Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

~Chapter 1~

~ Jimmy Pesto Sr. ~

You’re a useless piece of shit, James Poplopovich.
Her stupid voice… Like nails on a chalkboard. I’m just trying to work on closing up the restaurant tonight, and I just can’t focus on it. It’s all I’ve been able to focus on all night.
My ex-wife… Colleen Caviello. She’s mad about something or another, and she called me at work to yell at me about it because whatever it is, it’s my fault. It’s always my fault with her. We’ve been divorced for six years now, and all I want is for it all to be over. But I can’t just let it go because she refuses to. Every other month, Colleen’s calling me because she expects something else from me when I already gave her everything she asked for all those six years ago. She has shared custody of my boys. She has all the money she needs.
I wish she’d just leave me alone…
Literally no one likes you, Jimmy, why the hell would they?
I just swallow the lump in my throat. Shake my head hard to get myself to focus. C’mon, Jimmy, let it go.
While I’m finishing up with counting the cash register door, I look up and across at Bob’s place. God, he’s a lucky man. I’d never tell him that, but dammit he’s so lucky, and I’ve envied it for so long. I’ve been so upset and miserable with my own life that it’s radiated out in aggression and hatred. It’s not warranted, I know. But I just want what Bob has. He has a wife that loves him, that makes him really happy. Amazing food at his restaurant, he can really cook, and he’s talented. I could probably learn a thing or two from him. Admittedly, I can’t cook… Just really want to.
Maybe I’ve just wanted to have a friend in him for so long. But I let my jealousy and competitive nature get the best of me… And I’ve been nothing but a dick to him the whole time I’ve known him.
Shit. Maybe Colleen’s right. I am kind of an asshole and a piece of shit.
I growl at myself, and just try to get this last thing done. Really, it’s the last thing and then I can gather up the boys and go home. Let Trev head home, too; he works really hard.
But her voice from her phone call earlier today just keeps echoing in my head.
Fuck you, Jimmy. I wish you’d just die.
I let out an angry yell. Slam the cash drawer shut and work on bringing the remit and all the paperwork into my office. I’m not entirely finished but I’ll deal with it tomorrow.
Though, when I’m finally alone, that lump in my throat suddenly clogs it. My chest feels tight… Tight to the point that it feels stuffy. I suddenly can’t breathe…
The walls of my office are closing in around me, and I don’t feel uncomfortable in my own skin anymore. I feel afraid… I feel like I’m dying…
Fuck… Fuck, I can’t…
I sit myself down in my chair, trying to get ahold of myself. But I just can’t… Every second that passes feels like hours. I’m not inside my own head… My vision starts to blur. I’m clawing at my neck and my chest out of desperation.
I’m gasping for breath… I can’t breathe…
I can’t breathe… I’m dying…
In the middle of just everything going on, I hear a knock on the doorframe of my office, and my brain just barely makes out Trev’s face.
“Jimmy? You okay?” he asks. “We good to close up?”
Just then, though, he stops short, and he looks really worried. “Jimmy! Oh my god!” he gasps, running over and kneeling beside me. “Jimmy, what’s going on? Are you alright?”
I gasp in another breath of air, though it doesn’t feel like it’s even doing anything. “I… I-I can’t breathe…” I try to tell him… I realize that my voice is all choked up. I feel a wetness spilling from my eyes. “I’m… Having a heart attack…”
Trev’s eyes suddenly become afraid. He places a hand on either of my shoulders. “Alright, Jimmy, alright,” he tries to speak calmly. “Try to breathe with me here; everything’s okay. Ready? Deep breath in…”
As Trev breathes in, I try to follow his lead. I breathe in, but I can’t… It’s not making it to where it needs to go…
“Okay, okay. Breathe out.”
Again, I try, but even that seems like a lot of effort through my chest. It’s like there’s a lead brick on my chest.
“I know, man, I know, just… Just, just, keep breathing. You’re gonna be fine,” Trev tries to tell me. I know the kid’s trying to stay strong, but his voice is shaking. He’s never really been good at staying calm in serious situations. I just appreciate that he’s doing his best right now.
Just then, there’s another voice behind Trev. A voice with a lisp, one that warms my heart whenever I hear it.
“Dad? Trev? Are you guys here?”
My oldest son, Jimmy Jr., peers around the corner, and as soon as he sees what’s going on, he gasps… His breathing picks up and I see his deep, brown eyes fill with tears.
With every part of me, I want to tell Jimmy Jr. not to worry… That everything’s okay. I don’t like seeing him cry and get upset. Colleen always used to scream at him and make him cry, and that pissed me off.
“Dad?” Jimmy Jr. asks, voice all cracked with tears. “Dad, what… What…?” There’s a soft sob. “Daddy?”
Trev looks over his shoulder at Jimmy Jr. nodding softly. “Everything’s okay, Jimmy Jr.,” he tries to reassure my son. “Stay calm, okay? I… I need you to go across to Bob’s place. Let him know that your Dad thinks he’s having a heart attack and we need help.”
Jimmy Jr. is so choked up he can’t even speak. He just nods, and hurries off.
Trev stays with me, though. He just tries to get me to breathe…. He loosens my tie and unbuttons the first few buttons of my shirt to free up my airways.
But I just can’t. Everything around me feels like it’s ending…
I just don’t know what to do with myself.

