And she needed to execute this plan, make sure Romastayed safe behind bars as long as possible. What if Charlie told the police—orhis mother—that he’d seen Whitney that night, wearing Roma’s clothes. If Whitney ended up in jail, Xavier would have no one to protect him.
Whitney had planned only to have Roma put away for selling drugs! How was she to know that her sole customer would wander from the 7-Eleven to the greenbelt, overdose, and fall to her death where the Three Musketeers were swimming? How was she to know the random person who had responded to her “candy for sale” post would be sleeping with Bobcat?
She could handle this.
It was one last thread.
Whitney needed to make sure Charlie Bailey stayed silent.
-10-
Annette
THE METAL DOOR OPENED,and Annette’s son emerged from the Gardner Betts Juvenile Justice Center, flanked by two officers. He looked diminished. “I’m so sorry, Mom,” said Robert.
She shook her head, overwhelmed. He thought he could fix everything with an apology, as his father had taught him.
“Sorry for what, honey?” said Annette.
Robert looked at her, seeking. He was a boy who had fallen in love. Annette wanted to protect his heart, to show him another way.
“I don’t know,” he said.
-1-
Charlie
THEY BUY SNACKS ATthe 7-Eleven, and in the car, Amir kisses Charlie. His mouth tastes of Takis: cheese flavoring, some corn derivative, fake lime. Charlie can’t help himself: he puts his hand on Amir and Amir is hard. “Not here,” he says.
“Where?” says Charlie, moving his hand up and down slowly, keeping his lips pressed to Amir’s.
“Fuck, man,” says Amir, laughing.
“I can’t wait,” says Charlie, moving to Amir’s chest, unbuttoning his shirt. His father is almost forgotten, and the stupid kid he’d been, just hours before, paying for a strange man’s plane ticket, getting through half a cup of coffee before this man—who looked just like him, if he had been strung out on heroin for decades—ditched. Charlie is an idiot, but kissing Amir makes it all OK.
“I can’t wait either,” says Amir, straining against Charlie’s hand. “But we should wait. We’re at the 7-Eleven. There’s your friend, Roma, right there!”
Charlie looks up and sees a figure in an Austin High sweatshirt placing a wrapped package by the dumpster. When shestands, though, Charlie sees that although the woman wears Roma’s favorite hat and her clothing, it’s Roma’s mother, Whitney. “Shit!” he says, laughing.
Amir puts his hand on Charlie’s hand, smiles at Charlie. Whitney walks into the 7-Eleven, seemingly unaware that she is being watched. “Wouldn’t think that rich bitch would shop at the 7-Eleven,” says Amir.
Charlie laughs. “It’s not Roma, it’s her mom,” he says.
“What?” says Amir. “Why she dressing up like a teenager?”
“Maybe a TikTok thing; who cares?” says Charlie.
“Speaking of…” says Amir.
“Fuck,” says Charlie. He’d forgotten to take down the mournful video he’d made.
“What happened?” said Amir.
Charlie takes his hand off Amir’s dick. “I guess I don’t have a dad,” he says. “There’s not much more to say about it, really.” This is his story now, and it sucks. “My dad’s a drug addict,” he says. “Maybe that’s why my mom took off in the first place. I don’t know.”
“I’m sorry,” says Amir.
Charlie rests his head on Amir’s chest. It is what it is, and he’s glad to know the truth, anyway. Wondering took a lot more energy. He lifts his head. Amir kisses him.
