“Why don’t you love me?”
“I do. You know I do.”
“Then why don’t you want to have kids? What’s wrong with me? Don’t you think I’d be a good mother?”
“No baby, it’s timing, just timing. Look, we got nothing right now. Where a kid gonna sleep? In the car with us? Maybe we move into the trailer with my pops so he can beat the shit out of the kid like he used to do to me? No, we need to make our mark first. Have enough bank to get a decent place, maybe a trailer of our own.”
“You mean it Joey? You wanna get a trailer with me, have some kids?”
“Hell yeah, you know you my girl. Now, keep the engine going. Try not to look to nervous alright. If you hear something, if something goes wrong, get the hell out. Meet me at our place.”
“Okay Joey, you don’t let that happen though. Our babies need you to be born.”
—
“Morning Tom.”
“Morning Jim, you catch the game last night?”
“Yeah, hell of a game. Murphy’s the best we’ve had in a long time. Maybe the best ever.”
“Well, look at his old man. Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. He keeps that arm and we might even take the championship.”
“That’d be a thing. I’ll take a coffee and an old fashioned.”
“Coming right up. Plans for the weekend?”
“Taking the kid to the cabin. He’s getting married in two weeks, so might be the last fishing trip for a bit.”
“Jeez, little Ricky’s getting married. How time flies.”
“Tell me about it. It’s Richard now though.”
“He going into the family business?”
“Nope, Richard’s too smart to be a cop. Got himself a real education, working for a big firm in the city. Banking.”
“Well Jim, you tell him to come in while he’s around. I’d love to see him. Oh, and tell him to bring his wife around.”
“Husband.”
“Whatever, makes no difference to me. So long as he’s happy.”
“Yeah, that’s what I told him when he came out. Took me a bit to wrap my head around it, but you know, he does seem to be happy.”
“ALRIGHT MOTHERFUCKERS, PUT YOUR HANDS UP.”
“Fuck, alright.”
“EMPTY THE TILL INTO THE BAG MOTHERFUCKER. NOW!”
“Put the gun down kid.”
“YOU DROP YOURS OLD MAN. I WILL PUT A HOLE IN THIS OLD MAN IF YOU DON’T DROP IT RIGHT FUCKING NOW.”
“Nobody needs to get hurt. Just put the gun down and you can walk out of here. Nobody’s day needs to get ruined. Come on kid.”
“FUCK…”
“Shit. Why’d he make me do that? Fuck.”
“Holy shit Jim. Holy shit.”
“Thirty years, I never had to shoot anyone. Thirty years Tom.”
“Help me. Please help me.”
“Tom call nine one one, get an ambulance down here as fast as you can. Hang on kid. I’m sorry, so sorry.”
“Oh god, Joey. What the fuck did you do? What did you do to my Joey?”
“Mam, calm down. Lie down on the ground and interlace your fingers behind your head.”
“It wasn’t even a real gun. You didn’t have to shoot him. It wasn’t a real gun. Just a replica, a fake. Just to scare you. Oh god. Oh god.”
“Are those too tight? I’m sorry for your loss mam. Please calm down. I didn’t have a choice.”
“Fuck. Joey. Joey. You can’t do this shit to me Joey, we’re getting a trailer together remember? You promised me.”
“Hey Tom, no rush on the ambulance. Too late for it to do any good.”
“Fuck.”
