“I’m okay.” He shrugged his shoulders dismissively, but I could see that he didn’t appreciate me turning the spotlight on to him. “A bomb went off and after one too many explosions… I guess they all contributed to the damage.”
“I’m sorry, man.” I looked at the small hearing aid fitted in his ear. “Is it uncomfortable?”
“No.” He paused. “And yes.” He looked at me tensely. “It’s just something that I never saw happening. I have to focus on people’s lips if I’m not wearing it. I’m not a hundred percent deaf. It’s more like 60/40 now.”
“I’m sorry, man.” I reached over and placed my hand on the back of his head, providing comfort to him. I normally would have hugged him, but as he was driving, that would have been a bit hard to do. “The world sucks sometimes.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” Christopher muttered.
* * *
After a longer drive than normal thanks to the traffic, we were finally pulling up outside the house. I looked at Thomas as I climbed from the car. He had a huge grin on his face.
“She’s a bit excited to see you.”
Seconds later, the door opened and out came Lauren, waddling with her arms extended for me to hug her.
“Luke!” she shrieked excitedly.
I went straight to her, hugging her. “You’re as big as a house!” I joked. “Are you sure it’s just one baby and not triplets?” I laughed as I pulled back and saw that she was grinning at me.
“Fuck,” Thomas muttered. “Don’t say that. One baby freaks me out enough.”
We all laughed as Christopher led the way inside while Thomas carried my bag.
“Come and sit with me,” she said. She led the way to the sofa and took a seat before she pulled me down next to her. “You’ve frightened a lot of people, Luke.”
“I know.” I blew out a frustrated breath. “I didn’t mean to.”
“Talk to me. Now it’s just me and you.” She placed her hands on her bump. She frowned as the baby kicked her. “What happened that was so bad enough to make the strongest and most courageous man turn away from the one person he supposedly loved?”
“Wow,” I muttered. “You’re going for the guilt trip angle, then.”
“It’s not a guilt trip, Luke.” She reached over and placed her hand on mine. “What happened?” she asked in a firmer tone this time.
“Tye, my cousin.”
“The one that passed?” she asked.
“Yes.” I squeezed her fingers in mine. I could hear Christopher and Thomas enter the room. They took a seat opposite us after they placed some tea and biscuits down. “Dawson and Everleigh. They are friends of Freddie’s. Tye was his business partner and he…” I could feel myself beginning to choke out, but I powered on. “Tye got out of hand apparently and he tried to take the business from him. He was working with Dawson’s father.”
“That’s fucked up,” Christopher commented as he reached for his tea. “I can kind of see why you took off.”
“I don’t,” Thomas disagreed. “Why the fuck should that affect you and Freddie?”
“Everleigh. She is his best friend.” I tried to ignore the way they gawked at me with a shocked expression on their faces. “Dawson’s father went a bit nuts. He tried to run down Dawson and Everleigh and Tye pushed them out of the way.” I stared at the coffee table. “He saved them.”
Silence greeted me as I waited for my story to sink in.
“Again, I ask,” Thomas said. “Why the fuck should that affect you and Freddie?” He frowned at me. “You’re not responsible for what he did.”
“Are you high?” I mocked. “How could I stay there when it wasmycousin that had tried to destroy their business and nearly kill them on top?” Lauren rubbed her bump while Christopher flicked his eyes to the floor. “I wasn’t going to stay there and wait for him to come to resent me.” I stood up. “If you don’t get that…” I turned away to grab my bag and leave, but stopped when Thomas spoke up.
“I don’t!” He walked towards me. “I don’t get how the one man I knew, the one person I always thought would stand up for himself and fight for what he wanted, is now running away from his problems like a scared little boy.”
I glared at him, not appreciating his words.
He looked angry, but suddenly, his eyes softened as he stepped forward and took my head in his hands.