Finnegan
I stared at my reflection in the small mirror above the prize booth and questioned every single decision that had led to this mont.
This was not how my Saturday was supposed to go.
"You look amazing, Dad." Angel was beside , all dimples and barely-contained giggles, fiddling with the purple mustache plastered to her upper lip. It kept threatening to fall off every ti she laughed, which was constantly.
"I look ridiculous." I grumbled, itching to rip off the mustache. But I promised Angel we would do anything she wanted today, and only an asshole broke his promise to his daughter.
River sidled up at my other shoulder, a monocle perched on one eye and a deep red mustache curling above her lip. She arched a brow at like she’d planned the whole look.
"We look like the world’s most dysfunctional Victorian family," Henry joined in, planting himself behind us with his arms folded. His bloody mustache was the largest of all four.
A mischievous laughter escaped — Henry looked more ridiculous than the rest of us put together. Suddenly my mustache didn’t feel so bad. Angel squealed, snatching River’s hand and mine and tugging us back toward the arcade floor.
Back when I was younger, I used to like the arcade. Now I couldn’t possibly understand why I didn’t. It was noisy as fuck, so many crash sounds and beeping. Then there was the annoying blue an red lights that made it hard to see shit.
There were so children screaming sowhere near the back, their shrieks threatening to pull under. I loved quietness. Under any other circumstances I would rather be at a dentist right now having my tooth pulled out than be here.
But Angel ca first. She always did and she was more important than my comfort.
"Dad, co on," she tugged toward one of the claw machines, pointing at a stuffed animal inside it. It looked kind of bear wearing sunglasses. "You’re doing this one. You have to get him for Dad, I’m naming him Finnegan Junior."
"Are you saying I look like a bear?" I lifted my hands like paws and growled. Angel cackled, her head tipping in a chuckle that had my lips tugging into a smile.
I fed the token in, and she rose up on her toes beside , coaching on how to grab the bear. River wandered over to the machine next to ours while Henry ca up at my shoulder.
"Your mustache is crooked," he teased.
"Don’t start."
"I want the Finnegan Junior too," he whined in a high, tiny voice.
"I don’t sound like that, Uncle Henry," Angel shot back, flapping her arms and clucking at him.
While she and River ganged up on Henry, he leaned in close to my ear.
"That guy you asked to look into. The one who tried to hurt your girl."
My eyes darted to Angel. She was deep in conversation with River, so I turned back to Henry.
"What about him?"
"He was moved from the station,"
The claw plunged down, grabbed nothing, and started its slow retreat.
"What do you an moved?"
"He was transferred out of state before the trial. There’s no public record of which judge signed that off but my guy at the police station says the order ca from above. He couldn’t get anything further than that."
I straightened slightly, my jaw tightening. Abigail wouldn’t talk to right now, but I wanted to know who the fuck that guy was and why he had attacked her.
Then I was going to make him beg to be killed.
"Dad, you almost had him!" Angel groaned as I couldn’t get the bear for her. "Again, again."
I fed another token in and tried again.
"Can your guy look further into it?" I asked Henry.
"I already told him to start digging. I’ll have sothing for you by Tuesday." He paused, the serious look falling off his face while he wiggled his brows.
"Do you want to tell why you want to find him? Is soone feeling all protective of his precious Abigail?"
"Precious Abigail?" Angel’s head snapped up from the machine. "Who’s that?"
The claw crashed into the side of the machine and I fixed Henry a glare.
"Oops, my bad," He chuckled, holding his hand up in the air.
"Don’t worry about it, princess. Look I’ll get the bear-"
"Is she your girlfriend?" Angel’s eyes widened with delight. "Dad has a girlfriend!"
"I didn’t say that," I muttered, suddenly feeling too hot in the bloody mustache.
"Henry said you have a Precious Abigail,"
"Henry says many things, doesn’t an you have to pay attention to them."
My daughter cocked her head, a smug smile on her lips as she arched her brow at . "You know being all defensive only tells I’m right, Dad."
Well shit. I forgot how smart she was.
"Is she pretty at least?" Angel pressed. "Please tell she’s pretty. Please."
"You shouldn’t go around saying things like that," I said, trying to redirect her attention to the claw machine. "Let’s get you that bear,"
"Fine, whatever you say. Now I want two bears, if you want to shut up about it," She flashed a grin and I sighed, relieved that she didn’t seem angry or torn up about it.
Would Angel accept Abigail? They would get along, right? Abigail could get along with a hedgehog if she wanted to, she was that fucking charismatic.
God, I missed her. Her scent, her eyes lighting up in that bright smile and her sense of humor.
"Angel?"
She didn’t look up from the claw machine as she humd. "Mm."
"Hypothetically, if I did have a girlfriend," I mumbled, suddenly feeling like I was wearing a pant two sizes small. "Would that be alright with you?"
"As long as she makes you happy," Her green eyes flicked up to et mine, "And she isn’t a bitch. I have pretty low standards,"
"Language," I smiled, reaching over to ruffle her hair.
She squird away, laughing. "Co on Uncle Henry, let’s play mortal Kombat!"
I left her to destroy Henry, walking out to a much quieter corridor. Abigail’s na sat at the top of my recent calls. I pressed dial and leaned against the wall, listening to it ring, hoping and praying she would pick this ti.
She didn’t. With a sigh, I pulled up her best friend’s number. Annette picked right on the first ring and before she could say a word, I spoke up.
"Good afternoon, Miss Lancaster, What do I have to do, to get you to hear out for five minutes?"
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