Chapter Text
His Secret
“Truth be told, he scares the shit outta me.”
He said it as if they’d been in the middle of a conversation. Joyce opened her eyes against the darkness and the soft feeling of sleep ran away from her, as he slowly ashed his cigarette into the tray balancing on the blanket. It took a few seconds for her to register what he had said.
“Who?”
“Your kid,” Hop grunted, not needing to specify which one. “He’s onto me. It’s like he knows something you don’t.“
“What?”
“It’s like,” he said, voice gravelly with smoke and fatigue, “he already knows that I’m an asshole.”
She nudged him with her hip. “Don’t do that.”
“Sorry,” he stubbed out the cigarette, sighing deeply, “I’ll shut up, you’re trying to sleep.”
“No it’s okay Hop, it’s just that- “ She turned over, feeling slightly guilty. ”There’s a lot going on. Thinks how it looks. You were dead for eight months. I organized your funeral, I adopted your daughter . Think how it looked. He knew something was up, he’s a smart guy. But, you were the chief of police, and now-“
“I’ve shacked up with his mom?” His voice, still thick with emotion, sounded halfway between conflicted and amused. She smiled.
“I mean, I wouldn’t say it like that but yeah. We all thought you were gone. Jonathan’s glad you’re not, but it’s a lot to take in. Imagine if it were you in his shoes. Just give him time.” She took his arm and wrapped him around her, tucking his hand high up on her chest. “And be thankful I never got him a gun for his birthday.”
“Yeah, I guess,” he murmured softly against her ear, and she squeezed his hand tight.
“He’ll come round. I know he will.”