~ ~ ~

Chapter Text

~Chapter 2~

~ Bob Belcher ~

Just another calm night.
Lin and I let the kids off work tonight early. They’re upstairs playing one of their games. If it’s dangerous, I haven’t the slightest. We’ll find out later, I guess.
So now it’s just Linda and I. Mort’s here, too… He’s got himself a coffee, black with two sugars, as he usually takes it. Seems like he’s just about ready to wind down.
I look at Linda just then. “Did Gene ask you for the big bottle of dish soap?” I realize.
Linda bites her lip to hide a smirk, averting her eyes away from me. “Nooo…”
I just sigh and shake my head. “I don’t know what plans they have, but you can help them clean up the dish soap slip-and-slide they make in the hallway, if that’s what’s happening,” I remind her.
My wife just holds up her hands. “Hey, you just don’t believe in them enough, Bobby!” she says. “Maybe they’re up there doing all those dishes they were supposed to get done last night – you don’t know!”
I just chuckle. “Have you met our kids, Lin?”
Mort laughs softly. “Have faith, Bob. Maybe they’re preparing you a relaxing bubble bath,” he suggests. He sinks a little further into the stool he’s sitting in. “Hmm. That actually sounds nice. Maybe that’s how I’ll wind down tonight.”
Though, it doesn’t seem like any of us are going to be winding down any time soon.
No warning, Jimmy Pesto Jr. bursts through the doors of the restaurant like it’s the end of the world. At first, I assume he’s just looking to tell Tina the “hot goss” at school or whatever the kids are calling it these days.
But it’s clear that he’s not okay. Jimmy Jr.’s eyes are bloodshot, and rivers of tears run down his cheeks. He’s breathing so fast I’m nearly afraid he’s going to pass out, and his hands and legs are shaking violently.
“Jimmy Jr.?” I ask gently. “Hey, hey… It’s alright, buddy. What’s going on?”
Jimmy Jr. can’t even speak for a good minute. He’s breathing too hard… He nearly trips over himself trying to walk up to the bar counter. He’s sobbing… He’s crying way too hard to talk.
Linda hurries out from behind the counter to console him… She kneels down next to him and wraps an arm around his shoulders. “Ohh, sweetie,” she whispers. “It’s alright. Everything’s okay.”
Mort turns to face him, too. “Just breathe, Jimmy Jr.,” he reminds him. “Take a couple of deep breaths for me.”
Jimmy Jr. does… He takes three, good deep breaths. Well, he does his best with it, anyways. His breathing is still shaking, but it wards off his tears long enough to be able to talk.
“‘Atta boy,” Mort praises him. “What’s up, kiddo?”
Jimmy Jr. takes another deep breath before he keeps talking. “My Dad thinks he’s having a heart attack,” he explains. “He’s at the restaurant with Trev now.”
All three of us are immediately on our feet and we snap into action.
“Oh god,” I mutter, racing out from behind the counter. “Lin, call 911.” I pat Mort’s shoulder to lead him into following Jimmy Jr. across the street with me. “Bring him to us, Jimmy Jr. Everything's gonna be okay.”
While Linda works on calling an ambulance for Jimmy Pesto Sr., Mort and I follow Jimmy Jr. across the street, and into his Dad’s restaurant.

