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“Yes, that was before he got fat and mean.”
“He slept in my room at night. But he used to bring you mice whenever he caught ’em. He left them on the front doorstep so you couldn’t miss them. I think he wanted your approval.”
The cat. Me. I got the ironic parallel, but did she? Would she ever see value in the choices I made?
“Yes, I think you’re right. He also used to lie in wait to pounce on anyone who walked by. Those claws of his were sharp.” She sighed, her breath heavy with remembrance. “You were so attached to him. You got attached to all the animals. Wanted to name them all. Hard to send them on to the slaughterhouse when you think of them as pets. I guess your father and I should have seen the writing on the wall.”
Was she trying to say she understood why I left? Why I went my own way? Maybe even that she was sorry? Or was I just wishfully reading between the lines?
“Why are you really calling, Mom?” I said, putting it out there. “I haven’t heard from you in months. I don’t understand. You’re going to have to tell me straight out what you need from me.”
She sighed, and the line fell silent for a moment. “Just that I don’t want there to be long stretches without us talking to each other anymore. That’s all.”
Jewel
“You look hot.” My roommate clattered toward me at a precarious pace in her skyscraper heels.
“Thanks, Cam.” I stamped a hand to my hip and posed for her as the bus door closed behind me, and she stopped and twirled to show me her backless dress. Her long black hair swished the exposed skin above her ass. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
“Digging the cartoon-character-slash-schoolgirl vibe.” Her dark red lipstick framed an approving smile.
“Thought it might sell well with the older guys on this side of town.”
“Sick bastards acting out their underage-girl fantasies. You’re probably right.” She unwrapped a piece of gum, split it, popped half in her mouth and offered me the other.
“Appreciate it,” I said as I took it.
“You’re late.” She narrowed her olive-green eyes at me. “You stop to take a client on the way over?”
“Nah.” I shook my head. “Just another run-in with Wanda.”
“Bitch.”
“Yeah.” I agreed readily, my empty stomach twisting. “You made your half of the rent yet?”
“Nope.” She shook her head. Glossy ebony hair spilled over her delicate shoulders.
“But I thought you had most of it saved already.”
“Had most of it.” She slowly blinked her pretty eyes at me.
“What do you mean, had?” My stomach didn’t just twist, it knotted.
“I gave it to Lori.”
“Oh no.” I squeezed my eyes closed for a second, but there was no shutting out the shitty reality.
“I had to.” My roomie donned a pleading expression. “She was sick. She had the shakes, and she was puking her guts out.”
“She’s a heroin addict, Cam. She needs to go to rehab. She’ll just use that money for another fix.”
The bright pink neon lights advertising a triple-X show blasted my gaze. A reminder, not that I needed one, that the harsh world we lived in couldn’t be remedied with kindness.
“You don’t have your part either?” she asked.
I shook my head.
“We’re fucked.” Frowning, she touched my arm. “I’m sorry, Jules.”
