The anxiety was so thick that Matt could hardly breathe. He had one eye on his brother, who was playing with colored blocks, and one eye on Seamus who, like a caged lion, was pacing the room nervously as he waited for a call.
"We could take Aidan for a walk."
"It's too cold outside."
"Movie?"
Seamus shook his head.
"What about going to get a bite to eat?"
"I'm not hungry."
Matt sighed from a distance. "It's possible they won't call today."
"I know."
Matt moved until he was standing in front of Seamus. "You're agitated."
"I'm angry."
"And?"
"Anxious."
"Why?"
"Because he could get away with it."
"He won't get away with it."
"The lawyer said it could be a book and release situation. Sounds like he's getting away with it."
"They're charging him. But based on the charges, he might not serve time until after the hearing. That's not the same thing as him getting away with it. He will get what's coming to him. It's just going to take time."
"What if we don't get enough to prosecute?"
Matt snaked his arms around his boyfriend's waist. "The evidence for payroll fraud is the reason for the arrest warrant and it's more than enough for a conviction. I'm not saying he's going to spend a lot of time in jail, he may not even serve six months, but he will be convicted. Probably on felony charges, and he'll have to pay you restitution. But we're not there yet. Focus on what's in front of you and let everything else fall into place."
"You're right." Seamus kissed Matt's cheek, then slapped his ass. "No need to waste time on that prick."
Matt's butt stung as Seamus strutted across the house. He much preferred that over Seamus sulking around. Matt understood where he was coming from. Mike represented a part of Seamus's life that wasn't easy to deal with. The temptation to turn a blind eye was strong. Seamus could've easily continued down that path for years. Matt was proud that he was doing something about it instead of assuming it was too late to do anything at all.
* * * * *
Seamus wanted Mike to get arrested as he deboarded the plane. He deserved it after what he did. That's not how it happened. Maybe if Mike had embezzled from the government or something, but the charges weren't big enough, yet, to warrant such extravagance.
Mike was arrested the next morning at his home by two police officers. It was a quiet affair but surely the neighbors noticed.
Seamus got a call when it was over.
Matt was so busy watching Seamus talk on the phone, trying to hear what was being said, that he missed Aidan's plate and dropped the pancake on the floor. Matt picked the pancake up, inspected it for dirt, and tossed it back on the plate. Aidan wouldn't notice. Matt saw the things Aidan put in his mouth.
The conversation seemed to take forever. Seamus asked a couple of questions but mostly, he listened. When he hung up, Matt was on him.
Seamus sighed. "Well, he's locked up for now."
"For now?"
"He'll probably get out on bail."
Matt frowned. He knew it was possible but it still sucked. "Did he admit to anything?"
Seamus shook his head. "No. He didn't deny it either. He immediately asked for a lawyer. That's all we know."
"How long until we can get into court?"
"I don't know. Our case for payroll fraud is pretty clear cut. So that could move quicker. The actual embezzlement could take longer. Roger said we should consider waiting until the audit is finished. If we can build everything into one case, it will be stronger."
"How do you feel about that?" Matt asked.
"I hate that he could be out in a matter of days, but I want do it right the first time. If we have to wait longer to see him in court, then we wait."
"Do you know how the official audit is going?"
Seamus sat down next to Aidan and ripped the pancake into smaller pieces. They were already small, but Matt knew Seamus needed a distraction. "I won't know anything until she's finished and we get her full report. Which could take a while."
Matt drummed his fingers on the table. "I guess we have nothing to do but wait."
* * * * *
The next week was total chaos. If Matt hoped life would be calm or go back to normal, he was sorely mistaken.
Seamus was up to his neck in work stuff. With Mike out of the picture, he had to find someone to keep things rolling. The thing about being your own boss is that you're allowed a flexibility other people don't have, but that flexibility comes at a cost. When things hit the fan, you're the one working 24/7 to fix it.
The first thirteen days of December were brutal. Since Seamus was going nonstop with his own crap, Matt found himself juggling school, work, and Aidan all on his own. Not great timing as he was knee deep in finals, but this was life and what he had asked for.
He and Seamus talked every day but didn't see each other but a moment here and there. As much as he missed Seamus to pieces, Matt couldn't afford the distraction. He was up with Aidan every morning, toting him to daycare, off to class, then work, then home. Aidan was with him more than he wasn't. Thank God for that third day of daycare that Seamus hadn't talked him out of.
So, no, he couldn't be around Seamus. The second Aidan was asleep, Matt needed to focus on homework or risk poor marks.
Seamus wasn't offended. He was in the middle of a crash course of his own. Learning the basics of Mike's job on the go. Matt's professor not only hooked him up with someone who was doing what Matt had done, but better, he also referred someone to help Seamus through until he found a permanent replacement. The problem was, the job wasn't something menial that could be filled on the fly. It would take time.
Seamus spent a lot of their calls picking Matt's brain about this and that. Matt still had so much to learn, but it was flattering nonetheless. As much as he wished their conversations could've been about a hundred other things, he loved being needed by Seamus and would answer any question Seamus threw at him.
* * * * *
Exhaustion was part of Matt now—embedded deep into the fiber of his bones. Even as he walked out of his class, having completed his last final, he knew he wasn't done.