Already, it seems like everything’s in disarray. Sort of… I know that Jimmy closes up around this time, and that’s evident; everything’s ready to be locked up until he opens again tomorrow. Though, Jimmy’s twin boys, Andy and Ollie, are sitting on the floor in the middle of the restaurant. The poor things are hugging each other, screaming and crying hysterically. “Daddy’s dying!!” they keep screaming bloody murder.
Poor little guys… I know they’re scared about their Dad. Linda’s back at the restaurant, of course, but I’m sure if she was with us, she’d be here to comfort them.
Really, though, I wonder what’s going on with Jimmy. He’s a generally healthy man… What would send him into a heart attack?
Jimmy Jr. shows us to his Dad’s office. “He’s in here…” he whimpers.
Sure enough, Mort and I step in to see exactly what’s going on. Trev’s kneeling down in front of Jimmy Sr., who’s sitting in his office chair all slumped over while his bartender’s just trying to get him to breathe.
Jimmy… Oh god. I’ve never seen him in such a state. He’s always so haughty and snappy, and holding his head high and proud.
Now, he’s struggling to breathe. Espresso brown eyes leaking with tears that stream down his cheeks and his neck. He’s choking out tiny, little sobs, and it breaks my heart that he’s crying. His face is deathly pale, except for his eyes and nose, and the splotches all over his face from crying, and his lips are nearly blue. His teeth are chattering and his hands are shaking.
Trev looks over his shoulder sharply, and I see that even he’s tearing up. I understand… Jimmy’s his best friend, I get that he’s worried sick.
“Is… Is…?” is the only thing Trev manages to say.
I just nod. “It’s alright, Trev,” I reassure him. “Linda’s calling an ambulance.”
Mort steps forward, placing a comforting hand on Trev’s shoulder. “Is it okay if I check him out a little?” he asks. Of course, Mort is a mortician, but he has a certain amount of medical knowledge… Maybe enough to figure out what’s going on with Jimmy.
Trev silently nods. Steps out of the way and lets Mort take his place.
“Hey Jimmy,” he starts off gently. “Can you hear me?”
Jimmy picks his head up slightly. Lets out a weak whimper. “Hi,” he squeaks. “Mort?”
Mort nods. “Yep, it’s me,” he says. “I know you think you’re having a heart attack. Can I check ya really quick before the paramedics get here?”
Jimmy just nods. Sniffles under his breath.
“Okay. Can you start by telling me if you’re having any chest pain? Does your chest hurt?” Mort asks. “I know you’re having some trouble breathing.”
Jimmy gasps in another breath. “I-it’s tight,” he says. “Doesn’t really hurt… Just tight…”
“Okay, okay. Good sign there,” Mort mutters. “What about your jaw? Does it hurt at all?”
Jimmy shakes his head.
“Good. Now, can you do me a favor and lift your arms over your head?”
Jimmy does. Sits himself up as much as he can, and raises both arms over his head. It doesn’t seem to me like he’s having much trouble doing it.
“Perfect, just like that,” Mort says. “Any pain?”
Again, Jimmy shakes his head before resting his arms back down in his lap.
“Good. Again, seems like a good sign,” Mort points out. “I’m just going to borrow your wrist here; check your pulse.”
Mort takes gentle hold of one of Jimmy’s hands, resting two fingers on the inside of his wrist. Lifts his other wrist to keep an eye on his watch. This, I know, is something Mort does a lot more frequently; of course, he needs to make sure that the body given to him is dead, for absolute sure, before he starts embalming it. Of course, in that case, Mort doesn’t want to feel a pulse in their wrist.
This is totally different, naturally; we want a normal pulse in Jimmy.
For a long minute, we just try to stay quiet so Mort can concentrate. Make sure he gets an accurate reading of Jimmy’s pulse and heart rate.
Finally, he nods, pressing his lips together. “Your heart is racing, Jimmy, that’s for sure,” he says. “Might be an arrhythmia we’re dealing with here.” He tries to smile encouragingly. “It’s alright, though. We’ll make sure you get to the hospital and the doctors will figure it out for sure.” Mort takes both of Jimmy’s hands comfortably into his. “Just squeeze my hands.”
Jimmy just sniffles softly. Focuses on just squeezing Mort’s hands as best as he can.
Though, he lifts his eyes, and the two of us make eye contact.
I try to grin, but I find that it’s shaking. “Hey Jimmy,” I say softly.
I don’t know if it’s something I said, or… Or what. But Jimmy absolutely bursts into tears. He’s bawling even more than he was before.
“Bob!” he bawls desperately. “Bob, I… I… I’m sorry!”
I knit my eyebrows worriedly. Shake my head. “Jimmy… Jimmy, you’re okay,” I reassure him, approaching slowly and carefully. “You didn’t do anything wrong…”
I look to Mort, and I see that he and Jimmy are gripping each other’s hands tightly. Mort just nods gently, giving me the go-ahead.
So I kneel down beside Jimmy, and I place a hand on his shoulder. “What’s going on, Jimmy?” I ask him. Somehow, I feel like his current heart problems were brought on by something. Something that’s been happening… I know Jimmy has been miserable for a long time. He’s been through the wringer in terms of his horrible divorce. His ex-wife treats him terribly, and I know that woman gives Linda a run for her money, too… Colleen’s just not a nice person.
Maybe Jimmy just needs to vent.
Jimmy lets out another series of loud, heart wrenching sobs. “I’m sorry, Bob,” he sobs. “I’ve been an asshole. I know… I’ve been an asshole to you because I’m jealous. I’m jealous… And I took out my frustrations on you.” He shakes his head, bawling his eyes out. “I wanna be friends… I wanna be happy when I see you with Linda, and how she makes you happy. And… And I wanna see your restaurant do good, because you’re good at what you do.” His breathing catches, and he looks right at me again. “I’m sorry, Bob… I’m so sorry…”
Looking at how sad he is almost makes me want to cry. But I breathe it off and stay strong for him. Pat his shoulder comfortingly.
“Listen, Jimmy. It’s alright. I always knew there was something deep down, and… I’m glad you told me,” I reassure him. “I know you’re not in a place where you can talk about it too much… But once you’re out of the hospital and you’ve been checked out and your chest feels better, we can talk more, okay? I’ll make you some nice comfort food. And we can just talk about whatever you want. Sound like a deal?”
Jimmy sniffles. But he nods. Lets go of one of Mort’s hands and holds onto mine… I give it a squeeze.
“Okay,” he agrees. “Thank you, Bob.”
And I breathe out… I’m glad I was able to get to Jimmy’s poor, broken heart after all of these years. I always knew there was something going on under that tough, manly-man exterior of his.
He just needed someone to help him understand himself.

