Tiny Tim полностью

“Listen ‘Kid’” he used the nickname Bill had reserved for me with contempt. “I know the Boss has taken an interest in you, but I don’t need your private crap to interfere with our operation! We’re here to work! I’m gonna give you five to either sort it out or get your ass home. This is exactly why I objected to letting a fucking high school student help on actual jobs.”

He turned and left me completely stunned, still unsure what he was even talking about. That is, until I heard Grandpa Mike’s voice.

“Prick! Who does he think he is!?” he swore under his breath.

“My Boss. At least as long as I’m outside the office.” I explained, not believing that he had decided to show up unannounced, but knowing it could only mean problems. Then I turned around and was shocked again when I saw Claire standing right next to him. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“You need to come home, Honey! Please!.” she pleaded.

“I’m working. YOU need to go home. Now, please.”

I had already turned to go back inside, when Mike spoke again.

“Tim! We’re not leaving without you.” He actually folded his arms in front of his chest as he said it. The whole thing was starting to piss me off, big time!

“You two heard what my Boss just threw in my face about you being here, and you still refuse to leave!?” I asked incredulously. “So, first you empty my bank account, and now you make a scene in front of a client’s house so I can’t earn anything as well? Is this your newest bright idea to get me back home, after your demands didn’t work and trying to force me home backfired spectacularly? I guess I should be thankful you showed up with this asshole instead of the one you married. Aaron would be lying on the ground with a dented face by now and I’d be out of a job.”

It looked like my words caused Mike to lose at least some of his confidence. Either he feared me knocking him down for continuously pressuring me, or he finally realized that this shit would probably backfire as well. Claire tried a different approach by addressing my emptied bank account.

“Honey, I swear to you I had no idea about the payment options! I gave your father hell after I found out! Please, you HAVE to believe me!” The pure desperation in her voice made me almost believe her. “I know it’s my own fault, but I miss you, and I don’t want you to miss out on any more family events. It’s Christmas, Honey, please come home and spend it with us.”

“Sure. You didn’t know and weren’t fine with it. Even if I were inclined to believe that, does it change anything for me? My bank account is still empty, which means that I still need to work through the next two days instead of satisfying your needs to have some extra company. And regarding that sudden need to include me, I still haven’t heard why you would suddenly want that.”

Just as expected, she wrung her hands as her eyes darted around, trying to figure out what to say, but ultimately came up with nothing. That was made quite clear when, instead of giving me an answer, her sobs just intensified and even more tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Tim, what your mother says IS true.” Mike proclaimed angry now, seeing his daughter’s dismay. “You said it yourself, there is no danger of anyone coming after us anymore. What ulterior motive could she have? She just wants you home!”

“What ulterior motive could she have? What about her Golden Boy’s next tuition? You know as well as I do that there’s no way in hell they’ll save up twenty fucking grand in just six months. Where do you think they’ll look for more money then?”

That caused him to groan in frustration, but when he spoke again, I did not hear any attempt to refute my accusation.

“We can work something out about that. But not until you stop acting like a child and listen to us for once! Be a man, do the right thing, and come home with us! Your mother needs you, and I’ll be damned if I’ll let you just cast her aside.”

“Look at you.” I laughed mockingly. “Already getting pissed because I’ve ignored you for three weeks. How about I keep ignoring you for the next three years, like you did with me, and then we’ll see if you’re still eager to ‘be a man and do the right thing’. Just for the record, Mike, I AM working something out. By working at my job! Unless you fuck that up for me next. So, please, just fucking leave already!”

A particularly pathetic sounding wail from Claire pulled my attention to her.

“Please! Baby, I just don’t know what else to do!” she brokenly pleaded again between sobs, tears now streaming freely down her face, while Mike looked at me angrily. “I would give you the money back, but Aaron transferred everything the next day, so I don’t have it anymore. Please, please, I need you home! It’s Christmas!”

She really looked heartbroken. I remembered the day I got back from the hospital and found her crying into Aarons shoulder in their bedroom. Back then I was confused at how little it affected me. This time, however, I knew exactly why her display didn’t reach me.