Memories

XXXIV

HOPE FOR THE UNDERATED YOUTH

'Just take my heart out
That'd make it better
Hiding all my feelings
But I know that I'm not dreaming'

⥎
⥐

Thalia waited with Neil at the hospital. They'd sent Kevin and Nicky to the police station to wait for Aaron's release, even though Thalia thought it absurd that they thought Aaron's actions were anything other than self defense. Nobody had mentioned what Thalia had done to Drake after he was already dead, because they all knew that would have consequences if the police found out.

She was bouncing her knee up and down and checking her watch every five minutes or so, nervously waiting for any kind of news on Andrew. "Mom got you that watch," Neil said quietly. She stopped moving her leg and looked up at him. "When we first picked you up, she took you to a jewellery story and bought you that watch." Thalia looked down at it and took it off her wrist. She flipped it over to the words engraved on the backside of it, which, in hindsight, made a lot more sense.

"Don't look back, don't trust anyone, and don't be anywhere for too long." Thalia read, then huffed a laugh as she put the watch back on. "Lovely." Neither of them said anything more until Wymack walked into the waiting room and demanded they follow him. Both of them obediently stood and followed him outside.

Wymack took them to a designated smoking area outside, and Thalia didn't miss the plastic bag their coach was carrying. Likely clothes for when Andrew was let out. She took out her pack of cigarettes, and Wymack watched her before doing the same. Neil held out his hand to the coach, silently asking for one. Wymack lifted an eyebrow.

"Last I checked, you don't smoke," Wymack said to Neil, then turned to Thalia who already had hers lit, despite the cold. "And you definitely shouldn't."

"I don't," Neil said at the same time Thalia said "The nerves." Wymack seemed unimpressed by Thalia and confused by Neil, but handed one over nonetheless.

"What are you doing here?" Neil asked.

"Kevin called." Wymack replied. "I brought clean clothes for Andrew."

"They arrested Aaron," Thalia said, tapping her fingers on her thigh. Wymack didn't miss it, but didn't comment on it.

"I know."

"Why?" Neil asked. Thalia looked at him as though he were stupid.

"Someone died on the other end of his racquet," Wymack said and Thalia tensed up.

"It wasn't his," Thalia said and took a drag. "It was Neil's."

"The police took it as evidence. Will they give it back or will I have to get a new one?" Thalia frowned at Neil. He was definitely being stupid now. She couldn't imagine ever seeing that stick again. The one that had killed Drake. It would forever haunt her. So would banging it on his head three times. She knew that much.

They were silent for a few moments before Wymack turned on Thalia. "What's your problem?" he asked her. Thalia frowned. "You're awfully quiet, and seeming very nervous, like someone's going to jump out at you."

"He was my brother," Thalia whispered between drags. She let that sink in and then stubbed her cigarette under her boot. "Legally, anyway. My birthday's on Tuesday, so he was still legally my brother."

"The man that died was," Wymack paused to understand what she'd said. Neil had been silent their whole wait at the hospital, and still didn't say anything now. "He was your foster brother?" Thalia nodded. "But I met your mother. We both did." he looked at Neil. "Cass was nice. I couldn't imagine a son of hers being like that."

"Well he was," Thalia said. Neil must have figured by now from many hints that Andrew and Thalia had both stayed with Drake at some point in their lives. "He was a marine, and had an underground business which his friends ran while he was away. He got me into the drugs and the other stuff. It's why I didn't hesitate to sign your contract. I needed to get away from there."

"Call Oakland," Neil said, startling both Thalia and Wymack. "Higgins deserves to know what happened tonight." Thalia shook her head frantically.

"No, coach you can't." she said. Calling Higgins would mean Cass knowing sooner than expected, and her coming out to Palmetto to see the body, Thalia, and probably Andrew. Andrew couldn't deal with that. Thalia didn't want to see her. And if Cass saw Aaron, she'd link him to Andrew. They were identical. The blame for her son's death would fall on Andrew, whether or not she made the conscious decision for it to.

"Give me one good reason not to dial this number," Wymack said, holding up a card and staring at Thalia. "I know you and Andrew both know officer Higgins, so why don't you want him to know about this?"

"Because he'll tell Cass, and she'll come out here." Thalia said. She knew her voice was wavering slightly, but she couldn't control it. "And I can't see her. I just need to last until Tuesday, and then I can kick her out as an adult. Coach, come on." She wouldn't say please. She couldn't. She wouldn't beg.

"You do it, or I will." he said, putting the card back in his pocket. Thalia sighed through her nose and blinked back tears. She pulled out her phone and dialed Higgins' number, but didn't press call until she took in a deep breath and let it out.

"Hello?" came Higgins' voice from the other side. Neil left them to go back inside.
This is officer Higgins." Thalia tried for a cheery tone, but it fell flat and sounded more like a grimace.

"Pig, how're the kids?" she asked, swallowing and looking up at Wymack. He nodded in support and Thalia took in a deep breath.

"Thalia?" he said, sounding concerned. "Is there something wrong?"

"Well, I suppose it depends how you look at it, really." she said. "Bad news, someone died. Good news, it was the man you're currently investigating. So, closed case. Nobody needs to know. Don't tell Cass. Thank you and goodbye." Thalia went to hang up, but Wymack forced the phone open and she sighed.

"What do you mean?" Higgins asked, sounding surprised that Thalia had stayed on the line. "Shit, is Drake dead? You do realise I have to tell Cass, right? He's her son."

"Was," Thalia reminded him. "Just don't let her come out here if you do. He went after Andrew, and I don't think Cass would be able to take any of the news. I didn't even want to tell you, but Coach David Wymack is making me." She looked up at Wymack with a glare in her eyes. He didn't even flinch.

"Alright, well," Higgins obviously didn't know how to deal with what Thalia had just told him. "I'll get in contact with your local police department so I can get the full story and official report, but thank you for telling me, Thalia." she hummed and hung up. Thalia went to sit down on a bench and put her head in her hands.

"Hey," Wymack said and Thalia sniffed and looked up at him. She knew her eyes were probably red, but didn't care. "There was nothing you could have done." she laughed then.

"That's a lie." Thalia said and swallowed. "Nicky handed me the phone when he got the call from his mother. I told him that she wanted him and the twins to go to theirs for thanksgiving, and suggested Neil to persuade Andrew to go. If I hadn't done that, maybe they wouldn't have gone. We wouldn't be here if I wasn't so fucking stupid. All of this is my fault, coach."

"I will not hear that bullshit from you again, Thalia." Wymack said seriously. "Those are all huge maybes. They would probably still have gone. And if you weren't with them, things would have gone worse than how they ended up. You helped. You saved Andrew. He might be dead if you'd done nothing, or hadn't gone at all. But he's not. Because of you."

"What if it had been me, though?" she said. "There's the possibility. It's all I can think about. It could have been me if he'd known I was there. I don't doubt he would have stopped at just one of us, either." She shook her head. "You go and wait with Neil, I'm staying out here. I need another cigarette."

Wymack was hesitant to leave, but eventually did, and Thalia let out the tears she'd been holding in for the past few hours.