Free Busted by Zachary O'Toole

carefully, still cradling Toby. With his feet dangling in the water he looked Toby over. One knee was bleeding, the skin abraded away.
     
     
     
    “I see. Looks like you landed pretty hard there, sport.”
     
     
     
    Toby nodded. His eyes were bright, tears leaking down his cheeks. Chris pulled him close and kissed the top of his head.
     
     
     
    “We’re going to need to get it washed out and make sure there’s nothing in it. Can you be a big boy for Papa?”
     
     
     
    “I c’n,” Toby said.
     
     
     
    “Good boy. Hold on tight, okay?” Chris’ voice was soft and reassuring. He hated this part, hated doing anything that might cause his son pain. But it had to be done. “Squeeze if it hurts. That’s all right.”
     
     
     
    Chris reached to his right and grabbed one of the pool toys that were scattered around, a plastic cup in the shape of a fish. Not too big, but big enough. He scooped up some of the pool water and poured it over the scrape.
     
     
     
    Toby squeezed hard as the chlorinated water washed over the cut. It stung, but he tried to be strong, like his Papa. Even still, he whimpered a little. Chris kissed him again.
     
     
     
    “You’re doing really well, sport.” He took a look at the cleaned out scrape. It wasn’t anything big, just a few layers of skin missing and some blood.
     
     
     
    “Looks okay,” Chris said. “I think you’re gonna live.”
     
     
     
    “Really?”
     
     
     
    “Yep,” Chris replied. “But… maybe it needs more water!”
     
     
     
    And with that he fell over into the pool, pulling a laughing and shrieking boy with him. Chris was laughing himself. There were two splashes as Bob and Amy jumped in, and soon the four of them were roughhousing in the water, Toby’s scrape forgotten.
     
     
     
    From the deck Joe watched. Chris was so different from what he’d seen. The way he handled Toby was caring, and sweet. It gave Joe a warm fuzzy feeling, the way Alex never had. Not that he’d ever admit that to anyone. Not even himself, really.
     
     
     
    Despite Joe’s denial, Mike saw the dopey grin that was clear on his face. He glanced back to see what Joe was looking at.
     
     
     
    “He really loves that little boy,” Mike said.
     
     
     
    “I can tell,” Joe said. “Where’s his mom?”
     
     
     
    “Rotting in hell, if there’s any justice.” Joe turned to see Mary, Steve’s wife. She was getting a chicken breast off the grill and came to sit next to Joe.
     
     
     
    “Should I ask?”
     
     
     
    “No. The divorce was final four months ago. We haven’t talked about her since.” The venom in her voice made Joe cringe back a bit.
     
     
     
    “Don’t,” she said, fixing Joe with a glare, “dare say anything bad about her to that little boy.”
     
     
     
    He couldn’t quite reconcile that. Not saying anything seemed the sensible thing to do, so he did it.
     
     
     
    “Okay.”
     
     
     
    “Mary,” Steve said, “be nice. Joe’s a guest.”
     
     
     
    “Sorry, dear,” she said. She smiled at Joe. He decided right then that he didn’t want to be on her bad side. Ever.
     
     
     
    “So Joe,” Steve said, “what do you do for fun?” Steve was fishing. Joe’s apartment hadn’t told him anything useful, and he wanted something he could use to get Joe and Chris connected.
     
     
     
    “I dunno,” Joe said. He was surprised at the question and unprepared. “Outdoor stuff, I guess. Camping and hiking sometimes. Clubbing on the weekends. Maybe catch a show. Just… stuff.” He shrugged.
     
     
     
    That wasn’t too helpful for Steve. “Sports?”
     
     
     
    “I play soccer sometimes, and tennis.”
     
     
     
    “Oh,” Steve said. “I was thinking watching.”
     
     
     
    “Nah,” Joe said. “It’s kind of boring.”
     
     
     
    “Huh.”
     
     
     
    “Sounds like you’re stuck, Neanderthal,” Mike chipped in. “Someone who doesn’t go out scratching himself and shooting at the