A stupid thing for a fifteen-year-old kid to promise, but so far, he’d made good on it. Their first night back home that summer, Tommy promised them he’d never let it happen again. She had only been a part of their family for a few short months, and Christ knew she didn’t care about any of them. They were worse off in the state’s hands than they were in their own parents’-and that was saying a lot.Īs much as he resented Cal and Cheryl, he had to be grateful to them for pulling it together long enough to get the kids back. Several months had passed before they were all home again. Then he added that that’s what you got when you messed with an O’Shea, and Collin was a good boy. Tommy, only fifteen at the time-not old enough to stop it, but old enough to understand-told the woman she should’ve minded her own damn business and let them be. She let her temper flare with a totally unprofessional curse. The boy had fought like a lion, raging against the caseworker as she tried to pick him up and carry him to the car. Collin was only three at the time, but even seven years later, it still put a chill in his eyes whenever they talked about it. They all remembered the one time the kids had been removed from the home. He’ll think he’s headed to foster again.”īobby looked as if he was going to say something meaningful, but all that came out was “Oh, right.” “Nah, he’ll flip if he wakes up and you’re carrying him. “I’ll get Collin,” Bobby said, starting to turn out of the room. Bobby did the same with Zoe then stood back as Tommy raised the side again, locking it in place before switching off the small lamp on the dresser next to them. He found Max’s blanket and draped it over him before tenderly sweeping his hair back from his face.

Leaning over the crib railing, Tommy gently set his brother down. When Max was older, he could take the spare bottom bunk, and Zoe could go into Colleen and Carrie’s room, but until then, this was it. The babies were already too big to share the crib, but they slept better when they were together, and hell, there was no room for them anywhere else. The twins shared what would be a master bedroom with Collin, Davey, and Mike. “Upstairs.” He swallowed his nervousness as he led the way. He didn’t want someone who had the ear of social services seeing anything in their house, let alone the tiny bedrooms with too many beds crammed into them. “Which way?”Īnother crunch of unease bit at Tommy.

“They’ll sleep better in their own beds.” Bobby stood with him. “I hate to put ’em down, don’t wanna wake them…,” Tommy whispered as he started to rise from his seat. He tightened his hold on her, as if he intended to keep her to himself.īefore long, both babies were sleeping peacefully, seeming comfortable and in need of the rest. “I do,” Bobby murmured, looking over at Tommy and then down at Zoe.

The last thing he needs jh knight