Abby and Tom step into the kitchen once Noah is a sleep. He seemed calmer before his beautiful eyes finally shuttered off the world. Tom looked like someone had ripped his heart out and stomped it into the ground. Abby just kept moving, staying busy putting groceries away. Tom answered the knock on the front door.
The knock on the front door was Miriam Cantrell bringing Noah's and Rebecca's things from their mother's house. Their mother sent all of Noah's things, including his guitar, letting anyone that would listen to her drunken rant that he was never to set foot back into her house again. Rebecca's things were scarce as Mrs. Puckerman said her daughter would be home in a few days after her lawyer got done with Social Services and she would be a rich lady for all the crap they were putting her through.
Miriam told Tom not to worry about it and that they would allocate some money to buy Rebecca some new clothes. Tom said that he would take care of Rebecca that he didn't need any money from the state, he wanted to do this for Rebecca. Their trip to the grocery store had an effect on Tom in a good way.
The grocery/pharmacy trip with Rebecca and Tom…..They dropped off Noah's prescriptions and started to grocery shop.
"Okay so what do we want to eat or what do you like to eat?" Tom has no idea what to buy for teenagers or nearly teens to cook for dinner. He was a TV dinner man himself or take out. He never learned to cook.
"You know we are Jewish right?" Rebecca has her hand on her hip with a smile sarcastic smile on her lips. Oh boy this is going to be fun…
"Uh, no. I didn't know that, so what can you eat. I know you're not suppose to eat pork right?" Tom remembers from a movie he watched that Jewish people did not eat pork, was supposed to be cause a pig was nasty or something like that.
"Right. We love mac and cheese, pizza, hamburgers, French fries, chips, soda's, snack cakes" …. She just keeps naming all kinds of junk foods…Rebecca thought she could just get him to buy junk food and all her favorites that her mom would never buy cause it took too much of her special water money.
"You know Abby made me promise not to buy all junk food Rebecca. So I don't think that we can get away with all of it being junk food. Let's see about some fruit and fresh vegetables okay?" Tom knew Abby would be disappointed in him and she already had enough reasons to be upset with him. He really didn't want to add to that list. He gave Rebecca a pleading look.
"You mean stuff that is good for me? Ewww….How about ice cream, its made from milk and twinkies or cup cakes?" She turns her nose up before naming off what she thinks should be in the four food groups.
"How about we get a little bit of everything snacks and good food, I really don't want Abby to get pissed at me. You know I am suppose to be the adult in all of this mess. Let's start down isle one and see what we can find" ….They walk down isle one and the journey of shopping with a preteen begins for Tom….
Tom spent the next hour and a half putting as many of the items back as Rebecca was putting in the buggy. He knew he was suppose to buy healthy food, but the look on Rebecca's face each time she found a favorite of hers made him cave on several of the items. Those big dark eyes, they looked like doe eyes and the pouty lips. She was gonna be a real heart breaker in a few years.
I'll have to lock the doors and keep her inside until she is eighteen or twenty one. If I get to keep her that long. Yeah I know I sound like a hallmark greeting card, but I like having her around and Noah reminds me so much of myself. He just needed someone to be there for him, to help shape him into being a good man. To love him the way parents should love their child. God I sound like I am talking about myself. My brother was the golden child, it was never me. I have a feeling that Noah went through something similar.
Rebecca actually did pick out fruit for Noah, apples, grapes, bananas. Rebecca told Tom that they never got any of this stuff unless Noah bought it during the summer when he was working. So Tom made sure he bought some of each kind. By the time they were finished shopping, there wasn't any room left in the compact car for another bag. They picked up Noah's meds and then went home.
Back in the Watson Kitchen….
"Tom what did you do buy out the store? And what about not buying so much junk food?" Abby has almost filled up the refrigerator and the pantry. She shakes her head at all the snacks, but has to give him credit for all the fruit he bought too.
"Have you ever tried to tell a pouting kid no before, because I haven't until today. And I bought a bunch of good stuff too. Fruits, veggies, meats….Oh did you know that they are Jewish?" Tom is trying to help Abby put the last few items away and feels more like he is in the way than helping. Her face is a mask, not really showing any emotions at the moment.
"Yes I have and it is just something you learn to do. You have to be the adult in this situation Tom. They need you to be strong for them, to set down rules, to make sure someone lets them know that they have boundaries and not to cross them. You will figure it out on your own. And no I didn't know they are Jewish. Just have to figure out some recipes that they like and is keeping with their heritage." She looks at him in a weird way.
Tom notices something dark flash behind her eyes for just a moment and then it is gone. I wonder if she is thinking about the baby. Would she talk to me about the baby? Did she give up the baby? Would she tell me if it was back in Charleston? Why didn't she bring the baby with her? Shit I need to find out what happened…
The moment is lost as Kurt and Rebecca come bounding in the back door. They both are loaded down with bags of take out. "I didn't know what to get you two so I just bought a variety of dishes if that is okay", Kurt says placing the bags on the dining room table. Tom nods at Kurt.
