Strength

25.

Remy takes a deep breath and turns on her heels. Naomi laughs a little as Remy mumbles a few curse words under her breath in Spanish.

"Man, that woman gon be the death of me." Keegan shakes his head.
 
    "I don't know how you do it." Zeke says. "I'm not sure if I would be able to sleep at night if Naomi was doing dangerous takedowns."

The two men watches as Naomi and Remy go into the dining room. "I was so scared when they called. She was in surgery for hours."

    "I'm just glad she's okay. Maybe this would be a wake up call."

Keegan shakes his head no. "She loves her job."

   "I think she loves you and Marìa a little more." Zeke gives her the benefit of the doubt.

"She wouldn't give up the job for me. But, she'd do it for baby girl."

    Zeke gives him an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "I know you think that because of her past. However, Remy has matured and is now a wife and a mother. That's important to her."

"I hope so." Keegan says with a sigh. "How are things with you and Naomi?" He switches topics.

   This time, it was Zeke who sighed. "Rough. That's marriage though."

"I don't blame you for what you did. If that was my sister, I'd do the same." Keegan looks at him.

   Zeke nods. "Yeah, I think she understands that. It's just that's my sister and that's her brother. It'll always be a conflict."

"I'm just sayin'. That's a big guy. If it was me, I woulda shot his big ass."

   The both of them laugh as they take the food into the dining room.

"It's about damn time. I'm hungry." Remy snaps.

    "Look here, relax." Keegan glares at her. "You've been mean since you been at home."

"You act like this is something new baby." Remy waves him off.

    Naomi shakes her head. "Remy, cut the guy some slack. You got shot which I'm sure already scared him half to death."

"This is not my first time being shot." Remy looks at her.

   "You're right, but you were really almost killed this time." Zeke adds.

"Exactly." Keegan says. "Going in there with no damn bulletproof vest. Do you even care about my feelings? Or Marìa's?"

    All eyes were on him because anyone could hear the frustration and anger in his tone. He avoids the stares as he fixes Marìa's plate.

"I didn't know you felt that way." Remy says.

   "No bulletproof vest?" Naomi looks at her with disbelief on her face.

Remy sighs. "A little girl was inside and we were running out of time. I made a decision on instinct and I went in. I wasn't thinking correctly. But, I saved the girl."

    "Yeah, you also got a little girl at home." Keegan retorts.

"You don't think I know that?"