Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem

The old man and the little boy were chatting away, so caught up in their own world that nobody noticed the look on Tarquin's face.

The old man leaned in toward Evan and said,

"Listen, Evan, you remember what Bernard always says: Maybe your fists can't fix everything, but they sure can fix the kind of people who start the trouble in the first place!"

"Doesn't matter who it is—if someone's messing with your mom, you go all out and give them a real good wallop!"

Evan balled his tiny fists and nodded so hard his hair flopped,

"Yeah! If anyone bullies my mom, I'll knock their socks off! I don't care who it is!"

The old man grinned, "Even if it's your dad."

Evan replied without a hint of hesitation, "Of course! My mom's the most important!"

Tarquin: "..."

For a second, he honestly didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

He was touched that his little boy loved his mom so much.

But on the other hand, he felt a pang of sadness-his own son didn't seem to care about him at all.

Tarquin just stood there, somewhere between a smile and a sigh, and glanced over at Bernard.

Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine, as if he'd just dodged a bullet.

If he hadn't built a real relationship with Elysia, what kind of mess would he be in right now?

One, two, three, four, five... six!

heavy-hitters, all out for his

made Tarquin swallow nervously. And

thought of

but even he had to

could go up against a squad of geniuses

flashed to

who used to gossip about Elysia, sneering about her raising kids out in the sticks with a bunch

folks must be terminal, to have the nerve to say

Any one of these six legends could stroll into town and wipe the

and greeted Bernard politely, "Hey, Bernard. Good to

man

You treat my Elysia and those rascals right, then I'llbe good. If I'm good, things go well for you.

just talking-he was laying

Tarquin nodded,

sir. Don't worry-Elysia's the queen of our

princesses. I'm

queen and her

narrowed

you understand. Now, about you hurting Elysia before-I'm not done you over that. That slap was

with

heart again,

thinking just because we've retired that we

Tarquin was all seriousness,

now on, the only one doing any bullying in our

never hurt her

threat

man's word is his bond, son. Don't make me regret trusting you.