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“I told you that you weren’t staying here.”
“It’s my house.” My voice is laced with disbelief. Viper is standing silently beside me, watching our conversation without a flicker of emotion.
“It was Mama’s house, and now it’s mine. You left.”
Why does she keep saying that? I left for a few years to go to college. She’s making it seem like I took a ten-year-long round-the-world trip.
“I was her carer.” Frustration is creeping into my voice. I'd be okay if she wanted to sell the house and split the proceeds. I could find a small apartment, but she can’t kick me out!
“You only came back to sniff around because she was sick. Before that, you couldn’t leave San Remo fast enough.”
“That’s not true….”
“Whatever. Just fuck off.”
The door slams shut again, the whole wall rattling with the force. Tears threaten, and I sniff, praying they aren’t going to start flowing.
Viper sighs and I tense. I haven’t forgotten that he took Joey’s side the first night at the clubhouse and kicked me out. He dropped me home and looked out for me since, but he still kicked me out.
His hands land on my shoulders, and he steers me off the porch. I slump under his hold. Yeah. He’s taking her side again. I wonder where he’s going to take me this time. Or maybe he’s just going to leave.
We halt beside my things, and he walks away, his phone at his ear. My heart is leaking out of my shoes now. The tears spill over as I crouch beside my things, trying to work out how to gather all my items. Couldn’t they have dumped a suitcase with all this stuff? No, that’s too much to ask. Maybe Pastor Nick will have a suitcase I can borrow. Or some shopping bags. Hell, I’d settle for some pillowcases.
I mechanically start folding clothes, stacking them up to determine how much there is to move. Not all my clothes are here. Most are, but one or two things I wear regularly are missing. I’m not surprised. I don’t think they would have dumped everything. They probably went through it all and called dibs on some stuff.
Whatever. They’re only clothes. My hand closes around Mama’s wedding ring on the chain at my neck. At least I kept it on me.
There are slamming car doors, and a gentle hand touches my shoulder.
“Hey, you okay?”
Dashing the tears from my eyes, I sniff and look up at Shelley’s face. She is standing beside two suitcases. How? Swiveling my head, I see her husband, Merch, talking to Viper, both of them with their arms crossed over their chests, their eyes occasionally darting to the house. Looking over, I see some faces at the window, watching us all.
Shelley glances over too, making a face and opening both suitcases.
“Is everything coming?” she asks cheerfully. I nod numbly, helping her pack my stuff up until both suitcases are full and zipped up, and my –Joey’s– front yard is empty again.
“We live in a one-bedroom apartment,” Shelley informs me, standing and dusting her hands off. “But Lisa and Palmer have a second bedroom. I texted her. She said you’re welcome to stay there until you get on your feet.”
Relief surges through me. I’ve spoken to Lisa a few times. She comes to help out with the kids when Shelley and I have our staggered lunch breaks. Suitcases and a bed. Maybe I’m not so alone and friendless after all.
“She’s staying with me,” Viper grunts. Shelley and I glance at him in surprise, and Merch’s lips twitch.
Shelley shrugs after a moment. “Okay.”
Merch nods to Viper, his eyes sweeping over me as he and Shelley load my suitcases into their Chevy truck and drive off. I look back at the place I called home for the last twenty-four years.
“Peaches?”
Turning, I sigh, crossing to where Viper is seated on his motorcycle, coming to a halt beside it.
“Get on, Peaches.” His voice is gentler, lower than he usually uses, and I find myself numbly climbing on, clinging to him as the engine roars to life. My eyes are glued to the front door as we pull away from the curb.
VIPER
I take Naomi to my place. It’s a small two-bedroom house on the eastern edge of the South Side, right before the houses give way to highrise apartment blocks.
I grew up in this house, and when my mom decided she wanted to live near the coast, I bought it from her. I probably could have gotten a condo closer to Downtown or a small house in the northern suburbs, but I like this one.
