The Old Tuck Shop

FORTY-EIGHT

"Finn? Finn is that you?" Agatha asked, putting on her glasses. Her eyes were gleaming. She was pleased to see me.

"It's me," I said, and I smiled awkwardly.

We then hugged, and Agatha pulled away as if remembering that I haven't been here for the past three weeks, and I had theoretically run away from home.

She gave me a sour look, and then slapped me. "Why the bloody hell did you do that? I've been worried about you for weeks."

"I'm sorry?" I chuckled, trying to ease the tension, but anything it made it worse.

"This isn't funny, Finley," she said. "You've been gone for almost a month."

"It hasn't been a month," I said, stepping inside, and placing my bag on one of the settees.

"Finn, you can't just do something like this. You had me worried sick. You could've been dead in a ditch, and I would never have known." Her voice softened and was now fragile.

"Well I'm alive, aren't I?" I said, sarcastically.

She sighed, before giving me a long hug. "Don't ever do something like that again."

"I promise."

She broke away from our hug and put on her cream cardigan. "Your partner in crime is upstairs... I'm sure he'd want to know what adventures you've had."

"I doubt he'd be that excited. Nothing really happened," I replied, sighing. I was ashamed at the fact that I said nothing happened when that was furthest from the truth. I met Poppy. That was a lot.

"I'm sure he'd like to see you, anyway." She grabbed a pile of ironing. "You do remember the way to your room, right?"

I chuckled. "Yes, of course."

I grabbed my bag and began walking up the stairs.

"Oh, Finn?" Agatha called from the living room. I stopped walking and smiled at her.

"It's good to have you back," she said.

"It's good to be back... Aggie," I replied, and she smiled.

"Knock, knock," I chuckled, walking into my bedroom. Ton was sat by the window, and he had his headphones in, staring at his phone. He hadn't noticed me. I sneaked upon him and shook his shoulders.

"Fucking hell - Finn? When did you get back?... Jesus... You gave me a heart attack." He wrapped headphones around his phone and put it to the side. He then hugged me.

"So... what was it like? And don't miss out on details..." Ton rambled, as I sat on my bed.

"Woah... easy tiger. One question at a time," I chuckled.

"Did you find her?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"Who?" I asked.

"The girl," he answered.

I raised my eyebrows. I didn't know what he was talking about.

"The girl... The one you literally ran away from home for... The one you saw outside your window when you were like eleven," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, her. No, I didn't find her," I replied, sighing.

"That's a shame... What was it like, though?" he asked, his voice high pitched. He was really hyper and excited.

"Jesus... Did you fall on an adrenaline needle? Why are you so jumpy?" I asked, yawning.

"My best friend has been away for a few weeks having the time of his life... I'm just curious," he replied. "What was it like?... Did you have to sleep in a cardboard box?... Did you have to fight with a shit load of people... Did you get mugged?" he laughed.

"Why do you always think that I could get mugged easily?... Have you seen these bad boys?" I rolled up my sleeve and pretended to flex.

"You've got noodle arms," Ton laughed, squeezing my bicep. I punched him playfully.

"And to answer your questions... No, I never had to sleep in a cardboard box... I kind of got into a fight, but it was a misunderstanding... And no, I didn't get mugged."

"Oooo... I'm intrigued... What was this fight that turned out to be a misunderstanding?" he asked.

"You know my friend Josh? From when I was a kid?" I asked.

Ton nodded. "With the super hot, older sister."

I rolled my eyes. "Yes... So basically I was helping out with this old man in his shop, and he was telling me that someone kept stealing money from this charity jar... And one day this person came in and ran off with the jar... Me being the brave hero I am, chased after him, and it turned out to be Josh."

Ton opened his mouth wide as if simulating a jaw drop. "Plot twist of the century... Shit! That is so cool though."

"It was very awkward, and weird, but kinda cool at the same time," I said.

"But if you weren't sleeping on the streets... Did you just stay with Josh?" Ton asked, and I gave a half-smile.

"No... There was this old man - the one I was helping out in his shop... And he let me live with him. His name was Mr Callaghan, but everyone called him Cal... he was the best." I smiled, as I remembered the first time I met him.

"He sounds sweet. I hope I can meet him," Ton said.

All of a sudden, the emotions I had been keeping in for so long, poured out of me. It was a stressful day, and it was too much for me.

"Did I say something? Finn? Are you alright?" Ton put his arms around me and held me tight.

"He's... He's gone... He's really gone," I cried.

"Oh, Finn. I'm sorry," Ton said, clutching me tighter.

Cal was gone. It had only now sunk in. But I was safe now. And I was able to let him go. Not fully, but enough.