Chapter 10

Tommy was the one that gave the promise to Ma. He said Sean was only at the bar and that they would send him home.

He knew it would only be a temporary ease of nerves. She always worried the most about Sean—he was the youngest, the baby, and she looked over him like a suspicious mother hen. It had always been this way and Tommy felt bad about giving her false information. But that was the thing about a lie. Sometimes you have to tell one before you come up with something better.

"Still busy," Kevin said. It was a colder night and he shoved his hands in his pockets as he flipped of his cell phone, hunching his shoulders slightly against the wind. He kept calling the Firecracker to try and get a hold of Jimmy, but all he got was a busy tone. He didn't get it.

Tommy didn't answer him. Tommy wasn't saying much.

"It's busy," Kevin repeated.

"I heard you," was the short response.

The bar was unlocked and lit when they got there, the lights on inside. But seemingly empty. Ahead of his brother, Kevin did a quick once through of the room and then headed to the back. As he clattered loudly down the stairs to the basement, Tommy noted the dirty mugs and shot glasses scattered around the place and shook his head. There were days he wondered how Jimmy managed to keep the place open. He slipped behind the bar and noticed the unplugged phone against the wall. He pushed the cord back into the jack, frowning.

Kevin was coming back up, his footsteps on the return not as quick as the ones on the way down. "No Jimmy." Obvious statement.

Tommy said nothing. He was thinking. His thoughts were jumbled. But he was mostly trying to convince himself that he shouldn't be worried. What were the chances that something had happened, even with Kevin owing that much money. So he didn't know where Sean and Jimmy were—that was fine. They were big boys.

But something inside of him made it impossible not to be bothered. He didn't like not having a location for everyone.

"His wallet's here." Kevin had joined him and had pulled said object out from under the bar top. He was starting to rifle through it absently. "Hey, Tommy, he's got a couple hundred—"

"Put it back, Kevin."

Kevin raised his head, an insulted look on his face. "Tommy." He shook his head at his brother. "I wasn't gonna take anything."

"So put it back."

"I wouldn't do that, Tommy..." But he tossed the wallet back into the drawer that he found it in. He waited for Tommy to be saying something, only he had a distracted look on his face. Kevin sighed and started to pull out some beers.

"What are you doing?" Tommy finally spoke.

"Helps me think."

"Is that so…" There was a hint of sarcasm in Tommy's response but he also didn't refuse the brew he was given. He twisted off the top and took a swallow. "Alright, Kevin. Let's sort this out. What's the name of this bar where you made so many good decisions?"

Kevin gave him a long look. "You don't have to be sarcastic."

"I'm sorry. What's the name of the bar?"

"Bailey's."

"And I'm guessing that whoever it is owns Bailey's."

A nod. Kevin took a swallow of beer. He knew where this was headed.

It was where they were going to have to go. Which is what Tommy said next. But Kevin was hesitating on that.

Tommy noticed. "Say it, Kevin."

A long pause. Then, "We can't just show up there, Tommy. I can't go without the money… They'll kill me. That's how it works. Money, and you're okay. No money, you're not okay."

Tommy thought it was amazing how well Kevin seemed to understand that, yet he always wound up on the wrong side of the equation.

"I have the money," he said.

Kevin frowned. "How?"

Tommy just shook his head.

"How do you have it?

"Don't worry about that."

Kevin was feeling bad. He would almost rather lose a toe than take the money. "I could have helped."

"Forget it."

Kevin was going to press further, but it was then that the door to the front of the Firecracker was pushed open. And there stood Sean.

No worse for wear.

Kevin stared at him for a second, and then the relief washed over him. He grinned. "Oh man. Is Ma pissed at you."

"Where were you?" Tommy voice was hard.

"Out..."

"With who?"

A shrug. Sean pulled up a stool to the bar. He started to rethink that decision when he had both of them looking straight at him.

Tommy shook his head. "You have Ma a wreck at home, Seany."

Sean felt bad, but he also became annoyed. "That's the thing. I can't stand it, Tommy, she freaks out with every little move I make. It's driving me crazy. I'm late for dinner and she's ready to kill me."

"It's past eleven, Sean. It's a little past dinner."

"You know what I mean."

Tommy's face didn't convey any sympathy. Or patience.

"What?" He glanced at Kevin, who was suddenly busy playing with the telephone, and then back at Tommy. "What, were you worried too or something?"

Why did no one trust him to be okay?

"You need to go home." The look on Tommy's face was one that you wouldn't mess with unless you wanted to be hurt.

"Is Ma asleep?"

"I don't know, Sean, you're gonna have to find that out yourself."

The carefree look on Sean's face was no longer. "Are you coming?"

"Not right now, no."

Sean gave him a long look. Tommy was getting tired of getting that look from them. It wasn't going to work. "Don't, Sean. Go home."

The youngest looked frustrated. "I'm moving out," he said. He couldn't take it. Maybe then they'd realize he could take care of himself. "I'm serious this time."

