Author's note: Sorry I haven't had time to update. Things have been crazy with exams and university. Hope you all enjoy it!

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Tommy was panting when he rolled off of me. My eyes and nose burned with tears. I lied there and let him do it to me. The worst part was when he made me talk.

"I want you to make those noises," Tommy had said as he was thrusting into me. "The ones I can hear you making with Jimmy."

I chewed on my lip before forcing myself to moan.

Tommy snaked his arm around my shoulders and I clutched the sheets against my chest. He let out a deep breath and rand his hand through his hair.

"That was better than with Carrie," he told me. "I'm going to like this deal."

I squeezed my eyes shut. "I better get going. Carrie may tell Jimmy or Charles."

"She wouldn't. She's too scared to."

I curled my fingers tighter into the blanket. I couldn't stand lying in this bed. I wanted to grab Hunter, cry and run outside to Jimmy. He could never know this had happened though.

"Dad and Jim are going into town Sunday," he said.

"What day is today?" I asked

"Thursday."

Three days. I had three days to let Jimmy know. I would have to tell him tonight.

"I better get up," Tommy told me. I let out a deep breath. "I don't want Dad noticing I'm gone."

I sat up on the bed, keeping the sheets up to cover my body. Tommy propped himself up on his elbow and smirked at me. I grabbed my clothes off of the ground with my free hand. Tommy watched me as I put my clothes. I ran out of the bed as quick as possible. I left Tommy's room without looking back.

I ran down the stairs to see Carrie bouncing Hunter up and down on her hip as she dusted the shelves. Carrie's face went pale when she saw me. I ripped Hunter out of her arms and hugged him tightly. I took in a deep breath of his scent of soap and milk.

"Julie, what happened?" she asked me softly.

Tommy came down the stairs and we turned our heads to look at him. He walked to the door. He stopped and looked over his shoulder at me.

"Keeping our deal for tomorrow too?" he asked.

I nodded my head and buried my face back into Hunter. When the door slammed shut, I could feel Carrie rub her hand up and down my back.

"Julie, what's going on?" she asked me.

"It doesn't matter," I told her.

I could feel a warm tear trickle down my cheek. I wiped it away with the back of my hand. Carrie's eyes widened and she shook her head.

"What's going on?" she asked again. "Is Tommy hurting you?"

"I told you it doesn't matter." I didn't want to tell her what was going on. I knew she'd tell Jimmy and Charles wanting to protect me. "Never ask Tommy either. It'll upset him."

"Julie-"she pleaded.

"Keep cleaning," I cut her off. "I'll start dinner."

I turned around before she could say anything. I put Hunter down in his crib and tucked a stuffed monkey beside him. I opened up the fridge and pulled out a few strips. I began dicing up some carrots as I let the meat fry.

Carrie didn't say anything to me and I was thankful.

—

As soon as I saw Jimmy come through the door, I ran to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. He chuckled and hugged me.

"You almost knocked me over," he told me.

"I think she's too tiny for that," Tommy said coming through the table.

I nuzzled myself into Jimmy with handfuls of his shirt. He kissed the top of my head before sliding his arms off of me.

"I should wash up," he said.

"I missed you today," I mumbled into his shirt.

"I'll be quick." He said giving me another kiss. "Finish putting dinner on the table."

"Okay," I said pulling myself away from him.

I watched him follow Tommy up the steps. Carrie walked into the kitchen. She had Hunter in her arms and was bouncing him up and down. She picked him up and played with him as soon as she had finished cleaning.

"Carrie, help me set the table," I told her.

"No problem," she said as Hunter reached up and grabbed her hair.

She put Hunter down in his crib and I handed her a stack of plates. She started to put them down onto the table when Charles came in. He was panting heavily and his face was red. Sweat was rolling down his cheeks.

I put the bowls of vegetables on the table and watched Charles walk over to the table. He grabbed his chest and lowered himself into his chair.

Jimmy and Tommy were laughing when they came down the stairs. Jimmy stopped laughing and his smile dropped when he saw Charles. Tommy looked at Jimmy before shifting his gaze to Charles. His eyes widened.

"Dad what's wrong?" Jimmy asked him.

"Nothing," Charles said in between breaths. "I just seem...to not catch...my breath...my chest hurts too."

"Maybe you should go lie down," Jimmy said.

"Nah," Charles wheezed. "I'll be okay."

"Dad-"Tommy started.

"No!" he shouted before clutching his chest even tighter. "Boys, I don't need help."

"Does your arm hurt?" Carrie asked.

Tommy shot her and glare and Carrie looked down at her feet. She wasn't used to not asking questions.

"Yes," Charles said.

"He's having a heart attack," Carrie told them.

"What?" Jimmy yelled. He ran over to Charles and kneeled down in front of him. "What do we do?"

"He has to go to a hospital," she told them. "He needs a shot of epinephrine."

"How do you know this?" I asked her.

"My dad is a doctor."

"No," Charles said. "I'm not going to any hospital. I would rather die in this house."

"You're not going to die, Dad," Tommy told him.

"Tom, let's get him on the couch," Jimmy ordered him.

Tommy ran over and threw Charles arm over his shoulder. Jimmy did the same and they lifted him out of the chair. They shuffled him over to the couch before lying him down on the couch.

"Carrie," Tommy said. "Go grab a pillow off of our bed."

She nodded her head before running up the stairs. Tommy sat down on the edge of the reclining chair with his eyes locked on Charles. Jimmy was pacing across the living room. I reached out to grab Jimmy's arm, but he shook me off of him.

"Dad you're not dying," he told Charles.

"My father had a heart attack," Charles said softly. "It was like this and he died."

Carrie ran back down the stairs with a pillow in her arms. She folded it in half and helped Charles rest his head against it. He shut his eyes.

Carrie walked over next to me in the corner of the living room. We watched it all happen knowing there is nothing we can do.

"James, you'll be the man when I'm gone," Charles wheezed.

"Dad, you're not-" Jimmy's shaky voice said.

"Let me speak," Charles said. "I want you to take over. I know you'll do a good job."

Jimmy got down onto his knees next to the couch. He grabbed Charles hand and squeezed it. Charles' eyes were still closed.

"Dad, please," Jimmy pleaded.

Charles never answered. We waited in silence for a couple of minutes before Charles stopped breathing.