“Doesn’t your mother give you toys?” I ask Devlin before shooing him away from Future’s blocks that I’ve taken back.
“Don’t talk to my son that way,” Taryn demands.
“Don’t raise a thief.”
Comforting her greedy son, Taryn glares at me and mutters, “I thought you people were hippies.”
“And we gave you so many free things yesterday,” DeAnna complains. “Those toys are only yours because of our charity.”
“I sent those over,” Lana says of the blocks.
The mood shifts around me. These women have histories. I knew right away how Topanga and Lana weren’t friendly with DeAnna and Taryn. Their faces are different when talking to each other versus the new women. I’m not sure about Barbie and Bambi. They both frown a lot, mostly at Mama, who remains in the kitchen frowning at them.
“That’s not the point,” DeAnna says and turns back toward me. “You need to be more grateful. Tell ‘Future’ to share.”
After doing that bendy thing with her fingers, DeAnna glances at Taryn and snickers at my brother’s name.
“It’s your devil boy that won’t share. Doesn’t he have toys of his own? Why is he so greedy?”
“Stop talking shit about my grandson,” Bambi says, pointing at me. “You need to watch your mouth.”
“No,” I say and reach down to take back the blocks Devlin stole from Future again.
My brother smiles when I place the blocks in front of him. Devlin just growls at me like a dumb little dog.
“Did you know,” Topanga says as if she just discovered her voice, “that Lana and Bronco have four girls between them?” Before I can explain how I do know that since she told me yesterday, the woman continues, “I bet Dove is around Summer’s age.”
Lana smiles despite not wanting to. “Dove could come over and meet the girls. Summer could talk about whatever teenage girls talk about. It’ll be fun.”
“Yeah, I’m sure Bronco’s princess will fucking love that,” Taryn mutters to DeAnna.
“Why do you whisper so loud?” I ask the blonde. “We can all hear you. Just talk normal.”
“I’ll do what I want.”
“She’s got a mouth on her,” Bambi mutters to Barbie, who is focused on Conor nearby.
“I was thinking,” Topanga says, getting her chatty personality back as she takes me by the arm and waves Mama over. We walk outside with Lana. “There is so much space in your yard. You could buy a playset for Future. And put a vegetable garden over in that corner.”
“Or one of those atriums,” Lana suggests. “You can grow plants and vegetables during the bad weather. The sunroom gets enough light for you to grow herbs, too.”
I look over the flat green yard and try to imagine the things they’re describing. I don’t know what swings and a slide look like at a house. I’ve only seen them at big parks.
“We had greenhouses at the Collective,” I tell Topanga.
Mama walks past us with Future following her. I notice he carries a single block. Back in the house, the devil child stole the others for the third time! My brother isn’t used to having things of his own. That’s why he doesn’t fuss over losing his blocks. Instead, he follows Mama to the grass where he plops down and looks at his remaining toy.
“Oh, I just had a thought,” Topanga says, gasping.
“Big shock,” DeAnna mutters behind us.
Ignoring the younger woman, Topanga continues, “You could keep a few chickens back here in a coop.”
“That’s against the bylaws,” Bambi says immediately.
Topanga rolls her big blue eyes. “Bylaws are rules we make up as we go along. We can vote to change them.”
“I vote we keep them the same,” DeAnna says, raising her hand.
Topanga takes my hand and lifts it. “We vote to change them. Pixie has a say through Anders.”
“But only her. Not her mangy family,” Taryn grumbles and raises her hand. If I knew what mangy meant, I might have to insult her back. Since I don’t, I just glare while she adds, “I vote no change.”
“Doesn’t seem like you should have a say since you live in your mother’s house,” Topanga says, getting feisty like she was yesterday.
Bambi shakes her head. “Screw that. She’s been a member of the Executioners family for longer than you have, Topanga. I vote for no changes.”
“I vote yes,” Lana says, stepping closer to Topanga and raising her hand. “Three to three.”
“No, four to three,” Bambi says and nudges her sister. “You lose. And if we have a full vote of the community, you’ll lose by more.”
“Rules are for sissies,” Barbie announces. “I say let them have the fucking chickens. Who cares?”
“Chickens stink and make noise,” DeAnna whines.
“Why do you give a shit?” Barbie mutters, seeming bored. “You live two blocks away in Bambi’s house.”
“I’ll be moving here when our house is finished.”
“For fuck’s sake, you’ll be five houses from here. No way will you hear any chickens, especially with your loud-as-fuck dog barking his head off in the morning.”
“Slave is protective.”
The older woman narrows her blue eyes in a really cold way. “On more than one occasion, I’ve struggled with the urge to shoot him.”
“Barbie Parrish, don’t you dare shoot her dog,” Taryn growls at her aunt.
“Cunt, did you just call me by my maiden name?”
I step back as Barbie goes for Taryn, who jumps behind her mother. While Bronco’s sisters shove each other, I glance at the corner where the coop would go. Even though I suspect Anders won’t want chickens, I keep my mouth shut and let the women fight. I don’t know them well enough to get involved with their mess.
“Ladies, chillax,” Conor says, popping his head out of the back door.
“Shut up,” Taryn growls at her cousin. “You're just protecting your crazy mom.”
“No, my behavior comes from a deep guilt over not defending Wyatt when Anders was ready to snap your brother’s pencil neck.”
“What?” DeAnna demands and then shrinks when she notices Anders
