Well I'm assuming everyone is enjoying to story so far since I didn't hear anything from anyone about the last chapter. This one may get you guys going though. Got a lot going on. There are two songs mentioned at the page breaks. I suggest you check them out, I like them and feel like they go with the theme of the scenes. Have fun.
P.S. I only just realized that my page breaks were missing, sorry if that caused confusion on previous chapters...I'll look at the other two chapters...
Tess heard the house phone ringing and went into the kitchen to answer it. "Hello?"
"Hey Tess," It was Noemi. Tess remembered watching her when Frank couldn't. Their parents had had her late in life, 46 and 55. Ms. Campana died of uterine cancer when Noemi was 10 and then lost the father four years later of a heart attack. Now, they made jokes about their dad dying of a broken heart. Luckily Frank had been old enough to legally take care of his sister but needed a sitter for her when he was gone for fights.
"How are you doing? You acted like something happened while you were here last night." Tess worried Tommy had done something but then she chastised herself for thinking it.
"I got in a fight with Jake on the phone. We're over for good this time." Noemi told her. Tess wanted to scream in joy and dance around. She composed herself the best she could.
"Aww that's too bad." It sounded fake even to her ears. Noemi laughed and called her bluff.
"You wouldn't happen to have found a phone in your backyard have you?"
"That was yours? I found a smashed up phone in a plastic bag on the counter this morning and couldn't figure out who's it was." Tess heard Noemi curse. "So what was the final straw?"
"Kevin sent me pic's of Jake and some ring girl he was fondling while out with Marcos." Noemi said in a stony voice. Tess hissed in sympathy.
"Well, I say good riddance. You didn't love him, the sex was bad, and you guys were always arguing." Tess reasoned. "He ever hit you?"
"No, but he got handsy a few times. This last time was worse and I had already been thinking about calling it quits. But the skank was the topper on the shit cake."
"I knew that was from him." Referring to the wrist brace.
"Its mostly to hide the bruises. If Frank saw them he would go nuts and I don't know if Frank could win that fight. Jake's been juicing again."
"How does that ape get away with it? The big fights haven't allowed steroids in years."
"I think he pays off the doctors. He never had money for us to go out even though he won enough fights. He's leaving on Sunday for that Colosseum fight. I'm going to get the rest of my stuff then."
"Who are you staying with?"
"Kevin." Tess knew Kevin well. He occasionally came over with Noemi to watch the girls and he reminded her of a Irish Setter puppy when he got playing.
"How come you two never dated? He is a really good guy."
"Oh god, gross Tess! First off, he's like Frank, totally disgusting. Two, he doesn't have that thing. You know what I'm talking about. Well maybe you don't. Brendan's only got a little bit of it."
"Noemi, you need to stay away from guys like that."
"But Tess," Noemi whined. Tess rolled her eyes. Noemi had a bad habit of picking dangerous guys. Guys like Jake, who could get scary and physical. Tess was just glad that she knew when to leave and had yet to fall in love with one of them. "Doesn't Bren ever get a little intense and you feel like your going to burst into flames? Aren't the fights a little fun?"
Tess sighed. She wanted to lie to Noemi to protect her but she wasn't that type of person. "Yeah." She answered reluctantly.
"I just haven't found the one that doesn't hit women but is like that. A more intense version of Brendan." Noemi said. Tess sighed heavily. Her first thought of a guy like Noemi was talking about was Tommy but she quickly shoved that away with a firm 'NO'. Tommy made her a little nervous. Tess knew the things that would set Brendan off and how he would react but she didn't know Tommy except for the freight train of rage he had been in the cage with Brendan.
"Noemi, I think you have serious problems." Tess deadpanned and made them both crack up.
"We already knew that Tess."
"Still coming over for dinner tomorrow or are you going to Kevin's parents'?"
"Kevin is demanding I go to his, so maybe I'll catch you next time. You need me to sit for you any time soon?"
"No, I don't think so. But I'll give you a call if something comes up. Send me your number if it's different when you get the new phone."
"Will do, see you soon."
"Ok, bye," Tess hung up. She smiled and shook her head. Brendan came into the room.
"Did I hear right, she is finally done with that joker?" Brendan asked. In the beginning of their marriage, there had been fights about his eavesdropping but she had come to learn it was an old habit from needing to know what was going in the next room.
"Yup and not going back. You know how she is on decisions; once she makes them there is no changing her mind."
"Thank you god." Brendan said smiling. Tess smiled back at him and thought about how much she still loved him.
