Part of the Show

Travis had a shower and washed the blood out of his hair and was sitting at the kitchen table where Kyle was doing a better job with the cut above his brow when Toni came in from the clinic. Bill was leaning against a counter with a cup of coffee.

“Travis, what happened?,” Toni ran over bending over looking at his brow.

Travis gave her a sheepish look, “Sorry honey.”

“Nothing to worry about Toni, he’s fine, few bruises and this cut here.”

“Just Travis being Travis Toni,” Bill sipped his coffee, “we went down to see the solicitor and this is what we get.”

“You went to see Richie?”

“Yeah baby, about the butcher shop. I don’t think he wanted to see me.”

“Oh my God,” Toni straightened up and looked at Bill.

“You should see the other guy,” Travis winced as Kyle applied an antiseptic.

“You were fighting? Oh Travis.” Toni put her hand on his shoulder.

“Neither one of ‘em hurt bad Toni, only a couple of blows, I was watching Roberts because I had a feeling he was going to do something when Travis went across the desk and nailed him. He moved so fast I couldn’t stop him.” Kyle finished up his taping.

Toni sat down in a chair across from Travis holding his hands, “I can’t believe you were fighting Travis.”

“Might as well get used to it Toni, he’s got a short fuse,” Bill set his cup down and started to leave.

“I can just take so much Toni, I’m sorry honey, I am.”

“I could have prevented it Toni if I’d been paying closer attention, it shouldn’t have happened.” Kyle picked up his medic bag.

“It’s not your fault Kyle, I appreciate it man.” Travis said.

Travis pulled Toni onto his lap, “are you mad at me?”

“No, but don’t do this again honey.”

“I can’t promise you that, that’s just part of who I am that’s why I have Kyle to protect me from myself as much as anybody else. He wanted a fight and he got one, end of story.”

Toni lay her head on his shoulder, “are you hurt anywhere else?”

“Nothing Toni, shoulder’s a little stiff, I think I hit the floor or something I don’t know.”

“Will you let me work on it?” She sat up, “I can work out all that tenseness I feel in your arms.”

“What do you mean?”

“Give you a massage, I’ve never done that, you’ll like it.”

Travis grinned, “I expect I will.”