“Oh lord,” Jabarri says.
“I hope this one doesn’t turn out to be a stalker-like the last one,” Anson says as he is pulling out his custom bowling ball.
“Stalker?” True says looking concerned.
“I wish a bitch would,” Savvy says as she breezes past us to take a seat. “I wasn’t around then but I am now. She can fuck around and find out if she wants to, she ain’t ready for this smoke” she says.
“So bloodthirsty, Hatima Yangu,” Jag says before he kisses the hell out of her.
Once everyone has their bowling ball picked out and names loaded in the computerized system the craziness that is Atlas’s family commences. Jaasiel won the first game with a 233 and Atlas came in last with a 57. Atlas goes to the bathroom as we set up for game two.
‘Whose idea was this?” Atlas growls with a scowl.
Everyone suddenly becomes busy with anything else and pretends Atlas didn’t say anything.
“Oh so now everyone is suddenly deaf?” He says“Ain’t this shit for little kids? So I need bumper rails now huh?” he adds.
Everyone is trying their best to not laugh.
“Atlas we’re trying to help you out, I mean you are new to bowling we’re trying to help even the playing field,” Joseph says while trying to not laugh.
“You can kiss my ass, even that playing field,” he says and we all burst out laughing.
He turns to me as I am wiping tears from my eyes.
“Et tu True,” he says.
“I’m sorry baby,” I say around laughing.
“No you’re not!” he says and honest to god pouts.
It is the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life. He is adorable. He walks up to grab his ball and roll it down the lane. I swear his ball bounces off the bumper guards like he is playing pinball and not bowling to finally reach the pins to only knock down two pins. When he turns around to look at us and I am holding my stomach as I try not to laugh. He finally gives in and breaks down in tears laughing and we all join in.
We play five more games and Atlas gets better with each game. We order the horrible bowling alley food and just enjoy our time together. Eventually Savvy and I sit out the games and watch the guys bowl and talk shit.
“They are way too competitive for me,” Savvy says as she sips her drink.
“Definitely,” I say “Once they started betting on who would win or who could beat scores I knew it was time for me to have a seat,” I tell her.
She looks at me shaking her head in agreement “Yeah but I can’t wait to see them act out Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, I am recording that shit and putting it on all my social media platforms.” Savvy says.
“You're not going to make them go through with that, are you?” I ask Savvy hoping and praying she says yes.
“Hell yes I am, I worked my ass off so I could win that bet. I wanna see them in full costume and the lines memorized. Hell, I might sell tickets to that.” Her head is laying on the back of the booth as she is trying to catch her breath. “Man, that was an epic idea” she sighs.
“ You mean you cheated to win that bet?” I ask her.
“Semantics,” she says deadpan as she looks at me and we both double over in laughter.
I watch Atlas as he is carefree and happy enjoying his brothers and it feels like something that he doesn’t do very often in public. The scar on his face and his size can be off-putting to some but I don’t see any of that stuff I only see him. It’s been that way from the moment he opened the door to the bedroom Victor left me to die in.
“ He looks so happy and it makes me so glad that he found his someone. But if you hurt him in any way I will bury your ass in a place no one will be able to find you. I love all my brothers but Atlas and Seph hold a special place in my heart and I will not let you hurt him. He deserves to be happy more than any of his brothers and if you do that for him I will be your greatest ally. But if you can’t be what he needs, leave him alone now,” Savvy says, all humor has gone from her voice.
“I have no intention of hurting him or leaving him, I love him more than I have ever loved another human being,” I tell her without any reservation.
“ I hope you fully understand what that truly means,” she says but before I can ask her the cheer that sounds out grabs both of our attention.
“That’s it baby,” Jag tells Savvy. “Let’s get ready to go,” he says as he pulls her out of her seat into his arms.