Massive Attack - Angel
It was just past 3 in the morning. The house was quiet and dark. Occasionally, the beams would squeak or the upstairs hard wood floors would creak. Everyone was asleep but one.
Tommy sat in the dark of the basement on the couch down there, in front of a medium sized TV playing Grand Theft Auto in basketball shorts. Brendan referred to the basement living room as a 'man-cave'. It was full of all the DVD's that the girls couldn't watch, CD's of music Brendan bought, and violent video games. It also had a punching bag in the corner but he wasn't trying to vent his anger but distract himself from wanting to cry.
Right now, Tommy thought the basement was sanctuary. He knew his nightmares wouldn't wake anyone up. Neither would his nights of insomnia and his early morning runs. All of which happened much too often.
This night in particular happened a few times a month, where Tommy would go to sleep only to dream about Manny and that first phone call to Pilar after the bombing or Ma dying. Most nights it was thankful darkness or it was dreams of the other 12 years of service or him as a kid again trying to stop Pop from killing Ma and feeling so helpless. Those were days when he itched for a fight and exhausted himself in the gym. Just to feel that he was capable of something and that he wasn't that helpless kid dodging his Pop's fists in Pittsburgh.
Today he would either have to skip the gym or go early morning and late at night to avoid people. Don't need word getting out that Tommy Riordan cries when he hits the bag. Today was one of those days were he would feel like nothing he was ever capable of would bring any good to any one. He was only capable of destroying things. Days like these made him wish he had Ma back to comfort him like when he was little. To crawl into her lap and feel so safe. He wouldn't be able to face seeing Brendan and Tess so happy and close because it was everything he wanted and had no hope of having.
Manny's called these days 'black moods'. Tommy had them even in the Corps but just not as often but when he did everyone gave him space, even though that was the last thing he wanted. Back then, it was dreams of holding Ma to his chest while he listened to her drown in her own blood. He flipped out the first time he heard Manny's son blow bubbles in his milk with a straw. Now, he had other faces and memories to give him more 'black moods'.
Half the time Tommy wasn't even focusing on the game. It was only a paltry distraction tool anyway. Just to kill a few hours until he could go on his morning run and arrive at the Gym just in time for Noemi to unlock the front door and before anyone else arrives.
Mmm, Noemi. Tommy guessed that she would be soft to curl up against. He remembered her being soft in all the right places and barely smelling like warm vanilla or sugar but mostly something that his brain named 'female'. His cock twitched in memory. He bet she had those small but perky type breasts that stayed in place no matter what position. The game controller lay forgotten in his hand. He wondered if her nipples matched the mauve of her full lips. He gave a pull at the inside seam of his boxer briefs through his basketball shorts and shivered a little at how the fabric dragged across his sensitive skin of his half hard body. The game controller was absently tossed onto the seat next to him.
Bet my fingers would touch if I wrapped them around her waist. He closed his eyes and let his head go limp against the back of the couch at an envisioned picture of what the skin around her hips looked like. She'd look like a doll with that pale skin and black hair. His brain supplied a picture of her naked lounging amongst his navy sheets on the bed not ten feet from him and he groaned, aching. No ignoring it this time. He reached into his shorts and started stroking, slowly.
In his mind, she was devoid of makeup because he had seen her without it and was prettier without the lies. Her hair was spread around her like a glossy dark sea and her limbs akimbo. Her lips would be extra pink from them kissing and she would have that 'come hither' smile like his own Mona Lisa. She would touch across her breasts, teasing him. Her mouth would be parted and panting. He sucked his lip into his mouth to keep from making any sound while he bucked into his hand but the images were too good and the feeling of building pleasure was so exquisite after so long of telling himself no.
God look at her skin. It would be soft and smooth and feel like silk, if he knew what silk felt like. She would get red in the face before teasingly sliding her hand past her nipples which were bright pink and screwed up tight, past her ribs which expanded with each panting breath. Fuck, so good. Across her narrow waist over her belly button and to her almost flat stomach like a real woman; no sharp angles here. And continuing to that slim strip of black hair before disappearing into...
"Aww, fuck." He groaned out before his back arched, his fist moving so fast, the tendons in his neck popping out in strain, his face and chest covered in a light sheen of sweat, toes almost cracking in the force of their curl as though the few strands of carpet between them was his only hold on earth. He was breathing so hard and felt like his heart would burst to a stop any second. And then he pictured her licking that full bottom lip he was craving to bite and he was gone. He barely remembered to clamp his lips shut as a deep groan ripped through his chest and he shuddered to a finish quicker than he expected.
