Parole (Hypernaturals 7)

Shut. Up. Adrian.

Closing time.

I have never really understood all the rules around bar closings. What is special about 2:00 AM? In New York, they stay open later. People dance longer and have fun all night. But no: Texas still has tons of stupid 'Blue Laws'.

We called earlier to check in on the girls, and they are sound asleep, and Skye and Marvin put them down without any issue. Diana ate well even without her 'reference Daddy' to know if she liked various new things, and Rachel fussed because her breast milk was expressed and in a bottle, not coming directly for the source (I do not blame her), but Skye solved that by holding the bottle to her breast, and Rachel accepted it ultimately.

We all sat at the bar except for Tommy, who said a while ago he was tired and wanted to go home. We called a taxi for him. He was being Debbi Downer at our Holly reunion party, anyway. He irritated me unreasonably, so I was happy to see the back of him. It is hard to relax and enjoy the evening when all I am doing is watching Tommy to be sure he is behaving correctly and not running around biting humans.

Not that he seems the slightest bit interested in any of that. Or women in general. Or men. Or conversation.

Morgan pointed out to me as Tommy rode off into that good night in the cab, in sub-voice: "Tommy talks about getting drunk in bars when, as a street artist in Vancouver, he had no money. Here, where he paid for nothing, he never finished his first beer. I find that quite odd."

I agreed with her assessment, and not without some coloration in my voice that sounded a great deal like dislike: "Tommy is a very weird dude, for sure."

Morgan said nothing to that but looked at me with a quizzical look. I think she thought I would say more, but I was done. I wanted to unload, but it would be whining and there is no point. Morgan can't do anything about my responsibilities as they pertain to Tommy. I also felt no little free-floating anger. I think part of it is directed at Helen. I wanted to enjoy Rachel's babyhood without complications. She is only going to be a baby this one time. Helen is political: why couldn't she have gotten me out of this. I am willing to serve: just not NOW.

Not fair to Helen, which is why I think the anger is sort of detached and floating around. It is not as if she could tell the Council 'Hey: Could you wait till my daughter that you did not know I went off and had grows up?'

I sighed and we went back inside.

The four of us parked at the empty bar as Holly cleaned and stashed things. We offered to help, but she told us to sit and talk to her. We all were served fresh beverages. They are free, since Holly could not charge for alcohol after hours. I am not sure TABC would care about that difference, but we went with it.

As Holly wiped the bar down, she stopped in front of Morgan. "You never said if you are getting you some of that sweet Adrian ass." She observed.

Morgan agreed: "That is true. I never did."

Holly grinned "Got it. You totally are getting laid but you are not saying."

Holly wiped her way down the bar to me. "So. Studly. What's the dealio?. You'll have sex with all these ladies. Why not me?"

"Morgan never confirmed nor denied that." I pointed out.

"Oh, Ha! Just Ha!" Holly sneered. "Now you are calling me stupid."

"You are anything but that, Holly. Anything but: Why Helen likes boinking you, in part." I assured her.

"So, why? I'm fuckable. And don't be distracting with the Helen stuff." Holly asked again.

I leaned in confidentially and whispered "Well. Secretly? It's kinda like a sex cult thing. Except it's more like a marriage kinda thing. You looking to join a sex cult marriage thing? Look at all our hands. Left hand. Ring finger."

"You are fuckin...with. Holy fuck." All three wedding bands were in her sight. Holly never noticed they are all the same.

"See?" I said and showed her mine with a wiggle, which matched. "I just get a wedding band. Not sure why."

Helen told her from down the bar "Sorry, Holly. It's more than just being his baby mama, as they say now."

Holly looked at Helen, her eyes wide. "That is fuckin' weird. Just weird. Kinda hot, but weird. You happy in this thing?" Holly asked like she was going to defend Helen if need be.

"I am very happy 'in this thing'." Helen told her. "Look at it this way. I wanted to get married someday. Have a kid. Now I have, and I have these ladies to help me with all that. Adrian too. He is a terrific father. It's our kink, OK?"

Holly said "Oh, no. It's cool. I see everything in here, ya know? You know me: I fucking slept with you. A lot! I'm open to shit. I see ladies that used to be dudes, and dudes that used to be ladies and people that I can't begin to tell ya what they even are. If that's your thing, it's your thing. You didn't get branded or nothin', right?"

Helen smiled. "No brands. No tattoos. No special religious ceremonies, where we dress up in robes and sing songs of devotion. Just four people living in one house who love each other."

"When we can all be in the house at the same time." Jessica groused.

Holly looked back at me "Ya know, cutie. I take it back. That's a little too weird for me."

"Well, OK." I said, pretending to be disappointed. "It would have been fun but no worries. I hope you still love us. Especially Helen." I told her.

"Oh, yeah. You are still my fav customers, and Helen's my fav girl of all time. I mean: Holy shit. That girl can fuck."

Helen leaned in to look down the bar at me. "Sorry, Adrian. Looks like you are not getting any Holly boobs. They are nice."

I looked at Holly, who looked slightly surprised by Helen talking about her boobs that way. "That's OK Helen." I replied. "I think the question here is, are you? You KNOW you want some Holly in your life and your arms and your bed. For what it is worth, Holly? We put a ring on her finger, but not in her nose, or a noose around her neck. You and Helen are clean and green as far as we are concerned. As you say: That girl can fuck."

Holly swiveled to look at Helen, eyes a bit wide. Somewhere between hope and fear? No doubt some shock at the sudden turn to open sexual references.

Helen looked irritated at me: That same way I felt about Tommy earlier. "Not just tonight, I should think. Let poor Holly stew on this and see if going to bed with me is ever a thing she should ever want again. We dropped a few bombs on her here."

I persisted despite her irritation. "I don't get it. A whole lot of reluctance going around here tonight. Holly wants you. You want her. You already have history and know it works. We said we were not asking you to change..."

"Enough, Adrian." Jessica said darkly.

"Their relationship, not YOURS." Morgan said, equally dark.

"But..." I protested.

"Shut. Up." Jessica instructed.

Jessica has NEVER talked to me like that. Oh shit.

Helen said nothing. She glared at me instead.

Helen waved a hand at Holly "Sorry Holly. He is not normally a fucking asshole. I am not sure what crawled up his ass and died. Nothing good."