Page 34 of The Manny

“It’ll be a nice change from your constant yammering.”

Thomas shot me a dirty look. “I don’tyammer.”

“Do you prefer nag?”

“What?” he sputtered.

I laughed at his indignant expression and picked up my newspaper again. “You two should run along. You don’t want to miss the party.”

“Come on! Come on!” Mia pulled Thomas toward the door. “Let’s go. I don’t want to miss the party.”

“We won’t miss the party,” Thomas said, letting her drag him to the door.

“Just give me the receipt for the gift and I’ll reimburse you,” I called out.

Thomas didn’t respond as he closed the door behind them.

Once they’d gone, the house was once again silent. I sighed and got up to get more coffee. When they went to the party later, what would I do to amuse myself? I guess I’d just enjoy the peace and quiet. Although, I didn’t really mind hearing Thomas and Mia playing in another part of the house, like I’d thought I would. Mia’s laugh was actually comforting to hear. I liked knowing she could still experience joy, despite losing her mom. She was improving daily, thanks to Thomas. I could admit he was the main reason. Maybe he drove me nuts, but he was amazing with Mia. He seemed to have endless patience with her.

A full week had passed since Mia had mentioned my time in prison. Thomas hadn’t once asked me about it, which I found astounding. I’d expected him to grill me the first chance he got, but he hadn’t. He was showing unusual restraint. I had to wonder why. Did the idea of my having a sordid past repulse him, so he didn’t want to think about it? I highly doubted he was considering my feelings. We weren’t alone much, perhaps he simply hadn’t had the opportunity to bring it up with me.

I stayed where I was at the table, reading and sipping coffee. A little while later, Mia and Thomas returned from the store with a brightly wrapped birthday gift. They went off to get ready for the party and I continued to laze about in the kitchen.

After a time, Thomas joined me in the kitchen. He was dressed in skinny jeans and a fitted baby blue shirt that brought out the color of his eyes. His citrusy cologne filled my nostrils and, unwillingly, my dick warmed in response to how good he looked and smelled. I hated my body’s reaction to him.

He seemed in a good mood, humming softly as he wrote things on the grocery list posted on the front of the fridge. Was he looking forward to hanging out with Percy’s dad at the party? Why hadn’t he suggested I come to the party with them? That seemed like something he’d usually nag me to do. As Mia’s legal guardian shouldn’t I be the one going to the party, not him? Was he accompanying her because he wanted to spend the party flirting with Mr. Quiet?

Mia walked into the room wearing a pink dress with white ruffles. I caught my breath because she looked even more like Jules today. Her golden curls cascaded over her little shoulders, and her smile was the spitting image of her mother’s.

“You look so pretty, Mia,” I said quietly. “Just like your mom.”

She brightened. “I look like mommy?”

I nodded because the lump in my throat made it difficult to speak.

Thomas smiled and touched her cheek. “Pretty as a princess.”

She smoothed her hands down the front of her dress. “Mommy bought me this dress for Easter.” She looked up, her cheeks pink. “I like to wear it because it’s like mommy is hugging me.”

Unwanted emotions hit me, and I grunted and stood, embarrassed that my eyes were stinging. “It’s nice.”

Thomas watched me with a funny expression.

“You two have fun,” I rasped, moving past them. “I’ll see you when you get back, Mia.” My chest ached as I left them.

“Bye,” Mia said softly.

I headed out into the backyard, wanting to get as far away from other humans as possible. Having Mia around was painful because it forced me to remember how much I’d loved Jules. I didn’t like thinking about that shit because what was done was done. Why bother? All it did was frustrate me because I couldn’t change the past.

The God-awful past.

I’d been ten when Jules left me behind. It had been hard adjusting to life alone with my abusive parents. My mom had been a full-blown druggie, and Dad an ex-con with a chip on his shoulder. I’d tried not to resent Jules for leaving. Dad had been harder on her than me, so I’d tried to understand her reasons. But when she’d ended up in Florida, the distance had destroyed any relationship we might have had. It was just too far away.

Then at the age of eighteen, I’d done a really dumb thing and ended up in prison. I did four years, and when I got out, neither my parents nor Jules had been waiting to help get me on my feet. I’d been a little surprised Jules hadn’t reached out to me at all, but I suppose she’d had her own problems. Maybe she hadn’t wanted me around Mia. Maybe she’d thought I was just like Dad, and that I’d end up in prison again. But I hadn’t. I’d kept my nose clean and somehow clawed my way to a better life.

I groaned and looked up at the sky. I didn’t want to feel sorry for myself. I didn’t want to think about the past. Maybe life had been hard, but it had taught me a very valuable lesson too: you couldn’t depend on anyone in this life but yourself.

If you thought you could, you were an idiot destined for a knife in your back.

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