Chapter Twenty-Three

Tommy

Five Years Ago

Blake and I spent the afternoon bowling at the Canfield Bowling Alley. It wasn’t very busy, filled with the usual older crowd that hung out drinking and playing classic rock tunes on the old jukebox, but we had fun. Neither one of us was very good at the game, but at least he didn’t worry about his mother for a couple of hours, which was what I was going for. I just wanted to make him happy and get his mind off everything that had happened.

“See.” I winked as he sat down next to me. “I told you that you’d have fun.”

He looked around the empty building before he pressed his mouth to mine. Blake hummed happily. “You did.” He threaded our fingers together as I leaned into him. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Bug, but you don’t have to thank me. I’d do anything for you.” I squeezed his hand tightly.

Blake nodded. “I meant for earlier. With my mom. I don’t... I don’t like talking about her or her addiction.”

“I’m here for you if you ever need someone to listen,” I murmured and twisted my body to face him as my phone buzzed in my pocket. Ignoring it, I released Blake’s hand so I could tip his face up. “We could try again to get her some help.”

He shook his head. “She’s tired. AA doesn’t work because she doesn’t like that religious aspect of it. Trust me, Mav and Dean’s parents have dropped off more than enough pamphlets to last a lifetime.”

“What about rehab?”

“We can’t afford that. She can’t keep a job long enough to get insurance.”

I pulled my lip between my teeth. “What if—”

“It’s fine, Tommy, she’ll be okay. I’ve been taking care of her for the past four years.” He grunted and climbed to his feet. I heard his phone start ringing as he dragged his hands through his hair. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”

I watched Blake for a moment. “This is a lot for you to handle on your own.” When he didn’t say anything, I stood up. “Bug, what’s going to happen when you leave?”

“I don’t know. I try not to think about it.”

“She can’t keep drinking like this.”

Blake spun around to stare up at me. “You think I don’t know that? You think I haven’t tried for years to get her to stop? Dumped out the bottles of booze only for her to buy more? She hides it from me. Locks her bedroom door. Sometimes she doesn’t even come home because she’s so drunk. Or her friends call me because she’s so wasted, she can’t drive or because she’s fallen or passed out somewhere. Why do you think I never invite you to my house?”

“Blake.”

He rolled his eyes. “My mother has never once come to a Mulligan show, but yours have. Hell, even Maverick and Dean’s parents came to the first one. Killian’s grandmother. But not my mom. She’d rather drink herself to death.” Blake took a shaky breath as he slid his phone from his pocket to answer it. “Hello? Uh, yes, this is her son.”

I watched as his face grew solemn, his skin a pale snow. His green eyes moved to my dark ones, and I swear he looked like he might pass out.

“Bug, what’s wrong?” I moved fast, my arms catching him just as his knees buckled beneath him. He held out his phone to me. “Hello?”

“Yes, Mr. Duncan, as I was saying, your mother has suffered a stroke. We’re going to need you to come down to the hospital as soon as possible.” I tightened my grip on Blake as he stared at me with fear in his olive-colored eyes.

I nodded. “Absolutely. We’ll be right there.” I hung up just as Blake’s face crumbled. “I’ve got you, Bug. I will always be here for you,” I whispered.

***

Blake hadn’t said a word to me. Not since he handed his cell phone to me. We left the bowling alley and drove straight to the hospital. His entire body was rigid as he sat next to me in the waiting room, waiting for the doctor to come speak with him, my parents sitting across from us. The one time I had tried to touch him, Blake had pushed my hand away.

“Blake, sweetie, do you need us to call anyone for you? Your father, maybe?” my mother asked. When he didn’t answer, she looked to me for an answer with wide eyes.

I shrugged my shoulders. “Maybe we can deal with that after.”

A tall, blond man in blue scrubs stepped into the room. “Blake?”

My boyfriend looked terrified.

“I’m Doctor Miles. Would you like to see your mother?”

“Is she talking? Is she awake?” Blake whispered.

The doctor looked around the room. “Uh, no, but I thought maybe you’d still like to see her while I explain to you what’s going on.”

“Francis Olson.” My father introduced himself as he climbed to his feet. “This is my wife, Adele. Our son, Tom, is Blake’s best friend, and Blake like a son to us. We have guardianship of Blake in a situation like this. This is all written in her will. There should be no issues or concerns. Monica and Carl worked this out with us years ago.”

I’m sorry, but what?

Blake’s eyes grew wide. “I’m twenty now.”

“Right, of course.” Doctor Miles nodded. “Monica suffered a stroke due to her excessive drinking. She’s resting right now, so we’re not sure of the aftermath, but we do know that she has lost some of her speech and ability to walk. She will need to stay here for a while before she’s moved to a rehab facility.”

Blake let out a low whine before he dropped his head between his knees. I quickly wrapped my arms around him, afraid he would push me away again. But he leaned into me as he silently began to cry. I rubbed his back and wished that there was something more I could do to ease his pain.

“I can take Blake to see her,” the doctor offered.

