Then the more pressing question. “What about me?”
Fischer sighed. “Look, you beat up an O’Dwyer who was whaling on a family member who is trying to do something right for those kids. Nobody in this town will look at you and think you did anything wrong. Well, nobody that matters anyway. I heard you have a fancy lawyer coming in. It’s not necessary, but I understand. Direct him to me and we’ll make sure nothing comes of this.” He gave Del his card and sighed. “Can you sign that and I’ll have one of the deputies drive you home.”
Del signed the statement and got up, swaying on his feet. “Whoa…”
Fischer steadied him by the arm. “Off the record? You get Justin and those kids out of this shithole town as soon as you can. There’s nothing good for any of them here, and none of them will ever be free of being an O’Dwyer here.”
Del nodded. “That’s the plan.” He still needed for Justin to get better and to find a house, and then talk to Justin and the kids about moving and…“Eventually.”
Detective Fischer chuckled and patted his shoulder. “Let’s go find you that ride.”
* * * *
Del just about managed to get out of the cruiser and into the house. Emily sat in the kitchen and looked at him with sympathy.
“That bad?”
“I’m so tired,” he groaned, making her smile.
“I made you a quick smoothie, you drink it and then go shower and sleep, okay?” She got up and went to pour him a tall glass of smoothie from a pitcher she’d made. He waited, leaning on the doorway instead of sitting down. He knew this feeling all too well even though he hadn’t had it in a couple of years now. He’d be asleep as soon as he sat down. He sure hadn’t missed this fatigue.
Del sipped at the smoothie that tasted of banana, chocolate, and peanut butter.
“This is good,” he said, making her snort.
“Try not to sound so surprised.” Before he could reply, she held out a hand. “Give me your phone. You’re to go to sleep and not wake up until you naturally do. I’ll be here, and your sister is coming sometime in the evening to help.”
He handed over his cell and pointed her to the charging cable when she asked for one.
“Thanks. For…everything.”
“Hey, it’s…it’s not my job,” she corrected what she’d been automatically about to say. “You’re a friend. I love these kids more than I should. Go sleep, and we’ll figure the rest out later.”
Del nodded, swayed, and gave her the now-empty glass.
Going upstairs seemed like an ordeal and a half, but he did it anyway. He wondered where everyone was, up until he opened his bedroom door and saw all the kids and Abigail asleep on his bed.
He shook Abigail awake gently.
“W-huh?” She blinked at him, completely out of it, poor thing.
“I’m going to shower and then I’ll need my spot,” he said quietly.
“Oh, right.” She got up and hugged him tightly. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I love you, Uncle Del.”
“I love you too, sweetheart.”
She wandered off to the guest room while he managed to get out of his clothes and into a shower. He almost didn’t make it back to the bedroom when he sat on top of the toilet seat to put on his boxers, though.
It was a sleepy snuffling sounding from the bed that alerted him that Scarlett was about to wake up. To his surprise, he heard Emily’s voice hushing Scarlett, and then the telltale sounds of a quick diaper change.
He wobbled into the bedroom and slid under the covers. Wyatt was starfished in the middle with Harper on the other edge. Emily handed Scarlett to him, and the baby smiled at him around her dummy before cuddling up to his chest.
Emily snapped a photo with her phone, but he didn’t have the heart or energy to even glower at her. Not, when she whispered, “Something to show Justin when he wakes up.”
WhenJustin woke up. When. 19
Justin didn’t remember waking up. It didn’t happen suddenly, like it sometimes did in the mornings when his alarm clock jarred him awake. This was a long, slow process. Sometimes when he opened his eyes it was daylight, and sometimes it was dark, and he was never quite able to get a handle on it before slipping under again. He thought that maybe he’d been slipping in and out of sleep for a long time before consciousness actually stuck.
It was daylight now. A weak, uncertain sort of daylight that meant it was either dawn or dusk. Justin’s whole body felt like a bruise. There were tubes in his arm, and several more snaking out from underneath the sheets, poking out of him in places he couldn’t feel yet, and wasn’t sure he wanted to. His right hand was bandaged like a long white claw.