Page 49 of All The Things: The Last Thing He Needs Omnibus

Bobby had taken Zoe by the hand and walked over to the couch with her. She climbed into his lap, and they were playing quietly.

Judy went on. “I mean that. I’d love to look after them again if you ever decide to give yourself a break.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

It was a lie, and Judy looked like she knew it. She even rolled her eyes at him exactly as Bobby would have.

Before he could say anything else, the door burst open, and Carrie ran into the house. Davey and Mike were behind her with Colleen and Collin heading up the rear. The last two hadn’t made it in the door before Carrie was talking.

“Tommy, when Colleen picked us up, Davey was in a fight!”

Tommy didn’t need the update, he could see Davey’s black eye before the words were out of her mouth. “What the hell happened?” he asked, forgetting there was anyone else in the house. He stepped over to Davey and tipped his chin up. “Someone socked ya good.”

Davey winced. “Hurts, too.”

“I bet. Spill it,” Tommy insisted.

As Davey was about to spin his tale, Collin came in with Colleen. He took one look at Judy with Max in her arms, glanced around the room to his brothers and sisters, and turned out the door at warp speed.

Colleen called after him, but he didn’t even pause.

“Goddamn it,” Tommy muttered and looked at Judy. “He thinks you’re a social worker.”

The air was still warm, not quite autumn, as Tommy chased after Collin like his life depended on it. He knew his little brother could outrun nearly anyone, and he was no exception. “Collin Joseph O’Shea!” he screamed. “You get your ass over here now!”

Tommy had a stitch in his side, and he had to stop running to catch his breath. He took a few steps and looked around. His brother was nowhere to be seen. In their neighborhood, Collin knew the back alleys and bushes to hide behind like no one else. If he ever wanted to disappear, he wouldn’t have any trouble doing it.

He heard Collin’s voice from somewhere behind him.

“You gotta get back in there and get Max!”

“Jesus,” Tommy muttered, his voice full of desperation and irritation. He thought he knew why Collin ran, and it hurt on too many levels. “That’s Bobby’s mother in there, Collin, now come here!”

He was shouting into the afternoon sun because he still couldn’t see his brother.

Movement caught his eye and Tommy saw Collin duck his head from behind a storage shed in one of the neighbor’s yards. He examined the area like he was waiting for an ambush and then took a tentative step out from his hiding place before coming to Tommy.

Tommy could feel his nostrils flaring. He was angry, and he let it out in his voice as he said, “You think someone’s come to take you away from me and you run?” He was fighting the urge to shake Collin. He got down on one knee in front of him. “You leave your sisters and Max to fend for themselves?” he asked, knowing his eyes had gone dark while looking at Collin. “That ain’t right, Collin. You never turn your back on the family. I thought you were better than that.”

He expected to see Collin look down in shame at his words, but instead his brother lifted his face and met Tommy’s eyes.

“I wouldn’t do that!” he shouted and balled his hands into fists. “I’ve got a plan, Tommy. If they come for us again, I’m gonna run. We’ll need someone on the outside to get ’em all back.”

Collin chewed his lip while he waited for Tommy to say something. Tommy was wrestling with his emotions and wasn’t sure how to respond to any of it. On one hand, he was damned proud of Collin. The kid was a fighter and always had been. He was willing to do anything it took to keep his family together, and he wore his loyalty like a badge of honor. At the same time, though, Tommy hated that they had the kind of life where a ten-year-old felt the need to make that kind of backup plan.

He gathered Collin in his arms and hugged him tightly. “That’s what you’ve got me for, kiddo.” He could feel Collin nod against his shoulder, and he went on. “I’m the one that’ll get you guys back if it ever needs doing, okay?”

When Tommy pulled back, Collin nodded again. “I thought you might need some help, though.”

“I will,” he insisted, pointing his finger at Collin’s chest. “I’ll need you to be with Max and Zoe and look after them. You three are the youngest, and they’d try to keep you guys together, right?” When Collin looked doubtful, Tommy continued. “I got Mike and Davey to look after Carrie and you’re it for Max and Zoe, all right? I got it figured out, okay?”

It was a lie, and Collin probably knew it deep down inside, but Tommy remembered from experience the value of a comforting lie over the harsh truth sometimes. He figured Collin wanted to believe him, so he did.

He hugged Collin one more time before he stood up. “We should get back there before Judy starts cooking again.”

When Collin shot him a questioning look, Tommy said, “You’ll see.”

When they got back to the house, Bobby was sitting with Carrie and Max. It sounded like Carrie was telling him about her first day of school. She looked excited, but really, Tommy thought her excitement was over Bobby being there rather than the hospital.

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