The Devil You Know

Chapter 8: Naomi's House

We waited for nightfall. We both walked into Ma's room where she was sitting on her bed awake, she looked at us, worried.

"Where's your sister?" She asked, her voice quiet. Tommy walked to her and grabbed her hands, holding them. She kissed his head and pulled him into a hug, doing the same with me as I walked up to her.

"She's at Naomi's" Tommy mumbled, and Ma let out a sigh of relief. Pushing her short, blonde hair behind her ear.

"Thank god" she smiled a bit, glad her daughter was safe. "You guys are going to check on her?" She asked, her beautiful face lit by the dim lamp. Tommy and I nodded. "Stay there if you guys can, I don't trust your Pop, I don't want you to get hurt."

"Ma, we can't leave you" Tommy mumbled, looking into her eyes. But she shook her head.

"I'm not staying here tonight, and I don't want you guys to be alone, I'll drive you there" she stood, holding a bag to her arm, I guess she was staying at her friends house for the night, she did that sometimes when Pop was too much for her. The three of us snuck down the stairs quietly trying our best to not wake Pop who was knocked out on the couch. I slid my shoes on and passed Tommy his jacket, putting my own on and grabbing the bags we kept ready in the closet with clothes in case of emergency. Ma opened the door and walked out, then me then Tommy who closed and locked the door silently.

It was chilly as me and Tommy piled into the back seat of Ma's car that smelled like her perfume. Tommy played with his fingers and I looked at ma through the mirror,  wondering when pop would clean up his shit and treat her right, but it was too far past that... She needed to leave.

She pulled up in front of Naomi's house, the lights were on inside. I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek and Tommy did the same before we stepped out, taking deep breaths and walked to the door. I knocked, standing there patiently while Tommy couldn't stop moving.

"Tommy stop" I groaned, he was tapping his foot and the sound was annoying.

"Don't tell me what to do" he growled, and stopped tapping his foot. Naomi opened the door, her green eyes hard and cold. Tommy opened his mouth the speak, but closed it almost immediately, looking at me.

"Is, uh, can we-" she laughed a little, opening the door and letting us in.

"Who is it dear?" I heard her grandmas voice call from the living room, I could see Jade laying on her stomach on the floor, watching a movie. Tommy and I walked in and I took the hat off his head and he shot me a look. Her grandma stood up, walking to me and Tommy and examining us. She pinched Tommy's cheeks and then mine, I laughed a little. Jade stood up and walked to me hugging me tight, and then doing the same to Tommy.

"Brendan" I mumbled, looking at the sweet old lady who smiled at me, "this is Tommy" Tommy gave her a small smile.

"Well are you hungry?" She asked sweetly, there was something about her. Tommy nodded frantically, we hadn't eaten since we got home. She chuckled, taking Tommy to the kitchen and all of us followed. "Jadey come here sweetie" Grandma called her over and gave her a cookie she smiled at grandma and sat at the table with Naomi. "You boys staying?" She asked, dishing out some food from the pots for me and Tommy.

"I-uh" I stuttered, not really knowing what to say, she laughed, placing her hand on me gently.

"Of course you can, we have a spare bedroom" I felt like she knew about what was going on at home automatically. Her eyes fixed on Tommy, and she let out a gasp. "Oh! What happened?" She held his face in her hands, noticing the bruise he got from Pops punch. Tommy stayed quiet and grandma shook her head. She gave him some ice and set the plates on the table for us to eat, "you boys aren't going anywhere tonight, you stay here" Jade had a smile on her face looking at the both of us. The door swung open and Grandma turned around, there stood Joel who smiled and walked to hug his grandma, holding her tight. Naomi got up and ran into his arms and he held her for a moment. He then turned and noticed me and Tommy.

"BRO" he exclaimed "WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING HERE ARE YOU STAYING?!" He looked very excited. Tommy laughed, and Naomi looked over at him, they exchanged glances for a moment.

"Joel, stop yellin'" grandma slapped his arm lightly before returning to the loving room. Joel sat at the table next to Jade, pulling her into a hug too. Naomi stood up and took the empty plates from us. Tommy looked up at her, his blue eyes looking at her green ones.

"Thank you..." He mumbled, she smiled at him and out the plates in the sink, her and Jade then disappeared to the basement where they had the big tv and the game consoles and the punching bags and boxing gloves, they loved to practice fighting with Each other.

"Guys I made so much money..." Joel whispered, pulling out cash right in front of us, Tommy choked on his water.

"Where did you get that?..." I asked, looking at his face, noticing now his busted lip and bruised face.

"Underground fighting" he mumbled, looking around making sure no one heard, "don't tell Naomi she'll hurt me" he laughed. "But I need to make money to take care of her and grandma you know?" Tommy was staring at the money and we both realized that underground fighting didn't sound like a bad idea.