Eddie Munson - One Shots II

019. Forbidden Kingdom.

*** Trigger Warning ⚠️ ***
• Talk of drug use, addiction, theft.

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"What do you mean she's sold them again? How did she even find them?" I snarled into my phone, as I paced back and forth in the middle of the mall.

"She turned your place upside down." My little sister explained.

"She broke in again." I said, grumbling with frustration.

"She sell them to the usual place?" I asked, my blood boiling.

"You know she has. And you know he'll have kept them for you to pick up." She answered.

"She has nothing else to sell, Em." She added.

"We have nothing else to sell. Leave it with me." I growled, before abruptly hanging up.

I stormed to the record store, where Terry was apparently, anticipating my arrival.

"I put them in the back." He said, as I reached the counter.

"I know it's policy Terry, but Jesus Christ, anyone who's anyone knows that my parent is clearly a fucking addict, who comes in and flogs my dad's records for her next fix." I snapped, as Terry eyed me sympathetically.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm not the addict." I said, as he sighed.

"I'd never sell them. I just have to take them if she brings them in. They're limited edition.... I also try and do what I can so that she doesn't have to go to any extreme lengths to get what she wants. Streets aren't safe, kid. I'd sooner she did what she needed to as safe as possible." He said.

"Yeah? That's sort of my job." I said, a little sarcastically.

"I don't mean to interject, and I'm not technically eavesdropping.... But it's actually not your job. You're the child, she's the parent."

I didn't answer, simply clenched my jaw, and looked down at the counter for a moment.

When I glanced back up, Terry nodded immediately.

"I'll just go and get them." He said, warily.

"Don't." I said, admitting defeat.

How many more times was I going to come here to buy them back?

How much more money could I spend, for her to just find them and sell them again?

I felt that I had no choice.

"Sell them on." I continued, taking a shaky breath in.

"What? No, Em. God, I loved your dad, I can't sell them to just anyone. Wouldn't have the heart." Terry said, sounding devastated, his face awash with sympathy.

"You loved Dio too. They should be yours." He added.

"Don't sell them to just anyone then. I'll buy them."

"You're still here?" I asked, rolling my eyes.

"Em, you know me. I'll buy them right now, and keep them safe. So that when the time comes, they're rightfully yours and they're not sold for dope."

"Oh I know you a lot more than I'd actually like, Munson." I said, bitterly and airily.

"Just let me do this. Terry's right, they can't just go to anyone. I'll store them safe, and when it's okay to have them back, they're yours." He said.