Golden Trail (The 'Burg #3)(218)

Layne’s arm went around Tripp’s shoulders and he gave him a squeeze.

Tripp stepped back from Layne and looked in his old man’s eyes. “Can I go up and sit with Gram and Rocky?” he asked quietly.

God, Tripp was a good kid.

Layne lifted a hand, curled it around Tripp’s neck and squeezed. “You okay after you saw that, Pal?”

“Yeah, I’m just worried Roc’s not okay.”

“She’ll be okay,” Layne assured his son on another squeeze and a short tug.

“You think you can fix her?” Tripp asked.

“I know it,” Layne answered.

Tripp smiled, it was wonky and halfhearted but he did it.

“Good thing is, I didn’t have to tackle her,” Tripp noted.

“Yeah, that’s good,” Layne replied.

“But I stole her keys out of her purse. They’re in between Blondie’s forty-first and forty-second food bowls,” Tripp informed him and Layne returned his smile, figuring his was halfhearted too but at least it was a smile.

“Thanks, Pal” Layne said on another squeeze.

“I’m gonna go up,” Tripp whispered, Layne nodded and let him go.

Tripp gave him a long, last look, turned and ran up the stairs.

Layne felt cold on his arm and turned to see Jasper was holding a beer there.

“Think he needs whisky, boy,” Devin grunted.

Layne took the beer from Jas, slapped him on the shoulder and said to Dev, “Not sure whisky’s a good idea right now. Or, not as much as I want of it.”

“Right,” Devin was in the liquor cupboard, “you need your faculties about you. I, on the other hand, can get as drunk as I want.”

Layne moved to the island and felt Jasper crowding him, like he did Tripp and Seth when Cosgrove abused them and he turned to look at his son.

“I’m good, Bud,” he murmured.

“Okay, Dad,” Jas murmured back but he didn’t move away so Layne flung his arm around his boy’s shoulders and pulled him, hard, into his side.

Jasper slid his arm around Layne’s waist and held on.

Devin opened the bottle of whisky and turned to Layne.

“What’d I say?” Devin asked.

“About what?” Layne asked back.

Devin looked at him. Then he said, “Kaboom!” Then he put the whisky bottle to his lips, tipped his head far back and took a huge shot straight from the bottle.

Jasper turned his head and Layne did the same, they caught each other’s eye and Jasper shook his head.

Layne looked back to Devin who was now staring at them, still holding the bottle by its neck.

“Also told you she’s worth the effort.”

“Already knew that, old man.”

“Yeah, well, know you know it more.” His eyes slid to Jas. “Seen a lot of things, done a lot of things, wounds to the flesh hurt but they heal fast. Wounds to the soul never go away. It’s how we cope with a pain that never dies that makes us the people we are. Daily, people demonstrate acts of courage just so they can get through to the night. That woman upstairs smiles and laughs and cooks and teaches and no one knew the pain she carried in her soul. In other words, there are warriors and then there are warriors. In your Dad’s bed lies a warrior. Learn from her, boy.”

“Right,” Jasper whispered.

“Your Dad’s gone, I’m gone, you or your brother have her back,” Devin ordered.

“Right,” Jasper repeated on another whisper.

“Until she’s freed, she can turn at any time. One of us needs to catch her should she fall,” Devin went on.

“Right,” Jasper whispered again.

“Brief your brother,” Devin demanded.

“Right,” Jasper whispered yet again.

“Now,” Devin announced, “I’m havin’ a stoagie and gettin’ drunk.” His eyes hit Layne. “And that dog’s been quarantined outside throughout this situation and I’m not lettin’ her in yet so, goes without sayin’, me outside with whisky and a stoagie and your f**kin’ dog, tells you what you mean to me, boy.”

Then he strode to the door, opened it, Blondie attacked him on his first step on the cement patio and he closed the door.

Layne squeezed Jasper’s shoulder and stepped away.

“You good?” Layne asked.

“I’m good,” Jasper answered.

“Ignore Dev, he can be dramatic.”

“Seems pretty smart to me.”

Layne looked into Jasper’s eyes.

Then he asked, “Sure you’re good?”

“Yeah, Dad.”

“I was shot, awhile ago, Bud and –”

“I’m good, Dad.”

“We haven’t talked about that, I wanted to give you boys time.”

“You don’t need to give us time.”

“Jas –”

“Dad, we know what you do for a living and we know why. It’s jacked up, what happened to Roc’s Mom because she was a Mom, not someone like you. It sucked, you gettin’ shot, and I can’t say that Tripp and me weren’t scared, we were. But you’re here, we’re tight so it’s all good.”

“You ever wanna talk,” Layne said quietly.