The Art of Being a Con: A Guide by the Lion and the Fox | COMPLETE

Chapter Thirty-Five: A Legacy

Seven years passed. Two sets of neighbours had moved in. None of them had seen or remembered the news reports of escaped prisoners who were con artists or the missing eight-year-old girl who was the daughter of one of the escapees. None of them questioned why an FBI agent stopped by most weekends. None of them questioned why so many people lived in the house or why there was one kid.

Libby had been homeschooled since they moved in. She loved and preferred living with her father and his friends.

About three years after moving in, Nate and Riley finally stopped putting it off and "talking about it" and settled down, stopped their life's job, and got married. It had been a small ceremony in the backyard. Nate took Riley's last name ("It sounds more badass than Cooper," he had joked, but everyone knew the real reason: He wanted her to keep the part of her mom she still had after everything that had happened). Libby had been the ring bearer and flower girl.

Vinícius happily cooks everyday. Abraham and Mason do their own thing.

Abraham and Mason and Kris and Vanya have jobs. They use aliases. Abraham and Mason are security supervisors. Kris is working as a nurse for sick kids. Vanya is a ballet instructor.

One morning, though, recently in those seven years, Riley woke up in her and Nate's bed feeling sick. She sat up quickly and ran to the bathroom to throw up. Nate woke up due to her jostling the mattress while getting up. He groaned and trudged after her. He held her hair back as she emptied her stomach into the toilet bowl. He rubbed her back gently. Once she was sure she was done, she sat back, leaning against the wall. Nate flushed the toilet for her then got a washcloth from under the sink and wetted it.

He handed it to her and asked, "You okay?"

Riley nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine."

He gave her a weird look. "You never get sick. It's like, against the Riley Swanston code of conduct to get sick."

She flashed a small smile at him and shook her head. "It's fine— Wait." Her eyes widened.

"What?" Nate's eyes widened too.

Riley scooted over to the sink and opened the cabinet underneath and started moving stuff around. Kris had bought some as a joke, but maybe they'd come in handy after all...

"Aha!" Riley pulled a pink box from one of the two shelves and turned to Nate.

"You think–"

"Maybe."

"Well test it!"

A few moments later, the couple was waiting. Finally, the results were in.

Riley quickly snatched up the test and checked the box for the result indications. Her eyes stung suddenly.

"Riley?" Nate asked, worried.

She handed the stick over. He took it and looked it over.

"What is it?"

She smiled and said to him, "It's positive, Nate."

"It's positive? We're–"

Riley nodded. "We're having a baby."

"We're having a baby!" Nate exclaimed. He pulled her into a tight hug and kissed her all over.

***

Vinícius screamed and held onto the safety handle on the roof of the minivan, eyes closed tight. "I'm gonna die! I'm gonna die!" he cried over and over.

Nate and Riley stepped outside just as the minivan slammed to a stop. Libby turned to him and grinned. "How'd I do?" the fifteen year old asked.

"Hey, Liz!" Riley called to her, hand already instinctively on her stomach. "Why don't you give Uncle Vinícius a break?"

"Please!" Vinícius sobbed.

"Fine," Libby pouted and got out of the car. Libby noticed Riley's odd stature and quirked an eyebrow. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm great," the woman smiled.

Nate glanced over and smiled, too. He placed a hand on her back.

"What's going on?" Libby asked.

"We have some news," Nate told her. "But we have to wait for everyone else to get home."

"Okay...?"

***

"Everyone," Nate said. "We have some news."

They were having a "family meeting" in the living room that night once everyone was home.

"What's up, Nate?" Vanya asked.

Riley pulled the pregnancy test from her back pocket and held it up. "We're pregnant."

Everyone erupted into congratulations and excited chatter. Libby ran over and hugged her dad and stepmother.

"I'm gonna be a sister?" she asked, more confirming it for herself than actually wanting the answer restated.

"You're gonna be a sister," Nate confirmed.

"How long have you known?" Kris asked eagerly.

"Since this morning. Libby's been bugging us to tell her all day," Riley chuckled.

Everyone started talking again, Mason silently turning on the TV and muting the sound. It was just for the background.

On the news was a headline: Rabbit and Banshee strike again. Con artist duo robs San Francisco couple Elvira and Eli Jameson. A picture of a Banshee and rabbit sticker was on the screen.

Maybe Libby really was like her father? She'll make sure she's the best damn big sister, though.

Nate glanced at the TV and saw the headline and looked at his daughter. "That you?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Good job," he nudged her shoulder.

"Who wants dinner?" Vinícius asked loudly.

"Me," Riley groaned. "I'm going to be eating for two."

Everyone laughed at that as she sat down on a recliner.

Seven years the couple has been retired from their illegal ways. Two years the teenager has been living as their legacy.

Be careful who you meet online.

Be careful whom you meet in person.

Look out for tells and signs.

You may end up the victim of a con.

Yours truly,

-The Lion, the Fox, the Hyenas, the Cobra, the Banshee, and the Rabbit