You Found Me (Warrior)

14. Oblivious

January 1998

I shivered. "Maybe you should wait to tell her, Tommy." We were standing outside his place. It was 6:45 on a friday night, but it was still incredibly dark.

I had my hands in my pockets and rocked back and forth on me heels.

He stepped on his cigarette, before answering. "Nah...now's good."

"She's gonna kill you, Tommy."

"I know," He smirked. "Come on. You go in first." He opened the door. "After you."

I backed away from the door a little. "Wait." I stopped. "Why am I even here in the first place? I'm not the one with who got..."

"Exactly, so you have nothing to worry about. Just get inside." I wiped my boots on the mat as he playfully pushed me inside. Carol was in front of the sink washing and chopping vegetables. "Hey," she said. "Hurry, close the door. What were my kids up to?" She smiled. We took off our boots and jackets, though it was still freezing inside.

"Hey, mom!" He excitedly came up behind her and wrapped his arm around her.

"Oh, boy. What is it Tommy? I'm in the middle of cooking dinner."

"Check this out." He rolled up his sleeve and held out his right bicep to show her.

"Oh Christ, what have you done?" She stopped chopping tomatoes and raised one arm to touch the tattoo Tommy held in front of her. She looked at me with a look that said "How could you let him do this? ".

"Sorry," I said quietly, but I couldn't conceal the huge smile on my face. Tommy and I always talked about getting tattoos and though I was a little jealous he got one before I could, it was still the coolest thing.

She dried her hands and took hold of his arm to examine it again, "Oh my beautiful boy… my beautiful boy." She rubbed his cheek gently.

"I told him not to do it." I didn't lie, exactly. I told him it was cheesy, but that was only because I wanted him to get one with me.

She sighed. "Dani...what am I gonna do with him?"

She turned to him. He was grinning from ear to ear. "You better wipe that smile off your face." She took hold of his bicep and sighed. "Now here, both of you wash up and help me peel these potatoes. That's your punishment. I'm gonna take a seat. I'm tired." She stirred the pot, before walking into the living room.

Tommy laughed. "Whatever you say."

She looked at him again. "A damn leprechaun for Christ's sake, Tommy? Even I could have thought of a better tattoo than that."

We both washed our hands and started on the potatoes. Tommy threw a potato peel down my shirt. "Hey!" I picked up one to throw back. She stood off to the side and watched us.

Carol looked at the tattoo one last time and sighed again, before finally sitting down.

"My beautiful boy..." She said.

..........................

PRESENT

I made my way through the crowded restaurant, dodging people, tables, chairs. I bumped into quite a few people, but I didn't have time to apologize. I wasn't in the mood.

I pushed through the revolving door and scanned the night, searching for Tommy. No luck.

I turned to my right and headed for the parking lot, hoping he would be waiting by the car. I still couldn't find him. I was starting to freak out, but headed back to the entrance.

This time, I went left. I found him off to the side, sitting on the pavement. Thank God!

"Hey... there you are." I stepped in front of the curb and sat down beside him. "Sorry I didn't go after you I had to have a little talk with my sister first." He didn't say anything. "Listen, she's a bitch. You know I don't think the way she does, right...you know I don't think that about you?"

Silence. OK...not a big deal. That was pretty normal for him. "I guess she just needs a little time to get used to us." No answer."Please, say something. I'm going crazy here, Tommy." He stood up.

"I don't feel like talking. Can we go?"

I was taken aback. "Yeah...okay, sure. Let's go." I got up and we headed towards the car.

"Um, excuse me?" A short girl with dyed black hair and piercings came up to us with who I assumed was her boyfriend, by her side. He was a little shorter than Tommy, muscular and had on a leather jacket. "Are you Tommy Riordan, the MMA fighter?" He asked.

"No." Tommy replied firmly, as he kept walking. I struggled to keep up. The guy kept following with his girlfriend in tow.

"Yeah...dude, you are! You're that ex-Marine from Sparta? You faced your brother in the finals!" "Oh, my god," His girlfriend squealed.

"Wasn't me," was all Tommy said.

"Come on, man. I know it's you." They followed us. "You, Is that your girl?" He didn't reply.

"Get in the car," He told me as we reached the car. He was quiet, but stern. I didn't question him and got inside.

"It's cool, man. Can we just get a picture?"

"No," He said again, as he headed to his side of the car.

"Piece of shit", the guy muttered under his breath, but Tommy heard him. "What'd you call me?" Within seconds, Tommy was walking around the car towards the guy. He got into his face and grabbed him by the shirt. He was breathing heavily. His girlfriend screamed.

"Hey, man. I'm sorry. We don't want no trouble."

"Tommy?!" I called out from inside the car. He looked at me, while still holding onto the guy. He turned to face the guy again. "Fuck off, then." He pushed him back and released his shirt.

The girl grabbed onto her boyfriend and they took off. They took their phones out as soon as they were at a safe distance and were snapping a couple pictures.

"Fuckers", Tommy grumbled as he got inside and slammed the door shut.

After they left, I didn't say anything. Tommy just sat there and stared furiously through the windshield. Finally, he started the engine.

"Tommy...about..." I stopped myself. "Are we going back to my place, or... your place or...?"

"No, I'll take you home," He replied, still visibly upset. He didn't look at me once.

"Oh...OK" I said.

There was tension in the car. I didn't know what to say. Should I even say anything?

What Anna said in there got me thinking. There was a lot of things I still wanted know, not that I would dare ask anyway...

He just sat there, looking straight ahead, his hands tightly placed on the wheel.

"When was the last time you talked to Brendan yet?" Shit. That was one of the worst questions I could possibly ask.

"Why would I need to talk to Brendan for?"

"I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that I haven't heard from him in a while..."

"Well, he's not your brother, is he?"

"No, but..."

"Then mind your own business." He turned down my street and drove rapidly into my driveway.

I racked my brain, thinking of something to say to end off the night...something to make him feel better...maybe even get him to stay the night. It was too late for that. He was pissed.

When I didn't leave, he peered at me from the side.

"Well, goodnight then, " I finally said.

He said nothing as I got out. I shut the door and kept walking up the path. I could hear Tommy reversing the car. I turned to look back, but he was already gone.