He felt boneless and almost non-existent. His come was cooling on his belly but he didn't care right now. He couldn't feel his legs. His spine gave a shiver from the sensations still lingering in his nerves. He wanted to just sit there and not move until the world ended but he couldn't.
When he thought his legs would work, he stumbled over to his bed and plopped down finally allowing his knees to give out. He scooped up his tank from earlier in the night and cleaned himself up, his fingers barely responding to his commands. The tank was a little stiff with fear sweat on it but it did the job well enough. Shower later. He threw it in the vague direction of his laundry basket before flopping back on his mattress. His eyes were already closed and he took one deep breath before he was asleep.
VNV Nation - Illusion
"Please don't go, I want you to stay, I'm begging you please, please don't leave here, I don't want you to hate for all the hurt that you feel, the world is just an illusion trying to change you."
Brendan walked through the hallway and towards the kitchen. He was shuffling like a zombie but he knew something was wrong. He stopped in the doorway to the kitchen and wracked his molasses slow brain for what was different. He turned around and looked at the stairs and the living room. What was wrong with this picture?
The basement door. Tommy always left it open after he left for the day which meant he either broke routine, highly unlikely, or he was still asleep, even more unlikely. It was 9 in the morning on a Saturday. The fine hairs along Brendan's neck rose. Brendan was always concerned that Tommy would do something to stupid. Brendan was suddenly wide awake and rushing to the basement door. He opened it and started calling Tommy's name.
Brendan walked slowly but took in each any every detail of the main room. The TV was still on and Grand Theft Auto was on pause but playing its theme music in the background. The controller lay forgotten on the couch. Brendan reached the door to the guest room and pushed it open slowly and peaked inside.
"Tommy?" Brendan could feel all of his blood rush to his toes. Tommy lay on his stomach, shirtless with one arm hanging off the bed, face half smashed into the mattress. The comforter and sheets were half on the floor, half on the bed. Tommy's feet hung off the end, toes pointing down and his skin was so pale it was almost blue. Brendan was about to start freaking out when he saw the rhythmic breathing of his little brother sleeping. Brendan took a deep breath and felt his heart return to a normal level.
Tommy shifted in his sleep, flipping on to his back, one knee propped up the other leg splayed out to the side. He gave a contented sigh and settled back onto the bed for more sleep. He hadn't felt this good in ages. Then his skin started to crawl, like someone was watching him. His eyes flew open and he looked straight at some dark shadow not three feet from his bed. He sat up in a flash and the lighting changed. Brendan.
"Fuck, dude, what the hell are you doin'?" Tommy almost shouted at his brother. The adrenaline had him wide awake.
"The basement door was closed. I was checking on you."
"Being creepy as fuck was what you were doin'." He growled and ran his hands over his face. Other than his brother scaring the crap out of him, he hadn't felt this rested since he stopped taking those pills. "What time is it?"
"Little past 9." Brendan answered, now leaning against the door frame. "You ok, you normally don't sleep this late?"
"9? Shit. Yeah, I'm good." Tommy sighed. His routine was screwed. Brendan was still standing there staring at him. Tommy frowned at him. "What?"
"You wouldn't do something stupid, would you?" Brendan asked in a small voice. Tommy hadn't heard that tone since before he left with Ma. Tommy narrowed his eyes at him.
"What's that mean?" Tommy asked. Brendan stared at him with a haunted expression.
"Like hurt yourself." Tommy heard the missing words. He sighed and looked at the floor.
"If I was gonna, I would have already. And if I was, it wouldn't be in your house. Your girls don't need that shit." Tommy said quietly. It's not like he hadn't thought about it. The one time Manny caught him starring at his military issued pistol after his first kill, Manny told him it was the coward's way out; more so than deserting. "Not that much of a fuck up. Yet." He didn't know why he muttered the last part but he wished he didn't cause it made Brendan sit on the bed next to him and hug him. Which made last night's tears return and they both had to act like it wasn't happening but this was what Tommy needed. The comfort of another human being.
Tommy got a hold of himself quickly when he could hear two elf-like voices call out for Daddy. He gave Brendan a small shove. "Go take care of your family." Brendan hesitated until Tommy looked at him. Brendan nodded and left Tommy in peace.
Tommy scrubbed his hands over his face, hating the crusty feeling of dried tears. Need a shower. He got up, grabbed a towel and headed for his small bathroom.