AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Five
Elijah
“Leave the key under the mat, and I’ll help you unpack,” said Ma over the phone.
“I live right next to the apartments. I ain’t about to leave my spare key anywhere.” That was a lie. I already had placed my key underneath the mat. I just didn’t want her to do my work for me. She’d wear herself out doing it if I let her. “I’m a grown-ass man, I can do it.” I had most of it finished, anyway. It wasn’t like I had a lot of stuff. As long as I could find a spot on the floor to sit down with a sketch pad and pencil—or my paints and brushes, I’d put off everything else for hours.
“Language.” She chuckled. “And all right.”
“You can swing by with some of your casserole since I moved back for you,” I said as I pulled my car into the parlor parking lot.
“At the shop?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“Should I bring a whole one?”
“I might share it,” I told her and that made her laugh again.
“See you soon. Love you.”
“Love you.”
“And Elijah, I’m glad you’re finally home.”
I smiled as I hung up and made my way inside.
______
Seeing the mom and her kid heading out when I came home had become a regular thing. I didn’t work on Sunday, but I still saw them leaving when I went to the window.
When I pulled into my driveway on Monday night, I saw them again. From her fast duck waddle, I got the feeling that she disliked seeing me every night.
But that night she wasn’t quick enough. Her kid saw me as she tried to get her in the back seat. “Uh…” The kid could have been pointing while she squeaked out. It was hard to tell. The streetlight wasn’t too bright, and her mom was bent over her, buckling her in. “Demon—”
“Lucy!”
“I mean, chip thief!” she corrected herself like that was better.
Her mom must have finished buckling her into the seat. She stood and slammed the door. It seemed as if she was trying real hard not to look over at me. Watching her waddle the long way around her car, I noted how I’d never seen her wear anything other than those white scrubs—just like the day I had the displeasure of meeting the two at the grocery store. I supposed it wasn’t really meeting them since I didn’t even know their names.
Correction. I didn’t know her name. The kid was named Lucy. The mom was forever yelling it.
Troublesome life. The small moments I saw her each day, she was constantly rushing, always seemed exhausted to the point that it was painful to look at her... Bet she was wondering what the hell she’d been thinking, especially so young.
The back window rolled down, then the next thing I heard was, “Whatcha’ lookin’ at?” The kid had some serious beef with me, but I was staring directly at them. For fuck’s sake, how did a grown man get a three, maybe five-year-old enemy?
My ma would be so ashamed. Thankfully, she wasn’t around to witness it.
“You’ve got a problem, kid,” I told her.
Her mom finally faced me. “What did you say?” There was that boldness I’d heard at the grocery store.
“Your kid.” I pointed toward her daughter, and although I couldn’t see her with it being dark and all, I didn’t doubt the little brat wasn’t sticking her tongue out at me. “She’s got a problem.”
“And what would her problem be?” she asked. “A creepy old guy staring at us every night we’re heading out?”
“The fuck?” I hissed. “I’m getting off work every night when you’re leaving. Believe me, I don’t want to see the name caller anymore than she wants to see me. She’s got a mouthy attitude.”
