She really doesn’t need me. Nadine. Hired me more out of pity than anything else. These schmucks wouldn’t even dare to breathe without her consent. Slavering fucking mutts… I blend in nicely. How the hell did I become this pathetic? This… Domesticated? Is this what a marriage does to a man? Is this what caring does to a person? I let one woman in to my life. Took her in to my heart. And many others crawled in through the crack she left after her. Marie. Biggest chink in me. A flaw. I can’t fucking afford to carry around faulty armor.
“Wolverine! If you’re planning to get in to the cage tonight, drag your carcass to the line!”
“Yeah. You need anything done before I…”
“Jesus! I have been watching you moping at that door for a week now! You’re starting to scare off paying customers! Get in to that cage or get lost!”
“Yes, Nadine…”
Gladly. Maybe few good and solid kicks will clear my head. That big-ass trucker that came in couple of hours ago looked bloodthirsty enough. I could probably lure him in with me. Yeah. The guy with the swastika tattooed on his forehead. Huge motherfucker. Where the hell did he go? Fucker that big can’t get lost in this crowd… Come on, come to papa, ugly bastard… There you are!
“What does a guy like you do for fun?”
“Beat up runts like you. Get lost, asswipe.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that. You see, I have a problem.”
“A problem?”
“Yes. A huge, ugly problem. And it’s standing right in front of me.”
“You want to get in to the cage with me?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, it’s your funeral…”
My funeral? I kind of doubt that. Even bigger and uglier assholes have tried, my friend. But you’ll do. For now. Just have to turn around. Not too many men get in to the cage with me when they see me grinning like a fucking maniac. I really should get myself under control. I really should. But not tonight. This is going to be so good…
“Wolverine!”
“What?”
“There’s someone asking for you!”
“Tell them they have to wait!”
“I think it might be your daughter!”
Shit. If it isn’t Anna at the end of the line, Nadine’s going to get few selected words. The guy I was going to get in to the cage with fled as soon as he heard Nadine hollering my name.
“Yeah?”
“Dad?”
“What is it, pumpkin?”
“It’s mom. She’s… She’s gone, and…”
“What the hell do you mean? Gone?”
“She just packed her bags and left. Last night. Ororo thinks she might be coming after you.”
“Thanks for the heads up, Anna.”
“Just be careful, okay? She… She was real angry.”
“I’ll always be careful.”
“Don’t hurt her.”
“Jesus, Anna!”
“It’s just… You didn’t part ways exactly friendly manner. I don’t want either of you to get hurt.”
“I’ll be careful. I promise.”
“Careful like you were with Jack?”
“Anna! I’d fucking chew my arm off rather than hurt your mom! You don’t have to worry about…”
She hung up. Just like that, hung up on me. I should probably call back and scold her for good. Or not. Haven’t I done enough already? Fuck. Fuckety-fuck. Marie. Is she after my head? I’d be if it were me in her place, that’s for sure. She left last night. If she took one of Scott’s cars that gives me two days to get my shit together. Two days at tops. If she’s popping caffeine even less. Crap. I better move my carcass out of Nadine’s. Don’t want Marie to jump in to wrong conclusions. She might end up hurting Nadine as well as me.
“Nadine?”
“Yeah?”
“I’ll be hitting the road tonight.”
“Jeesh! Thanks for the early warning!”
“I’m sorry. Something came up. I really have to go before…”
“It’s your wife, isn’t it?”
“Yes. She’s not exactly stable. Things might get ugly when she catches me.”
“Fuck. You really did a number on her. Didn’t you?”
“Yeah. And it looks like it’s time to pick up the bill. It’s been nice knowing you, Nadine. You’re a good woman. Don’t let these assholes push you around, okay?”
“Wolverine…”
“I’ll see you around. Take care.”
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