The Broken People [Book 2]

Chapter Twenty-one: Red eye

"Mark?" a sweet voice called, and Mark froze up. "Mark McGregor?" he turned around and saw Birgit Heissmann pushing a shopping cart as she walked up to him.

"Mrs. Heissmann?"

"My God, it's been so long since I last saw you!" she exclaimed a huge smile splitting her wrinkled face.

"Yeah... about seven years?" Mark muttered still not sure how to react.

"You've grown up so much..." she said, giving him a once-over and placing a hand over her heart. "How are you doing?" she asked him.

"I'm fine. Finally had a break from work," he said with a chuckle. Her smile didn't falter.

"Oh, what are you up to these days? You wanted to get a photography degree if I'm not wrong..."

"Yes, I got it. I actually get all kinds of assignments for stuff to photograph. My latest is photographing the Portland Scouts," he said leaning against his own shopping cart.

"Really? You've been working with Thomas?" she replied with genuine surprise in her tone.

"I thought you knew. I thought he told you..."

"Thomas..." her voice faded, and she lowered her head. "Thomas doesn't really talk to us anymore".

"Wait... what? The way he talked- I... he cut himself off?"

"You talk to him?" she asked a hint of a smile on her face. Mark nodded, not wanting to say much about it.

He thought Thomas had told her they were working together. He thought Thomas had told her they were back together. It was obvious she didn't know anything about it. They had been together for almost two months by now. How could he not have mentioned it to her?

"Mark, honey..." Marigold called from behind him and both he and Thomas's mother turned to look at her. "Birgit, so good to see you!" she exclaimed looking at the woman before her son and going closer.

"Mari, hello," Birgit said, sniffling her nose and trying to control her emotions.

"It's so nice to see you now that our sons-"

"Mom," Mark cut her off. She looked at him with a frown and then turned to Birgit.

"Now that our sons...?" Birgit urged and Mark's shoulders slumped.

"Now that we are back together," he muttered, lowering his head. He hadn't wanted to tell her. Thomas should have been the one to tell her. It wasn't Mark's place.

"You're back..." her voice faded and slowly she took half a step closer to Mark. Before she knew what she was doing she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in a hug. "Take care of him, please," she whispered.

"I will".

***

At the sound of the key in the lock, Kenzie shot up from where she sat next to Thomas and jumped down to go greet whoever was coming. Thomas, in his half-asleep state, rubbed his eyes and looked at his phone for the time. It was a little past midnight.

"Hey, there Kenzie," Mark cooed at her, petting the overexcited pup, and turned to look at Thomas who stood up and slowly walked up to Mark.

There was a trembling in Thomas's chest, and he chose against speaking up, afraid that he would not be able to talk. Instead, he stayed frozen for a second and then reached out to hug Mark. But Mark's hand shot up and stopped him firmly.

"We have to talk," he said and watched as Thomas's expression was filled with panic. Looking at Thomas something inside of him snapped. His hand that was on Thomas's chest balled up in a fist, grabbing him by the shirt, and pulled him closer, crashing his lips against Thomas's.