Eventually, the paramedics get here, and they start with loading Jimmy onto the gurney. Trev and I help him walk there and lie down properly. While we’re doing that, Mort talks to the medics about his own findings. It seems like the medics will take the time to examine Jimmy once they’ve got him loaded into the ambulance; they want to make sure he gets to the hospital as soon as possible.
Before they take him out, though, Jimmy looks to me. “Bob…” he whimpers. “Can… Can you take my boys with you for the night?”
I nod. “Of course, Jimmy. Of course,” I reassure him. “I’ll bring them with me and make sure they’re safe and sound. I’m sure my kids will help them feel better.”
Jimmy lids his eyes gently, taking a deep breath… It seems like his breathing is already doing a little better, which is good. “Thank you, Bob. Thank you so much,” he whispers. “I… I’ll see you soon.” He also looks over to where Mort and Trev stand. “Thank you, Mort… You too, Trev.”
He reaches out his hand for me, and I brush mine against his in sort of a handshake. Finish off with a fist-bump.
The paramedics let Jimmy see Jimmy Jr. off. Stop in the restaurant so he can see his twins. Poor Andy and Ollie want to climb onto the gurney with him and go to the hospital with him, but Mort and I reassure them both it’ll be okay… Daddy’s going to be alright.
Then they load Jimmy into the ambulance… Take off with him to the hospital to make sure he’s okay.
Mort and I round up Jimmy’s boys. Jimmy Jr. opts to give Andy a piggyback ride over to my place, and Mort carries Ollie on his hip. Both of us say goodnight to Trev… Make sure he’ll be okay, seeing as he’s pretty shaken.
And once we’re sure he’s gonna be okay, we head over to my place. Rest assured that Jimmy’s gonna be okay now.
I know there’s probably a lot he wants to talk about tomorrow. And I’ll be right here to listen.

