Page 79 of All The Things: The Last Thing He Needs Omnibus

“You gonna tell me what it is?”

“Nah, you can wait until Christmas, but you can have one of yours now.” He pulled Bobby away from the kids, into the kitchen. On the counter was a little box wrapped in red foil with a glittery green bow on top. Presentation was becoming a priority to Tommy. Who knew?

Bobby shook it and then ripped the paper off in one quick motion. So much for presentation.

He didn’t say anything at first, just stared. Finally, one word came out of Bobby’s mouth. “Bullshit.” He looked like he didn’t believe it, but he was grinning, his eyes bright with obvious emotion.

Tommy had never been hugged so hard in his life. “I take it that’s the right one?”

“Yeah it is,” Bobby whispered. He held the ornament in his hand against Tommy’s back, and Tommy wondered if Bobby was still looking at it over his shoulder. “This means a lot to me, Tom.” The tough cop was sniffling, for Christ’s sake.

“I can tell.” Maybe Tommy sniffled a little himself.

He really did have everything he needed, right there in his arms. Maybe Bobby did too.

Tommy decided he’d tell Bobby about Collin’s puppy later.

Christmas Day

Judy had disappeared into the kitchen, putting together a tray of food—real food, not the candy and shit the kids had for breakfast because they opened their stockings at the asscrack of dawn—and Bobby was curled around Tommy on the couch, watching Max and Zoe play with the dollhouse Santa had left them.

Carrie sat on the floor with the art set Bobby had gotten her, sketching the Christmas tree. Mike and Collin were off setting up the Xbox while Davey played with his new iPad, loading music and games and whatever the hell else.

In truth, Tommy hadn’t known what to get Colleen. Everything he could think of had seemed impersonal somehow. New clothes? She had a couple of nice outfits and plenty of everyday wear. Camera? The phone Judy had given her for her last birthday was a music player, camera, and e-reader, all rolled into one. She could surf the web on it and do just about everything she could on a computer, maybe even more.

For some reason, nothing he could think of was good enough for Colleen.

He’d gotten so frustrated he’d even broken down and called Wyatt—or Earp as Tommy had named him. Wyatt put up with Tommy and the rest of them, but he hated the nickname, which made Tommy laugh to himself every time he thought of the little bastard.

Wyatt hadn’t been much help (What the hell did Colleen see in him?), so eventually, Tommy had found himself standing in front of a jewelry counter, his eyes glazing over as he looked at all the shiny trinkets. His heart nearly stopped when he saw the price tag on a necklace he was thinking of getting her.

In the end, he thought he’d made the right choice, though. When Colleen opened her present and found a little silver bracelet with a heart charm hanging from it, she’d told him how pretty it was. When she turned the heart over and saw the inscription Tommy had paid extra for, she burst into tears. Be good to yourself, it said. Because, really, that was Tommy’s wish for Colleen. He’d hugged her close and whispered in her ear, “That’s what I want for Christmas, Col.” She sniffled and nodded and promised him she’d try to remember.

Davey and Mike had played a video they had made for Judy. Dozens of family photos from the last year scrolled across the screen while Flogging Molly belted out “The Cradle of Humankind.” When Tommy asked Mike why that song, Mike simply shrugged. After a moment of thought, he said, “It’s about being pinned down and broken and lost and then finding… hope.”

As anthems went, that one was pretty goddamn fitting. Judy must have thought so too. She bawled through the whole video and then hugged Mike and Davey within an inch of their lives.

The whole morning went like that. Smiles and tears, laughter. The twins cracked everyone up when Max put on Zoe’s dress-up gear, and Zoe chased him through the living room with the big dump truck he’d gotten.

Collin’s puppy had been the star of the show, though. That damn dog was gonna have the best life any mutt could ask for. He still didn’t have a name, but Collin was leaning toward Baxter. Or maybe Brutus.

Bobby tightened his arm around Tommy and said to Colleen, “Could you pass me that envelope from the mantel, Col?”

She nodded and hopped up from her spot on the floor where she had been playing with the twins.

When she handed it to Bobby, he passed it to Tommy. “One more present.”

Curious, Tommy held it for a beat. Bobby had a strange look on his face, like he was excited but also constructing an argument in his head, figuring out how to counter whatever protest Tommy might come up with. He looked that way a lot around Tommy.

“For Christ’s sake, Tom, just open it.”

Tommy snorted a laugh and tore it open. A thick, glossy travel brochure fell into his lap. When he picked it up, Tommy could see crystal-blue waters and white sand. Big letters across the top proclaimed: Cancún! Your Vacation Destination!

Good to know the smart-ass still had a sense of humor. “Not bad, copper.”

Bobby kissed Tommy’s temple and whispered in his ear, “Five days. February. You and me. You have just enough time to get your passport if you go tomorrow.” He punctuated each word with another kiss.

It took Tommy a moment to catch up with what Bobby was saying, but when he opened the pamphlet, Tommy realized he wasn’t just holding a brochure. Tucked inside were two plane tickets. “The hell?”

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