"So how did it go while we were gone?" He looks at Abby knowing that he will be able to read her face. Kurt sees the frown and her blue green eyes going dark before she answers him. Rebecca is helping Tom find the silverware and dishes for the table.
"It was really bad, I am not going to lie to you. He needs to sleep for a while so he can get his strength back. Thank you for taking Rebecca out of the house, I don't think she could have withstood watching her brother in that much pain. She should never feel helpless when she is around him." Abby squeezes Kurt's hand before there is another knock on the front door.
"Oh I met up with some of our friends from Glee while I was out. They wanted to come by and check on Noah. I should have called first, Abby I'm sorry." Kurt tells her as he is walking to answer the door. He was going to tell them it was a bad idea and to come back tomorrow. But when he swings open the front door it isn't his friends that are standing at the door. It is two extremely hot, sexy men who are looking frantically at him.
"Sorry to bother you, but we are looking for Abby Morgan. She is about five foot six, long strawberry blonde hair. We know that is her SUV sitting in the drive way. Is she here?" The tallest of the two is firing off questions as Kurt stands there mesmerized by the sight of him. Extremely tall, shoulder length black hair, the bluest eyes Kurt has ever seen, and the body of Adonis. The other one is African American shorter, but built like a UFC fighter, short buzzed hair style, amber eyes, and the sexiest mouth.
"Luc?" Abby screams when she hears his voice. "Sean?" She suddenly remembers that they came to rescue her. Both men walk in the front door past a dumbfounded Kurt to the kitchen. Tom hears the two men walk in to the room turning to see Abby run in to the taller man's arms.
"Abigail Morgan, what the hell is going on? Did you forget how to use the phone, email, text, or any other electronic form of correspondence?" Sean is berating her as Luc scoops her up in his arms. "What the hell are you doing dressed like that? It is late in the afternoon and you are still not dressed?"
Tom watches the unlikely threesome interact. He feels a pang of jealousy at the way Luc is holding her so tightly and just maybe the fact that she ran to his arms. He can hear the guy talk low to Abby in language he doesn't understand. Kurt whispers, French, in his ear as if he knew what Tom was thinking.
"Luc I'm fine. Sean stop yelling at me. Something happened last night and I forgot about everything else. I am really sorry guys, but I am glad you're here." Abby disentangles herself from Luc. "Let me introduce you to everyone and I will show you why I didn't answer you guys. Luc Maison and Sean Denarius this is Tom Watson, Kurt Hummel, and Rebecca Puckerman."
Tom shakes their hands while Kurt says hello in French and Rebecca just stares at Luc. Kurt knows she is crushing on Luc, why, because he is too. He looks like a cross between Adam Lambert and that guy from Highlander. Shit think of Coach Sylvester in a bikini.
Abby motions for them to follow her to the next room, "And Noah Puckerman, he is the reason I forgot to talk to you guys." She watches Luc walk over to the couch and looks down at sleeping Noah. Sean stops when he sees the young man laying there. He understands now, or so he thinks.
"What the hell happened to him Abs? Was it a hate crime?" He stares at the bruised and stitched face, the wrapped ribs with the multiple hues peeking out along the edges. Luc is shaken by the image in front of him, he tears his eyes away to look at Abby.
"No, it wasn't a hate crime. His mother is to blame for some of it and our wonderful court system is to blame for the greater part of it. He was abused by his mother who was in a drunken rage and the rest by some freaks in Juvenile Hall. No one noticed what he was going through until he was released over the weekend." Abby's voice is low and starting to break with the hidden emotions she has held in check for the past couple of days. Luc walks to her and wraps his arms around her, picking her up off the floor. He takes her outside to the porch and sits down with her still wrapped around him. Tom goes to stop them but Sean puts his hand on Tom's shoulder shaking his head no at Tom.
"She needs him right now. Abby hates for anyone but Luc to see her upset. They have been through a lot together and well we all three have been; but she always goes to him." There is no resentment in Sean's voice, just understanding.
"Is he Abby's boyfriend?" Tom asks in a strange sounding voice. He knew he was feeling jealous of the way Abby went to Luc instead of him. But that was crazy, he knew that she could never feel anything for him after what he did to her.
Sean laughs at this, "No. Abby isn't Luc's type. They have been best friends for the past four or six years. They met in Charleston when she was rebuilding her life there. Her Aunt made her get involved in a program that helped out victims of hate crimes. Luc was a victim because he is openly gay. They more or less helped each other get their lives back together. I met her and Luc three years ago in Atlanta when she was looking for another store location. We all instantly bonded with each other. I run the store in Atlanta and Luc runs the store in Charleston Virginia. She is special to both of us." Tom Watson…Shit he is that asshole's brother…