At the mention of Paul, Joe's demeanor immediately changed to that of an angered father; a piercing glare replaced his previously annoyed gaze, his body was tense. He leaned up closely to Clem, getting right in his face as he began to speak, his tone coming out harshly.
"Listen to me," he breathed angrily, "don't go there. Don't you talk about him that way. I've told him the same thing I was tellin' you. Donna's a really good friend of mine, I'll have you know, and I told Paul I'd send his sorry ass to the moon if he did anything to her. You think I was bein' easy on him because he's my mate? " A faint grin played on his expression as he backed off slightly, a shallow laugh escaping him. He shook his head. "You're mistaken, and terribly. It was worse between him and I because he's my mate. And I don't tolerate these children's games when it comes to someone I give a damn about, dig it? I mean, you could've gone and done this to someone else and I wouldn't have given a rat's ass about it because it's your life, your decisions, right? But she's like a baby sister, mate, Siouxsie is family to me. So yeah, I guess I'm bein' a little harsh about the whole thing, but I'm not going to just let it go by without sayin' something about it. You know?" He raised his brow, regarding Clem with a slightly weary gaze. "What if you had a little sister, and one day she decided to go out and get with this shady lookin' sod from another country? What if she was with me, huh? What'd you do, then? What if I got her pregnant? Wouldn't you be mad, too? Of course you'd be mad, you'd be flaming. And for good reason. Then you'd be the one givin' me a hard time instead of the other way around. You see? That's why I'm here, that's why I'm givin' you a load of garbage, because you're some shady lookin' sod from another country who got my sister in deeper than she can handle. And you know that, I'd like to think so. If you don't, well, I hope you realize it at some point. 'Cause you're in deeper than you can handle, too. I may not know you but I know that no unmarried man can handle having an infant show up in his life. You're in for a trip if you think you'll be able to handle it. I know I couldn't barely handle it, and Paul couldn't barely handle it when he and Pearlie had Louis. I still think he can barely handle having a third kid. And you'll learn, mate. You'll learn when it comes. But you know what?" Joe raised his hands in front of himself defensively, brow still raised, another faint grin taking place on his expression. He took a step back.
"That's all I got to say." Joe nodded once, his expression softening as he lowered his hands. He held one out for Clem to shake, mainly to show that he didn't hate him. "But let's make one thing clear. I think you'll do great, and I think you are great, not exactly as a person but I think you're great for her." His grin widened slightly. "How about it, huh? You get where I'm comin' from?"
turnnoffyourmind
prguitarman
gummygunk
