𝖫𝗈𝗏౿ᑲ𝗈ოᑲ -𝖤ᥣꪱᜒ 𝖬𝗈ડƙ𝗈⍵ꪱᜒ𝗍ʑ

3.8

Robby and Hazel had been talking a lot on the phone lately, although Robby's calls from juvie were limited. Robby found comfort in knowing he had someone to talk to, and he was sure Hazel would support him no matter what, just as he would for her. Hazel felt the same, but she struggled with guilt over not telling her brother about Robby. How could she, considering what happened to him because of Robby? Even though she knew Robby regretted it, she couldn't bring herself to tell her brother.

However, Robby had made her promise to go with Johnny when he got out of juvie. And today was the day.

Johnny and Hazel arrived at the juvenile corrections center. Johnny pressed the buzzer and tried to open the door, but it remained locked. Hazel rolled her eyes and sighed, crossing her arms.

"It's locked. They'll buzz it open when he's on his way out," Daniel said as he walked up. Hazel greeted him quietly, and he smiled back.

"You've got to be kidding me. They called you?" Johnny said with disbelief, turning to face Daniel. "I called them. With Shannon still in rehab, I wanted to make sure someone was here to pick him up."

"Well, I'm here, aren't I?" Johnny said defensively, stopping in his tracks once the door was behind him. Hazel felt the need to step between the two grown men arguing like children. "Can we just not argue and be happy for Robby?" she asked, shaking her head.

"Stay out of this," Johnny told her, and she raised her hands as if to say she didn't do anything.

"I'm not looking for any trouble. I'm just here for Robby," Daniel said, trying to calm the situation. "Robby doesn't need you here. You've done enough. Thank you. Goodbye," Johnny gestured for Daniel to leave. "You got it all under control?"

At this point, Hazel didn't even care to calm them. She just wished Robby wouldn't see this because he didn't deserve it.

"Yeah, I do," Johnny said confidently and firmly. Daniel looked at him. "Just like you had Kreese under control, right?" he asked. "What did you think would happen summoning that devil back to Earth?" His disgust was evident.

Hazel didn't even know what Kreese had to do with this right now, but she just wished they'd get this over.

"Kreese is my problem," Johnny told Daniel, gesturing to himself. "Not anymore. He's made it crystal clear that he is everyone's problem. As usual, I'm gonna have to be the one that's gonna clean up your mess."

Johnny's blue eyes snapped back up, cold as twin pools of ice. "I clean up my own messes, and I'm dealing with it." He moved to stand right in front of Daniel. "How exactly are you dealing with it? Gonna barge in there and beat him up? That worked out really great at the chop shop," Daniel said. Johnny narrowed his blue eyes. "Those guys deserved it," he said in a rough voice. "That's your problem, Johnny. Your whole life you've been striking first. You never once considered maybe you should think first."

"You know what I'm thinking now?" Johnny took a step closer. "Yeah, I've got a pretty good idea." The two glared at each other.

"Seriously?" Robby asked, shocked and disgusted by the two men. Hazel's head snapped toward him. "Robby," Daniel said quickly as they looked over. "Hey, Robby," Johnny gave his son a smile.

"Robby," Hazel smiled and walked toward him. He smiled back, hugging her when she reached him. "God, you're the only good thing about this," Robby said, kissing her head in the hug. "I missed you too," she whispered against his chest.

To others, they may seem too close for just friends. But that's genuinely what it was. Two friends seeing each other after months of only speaking on the phone.

"I told you I don't want you here," Robby said, looking at Johnny, Hazel next to him. "You're my son. I wanted to be here," Johnny told him in a fairly soft voice. "And so did I," Daniel added right after Johnny. Robby turned his glare to Daniel. "Don't do me any favors. It's your fault I was here," he glanced back at the center.