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“Swear,” I confirmed.
As I stuffed clothes into a suitcase, I realized that I should’ve packed before I left to get Bird. I’d been so worried about getting to him and getting him out, I hadn’t anticipated how it would feel when we got back to the trailer. Every inch of my body felt like it was electrified as I listened for the telltale sound of a Harley outside. At any moment, Pop could come home and find us alone.
“Bird, don’t forget your toothbrush and body wash and shit,” I called. We’d both left our bedroom doors open. Even being in different rooms felt like we were too far apart.
“Want me to grab yours?” he asked as he hurried down the hallway.
“I’ll get them.”
Bird was in the bathroom and I was zipping up my suitcase when the front door of the trailer flew open so hard that the floor beneath us shook and the picture frames on the walls in the living room crashed to the ground.
I froze in place. I hadn’t heard Pop’s Harley. Why hadn’t I heard him coming?
It was then that I knew I should’ve taken Bird and left with just the clothes on our backs.
“The hell do you think you’re doin’?”
“Nothin’.” Bird’s voice was quiet. Timid.
“What you need your toothbrush for? Goin’ somewhere?”
I moved so quickly that my feet barely touched the ground and my shoulder hit the doorframe as I swung into the hallway. Pop was standing outside the bathroom and Bird was inside, but the door between them was open.
“Why aren’t you at the barbecue?” I asked, my tone loud and disrespectful.
I knew what was coming before he even turned to me. I knew, and I didn’t care. I would’ve done anything to get him away from Bird.Anything.
“You think you’re so clever,” Pop spat, walking toward me. “Goin’ to the club lookin’ like that.”
“Looking like what?” I countered. I wished I had something to protect myself. A baseball bat or a stick or even a can of hairspray.
“Poor Nova,” he said, still coming toward me. He wasn’t hurrying which was even more terrifying. “Fell on the porch after she’d been drinkin’.”
“I thought I covered for you pretty well,” I replied softly.
For a split second, I thought that maybe, just maybe, I could snap him out of whatever demon had taken him over. I knew quickly that wasn’t the case.
“Don’t you touch her,” Bird said, his voice quivering as he left the bathroom.
“You stay out of this,” Pop shot back, not even turning to look.
“Bird, go back in the bathroom,” I ordered, not taking my eyes off Pop. “Lock the door.”
“You tryin’ to cause me problems at the club?” Pop asked. I didn’t think he required an answer.
Bird still hadn’t moved.
“Go, Bird,” I ordered again. I wasn’t sure how long I could fend Pop off, and I didn’t want Bird to see it—I also didn’t want him to be the next person in the path of Pop’s rampage.
“Nova—”
Pop was closer to me than he was to Bird.
“Run, Bird,” I said quickly, glancing for just a second at my brother’s terrified face. “Run to the neighbors. Call 9-1-1.”
As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I knew they were a mistake. As Bird flew into motion, Pop spun, reaching for him.
I reached for Pop.
