24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Tolly

T olly never wondered if he had made a mistake. There were no doubts, no second thoughts. This small, broken neighborhood in a large city with criminals and dreamers alike was exactly where he had always been meant to end up. As long as Leigh was with him.

Today was the day they opened the shop—together, with just each other. And with Ralph helping on and off. It would be a simple life, filled with simple but wonderful people. Tolly would never have asked for more.

After all, there were movie nights, either streamed or out at the drive-in. There were dinners. There were long swims. There was physical connection and words of devotion. There were nights with friends. There were days and nights babysitting. There were chores done to help Miss Maggie, and several for the super. Honestly, Leigh could easily add superintendent to his resume, though all his parole officer needed was to see the opening day of the shop.

"I'm proud of you, William," she said when the day came, shaking Tolly's hand too.

Miss Maggie was there that Tuesday morning as well—Tuesday because Leigh had decided they would be closed Mondays for catch-up work and side jobs for their friends.

Deanna stopped by as well on her way to work with Gar beside her to head to school, and with Gert, too, who then went along with Maggie back to the apartment building.

They all knew what Tolly was, and they accepted him as one of their own. It was a good family, one Tolly had found after losing the one he was born into.

Even the detectives made an appearance. He accepted Perez's scrutinizing gaze and Horowitz's kind smile as a sign that all would be well, and it was nice to see Leigh bask in pride for what he had become for others to witness.

"Thanks for believing in me, Nick," Leigh said before Perez walked away.

"Yeah, yeah." Perez cleared his throat with audible effort. "Don't go gettin' mushy on me now."

Even Alvin and Cary passed by on their way to work. Yes, they were still criminals working for Arthur Sweeney, who ran all the nearby streets now, but Alvin had a way of dissuading his father from the more unsavory acts like violence or murder—or asking local businesses for protection money.

Good luck, Cary signed to Tolly.

And Alvin, able to understand him well now, signed in echo , Never stop being strange, Sharkboy. We love you.

Tolly signed back a grateful Thank you , and Leigh raised an eyebrow at the exchange.

"We will have to teach you next," Tolly said.

At long last it was Ralph who came to wish them well on his way to school, though he was not alone but accompanied by a young girl his same age.

"Go get 'em, Hurley, Tolly. I'll be here for my shift at four," Ralph said.

"And who is this?" Tolly asked the girl.

"Susie," the girl said with a sweet extension of her hand. "Or Sue is fine. I live a couple blocks over and told Ralph I'd walk him to the bus stop since these streets aren't as safe."

"Ah, so you are his protector," Tolly said, shaking her hand succinctly.

"Well, I can't imagine him facing a fight himself, can you?"

Tolly of course knew that Ralph had faced many dangers, including certain death that was thwarted, a murder before his eyes, a gunshot wound inches from his face, and the reveal of a merfolk in his midst. But he nodded, nonetheless.

"True. Ralph could use a good bodyguard," Tolly said. "That is how Leigh and I met."

"Really?" Sue looked between Tolly and Leigh like they were a couple to be revered. "You have a very nice shop together, Mr. Allen."

"Thank you."

"You two run along now and don't be late," Leigh said, shooing them away.

Sue waved goodbye before heading down the street.

Ralph came up quickly to hiss a harried, "Don't get excited, we're just friends." Then he gushed with a grin lighting up his face like mentions of Deanna never had, "I really don't want to screw this up. She is so awesome."

"I wish you well," Tolly whispered back, "but we are here if you need advice."

"You can fix anything, right?" Ralph said, offering a wink before hurrying off to catch up to his friend. He would be fine, in time. Leigh and Tolly would see to that.

They would see to many things, for while there had been no whispers of Moretti loyalists or angry merfolk scorned by what Tolly and Leigh had helped put in motion, there was always the chance that threats would arise to undo what they had made. One look at them dared their detractors to come and try their worst. After all, they were mated now, bonded, linked for all time, and Leigh was merfolk with Tolly—stronger, fierce and powerful. They could swap between all three forms to suit them and hold their own in any fight, land or sea.

Maybe Tolly would have been a killer if his parents had been more like other merfolk, but here, with Leigh, in a shop on the corner of a less than reputable street, he had found home.

Like coming up for air when he had most needed it.

The door chimed with their first unknown customer.

"Well." Tolly turned to Leigh. "Shall we see what they need?"