Page 10 of All The Things: The Last Thing He Needs Omnibus

Tommy clenched his fists, tilting his head down like a bull about to charge as he took a step toward her. “If you ever even think about it, I’ll—” He didn’t get to finish his warning because Bobby cut him off.

“That’s a crime,” he told her as he stepped between Tommy and Cheryl. He passed Max to Tommy as if he knew it was the only way to defuse the situation. “A serious one, hard time, federal pen. If anything ever happens to either of them now, you’ll be the first person we arrest, Mrs. O’Shea.” He added the last with a small snarl Tommy wouldn’t have thought him capable of. He didn’t sound mild mannered or kind now. He sounded angry, like he wished he could knock her out. Tommy had to like him a little for that too.

Cheryl let that sink in. She looked like she was crossing plan B off her mental list. “I just need a goddamn drink!”

Tommy knew booze was her second drug of choice. She used it to help her come down from anything else she’d taken.

With a sigh, Bobby reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He removed a twenty and passed it over to Cheryl. “You and Cal go knock yourselves out. On me.”

Tommy rolled his eyes so hard it actually hurt, but he didn’t say anything until Cheryl had wrapped her arms around Bobby’s neck to thank him, her demeanor changing instantly. “You are such a gentleman,” she told him, trying to catch his mouth with a kiss even as Bobby quickly unwound her and backed up. “I’m good for it, promise.”

“Only if you’re not afraid of getting the clap,” Tommy stage-whispered, setting Max down next to Zoe before he started picking up toys and clothes and books from around the room.

For one instant, Cheryl looked hurt. “Fuck you, Tommy.”

“I’ll pass,” he said flatly, glancing over his shoulder as Cheryl went to rouse Cal. As soon as there was promise of a bottle from the corner liquor store, Cal was on his feet, staggering, but up. “Take that can out with you and hose it out. Whole place smells like… well, smells like you. Jesus.”

Cal’s dark brown hair was greasy and streaked with silver, his skin wrinkled and dirty, and his green eyes rimmed in red. He hated to admit it, but Tommy knew what he could look like twenty or thirty years down the road if he didn’t take care of himself. Cal blinked at his oldest child, then down at the trashcan at his feet. “Oh, right. Good thinking, Son,” he said, running his hands down his front, checking for vomit or trying to smooth the wrinkles out, Tommy didn’t know.

“Right, Pop.”

“How’s the little ones?” Cal asked, and Bobby looked so shocked Tommy thought he might fall over.

“Better, thanks for askin’.”

Cal patted Zoe on the top of her head as he passed her. “Right, well…. Guess we’re off.”

“Good riddance,” Tommy muttered darkly as Cal picked up the can and Cheryl tugged him out the door. It only took him another minute to finish cleaning up and when he was done, Bobby had settled comfortably on the couch. He was watching the twins munch on their food and play with their toys.

“I get why ya helped us out last night, but… that? Giving them money so they can go out and do it all over again? Isn’t there a word for that?”

“Enabling.” Bobby stretched his legs out, knees spread slightly. Tommy had to look away.

“No, I think it’s called stupidity.”

Bobby laughed, then shook his head. “Did you really want that doing DT in here all day? Besides, it was your twenty.”

“Fair point.”

“Should keep them busy for a while, at least.”

Tommy shook his head. “Half hour, tops. But they’ll thumb a ride out to the truck stop so Cheryl can earn some money, and they’ll have plenty to do after that.”

“God, Tom,” Bobby started softly, not a trace of pity in his voice, just a subtle look of sadness echoing around his eyes. “Does she ever bring johns home?”

Tommy could feel himself tense, his jaw clenching, but he found something weirdly relaxing in the idea of unloading all this on someone. “Am I telling Officer McAlister, or….”

“A friend, just… a friend. Off the record.”

“Okay, friend….” Tommy laughed softly, teasing, but he was starting to like the idea of it, starting to wonder why they never hung out in high school. Bobby was a couple of years older than him, but he had friends in Bobby’s year. “Sometimes, yeah. Not often, but… it’s happened.”

“That’s not good, shit.”

“That’s news? I know it ain’t good.”

“That bang-up out here a few months back, that guy you were fighting with…?”

“Yeah, Cheryl brought him home. Guess the guy didn’t wanna pay for a no-tell motel, and he started sniffing around Colleen, wouldn’t let up, so I had to put him in his place.”

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