Four Flames for Angela

Angie was even more upset when she realized Todd was talking about Thomas. She knew Rock was correct. She had to do what was needed to protect Todd, and that meant staying with the brothers at their house. Thomas wasn’t stupid enough to try anything with the four men around. She hoped.

* * * *

Todd was excited when Angie told him they were going to stay with the Tompkins brothers. That made things much easier on Angie. She was afraid he was going to put up a fight.

Thomas had scared him so bad that he was clingy with all of the brothers as well as with Angela.

With all the excitement they decided not to start on the porch until Saturday morning. They secured the materials as much as they could and then treated Todd to pizza and games to help everyone relax.

The next morning they were up early and started working. Angie, Todd, and the puppies were playing in the yard when she saw the car Thomas had been in the day before drive by slowly several times.

She pointed it out to Rock, and he watched as Thomas slowed down and yelled something out his window.

She couldn’t understand what he was saying, but his hand gesture explained more than the words did. Todd also saw and came running to Angie. “I want to go away. I don’t want to be here anymore,” Todd cried, clinging to Angie.

“I know, honey. We’re going to go into the house and let Rock and his brothers finish up out here. Is that better?” Angie held Todd tight. She couldn’t let anything happen to him. She couldn’t.

Angie paced in the house. She wanted to be out helping. But Todd was so much calmer inside. She needed to see what was going on.

They had only been in the house a few minutes when she heard yelling outside. She ran to the window, but couldn’t see much because there was some wood stacked against it.

“Todd, you stay in here. I’m going to see what ‘s going on.” Angie ran to the door with Todd clinging to her. Frustrated, she picked him up and set him on her hip. Damn it, what now?

She pushed the door open and stepped cautiously out onto the floor of the porch. The men had worked hard to demolish the old porch and get the floor finished for the new one so that they could use the front door.

Angie stepped out with Todd on her hip, clinging to her. “What’s going on?” she said loudly.

All four men were standing in the street, and it looked like they were surrounding another man.

“Oh shit! You stay right here.” Angie put Todd down and jumped off the porch, running out to the street to see what was going on.

She found Thomas standing in the street arguing with all four of the Thompkins brothers. She shoved her way between Rock and Hunter who were standing with their backs to her.

“What do you want, Thomas? I told you I don’t have anything for you. You need to stop coming around, or I’m going to call the cops,” Angie yelled, getting in Thomas’s face.

Rock grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back. “We got this, darling. Now be a good girl and go sit on the porch.”

Angie whipped around and yelled, “Be a good girl! Is that how you think of me? This is my fight. You go sit on the porch!”

She whipped back around and stared at Thomas. “Now look. I’m done messing with you. You’re scaring me, and more importantly, you’re scaring Todd. I won’t have it! There’s no money! The lawyer paid off all the bills, and I got a few thousand dollars. That’s it! You want your half, fine! I’ll give you your half, and that’s it. Then we’re done, and you better not come around her again!” She shoved Rock and Hunter out of the way and stomped up to the porch.

“Where are you going?” Thomas asked quietly.

“To get my fucking checkbook. I want your ass gone, and I want it now!” Angie yelled over her shoulder as she made her way to the front door.

River was standing there with Todd. He must have gone over there when she was yelling at Thomas.

“May I help you?” he asked with a shit-eating grin on his face.

Angie stopped long enough for River to lift her up and slammed her way into the house. She was so mad. She was going to end this for once and for all. She stopped long enough to write a check and ripped it out of the book.

Then before she could stop and think about what she was doing she slammed back out the door. River reached one hand up to help her down, then stood back and let her stomp back out to the street.

“Angie’s mad,” Todd whispered to River.

“Yep,” River answered, still grinning.

Angie made her way back to Thomas and shoved the check in his face. “There! That’s your half. Never ask me for anything again!”