"Maybe you are. Not tonight though. Go home."

There was nothing more to argue, and a silence filled the bar after Sean left. It was like a heavy weight had lifted, but something still hung in the air. A tension, thick and obtrusive.

Tommy took a long swallow of his beer. He felt like getting drunk. Calling Jenny, using it as an excuse. But it was late. And he was too used to wanting things that he convinced himself he couldn't have. He rubbed his eyes tiredly and gazed at his brother. "You can go home too, Kevin."

"I'm okay."

"It's late. Go home."

"What about Jimmy?"

"If something's wrong with Jimmy, then it's probably something Jimmy got himself into," Tommy said. "Which is something you don't need to get caught up in."

"But he could need us."

"If he got himself in it, he can get himself out of it."

"Tommy."

"You're assuming anything is wrong, Kevin. What makes you think anything is wrong?"

"The bar was unlocked." Kevin frowned at him. "What?"

"Maybe Jimmy just got drunk, decided to go out, and didn't lock up. What about that? It wouldn't be the first time."

They stared at each other a second. Kevin's gaze hardened.

"That's a possibility, Kevin, isn't it?"

"But something could be wrong, Tommy, don't be a dick."

Tommy raised his eyebrows, as though to say, is that a challenge?

"Come on, Tommy." Kevin didn't know what to say, but he was starting to get pissed. Tommy was all worried when it was Sean missing, but when it came to Jimmy now he didn't seem to care. That wasn't right, even if they were still pissed at each other.

"I'm done, Kevin. Count me out." Tommy tipped back his beer again and finished it. He set it down on the bar, frustrated. No more. He was done. Out. Kevin didn't have to like it.

And he didn't. Still unsure of what to say, Kevin let emotion take over. The emotion he had felt building up all night, ever since the moment Ma started her questions about where Sean was, her tone implying that he should know, ever since this whole thing started. As Tommy rounded the corner of the bar, Kevin set down his beer bottle, balled up his fist, then turned and swung at Tommy with all the strength he had.

His arm whiffed in a wide arc. He missed Tommy by a mile, since Tommy saw it coming, and Kevin felt like a batter who guessed at a fastball and got fooled by a tricky changeup. They scuffled for a second and Kevin wasn't ready for the reaction, which was a punch to the face. It caught him in a mouth.

Tommy felt bad; it was far from the first time he'd slugged his brother—they had always been physical—but he always felt bad, even though he usually wasn't the one who started it. Kevin always gave him the same expression afterwards, just like he was now. It was a look of surprise, with this little sorry/sad look mixed in. Tommy hated that look.

Kevin held a hand to his mouth for only a second and then he pushed past Tommy roughly.

Tommy almost followed him out into the street. But he let him go, knowing Kevin didn't want to talk to him. The only reason he had to go out there was to make himself feel better about it. They had nothing to say. Not now.

Tommy let out a long breath and rubbed his face again, hesitating only a moment before grabbing another beer. He twisted the cap off and sank onto a bar stool.

--

Tommy was getting frustrated in the search for Sean. He was tired, it was hot, and Kevin had finished the rest of his lemonade. It was only a couple minutes until when they had to be back for dinner and Tommy was pretty much resigning himself to the fact that they had to go home.

He held out as long as they could, but then Kevin had to pee and the search was over. So home they went. As they trudged up the few flights to their apartment, Tommy tried to think of how to put it lightly.

We lost Sean. No.

Misplaced maybe. We misplaced Sean.

That didn't work. He wasn't an object, he was a little boy.

Maybe they could blame him instead. Sean ran away. That sounded okay.

No. She wouldn't believe them.

Tommy let out a sigh as they entered the apartment. They found Ma sitting in the family room.

Jimmy and Sean were with her.

Tommy frowned, annoyed now.

"Where have the two of ya been?" Helen asked. "Tommy, it's dinner time."

"Sorry, Ma," he said. The annoyance quickly passed and Tommy was relieved now. Sean wasn't kidnapped, or missing, or anything. He was sucking on a Popsicle, sitting next to their mother, as content as could be. It was fine.

Kevin's mind was on other things, like how it wasn't fair that Sean had ruined his ice cream earlier and now was having a Popsicle. He frowned at this.

"I want a popsicle," he said, looking to his mother hopefully, but she shook her head.

"No, darlin', it's time for dinner."

Sean stuck out his tongue and Kevin got annoyed. He responded to the taunt by knocking the half eaten Popsicle out of the younger's hand. It bounced to the carpet and his mother slapped at him, connecting with the back of his leg.

"Kevin," she admonished sharply. He pouted at her, but it did no good. "You can go set the table," she said, pointing at the kitchen.

Sean gave him a smug little smile, but Helen looked him next.

"And you can clean that up," she said, giving him a nudge up from the couch. "Hurry up now, before it stains."

Tommy sank into the worn green chair. Things were back to normal.

--

A/N: Sorry for picking on Kevin!