Chapter Text

~Chapter 3~

~ Bob Belcher~

The kids were really good with Pesto’s boys last night. Tina sat on the couch with Jimmy Jr. and the two of them just talked until he felt better. Eventually he was well enough to distract himself with a game of Munchkin. No idea where Tina learned to play Munchkin, but I’m sure it was from Daryl or something. Sure as hell wasn’t me, because I never understood it. Hell, I won against Mort, Linda and Mickey that one time and I have no idea how.
Gene and Louise hung out in the living room with Andy and Ollie. They shared the secret stash of popsicles Louise has been hiding in the restaurant’s walk-in for god knows how long, which seemed to help. I know that when I’m having a panic attack because of my own anxiety disorder, I like the feeling of something cold on my tongue to ground me, whether that’s a glass of ice water or a popsicle. And then once Andy and Ollie’s tears subsided, they opted for a game on the Nintendo Switch.
The six of them were up well past Linda and I went to bed. Before we did, though, she made sure to give each of Pesto’s boys a kiss on the forehead… A kiss from Jimmy, she told them, since he wasn’t there to give them one himself. The notion made Jimmy Jr. all teary again, but he was smiling.
We’ll wait to see what the verdict on Jimmy is tomorrow. Hopefully he’s okay.

I open the restaurant in the morning, as usual. It’s really quiet. Mort and Teddy come by before they have some work of their own to get done. A few customers come and go.
Right now, though, it’s just me. Linda went to the store, and the kids are still upstairs with Pesto’s boys. That’s fine, though… I’ll let them be. I know Jimmy Jr., Andy and Ollie are stressed, and I’m glad the kids are helping them with that.
Now there’s just a lull.
For a while, I’m mostly just doing some prep in case we get a rush. But then I hear the door open, and I head out of the kitchen in case it’s a customer.
It isn’t… But I’m still glad to see it.
It’s Jimmy… He’s back from the hospital.
He looks really tired this afternoon, and I understand. There are deep bags under his dark brown eyes, and his face is a little stubbled. He’s got on a forest green military jacket over a white tank top, and a pair of red sweatpants… Just something comfy.
“Jimmy,” I greet him. “Good to see you up and walking.”
He nods. Manages a small grin and a polite nod. “Hi Bob,” he says. “Good time to talk?”
I nod. “Yeah, yeah. Nothing’s going on right now,” I insist. “Come in. Have a seat, get comfortable.”
The two of us take a seat at the bar, in Teddy and Mort’s usual spots. Jimmy gets comfortable, taking off his jacket and just wearing his tank top. Interestingly, he seems to have some tattoos on his shoulders… I never really see them, honestly, he usually opts for a long-sleeve when he’s working. I also see he hasn’t taken off his hospital identification bracelet yet, either.
“So, uh… How’re you feeling?” I ask gently, taking it easy because I know he’s probably stressed out. “How’d things go at the hospital?” Of course, I leave it for him to share what he’s comfortable with sharing.
Jimmy breathes out calmly. “Ah. Fine enough, I suppose,” he says. “When they brought me in they did an EKG. Did an ultrasound on my heart and my chest and all. I got a CT scan… Just to make sure everything was fine.” He rolls his eyes slightly. “Drew a ton of blood.”
Now that he’s not wearing his jacket, I can see that his left arm has a blood test dressing on the inside of his elbow… The band-aid and the cotton pad are surrounded by a pretty significant bruise. It looks uncomfortable.
I wince. “Sounds tough. Hopefully it went smoothly,” I say. “Did they keep you overnight?”
Jimmy nods. “Yeah. They kept me so they could monitor my heart while I was sleeping,” he says. “They gave me a physical this morning because… It’s been a while since I’ve had one.” He scratches his nose. “They gave me a flu shot… I hate shots, Bob.” He shrugs. “Then they let me go home.”
Yep… Looks like Jimmy did get a shot. On his left arm – same arm as the blood test dressings – there’s a blue band-aid on his upper bicep.
“Yeah. Yeah, I’m sure it was a long night. Long morning,” I agree with him. I breathe deeply, looking back up at him. “Uh… What was going on? With… W-with your heart, I mean?”
