The Lost Boy

The next morning I woke up and started my day as I would have any other. Grabbed Paddy's daily newspaper and set it in his favorite recliner with a steaming hot cup of coffee waiting for him when he got up. I worked my way into the kitchen where I slapped together Paddy's favorite breakfast, eggs sunny side up, bacon and toast. Paddy usually wouldn't be getting up for about another 20 minutes tops. So I stood there in the kitchen at the stove fixing the food in my underwear and tank-top keeping time in the back of mind so I could go change before Paddy walked out and saw me half naked in his kitchen.

As I wrapped up cooking breakfast I turn the burner of the stove off and set the food aside covering it with a few papers towels to keep the heat in and whatever else could get on it out. That's when I felt something come up behind me. Goosebumps ran up and down my body as I swiftly turned my head to see who the opposing figure was.

Tommy stood there in just boxer shorts. His hair all a mess and a variety of tattoos lay over a majority of his upper body. He seemed to have grown up a lot since the last time I saw him.

"You fucking scared me Tommy! You can't alert someone when you're about to come into a room?",I asked surprised.

"Didn't think I had to.",he replied.

"Well anyways.... I'm making Paddy breakfast. You want some?",I asked.

"I'll pick over what's left.",he said taking a seat at the table.

I turned my head back around to the stove where I placed all my dirty utensils in the sink and started to wash my hands.

"You always dress like this in the morning?",Tommy asked scanning the choice of clothing I had on.

"They're pj's.",I said.

"Haven't seen too many women wear those before.",he added.

"Well then you haven't seen too many women.",I said.

He just glared at me. Even with the looks he shot me I knew he was being a smart ass. But I always had a way of deflecting it. 14 years later and Tommy and I were still able to rattle each others nerves. Then suddenly out of the corner of my eye I saw Paddy emerge in the kitchen. He stopped dead in his tracks when his eyes met Tommy's figure sitting at the dinning room table.

"Son.... what?... When?.... I haven't seen you in so long. When'd you get here?",Paddy asked.

"Last night. Let myself in, your girl here almost blew my brains out.",Tommy replied.

The Paddy looked over at me. First in shock that Tommy was sitting in the very same kitchen he had last seen him in over a decade ago. He then cleared his throat when the shock wore off and there I was standing in my underwear in front of a 60 year old man and his long lost son.

"Sorry Paddy, breakfast is over there. I'll be right back.",I said as I scurried out of the kitchen and went to go change into something more appropriate.

When I re-entered the kitchen there were two plates of finished food setting at the table and Paddy had moved to his recliner and was on his 2nd cup of coffee. I moved over to where he was, I didn't see Tommy anywhere in sight, so picked Paddys brain to see what had happened while I was gone.

"Where's Tommy?"

"He's up in his old room. Getting ready I suppose.",Paddy said.

"Everything ok?",I asked.

"It's just been a long time since I've seen him. A lot of built up emotion and tension. He'll come around though.",Paddy said and he shot me a half smile and continued reading his paper and sipping at his coffee.

"I'll be right back Paddy, holler if you need me.",I added.

I made my way up the flight of stairs that led to Tommys room. There I saw him slipping into some clothes. Covering his ripped torso with a fitted grey t-shirt and looking at me with that emotionless stare of his as I watched him do this.

"How are things between you and Paddy?",I asked.

"They're cool.",he said shortly.

"They don't seem cool. What'd you say to Paddy?",I asked.

"What difference does it make?",he asked as he bent down to shove come loose clothing into his duffel bag.

"He's your father Tommy.... I know Paddy wasn't the best dad in the world, but you come to his house after 14 years of being M.I.A and you expect him to just welcome you with open arms to what little he has left and you give him the cold shoulder?",I said.

"Look, what goes on between me and the old man is none of your concern. You're just some chick who runs his errands and cleans his bed pans. I got nothing to do with that, so you don't got nothing to do with this.",he replied.

"Don't give me that bullshit Tommy. I saw how your father treated you... and Brendan." As soon as I said that he stopped what he was doing and looked up at me. Staring so hard at me like he could see past my soul. A very eerie feeling.

"I know you're not happy with him, or the things he's done. But he is your father Tommy and he's trying to make it right.",I said.

Right then Tommy walked up to me, put his face so close to mine our faces practically touched.

"Now you listen to me.",he said lowly.

"You don't know shit about me, Brendan, my old man, or the things he's done. So just do your job and stay the fuck outta my way.",he finished before he turned around and continued doing what he was doing.

I was dumbfounded. I couldn't believe that this was who Tommy had become. He never was the nicest person in the world, but he was down right cold hearted now. I knew it all stemmed from something else, secrets and emotions buried deep down inside of him. But just like you don't go poking at a lion to see what makes it tick, you don't poke and prod at Tommy to get him to talk. You just sit back, observe, and wait for the perfect moment. Eventually it would surface. Only a matter of when.