“Be careful not to make direct eye contact or take sides, and you’ll be all right.”
I liked Mrs. Johnson. She was as down-to-earth as they came, and her sense of humor was on point.
“We don’t know each other well, Stocks, but I’ve always been good at reading people. You really do want to help her, don’t you?”
“Yes ma’am. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”
She arched an eyebrow at me.
“That’s not entirely true. Naomi would have dragged me down here regardless.”
“I love that girl like she was my own. Don’t know what her mama was thinkin’ to walk away from her. Give me five minutes with that woman and I…” She blew out a breath. “Never mind. The good Lord’s gonna have to take care of Naomi’s mom. We’ve gotta focus on my baby. She’s gonna fight you every step of the way, you know?”
I glanced back at the car. Monica was still staring straight ahead, and Naomi was talking to the side of her face. “I’m aware. But as long as she’s fighting me, she’ll have a purpose. I won’t let her give up.”
Mrs. Johnson pulled me in for a hug. Handing me a gallon-sized bag of goodies, she said, “See that you don’t.”
I eyed the bag, deciding to throw a little humor back at her. “Is this a bribe, Mrs. Johnson?”
“Are you insinuating that I need to bribe you to get you to help my baby?”
Chuckling, I shook my head. “No ma’am.”
“Then we’ll just call it sweetening the deal.”
Monica
I’D NEVER FELT so betrayed in my life. Looking into the bathroom mirror, I saw the train wreck that Stocks had encountered, and couldn’t help but wince. My scar was a white line now, disfiguring my face and making me look like an extra for theNightmare Before Christmas. Sunken, hollow eyes stared back at me.
He saw me crying.
God, I must have looked so weak, blubbering on the floor like a baby.
Why do I care? I’m going to Seattle where I’ll flip everyone the bird and crawl right back into bed. Fuck Naomi. Fuck Stocks. Fuck everything.
I was done with this life and all the assholes in it. Maybe I’d become a nihilist and smoke weed all day long.
Naomi approached my car, and I fought the urge to lock the doors so she couldn’t get in. She’d probably bust open my window, though, and I’d have to run her ass over. I wouldn’t do that to my sweet little niece, Maya, regardless of what a bitch her mom was being.
“I’m sorry I brought him,” Naomi said as she slid into the passenger’s seat. “Actually, I’m not. I’m sorry it upset you. Bringing Stocks was the right move, because you shouldn’t make the drive alone.”
“And you couldn’t find anyone else to bring?”
“I’d just heard that my best friend had almost died and then lied to me about it. I wasn’t thinking clearly enough to even look for someone else.”
She had a point. “Fine. I get it. Whatever.” Her gaze was practically burning a hole in the side of my face, but I refused to look at her. Of all the people she could have had tag along, she’d brought Stocks. Worse, I didn’t know why it was bugging me so much. Maybe because Stocks was so damn fine? Or maybe it was because of the way he’d rose to every sexual challenge I’d thrown at him and exceeded all my bedroom expectations? Whatever the reason, I never wanted him to see me like this, and he couldn’t exactly unsee the hot mess I’d become.
“We knew what we were getting into when we signed up,” Naomi said, interrupting my thoughts. “This isn’t daycare. There’s no naps or treats, and nothing is fair. You knew the rules when you signed up. You knew it would be hard and dangerous. Hell, that’s why you did it.”
Recognizing the speech, I finally turned to glare at her. “Fuck you, Nae. Don’t throw my words back at me. That was about you acting like a bitch because you had to train newbies. This is about the end of everything I’ve ever wanted. Everything I’ve worked my ass off to achieve.”
“No, fuck you. That was wise advice, applicable to any situation, really. Life kicked you in the teeth and that sucks. But you’re still breathing! You do not get to give up and become some woe-is-me bitch.”
“Thisis why I didn’t tell you about the accident! Just stop preaching at me. I’m going to Seattle. What more do you want?”
“I want you to fight!”
“That’s literally all we’ve been doing since you arrived.”