Again, Jimmy takes a deep breath. “So… It wasn’t a heart attack. I had a really bad panic attack, the doctor said,” he explains. “Bad enough that it brought on arrhythmia… Mort was right. Arrhythmia and hypertension.” He reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out one of those transparent, orange pill bottles and gives it a shake. There’s a bunch of round, pink pills. “I’m on medication now, so… That should help it. I… I also have a follow-up with a cardiologist to make sure the flutter in my heart isn’t getting worse.”
I frown. “Aw, Jimmy. I’m so sorry.”
He just shakes his head. “S’okay,” he mutters, averting his eyes downward and biting at his cuticles. “It’s taken care of now.”
There’s a long pause for a minute. I’m oddly too shy to say anything… Really, it feels weird having a civil conversation with Jimmy Pesto. I’m not used to it, I guess. Maybe Jimmy isn’t, either.
But eventually, he looks back up at me, and his eyes look wet. “About what I was saying last night, Bob,” he says. “I got another call from Colleen before I started having that panic attack, and it was just to tell me what a piece of shit I am, and how she wishes I would die and all that. And it made me realize something.” He takes yet another deep breath. “I’m so… So fucking sorry about the way I’ve been to you. Y’know… I’d look over and see you so happy with Linda. See you two loving each other when my ex was berating me every other day for something she wanted and pushing around my kids so she’d look good in front of the PTA ‘n shit. And… You’re a talented cook, and you deserve to have business here, and… I’d take all of that business from you, even though I knew I didn’t deserve it because I don’t have what you have.” He shakes his head, and a tear falls from his eye. “I’m a shitty person. I’ve been shitty to you. I regret it… And I’m really sorry.”
I frown, reaching out and patting his shoulder… His good shoulder, the one he didn’t get the shot in. “It’s o-...”
Before I can finish Jimmy holds up his other hand and shakes his head. “No. No, I know what you’re gonna say. And it’s not okay that I did that, Bob,” he says firmly, though, his voice is shaking with tears. “There were ways to deal with my feelings and that sure as hell wasn’t it.” His breath catches as he sits up to wipe his face. “I grew up in this really intense, Polish household. I fought with my dad and my grandpa all the time… We never dealt with our emotions. Just buried them. Covered them up in aggression.” He shakes his head again. “Carried that with me my whole life and it made me an aggressive person. I don’t want to be like that anymore, Bob.” He takes a deep breath, but he’s still crying. Sits up straight and relaxes his shoulders. “I just want you to know how sorry I am. I’m really fucking sorry, and I’m going to be better. I promise you that.”
I nod softly… Really impressed with Jimmy. Happy for him, even.
“That’s really big of you, Jimmy,” I say softly. “I accept your apology. I’m glad to see you making an improvement in your life. I really think it’ll help you feel better mentally.” I smile. “I’m proud of you.”
Jimmy nods, wiping his eyes again as his breathing catches. “Thank you, Bob.” He bites his lip just then to keep it from trembling, but it’s not really working. “I wanna be friends, Bob. I really wanna be friends because you’re clearly a really great guy, but… I get if you don’t want to after the way I’ve treated you.”
I shake my head, placing a hand on either of his shoulders so he’ll look at me. He winces, and I realize I might have been a little hard on his sore arm, so I give it a softer pat as a gentle “I’m sorry.”
“Of course we’re friends, Jimmy,” I reassure him. “We’ve always been rivals, and in competition with each other and all. But there’s no reason we can’t be friends. I’ll be here for you while you’re healing mentally. Always.” I shake my head. “Excuse my language here, but… Fuck Colleen. Alright? Nothing she says about you is true. You’re not a piece of shit… You needed help. That’s all. You deserve happiness, Jimmy. Fuck her. You have all of us. You have your boys. And you and I? We're friends.”
Jimmy manages a smile through his tears. “Oh god,” he sobs, nearly keeling over. “Thank you, Bob… Thank you.” That smile never fades, but he’s bawling all over again. “I’m so sorry…”
I help Jimmy sit up… Then take him into my arms and I just hold him against my shoulder in a warm, loving hug. “You’re alright, Jimmy,” I reassure him. “Put it all behind you. You’re getting yourself on the right track.”
In return, I feel Jimmy return the hug. He wraps his arms around my waist, and relaxes his head onto my shoulder.
And we just hold each other for a long, long while. I know he needs this… He needs the reassurance that it’s all going to be okay now. That I’m here for him. He’s not alone.

