High convictions, p.19
High Convictions, page 19
These are the things that have been keeping me restless at night. These are the things I’m afraid to say aloud. I think that if I say it, I will manifest it, and that is the last thing I want.
“Clay? What are you, doin’?” Vic shouts. Hearing his voice, I look down and see the smoke, from the burning butter.
“Shit.” I toss the pan to the sink and run the cold water. “Sorry, I lost myself.” We’re making breakfast. Vic is on bacon, and because he’s about ready to scream if he has to eat another egg, I’m making cinnamon bun waffles. Of course, I’m also making bacon and egg sliders too. Gotta make what the momma to be, wants to eat. “Let’s try this again.”
“She’s going to kill us when she comes down.” Vic coughs opening a window.
I turn on the exhaust fan. “I don’t know what happened.”
“Are you okay? Should we stay home?”
“No. I’m good. I just-” I stop, catching a bit of movement out from the corner of my eye. Letting my vision adjust, I see Abigail. Lately, she’s in sweats or stretchy pants and baggy shirts. Not now, though. Her jeans are low slung, cut up, and frayed, and her Radman’s tee hugs every new curve she’s beginning to develop. Her hair is down and brushed out for a change, the blue streak clear and visible. I smile, I can’t help myself.
“I’m going to have to take Vic’s mom up on getting some new shirts, but I figure this will do for today, right?”
“Absolutely. Come get you some food. The waffles are done, and the sliders will be just a few minutes more. I just gotta build them and pop them in the oven. Do you want cheddar, American, or no cheese?”
She scrunches her nose. “Do we have swiss still?”
I purse my lips. “There might be a bit of the Lorraine left. Vic?” I look at him questioningly.
“No, you finished off the last piece like a week ago.”
“Then, no cheese.”
“Wait, isn’t there some of that Colby jack left? How about that?”
“It gives me heartburn, and that is the last thing I need this morning.”
I reach into the drawer next to the sink. With all the food that’s gonna be pushed around today, you better take this.” I put a bottle of Tums on the counter. “Oh, and for Vic’s protection.” I clink a box of Beno with a chuckle.
“What’s that supposed to mean? I don’t need that.” She looks at Vic and me both, confused.
Vic ribs me trying to shut me up.
“Honey, apparently you have Dutch ovened him a few times recently,” I smirk. “I told him to stop sleeping with his head under the covers, but you know him.”
“He probably did it to himself! I don’t do that!” Abigail demands crossing her arms, then her expression drops, and we hear a long toot. The noise is so loud that even Chaos looks at Abigail. “I’m not going. I’m going back upstairs and changing back into my baggy clothes and back to bed.” She turns, heading away from us.
“Oh, no, you don’t!” I put the eggs off the stove and rush her. Grabbing her around the middle, I scoop her up, careful to not squeeze too hard. I don’t want her tooting on me. “Food, today we are going to parade our knocked up gal all over and she- meaning you- are going to sing and eat barbeque until you burst. Is that understood?” I cover her in kisses as I set her back into the chair at the kitchen island.
“I don’t want to. You’re being mean.”
“If you’d quit eating all those damn eggs, you wouldn’t have this problem.” Vic finally looks up as he’s finished the bacon. Maybe he should have kept his trap shut.
“Why don’t you carry around a baby and see how you feel? I crave the eggs! I cry at the drop of a pen, hell you dropping a pen could make me cry!” She bulls up as the tears start. “See, crying!”
“You can cry right into your sliders and waffles. You are going to school, young lady!” I say as sternly as I can muster. “Now eat up, you’ll need the energy for the day ahead.” I pour her some milk and orange juice. “To the last day, we ever have to spend at Amel High.” I hold up my juice.
She pushes the orange juice away but holds up her milk. “To last days.” Vic does the same, but as she’s drinking her milk, she throws the orange juice on Vic. Vic goes around to grab her. “If you touch me, I will puke on you because you officially make me sick from the smell.”
“You-You, Clay, you need to do deal with her because I’m going to kill her,” Vic growls, leaving us.
“Next time, you’ll be nice to the woman carrying your baby!” Abigail shouts after him.
“You don’t know if it’s mine!” Vic shouts back, still storming off.
“It’s not yours!” I shout. “It’s ours! Now hurry the fuck up!”
48
Vic
Deep breaths. We take the Mazda together since there is no real reason for me to take the rig. I’m not working tonight. In reality, I’m not working anymore period. At least not for Townsend Towing. I’m going to need to find something I can do in California, but between practice, classes, and trying to take care of Baby girl, I have no idea what that will be. I was completely shocked by Clayton getting me into USC. The fact is that I wasn’t even trying to apply to anything out there. I figured that I would just work. At least for the first year or so. Help with our new addition to the family, shit like that. There’s always time for college. I know I was and am still freaked out over this whole daddy situation, but let’s be real. I sorta called it. I knew it was gonna happen. So here we are on the last day of high school, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Baby girl? Are you good? Got your guitar?”
“I’ve got it.” She taps the case beside her.
Getting out first, I look over the giant parking lot and field. The booster clubs managed to make a helluva little carnival for us Seniors. Clay comes over to Abi and me.
“Wow, I thought it was just gonna be food in the courtyard.” He looks over all the food trucks and other crazy. From where we stand, I can already see the kids dressed up as clowns, and there are even others walking around on stilts.
“Nah, it’s go big or stay home.” I snicker, taking their hands, putting me in the middle for a change of pace.
We get to the entrance, and Billie Jean Conway is running the stand.
“Hey! Oh, my God! Abigail, how are you?” She pops up and is hugging on Abi. Billie Jean was in our music class. “Thank you.” She tries to whisper, but I still hear her.
