapped low on his hips.
“I know. I never have to question that.”
He goes quiet. His eyes search hers, which causes her to frown. She abandons her search for clothes as she walks over to him.
She hugs him and kisses his heart. “I love you. The girls love you. You should never have to question that.”
He doesn't say anything as he closes his eyes and soaks in her words.
She gives him another kiss on his warm chest. “Come on, let's put on some clothes and sleep.”
Andrew makes a derisive noise in his throat as she goes to head back to the dresser.
He has moved from the door, his towel abandoned in the hamper, “No clothes. I need easy access to fuck you.”
Honey feels her brain short-circuit at his words. It's rare for Andrew to be vocal in that way. He is in front of her before she can blink, as he places a chaste kiss on her lips as he unwinds her towel.
She finds herself lying back down in the bed. She accommodates him between her legs, providing no resistance. His fingers begin the work of teasing her gently.
As much as she loves him, she hates to admit that sometimes it feels like she is slowly dying.