She rocked over him, clutching his shirt. “Tink… come on. Wake up. Momma’s here.”
“Stay with me,” she choked, pressing her palms against his chest as if she was about to give him CPR.
His eye twitched. Just a small flutter, but I caught it. She didn’t. She was too far gone, too busy falling apart, her hands sliding over him like she was trying to piece him back together.
“Tink, please…” Her voice dropped, raw now, barely holding. Then it snapped again. “Wake up!”
She shook him, gentle at first, then harder.
His other eye cracked open a second time, just barely, irritation flashing across his face before he caught it.
“Tink, please… Wake up!” she begged.
She shook him, then stilled, her hands hovering over his face. Panic flickered across her features before she pinched his nose and lowered her mouth toward his.
As soon as their lips grazed, his eyes snapped open, and he shoved her off, scrambling away from her hands.
“Aww, hell nah! Get away from me. I don’t know whatchu’ do with your mouth,” he spat, his face twisted with disgust.
His mother froze for a second, then threw her head back and raised her hands. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! It’s a miracle. My baby’s alive. Thank you, God!”
The boy scrambled backward on his ass, putting distance between himself and his mother, who was still on her knees, breathing hard, looking between us as if she was trying to make sense of what had just happened.
“What the fuck?” he gasped, his hand flying to his head.
He pulled it back, checking for blood that wasn’t there. The gun had gone off, but I’d angled it just right. The bullet had gone past his ear, close enough that he’d feel the heat of it, but not close enough to hurt or kill him. I just wanted to teach his lil’ ass a lesson.
His mother stared at me, her mouth open, her body frozen in that moment between relief and rage. The look on her face made me let out a laugh, a real one, not the bitter shit I’d been carrying around all day.
“The police will be here in a minute. Get the fuck up and act normal. Your son tried to rob me, so he’ll be the one going to jail if you talk. I’m sure the neighbors have everything on camera.”
The boy’s mother got to her feet slowly, her jaw clenching and unclenching as she ground her teeth. I could see the war happening behind her eyes. Part of her wanted to tear me apart,but the other part seemed hesitant. It was clear by the way she looked at me that she thought I was someone dangerous.
“Tink, get up. Get up right fucking now,” she commanded, and the boy scrambled to his feet, still checking his head for a wound that wasn’t there.
His mother grabbed his arm, making him wince as she pulled him close to her side.
“Apologize to the lady, then thank her for sparing your life. You could be dead right now,” she said to her son, and I heard the effort it took for her to keep her voice level.
The boy’s eyes went wide, and he looked at me as if his mother had just handed him a death sentence.
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, his voice barely audible.
“Speak up,” his mother hissed, digging her nails into his arm.
“I’m sorry, lady,” he said louder, his eyes fixed on the ground. “Thank you for... for not killing me.”
I nodded, satisfied with the apology.
The sirens were getting closer, and I could hear them wailing down the street. I picked up the box I’d dropped earlier and dusted it off as if the whole thing had been nothing more than a minor inconvenience. “Y’all need to get inside,” I said, not looking at either of them. “Tell the police whatever story you want, but if you mention me, I’ll kill both of you for real.”
The boy’s mom lifted her chin. “I’m not telling the police shit, and he’s going to help you move your things out of your car.” She looked down at her son. “Isn’t that right, Tink?”
He kicked a stone away from him as he nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Good. Now get to it,” the woman said before walking away from us.
I watched her disappear into the building, her house shoes abandoned on the sidewalk.
