Chapter 70

"Alright, birthday boy, you've stayed up long enough", David said to Malachai. "It's officially time for you to go to bed."

"But, Dad, I'm not tired. Five more minutes."

"Now, Malachai. I mean it."

Malachai let out a huff. "Fine." As he want for the stairs, he caught his reflection in the mirror, then turned back to his Dad. "Thanks for letting Uncle Mikey shave my hair into a mohawk. It looks really cool."

David smiled. "You were right, I owed you from last year. But, don't make it a habit to want your hair in funky styles, or I'll make sure that you see a bald head as punishment."

"Dad, there's no way in the world I'd see being bald as punishment. You're bald."

"At my own choice and I was in my twenties before I shaved my head for the first time. No, get your butt in bed."

"Yes, sir." Malachai said and headed up the stairs.

David almost responded, but he was still in shock. Did he just address me as "sir"? David thought. He shook the thought from his mind. Surely he misheard the boy.

David went into the kitchen where Brie was making herself a small snack. "You okay, baby?" he asked.

"Yeah, honey, I'm fine. I'm a tad worried about Mattie, but I'm sure he'll be fine. He may have to learn to walk again, but he's a survivor."

"That he is. He ran from the holding facility in Denver to here in Grand Junction. That's quite a run alone, but to do at least half of it with a bullet in your leg is quite a feat, if you ask me."

She went to him and clung to his body. "I love you, David Draiman, more than I could possibly verbalize. You've shown me what love really is."

Before he could respond, she'd captured his lips in a passionate kiss. All he could do was hold her against his body and return her passion.