Page 69 of Allison

“Thanks, I am tired,” Allison says softly. “Do you mind if I shower first?”

“No, of course not.” Worm gathers up the clothes, leaving her suitcase open so she can get whatever she needs out of it. He drops the clothes into a laundry basket he keeps in his closet for just this purpose. He carries the basket out of the room, pausing at the bathroom. He gets a towel and washcloth out of the small over-the-toilet cabinet, placing them on the edge of the sink where Allison can easily find them.

Allison is emerging from his bedroom the same moment he is stepping back out of the bathroom. Her steps falter when she sees him. “Just making sure you have everything you need,” he explains. “I’ll leave you to it.” He picks up the basket from where he’d dropped it in the hallway. He strides purposefully to the door of his apartment, making sure he has his keys in hand. Once outside the door, he uses his keys to lock the deadbolts, making sure Allison will be secure while he is in the basement doing the laundry.

After he’s gotten the clothes loaded into washers and running, Worm remembers he needs to check in with his mom. He hasn’t spoken to her directly in almost a week, now. That isn’t acceptable. He pulls up her contact information and presses the call button. He is about to think it’s going to go to voicemail when it connects. “He-hello?” his mother answers. “Russell, is it really you?”

“Yeah, Mom it’s me. How are you doing?”

“I’m here,” she answers, her voice weak and sounding defeated. A soft sob comes over the line.

“Mom, what can I do?” Worm questions. He’s lost count how many times they’ve had this conversation. When she doesn’t reply, he tries another. “Have you eaten today?”

“Yeah, I had some cereal this morning.”

“Mom! Did you not eat lunch or dinner?” Worm is cursing himself for not checking in sooner to make sure she’s taking care of herself. For months, he’d called her five or six times a day to make sure she was taking care of herself and his sisters. Recently things had seemed to be better so he hasn’t been calling as often, but still at least daily, that is until he met Allison and then she’d disappeared, taking all of his focus with her.

“I’m sorry, Russ. Today’s just been a bad day,” his mom whines. “Today would have been the thirty-five-year anniversary of our first date.” A wail comes over the line. “I-I just miss him so badly.” His mom continues to cry softly.

Worm’s heart breaks for his mom. He hadn’t known today was a special day, but if he’d been calling regularly, she would have mentioned it and he’d have known she would need more support today. He can hear someone speaking to his mother followed by rustling sounds. “Hey, Russ, it’s Leigh. Mom is going to lay down for a while.”

“I’m so sorry, Leigh. I should have been checking in more frequently. I’ve let you down.”

“No Russ, none of this is your fault,” Leigh denies, but Worm knows the truth. He could have helped with the situation if he’d had his head on straight instead of worrying about a woman, who is a virtual stranger. Even as the thought runs through his mind, he knows that isn’t true, but the guilt he feels over letting his mom down has him trying to make it the truth. “Look, we really are doing okay,” Leigh’s voice draws him from his thoughts. “Things aren’t nearly as bad as they were in the beginning. Today’s just not a good day.”

“Alright if you say so,” Worm relents, but the guilt is still eating at him. “Call me, Leigh, anytime of day or night if things get worse, understand?” He knows his tone is harsh, but he needs Leigh to listen to him and take him seriously.

“I will. I promise. I gotta go, Russ. Sadie needs help with her homework. I love you, brother.”

“I love you, sis. I mean it, call me.” He can’t keep from reminding her.

“I said I would! Bye, bossy!” Leigh laughs as the call ends. Worm shakes his head with a smile pulling at his lips. Leigh is perpetually happy, no matter how bad life gets. He wishes he had a bit more of her personality. She’s so much like their mom had been before their Dad had died.

An intense need to check on Allison has Worm on the move. He needs to make sure that she’s resting well. Heading for the elevator he decides to call Wallace. Worm isn’t really anxious to hear about the fallout his abrupt departure with Allison has brought, but he doesn’t want any more surprises that will upset Allison either, even though he is still feeling guilty over his concern for her.

