Hello everyone and happy new year! :D Thanks to everyone who is reading and reviewing I love all of you! You all rock! So here we go new chapter hope you like it and stick a review on here if you'd like, I love knowing what you guys think :) xoxo
-Sailor
"So are you fighting in this?" I said feeling my brain rattle around my head. I really should slow down on the whiskey, especially since I wanted to remember this conversation.
"Yea sure am…just rang my wife there, she doesn't really approve"
"Women" I snorted.
"Oh boy I know" he laughed. "Like we need the money, badly" he said sipping his drink.
"Really? You know money isn't everything…" I sniffed.
"Ah I know that…but the bank is on the brink of taking our house so that money would go a long way"
I gulped more of my whiskey preparing myself for his tale of woe.
"Your family mean a lot to you?"
"The world" he said turning his head to me.
"Wonder what that's like…"
"You and your family don't get on?"
"Ah my mam's alright, it's my sister" I said emphasising sister watched as his ears pricked up.
"Ah siblings never get on…"
"You got brothers or sisters?"
He looked into his glass swishing what was left of his coke while his whiskey sat waiting for him. The silence was deafening for what seemed like forever.
"Yea, I got a brother" he said quietly.
"Oh…you two not get on?" I said playing as stupid as I could which was easy enough considering I was half cut.
"Unfortunately not…he's a complex guy…seen a lota shit…and our dad wasn't a great guy either, that didn't help Tommy. And then I suppose I didn't help…"
"Why, what did you do?"
He looked at me with a sad smirk. "You don't really wanna hear about this, do you?"
I shrugged my shoulders pretending I wasn't dying inside wanting to know what he was about to say.
"If you wanna talk about it"
"Well to cut it long story short, when Tommy left with my ma…I was meant to meet them there but I had already started a life for myself and I never went…"
"Why'd they leave?"
"My old man, well he wasn't good to my ma. He used to beat her up and eventually Tommy had enough…"
"So you and him don't talk?"
"No, well I haven't seen him in years, that was until I found him fighting here…shockingly he still hasn't forgiven me"
"What happened?"
"Well there's one thing you gotta understand about Tommy…"
I involuntarily leaned in a bit closer to him.
"He doesn't say a lot…"
Duh.
"But he thinks a lot about stuff and when he talks, his words can cut through you like razors…because it's all built up in his head for so long that when he spits it out, it's like acid"
I already knew that, but at least it wasn't just me he was like that with.
"And when he left, I never got to see him or mam again, well he never got over that and then it all came out when I met him the other night…told me I was full of shit and I was no brother of his"
I could tell this was paining him, if only Tommy knew how much pain he caused. I reached over and put my hand on his shoulder, more out of sympathy than anything else. He wasn't the best looking son out of them, sure was ugly but I felt bad for the guy.
"Aw Brendan…that's too bad, I'm sorry to hear that"
"I still love him…he's my brother after all"
"Yea I mean, you never stop loving them, they're family" I slurred.
"Exactly…well I've told you my problems, it's your turn"
"Ah not much to tell, I've travelled to be with a man who I thought felt the same…and then he basically tells me I've been imagining it…"
"Well are you sure you didn't imagine it?"
"No he called me…and well things were always frosty between us…but I thought we had made a break through. I know I haven't always been the easiest person so get on with but I figured if I softened up he would too, how wrong I was" I said taking another sip.
"Maybe you too aren't meant for each other"
"Yea you're probably right"
"Is he fightin' in this?"
I nodded swishing the alcohol around my mouth, feeling it hit the back of my throat.
"What's his name?"
"Ah I can't tell you that" I laughed.
"Ok, I understand that considering I might be fighting him" he laughed.
"Yea…that's it exactly. When I was in hospital he told me he was never going to leave me alone he actually told me he was going to take me to Sparta with him and then with the other side of his mouth he's telling me everything I based my feelings on is wrong…I don't know, his mood swings are really starting to give me whiplash"
"Well speaking as a guy…he sounds like a prick"
"That he is" I sighed.
"So what you came here to tell him you love him?"
"Well not in so many words…you don't understand what it's like between us…we're not good at expressing our…feelings so to speak"
"Ha! That sounds familiar"
"What?" I said realising I had said too much.
"Ah nothin' just sounds a bit like Tommy"
"Well, all men are like that"
"I tell my wife I love her everyday"
"That's different"
"How?"
"She's your wife" I snipped taking a long drink.
He shook his head clearly not seeing my connection.
"You got through that awkward phase…"
"I don't ever remember what you described happening to me and my wife"
"Well…actually you know what, never mind. Can I have two more whiskeys please? You want anything?" I said turning to him.
"Eh, no I'm good" he said.
"Well I don't intend to return home sober"
"You leaving today?"
"Yup"
"When'd you get here?"
"Today"
"So your boy said all this to you when you first arrived?"
I nodded and gulped my whiskey.
"But you seem like a nice girl, wonder what his deal is"
"Beats me, I know how hard it is for him to open up but I would have been there but instead…he just lost the plot. I don't know maybe it's for the best. When he reaches the big time, he might meet some girl who is right for him"
"Would you not even stay until the end of the tournament? See how he gets on?"
I looked at him and something inside my head whispered I should stay.
"Ah I don't know" I said starting on my second whiskey I had just ordered. I could feel my lips going numb with the alcohol and my eyes droop over.
"I'm sure he would appreciate you staying at least until the end, who knows might change his mind"
"Ha! Nothing is gonna change Tommy's mind" I burped.
But me of course being absolutely hammered, what I had just said only registered with me after a few seconds.
"Oops" I said as I saw his expression change drastically.
"Did you say Tommy?"
"Nope"
"You did!"
"I didn't! I just said it coz you…you said it" I slurred.
"Tommy has a girl, I can't believe it!"
"Well if he does, it ain't me"
"I can't believe this...and he's being a total prick to you?"
"Yup, so I'm heading home" I said downing my drink and picking myself up off the stool.
"What? No you can't give up on Tommy"
"Excuse me?"
"Tommy needs someone like you in his life"
If someone says that to me one more time…
"No he doesn't! Have you not been listening to what I've been saying?"
"I know, I know…but no you can't leave!" he said grabbing my shoulders holding me in place.
"Tommy needs a woman like you in his life"
"Eh you don't even know me"
"No but since I've been talking to you, I know…I just know you are what Tommy needs"
"Well what do you want me to do about it? I can't do anything if he won't talk to me! He just keeps brushing me off and pushing me away! So I'm going home!" I shouted reaching down for my bag but my hand clasped nothing but air.
"Fuck! I left my bag in his fucking room!"
I saw a grin appear on his face and I was just about ready to slap it right off his face.
"Well you better go back up and get it"
"I'll just leave it" I sneered into his face.
He held me in place, his eyes getting a glaze over them.
"Let me go!"
He grabbed me by my shoulders and looked into my eyes.
"No, go on…you know what to do…you know where his room is"
I felt a tear roll down my face and I stopped struggling against him. I mustered up all my strength and pushed him one last time causing him to fall back against the bar. I stormed past him and out into the lobby and out into the evening sun. A warm wind blew past my face drying my cheeks as I waited for a taxi to arrive from the rank. I hated Tommy and I hated Tommy's family.