places.”
On a roll, Terri couldn’t resist. “He already knows that, Pete. Betty has been smothering him with kisses for days.”
Bishop, delighted not to be the butt of the joke for once, snorted out a mouthful of coffee and then tried to laugh and choke at the same time.
Good natured as always, Pete tried to pretend insult, but just couldn’t pull it off.
The mayor cradled the babe in the crook of his arm, continuing the tour of the establishment until Hunter began to fuss. “He’s probably hungry… again,” Terri said, checking the diaper first. Finding no need for a change, Terri glanced around until she spied a dark corner. Retrieving an extra receiving blanket from the bag for modesty, she announced, “I’ll be back in a minute, boys. I’m going to feed this bottomless pit.”
The next day brought the arrival of Uncle Nick and Aunt Diana, as they introduced themselves. After Bishop’s naming of Pete as the godfather, Terri had asked Diana if she would fill the corresponding maternal role. “I’d be honored,” Diana replied, “as long as I get all the snuggling I can handle.”
And so the couple spent their weeklong retreat showing off their new addition to countless visiting dignitaries and friends. Visitors came from all over the Alliance, including Mr. Beltran, DA Gibson and a host of others. Bishop was convinced the kid was Senate bound, based purely on his early political connections.
“I’m more exhausted than before our little every-four-hours alarm clock arrived,” Bishop noted as he packed up as many of the gifts as would fit in the truck.
“I know what you mean. I anticipated that having a baby would leave me a smidge tired. Hunter is easy compared to the demands of his social calendar. I look forward to a little private time,” agreed Terri.
“I can’t wait to get back to that punishment Nick calls a training class. The good Lord knows I need the rest,” Bishop snickered as he piled a playpen on top of the mounting kiddie booty.
The drive back to Alpha was the most quiet the new parents had enjoyed since the birth. Even Hunter appeared to agree, the steady lull of the truck’s movement encouraging his lids to fall before Meraton faded behind them.
Alpha proved only slightly more reserved than Meraton, the couple finding more gifts stacked inside their living room after entering the house. “I wish everyone hadn’t spent their hard earned money on us,” observed Terri. “We already had everything we really needed.”
“They wanted to give something back, Terri.”
“I know, I know… but still. You are going to have to enlarge the west wing of the ranch to accommodate all these goodies, my love. How are you with architectural drawings?”
“At least we know the mayor of Meraton personally. Should help us get a building permit without too much hassle,” Bishop joked. “Seriously, Terri. All that work you have been doing with the Alliance is resurrecting the region’s hope of a somewhat normal existence. I’ll figure out something for little Hunter’s mounting pile of stuff; you just keep rebuilding a future in West Texas for our son.”
Alpha, Texas
June 18, 2016
The weight room at the university hadn’t been looted, per say. Someone, no doubt starving, had ransacked the extensive facility probably looking for protein bars, but the equipment had been left intact. Once the content of the lockers and gym bags had been cleaned up, a few of the men had taken to visiting what had quickly become known as “Club Apocalypse.”
Bishop was having a good day at the club.
His pre-collapse job in corporate security had demanded a high level of conditioning. Guarding oil company executives and equipment in some of the world’s most dangerous places wasn’t a career for the weak or slow. Because of this, he was well aware of what his body was capable of, as well as its limits. Before the terrorist attacks, he had considered himself the equal of any
On a roll, Terri couldn’t resist. “He already knows that, Pete. Betty has been smothering him with kisses for days.”
Bishop, delighted not to be the butt of the joke for once, snorted out a mouthful of coffee and then tried to laugh and choke at the same time.
Good natured as always, Pete tried to pretend insult, but just couldn’t pull it off.
The mayor cradled the babe in the crook of his arm, continuing the tour of the establishment until Hunter began to fuss. “He’s probably hungry… again,” Terri said, checking the diaper first. Finding no need for a change, Terri glanced around until she spied a dark corner. Retrieving an extra receiving blanket from the bag for modesty, she announced, “I’ll be back in a minute, boys. I’m going to feed this bottomless pit.”
The next day brought the arrival of Uncle Nick and Aunt Diana, as they introduced themselves. After Bishop’s naming of Pete as the godfather, Terri had asked Diana if she would fill the corresponding maternal role. “I’d be honored,” Diana replied, “as long as I get all the snuggling I can handle.”
And so the couple spent their weeklong retreat showing off their new addition to countless visiting dignitaries and friends. Visitors came from all over the Alliance, including Mr. Beltran, DA Gibson and a host of others. Bishop was convinced the kid was Senate bound, based purely on his early political connections.
“I’m more exhausted than before our little every-four-hours alarm clock arrived,” Bishop noted as he packed up as many of the gifts as would fit in the truck.
“I know what you mean. I anticipated that having a baby would leave me a smidge tired. Hunter is easy compared to the demands of his social calendar. I look forward to a little private time,” agreed Terri.
“I can’t wait to get back to that punishment Nick calls a training class. The good Lord knows I need the rest,” Bishop snickered as he piled a playpen on top of the mounting kiddie booty.
The drive back to Alpha was the most quiet the new parents had enjoyed since the birth. Even Hunter appeared to agree, the steady lull of the truck’s movement encouraging his lids to fall before Meraton faded behind them.
Alpha proved only slightly more reserved than Meraton, the couple finding more gifts stacked inside their living room after entering the house. “I wish everyone hadn’t spent their hard earned money on us,” observed Terri. “We already had everything we really needed.”
“They wanted to give something back, Terri.”
“I know, I know… but still. You are going to have to enlarge the west wing of the ranch to accommodate all these goodies, my love. How are you with architectural drawings?”
“At least we know the mayor of Meraton personally. Should help us get a building permit without too much hassle,” Bishop joked. “Seriously, Terri. All that work you have been doing with the Alliance is resurrecting the region’s hope of a somewhat normal existence. I’ll figure out something for little Hunter’s mounting pile of stuff; you just keep rebuilding a future in West Texas for our son.”
Alpha, Texas
June 18, 2016
The weight room at the university hadn’t been looted, per say. Someone, no doubt starving, had ransacked the extensive facility probably looking for protein bars, but the equipment had been left intact. Once the content of the lockers and gym bags had been cleaned up, a few of the men had taken to visiting what had quickly become known as “Club Apocalypse.”
Bishop was having a good day at the club.
His pre-collapse job in corporate security had demanded a high level of conditioning. Guarding oil company executives and equipment in some of the world’s most dangerous places wasn’t a career for the weak or slow. Because of this, he was well aware of what his body was capable of, as well as its limits. Before the terrorist attacks, he had considered himself the equal of any
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