That was when we heard, “What… the… fuck?”

My eyes got big and my lower lip stretched out in an eek! look at Elvira as everyone turned to the door.

“What the fuck?” This time it was shouted and I didn’t know him very well but I knew it was Levi.

“Dylan, honey, go get your sister and go outside and play,” Laura said urgently to her bewildered and somewhat frightened-looking son who had his head tipped back and was looking at someone in the hallway. “Now, honey, all you kids stay outside.” Dylan dazedly looked at his mom and she repeated, “Now, baby.”

He let his grandfather’s hand go and dashed away.

Cob’s gaze slid through Jill and Laura. He cottoned onto the situation and he turned to look down the hall.

“Now, Levi—” he started.

“Get the fuck out.” We heard.

“Levi—” Jill began, moving to the door.

“Get… the fuck… out!” Levi roared.

“Son—” Cob started again only to be cut off by Levi.

“I am not your son, you motherfucking asshole.”

Cob winced.

Oh man.

“Levi!” Laura snapped, also moving to the door but she didn’t need to.

Levi shoved passed his father and entered the kitchen, starting the wave that included Austin, Fritz, and Brock. But Brock settled just inside the doorway close to his father.

“Levi, cool it until the kids are outside,” he rumbled.

Levi scowled at his brother, visibly counted to ten, then fifteen (and I was right along with him), and we all heard the door close and he let loose.

Turning to his sisters, he snarled, “You two are un-fucking-believable.”

“Careful, bud,” Fritz growled.

Levi swung to Fritz and declared, “Fuck that.”

This needed to play out but without the audience it had.

This was my decision. Therefore, I whispered, “Kalie, Kellie, why don’t you guys, Lenore, Elvira, and I go out and see what the kids are up to?”

“Good idea, Tess. This is a family situation,” Levi gritted at me.

Bad move.

Really bad move.

I knew this when Brock took two long strides to his brother and got toe-to-toe and nose-to-nose with him and the thick atmosphere became suffocating.

“Tess talked me down earlier and now I’m seein’ I shouldn’t have let her. You need to cool it or, honest to fuckin’ God, Levi, I’ll see that you do.”

“Do not bullshit me, Slim. You do not want that man here any more than I do,” Levi shot back, throwing out an arm and pointing at his father.

“You don’t know what I want,” Brock replied and Levi’s eyes narrowed.

“Fuck me, you? You are buyin’ this bullshit? Pretty convenient he sees the error of his ways when he’s got cancer eatin’ out his insides,” Levi returned scornfully.