I leaned down close to his ear. “Bug, do you want to go see your mother?”

He shook his head and continued to cry.

“Well, if you change your mind, just let one of the nurses know.”

“Wait.” Blake sat up with tears on his cheeks. “Can... can Tommy come with me?” He reached over and grabbed my hand. If my parents saw or cared, they didn’t say anything.

Doctor Miles nodded. “Absolutely.”

“Gretzky.” He tugged on my arm. “Please?”

I nodded, and we followed the doctor to a private room.

“Your mother is sleeping. She probably won’t wake up with the medication she’s on. You can talk to her, tell her you’re here. Take all the time you need.” He squeezed Blake’s shoulder before he disappeared.

“I don’t...” Blake stared up at me with red-rimmed eyes.

I pressed a kiss to his lips. “Tell her you love her, Bug. Tell her you’re here and that she’s going to pull through this. That you’ll be here when she wakes up.”

“Right.” He nodded as he turned to go inside the room.

Mrs. Duncan was lying in the bed looking so small and frail. Like she was on the couch at his home, but much worse. Her color reminded me of a yet-to-heal bruise. Yellow and jaundiced. Her hair was spread out on the pillow as the machines beeped out a rhythm that only they knew.

I wanted to give Blake privacy. I knew he was already struggling with this. He had hidden her problems long enough, but he needed me with him at the same time. He was brave, but maybe he shouldn’t have tried to weather this alone for so long. I stood in the doorway so Blake could have his time with his mother but still have my support.

“I told you, Mom.” His voice was a hushed whisper. “I warned you that something bad was going to happen if you didn’t stop drinking.” My heart broke for him. “I can’t just leave you here if you don’t get better. How am I supposed to go to California with the band if you’re not going to be around to see me become successful? It’s because of you that I’m half the man I am. You taught me how to enjoy music. To read it, write it, and play it. Grandma and Grandpa wouldn’t let you chase your dreams, but you promised me I could chase mine. I can’t follow those dreams if you’re not here to cheer me on to come to the first arena show.” Blake reached for his mother’s hand before he glanced over his shoulder at me for a moment. “I’m going to marry Tommy. We’re going to buy you a big house, give you lots of grand-kids. But you have to be here to see that, too. I want you at my concert. At Tommy’s games. I want you to see my kids grow up and become musical prodigies, hockey players, hell, whatever they want. Please, Mom. I love you so much.” He bowed his head. “I wrote you a song. I want you to hear it.”

I should give him some privacy. Blake wouldn’t want me to hear this. I started to back out of the room before I could hear lyrics that would pierce my heart. I found my parents still sitting in the same seats.

“Are you really Blake’s guardians?”

“Yes,” Dad answered. “After Monica and Blake first moved here, when the two of you grew so close, she came to us. Explained everything. Her drinking, how she tried to stop but couldn’t. We spoke at length with her and Carl, Blake’s father, about what might happen in a situation like this. They both thought it best if he stayed with us to be close to you.”

“I love him,” I blurted before I could stop myself.

Mom gave me a small smile. “We know, honey.”

“He’s... I don’t know how to help him right now. I want to be there, but I’ve never been in a situation like this,” I confessed. “What do I do?”

Mom sighed softly. “Be there for Blake. Tell him he can talk to you if he wants, or if he doesn’t want that, just sit with him. Sometimes that’s the best thing. You can just do nothing together. Make sure he knows you’ve got his back. Hold his hand, tell him you love him, that you care about him. All the things you’re already doing.”

“Tommy?” I looked up to find Blake watching me. “Why... why did you leave?”

I felt like such an asshole. “I thought maybe you wanted some alone time with your mom.” Also, it was weird and awkward. I didn’t know what to say to you or how to help you. I’m not good in situations like this.

“I needed you. I turned around, but you were gone. I was alone.”

“I’m sorry.”

Blake took a step closer as he held out both of his hands. “Please.” Only when I went to take them, he hugged me as he started to cry again. “What am I going to do if she doesn’t get better? How am I supposed to live my life if she can’t live hers?”

I wrapped my arms around Blake. “I don’t know, Bug, but we’ll figure it out.” I stroked his soft hair. “Together.”

“Do you promise?”

“With all my heart. I promise.”

He buried his face in my shoulder as I looked over at my mother.

“ You’re doing perfect ,” she mouthed.

I held Blake as tightly as possible.

“Hey, Bug, let’s sit down,” I suggested and moved us into two chairs. Blake practically climbed into my lap to stay close to me. “You can stay with me tonight,” I whispered against his ear. He glanced up at me. “You want that?” He nodded. “I’ll stay home from school tomorrow.” My father made a grunting noise, but I ignored it. “I don’t want you to be alone.”

Blake sniffed. “Thank you.” He nuzzled my neck before he remembered my parents were there.

“I told them.” I brushed a few stray blond hairs from his face. “That I love you.”

He blinked at me. “You did?”

“Yeah, I did. I’m sorry. I just—”

Blake gripped the sides of my neck and kissed me. “I hope they know how much I love you, too.”