Tattered Love (Needle's Kiss)

about.”
    “You ain’t fooling anyone, little brother.”
    “She’s just bitchin me out. I don’t even know what the fuck I did to piss her off.” Trip looked so confused it was almost funny.
    “Ma really outdid herself with the party crap, huh?” I wasn’t in the mood to wade in on his shit, so instead of listing the hundred things he probably did wrong, I changed the subject. Looking around at balloon-tree things placed all over the room, streamers hanging from the ceiling and confetti strewn across every surface, I shook my head in silent laughter. There was even a giant Harley Davidson shaped cake on a table in the middle of the room. Ma was renowned for forgetting we were grown men not little boys anymore.
    “She gave me a party hat when I walked in; you know those ones she had when we were five?” I nodded laughing outright at the image of Trip wearing a pointy birthday hat with elastic under his chin.
    Scarlett walked up at that point and handed me a cold beer. “Nice party, Trip.” She smiled as she leaned in close as my arm wrapped around her. I dropped a kiss on the top of her head. In true Trip style, he poked his pierced tongue out, turned and stomped off. Scarlett turned fully into me, raised up on her toes and kissed the side of my neck still laughing at Trip’s child-like display.
    My body jarred, startling us back to reality with the force of two small bodies colliding into my legs. “Uncle Mace, you’re here!” Jordan my godson and one of Jude’s twin boys yelled.
    “Hey buddy, where’s dad?” I asked, letting go of Scarlett and bending a little to talk with the boys. Jaxson I noticed was eyeing Scarlett up.
    “Right here. I can’t keep up with these two. Hey, Scarlett. You gotten smart yet and left this asshole?” Jude said as he walked up looking flustered, no doubt from running around after two full-of-energy eight-year-old boys. Jude was a single father after the twins’ mother had taken off when they were just two years old. He’d been my best friend since grade school when we had a fight over a girl—that was our first and last argument. He was genuinely a great dude, and I hated that he and the boys were alone. He did the best he could, but he had to be lonely.
    “Very funny, laugh it up,” I replied.
    Jaxson the quieter of the two boys leaned in close still watching Scarlett, who was now embracing Jude in a hug, and whispered, “She’s pretty, Uncle Mace. I like her.”
    This made me smile. Jaxson was usually reserved when it came to new people, unlike Jordan who right then didn’t bother whispering, just walked right up to Scarlett, pulled on her hand, looked her up and down smiling big and loudly said, “You’re hot, and you have big ones. My Uncle Mace likes big boobs. Don’t you, Uncle Mace?”
    Scarlett and I both burst out laughing while Jude went a whole new shade of embarrassed red and chastised Jordan. “You can’t say that shit, kiddo”
    “Why not? You said she was hot I heard you. You told Uncle Trip she was hot, and Uncle Mace was a lucky B word,” he asked, genuinely confused.
    “Shit, sorry Scar. They hear every word you utter when you don’t want them to, but ask them to take out the trash, they suddenly become deaf.” He clamped his hand over Jordan’s mouth and apologized looking at Scarlett.
    “Don’t worry about it, Jude, really. You have two of the most handsome little guys.”
    Jordan looked up, pulled his father’s hand and smiled, making his dimples pop out. “Hear that, Dad? She wants me.” This started another round of laughter and Jude shooing Jordan off towards the party food. Jaxson followed quietly behind him still watching Scarlett with a look of wonder on his face.
    “Think someone has a crush on you, babe.” I laughed, watching Jude try to wrangle the boys without any injuries or more embarrassment.
    “They’re cute kids. Jordan’s clearly not shy. Jaxson has beautiful eyes though.” He did, big bright green eyes that took in the world. He paid attention to everything from the moment he was born.
    “You wanna help me watch them next week? I promised Jude I’d take ‘em for a night.”
    “Sure, how much trouble can two little boys be?”
    “Famous last words, babe,” I chuckled. She had no idea just what she was in for. Jaxson might be quiet at first, but that quickly changed once he let you in.
    We had spent the better part of the night attached to each other. It didn’t matter where we were or what