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“Want me to go get that tea from the store? Check Ma’s cupboard? She has about twenty tea types in there.”
“I took some Pepto. It’s helping.”
“So it is buggin’ you.”
“A little,” she admitted.
“You guys need anything?” Ma poked her head in.
Gianna replied brightly, “I’m good. Thank you so much for your hospitality today. I had a great time. A really great time.”
“We were happy to have you. Man, girlie, but you sing like the angels.”
Gianna’s eyes dropped to the floor and her cheeks pinkened again. “Thanks,” she replied softly.
“You could win American Idol, you’re that good. Why are you workin’ in an old folks’ home when you could be singing professionally?”
“Nah. Not for me. I’m too shy. Guess I got caught up with everyone else singing. And I like taking care of peoples’ grandparents.” She shrugged.
“Well, you got talent, Gia. Anyway,” Ma went on, “We do it again at Thanksgiving. Any and all who want a family dinner are part of our family on holidays.”
“That’s really sweet,” Gianna said.
Ma smiled. “Well, you’re always welcome at my table. Whether you’re JJ’s hostage or not. I mean that. ‘Night.” She looked to me and lowered her voice. “’Night, baby boy. She made that song worth listenin’ to again, didn’t she?”
I said nothing. I also didn’t meet Ma’s eyes even though I knew she was trying to catch mine. She kissed my cheek, squeezing my arm, then pulled Gianna into a hug. “Your tummy bug you, help yourself to anything in the medicine cabinet. Get hungry or thirsty, make yourself at home in the kitchen. Okay?”
Gianna smiled and patted my mother’s back, returning the hug. “It’s not bad, all things considered. And thanks again for your hospitality. I couldn’t eat another bite.”
“Happy to have you, girlfriend. Have sweet dreams. Night Night, JJ.”
“Night, Ma,” I said.
Gianna fished around in her bag before grabbing a bundle of clothes and taking her purple box to the bathroom.
I stripped down to boxer briefs, grabbed one of the two pillows and the quilt from the end of the bed and pulled the blinds up before stretching out on the couch against the wall, leaving the double bed for her.
Without premeditating it, I snapped my eyes shut when I heard her footsteps coming back into the room. The door clicked shut, the light went out, then the bed creaked as she got settled. My eyes bolted open. I folded the pillow in half, trying to get more comfortable.
***
I woke, hearing rummaging in the pitch dark.
I sat up. “G? What’re you doin’?”
“Sorry. Digging for more pink stuff.”
“You all right?”
“I’m an idiot,” she muttered.
“Not gonna argue with that after what you did to yourself today. Turn the light on if you need to.”
She did, saying, “Thanks. Sorry.”
I shielded my eyes with my hand, but still caught sight of her in just a long t-shirt, bent over her stuff on the floor.
I’d found sleep, but it wasn’t with ease, and not just because this couch was not like sleeping on a cloud. As I tried to settle my mind, it was like I was working out math problems. All to do with a blonde biker bunny with a great ass, pain in her eyes, and a beautiful voice.
My brain kept working over the facts I had about her so far. The few facts she’d shared about her past; it sounded like she’d had a rough go of life so far. And I found myself gettin’ annoyed at the people I didn’t know who’d let her down. Mother not taking care of her after prison. Father chaining her to a goddamn radiator. Plus completely steamed at the notion of Wyld Jackals getting anywhere near her.
She disappeared from the room, and I heard her close the bathroom door.
She’d forgotten to shut the light out and if it’d been days ago or even yesterday I’d have barked about it. But I said nothing.
She was back and the light went out again.
“You got any ties to the Jackals at all?” I asked a couple minutes after hearing she was still fidgeting over there.
“I already told you I’m not a-”
“Answer the question, hostage.”
She took a big breath. “Other than Kailey, not really.”
“You fuck any of them?” I asked.
“What?” she sounded outraged at the question.
“Answer the question.”
“Never.”
“You hang around with any of ‘em? They know you?”
“They know of me.”
“Gimme that rundown.”
“Now? It’s like… whatever time it is and-”
“If I’m protecting you, I need facts.”
No, I didn’t need them right now, but I did. And I didn’t know why.
There was a beat of silence, then she started talking.
“It’s due to Kailey some of them know who I am. I’ve been invited but I’ve never gone to their clubhouse or even their hangouts. In fact, go out of my way to avoid ‘em around bars or whatever. Have been cornered a time or two, though.”