“Wallace.” Comes the curt answer when the line connects. Wallace doesn’t give Worm a chance to reply before launching into a series of questions “How’s Allison? Was she very upset? Emma has been worried sick, but didn’t want to add to Allison’s stress by calling to check on her and making things worse by bringing up what happened. Do we need to come over?”

“Whoa! Slow down,” Worm chuckles nervously. “She seems to be okay. I know her father upset her, but she’d never admit it, at least not to me,” Worm conveys. “I left her to shower and take a nap while I came down to wash our clothes. I called to see how things went with Allison’s parents? I’m sorry to put you in that position, but Allison’s been through enough without them beating her up over it. I just needed to get us out of there before I said or did something we’d all regret.” Now it’s Wallace’s turn to laugh, nervously.

“I get it. They were upset, of course, but Emma put them in their place, pretty quick,” Wallace informs him. “As crazy as it sounds, I honestly don’t think they realized what they were doing when they said all that shit. They are just old fashioned and set in their ways. They can’t understand why the younger generation doesn’t think like they do. Mrs. Simpson visibly paled when Emma told them they shouldn’t be rubbing salt in open wounds.” Wallace chuckles.

“You should have heard my girl. She was kind as she always is, but firm and matter of fact. Mr. Simpson just kept apologizing over and over to Emma. He said they weren’t trying to make her feel worse, that they just wished she hadn’t had to go through what she did even though none of us really know what happened to her. Has she told you anything yet?”

“No, but I haven’t really asked either,” Worm confesses. “I’m not sure I’m the person she should be talking to about this.”

“What? Why would you say that?” Worm can hear Wallace’s confusion in his voice. They are all experienced in dealing with people who have been the victim of any number of abuses. Russell knows how to deal with and handle people who’ve been through trauma, but this is Allison. This is different.Sheis different. “I thought you guys had made a connection.” Worm can hear the air quotes in Wallace’s tone.

“We did,” Worm hedges. He doesn’t want to have to explain his complex emotions to Wallace, who will likely drive over to Worm’s apartment to kick his ass when Wallace finds out about his and Allison’s relationship or lack thereof despite having had amazing sex, not once, but several times. “Let’s just say it’s complicated and leave it at that?” Worm tries hopefully.

The hissed grunt that comes as Wallace’s reply lets Worm know that Wallace isn’t going to leave it alone. “Dammit Worm! I told you not to mess around with her,” Wallace exclaims. “She’s Emma’s family which makes her my family. You don’t fuck with family. You know this! Please tell me you didn’t actually fuck her.”

“I didn’t…I mean I did, but it isn’t like that,” Worm groans as he tries to come up with words to explain himself to his teammate, his brother. Wallace lets out another growl. Worm knows if they were in the same room, fists would already be flying.

“Calm down, honey,” Emma’s soft voice comes over the phone, just as Worm reaches his apartment door. “She cares for him and I believe he cares for her, too. Even though they’re pretending not to.” Worm rolls his eyes as he unlocks the door and steps inside. He knew his teammates’ women would push for him and Allison to have a happily ever after, like they’ve all found. It isn’t that he might not want that someday, but he isn’t ready to settle down with a wife and kids. He’s only twenty-eight years old. He already has his sisters to be responsible for. Not only that, but with the way his team gets deployed at random times, it just isn’t very conducive for long term relationships.

Your teammates seem to be making it work, why not you?The thought crosses his mind as he makes his way to his bedroom, but he shoves it away. He can’t allow himself to go there…to dream of what could be if he’d give them a chance.

He eases the door open to see Allison curled up in his bed. She’s turned away from him, lying on her side, with her knees drawn up toward her chest. Worried that she might be cold, he pulls the throw from the foot of the bed, dragging it up over her, tucking it around her shoulders.

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