I lose track of time. I’m just here hugging it out with Jimmy, and it feels great. Don’t even know how long it’s been, really.
All of a sudden, the door to the restaurant swings open again, and only then do the two of us pull away finally.
Looking over, we see that we have a few visitors.
Jimmy Jr. is standing in the doorway with Andy and Ollie, and all of them are smiling. Smiling, but they’re teary.
“Dad… Dad, you’re okay…” Jimmy Jr. whispers, his voice shaking.
Jimmy wipes his eyes one last time and he smiles. “Of course I am, Pepper,” he reassures his oldest son. “Everything’s alright now. Don’t you worry.” Standing up from his stool, he holds out his arms. “Come see me, boys.”
He doesn’t have to say it twice. All of his boys come running over to him, Andy and Ollie sobbing out an overjoyed “Daddy!”
All of them practically jump into Jimmy’s arms. Jimmy Jr. wraps his arms tight around his waist. Andy jumps up so that Jimmy can hold him on his hip, and Ollie stands on one of the stools to climb up on Jimmy’s back.
Jimmy’s smiling more than I’ve ever seen him smile. Not that smirk he wears a lot… A genuine, warm smile. He ruffles Jimmy Jr.’s hair and plants a kiss on the top of his sandy, red mop. Gives Andy a kiss on his forehead, and Ollie on the nose. Reaches up to give Ollie’s chin a gentle tickle.
“Ohh, my boys,” he whispers lovingly to them. “I love you, boys. I love you so much. Daddy’s right here… Everything’s okay.” He leans down to bury his nose in Jimmy Jr.’s hair, then gives him another kiss. “Vi amo, bellissimi ragazzi.”
I smile, glad to see him happy. I think this is what he needed… Just someone to remind him that he’s not alone. That he deserves happiness.
I’m glad I could be there for him when he needed a shoulder to cry on. Even more glad that I could find a friend in him.