“Jesus, remind me never to mess with you,” Matt says, laughing.
I give a half-laugh. “I know, fuck, I even scared myself.”
They all pat me on the back. “That went well. They won't bother her again.”
“I hope not.”
I feel better. I did my best to make it so that it doesn't happen to her again - she doesn't need to know that I’ve spoken to him, but at least I’ll know that he’ll back off.
“But dude, you fucked her in an alley last night? You left that bit out.”
Shit, I should have known that would come up.
“Yeah, it's not a big deal.” Even as I say it I don’t believe it.
“Sure its not...” Gary says disbelievingly.
I don’t say anything else, and thankfully they let it drop.
I drop the guys back at the fire station and park up at the pub - I want to check that she’s good after everything that happened at the weekend.
I walk in and my heart lurches as I see her laughing behind the bar with Tom, and I know things are fine. She’s laughing.
She turns to me, a smile still on her face. “Hey Big Guy! I’ve been telling Tom what he missed on Saturday - he wants to come on our next night out.”
I smile at her and look over at him. “I believe they're not normally so eventful.”
I look back at Sophie. “How are you?”
She looks at me softly. “Fine, I guess...I'm worried about Dad, but I’m always worried about Dad. Thanks for this weekend, being there for me.”
“I can't believe how okay you seem.”
She shrugs. “For someone that got kidnapped on a night out, you mean? Yeah, I guess. I hope he doesn't come in here. I don’t want to see him again. I have no idea what to do if he does. Dad is speaking to the bank today.”
“I'm sorry, this must be rough on you.”
“Dad re-mortgaging the house I grew up in so he can pay off his gambling debts is upsetting - but at least he’s still breathing, right? Got a chance to fix him if he’s still here.” She smiles sadly.
My heart breaks for her. I can't imagine how I would deal if my mum died, well, my foster mum, but she’s basically my mum. It would hit us all hard. But when I think that my dad could go downhill as hers has, and her home is going to go, that is tough. She always has a smile for everyone, always helping other people, yet she has this to deal with. She doesn’t fool me though, I see the sadness in her eyes.
“Maybe Saturday will scare him into doing something about his problem now. He needs to realise that mixing in the circles he’s mixing in will eventually be his downfall. For his faults, he thinks the world of you, so maybe this is the jolt he needed.”
“I guess, but what if Phoenix comes in here?” She says his name as though it leaves a bad taste in her mouth.
“He won't.”
“How do you know?”
I shrug - I need to be careful how I play this. “He’s made his point - I don't think he’ll be bothering you again.”
She narrows her eyes at me but doesn't say anything. I squirm under her glare - she’s going to get to me to confess if she keeps looking at me like that.
“Anyway, I wanted to check how you were doing. I'm gonna head back. Want anything doing for supper?”
She shakes her head. “No, I'm gonna have toast or something when I get in.”
I nod. “Bye, Blue, see you in a while and phone me if you get any problems, but I don't think you will.”
