Page 11 of Manny Included

He’d made it through the funeral, shaking a million hands of people he didn’t know and nodding solemnly as they cried, shared their stories about Tony and Cindy, and asked about the kids.And when he’d finally made his escape, there’d been the reading of the will.

Everything had been left to the kids in trusts that he was in charge of managing.Everything but a generous yearly salary for Pete, the will stipulating that he was to be kept on as the children’s manny until Flynn turned eighteen.Bay had no problem with any of that, especially the bit about Pete staying on.There was no way he could care for the kids on his own.And then there was the fact that Pete was the one the kids knew.It made total sense.

He hadn’t realized how tightly he’d been holding himself until the lawyer had left, though.Because the moment the door closed behind the guy, Bay felt like he’d been hit by a very large truck.

“Where did Tony keep his booze?”he asked Pete.

“Locked up in the dining room.The key is in the kitchen on the board.”

“Thanks.You want one?”He found the key easily enough and made his way to the formal dining room which looked like it was never used.

“I—” Pete nodded, just barely bobbing his head.

He found the bar and unlocked it.There were glasses there along with a small variety of hard liquors.Grabbing two glasses and a bottle of whiskey, he set them on the table and poured them each a generous fingerful of the booze.He would have liked to add a few more fingers, but he figured with four kids to look after, getting totally drunk was not in the cards.

And honestly, Pete seemed as if he was going to collapse, just crash into the ground.

He handed over Pete’s glass and took a swig of his own.Not too much, though, because he wanted it to last a few minutes, to just have some quiet time to imbibe.

“So what would you say if I suggested I order us supper?”He hoped to hell that would work out, that there was something they could get delivered that the kids would eat.Will’s prepped meals had not arrived yet.Besides, right now, even just heating stuff up seemed like too much effort.

“I would love that.All the kids would eat chicken fingers and fries, and it’s a treat for them.”Pete dug in a drawer and pushed a sheaf of flyers at him.“Local delivery.”

“Cool.What do you want?”He was sure there’d be something on a menu that had chicken fingers and fries that he would eat.Hell, he could put away a burger and fries like he hadn’t eaten in a week.

“I’d take a burger, if you eat them.Tony didn’t eat red meat…”

“Well, even if I didn’t, you can totally eat what you want—I would not be offended.And I know about the no red meat thing—he started that when we were teenagers.”Bay shrugged.Eat what you want, don’t eat what you don’t want.As long as Tony didn’t lecture him, he didn’t care.And Tony hadn’t, after the first couple times when they’d both been in high school.

“Then I’d love a burger.I haven’t had one in months.”

He grabbed one of the flyers that looked like it had what they were looking for.“They’ve got an all-dressed double burger here.That sound good?”He’d have one himself, too.Something greasy and delicious.

“It does.I guess it shouldn’t, but it does.”

“Comfort food,” Bay suggested.It didn’t matter if it was good for you or not, it made you feel good.Like a greasy food hug.

And he thought Pete needed a hug and some calories in the worst way.

He made the order—three chicken fingers, four children’s fries, and two adult meals.

“A half hour, apparently.”He took another sip of his drink.“Where are the kids?”

“The babies are asleep.Belle is watching Spongebob.Eric is playing Lego.”

“Okay.Okay, good.”He took another sip, letting himself relax more than he had in days.

Pete nodded and sat, head propped on his hand.“It’s been a long day.”

“It’s been a long fu-dging week.”He was getting better at not swearing here at the house.

“Yes.Endless.I keep waiting for it to be over.”

Bay shook his head.“Seven days may pass, but this is a long time from being over.”It was permanent, and the ramifications were going to continue on for a very long time.Because Tony and Cindy were not coming back.

“Yeah, I know.I just… where do you live?Are we going there?”

He shook his head.“I have a condo downtown.It is not kid friendly.Besides, this is what the kids know, right?”