Abi pats her shoulder. “You’re uh- welcome? Not sure what for but um-yeah. Can you let go of me now?”
“Oh? I’m sorry. It’s just- you have no idea, do you? You took out Harmand. You did what we couldn’t- what we were all too afraid to do or say.” She is starting to cry. “You saved us from being terrorized anymore.” I look around, and there are like a dozen girls all looking at us.
Then it starts. The little thank you’s. The tears. “You’re so brave. Thank you.” “I’m so thankful for you.” “Harmand raped me two years ago. I’ve finally been able to report it. Thank you.”
So many girls.
Billie Jean holds out a yearbook. “We didn’t think you’d be here.” She holds it open, and it’s been signed everywhere!
Abi looks from me to Clayton and then to Billie Jean. “Thank you. I hadn’t planned to be. I was kidnapped from home and brought to school.”
“Well, you can rest assured that everything today is on us.” Billie Jean grabs a roll of tickets. “If you all run out, come see us. We got you. It’s the least we can do. You saved lives. I’m tellin’ ya.”
“You shouldn’t ever feel that you can’t protect yourself. Go to the school board or something. I could defend myself, but most girls can’t. Learn to throw a punch, and when they are bigger than you grab a monkey wrench that tends to do the job.”
Girls clap and cheer, saying Abi’s name. Christ. Clayton grabs us and the yearbook ushering us inside.
“Well, you done did it now. They’re gonna be measuring you for your stature before too long. Abigail Greenwood, the girl who took down the tyranny of the Amel Family.” Clayton chuckles.
“They fucked with the wrong girl, that’s for sure.” I swing my arm around Abi. “Look at all the tickets. I’m gonna win ya a big purple gorilla. And we’re gonna call it Magilla.”
“I came, I saw, I was accosted. Can I go now?” Abi whines.
“Not a chance.” A familiar voice creeps in behind us. I turn my head to see Mister Lagrange, our music teacher, and the only teacher that ever stood behind us.
It’s Abi’s turn to hug someone. “You know this isn’t my scene,” Abi pulls back from him.
“That may be true, but you’ve earned your right to a little fun. You know I checked, and you passed with a two-point nine GPA? Not too shabby Abi, not too shabby by a lot. I’m so damn proud of you. You let your competitive streak out. There are a few games here today I think you will dominate. I’m doing a name that tune game, Mister Miller is testing the auto shop boys by seeing if they can put a carburetor together blindfolded, and of course, there’s the pie-eating contest at three. If I recall you murdered the pie, my sister baked Freshman year. Go get ‘um. Let me see you kick some ass one more time before you blow this one-horse town.”
“Yeah, we'll see. There’s lots of food. I’m not sure I can eat it all.” Abi shakes her head, rubbing her belly. “The last thing I need is to make myself sick.”
“So you take bites, and Vic and I will take care of the rest.” Clayton nods to Lagrange. “We’ll see you at your booth.”
“You make sure, something tells me she could set a record.” He hugs her gently and hands her a card. “You call this number when you get to California. It’s my sister-in-law, Melody Anne. She and Amelia own a club. She’s expecting your call.”
“Seriously? This would be awesome!” Abi gets excited, but then her face drops. “I’m pregnant, the last thing I need to do is go into a club and get knocked around or something.”
“I know you’re pregnant. So do they. It’s not a rowdy place, check it out. Okay? Have I ever steered you wrong, kiddo?”
“I’ll be here for two more months, but I’ll be sure to call them once I get there and get settled. Thank you.” Abi hugs him once more.
“So where to start? That is the real question.” Clayton says, looking at Abi and me.
I look at her too. “I spy the inflatable twister; how much dirty trouble do you think we can get up to before they toss us?”
Abi shoves me. “Do you always have to think dirty? There’s a lot of people there. Maybe something without so many to start?”
“Okay, let’s go with the nerf shooter games and work our way out,” I say, grabbing them both again. “I got stuff animals to win.”
49
Clayton
“Ya think you got room for anything else in there?” I tease Abigail as she sucks down a batch of fried pickles with a side of fried Oreos. “Any more, and we may have to have Missus Davenport let out your gown.”
“You shut up; she’s growing a person.” Adam laughs, feeding her a bite of his pepperoni pizza. We met up with him and Wayde by the ring toss, and Wayde kicked Vic’s ass. It was hilarious. I think Vic would still be pouting if not for Abigail. She won the game for putting together the carburetor. It took her a whole ten minutes. She had a choice between a gorilla and a flamingo. She went with the gorilla.
“Yeah, shut up, I’m growing a person.” She laughs, which is something she doesn’t do very often anymore.
“Did you guys see the Lego fire walk?” Vic asks excitedly. “Nobody has been able to get past the middle of it. They’re giving fifty bucks to anybody that can do it.”
“You’re nuts.” Adam shakes his head.
“Fifty bucks, you say?” Wayde purses his lips. “I bet I can do that.”
“Side wager?” I offer. May as well make a buck on these two idiots.
“I’m not putting up money,” Vic argues.
“Oh, why not, feet too pretty to actually get you to sac up?” Wayde chuckles.
“How about labor? Or...” Adam gets the most vicious little grin. “Mom and I were going through getting rid of stuff, and I found a bright pink corset. Loser has to wear it and pose for an Instagram pic.”
“I don’t know if that’s worse for them or for us.” Abigail cringes. “Fifty bucks, I get across it quicker than either of you.”
I shake my head. “You guys are so gonna be wearing that corset for the cameras.”
“You’re fucking on.” Vic grabs his balls. “I got steel in here, baby.”
“So are you tellin’ us Abi is giving birth to Ironman?” Adam questions.
“He wishes.” Abigail laughs, taking off her shoes. “I’ll even let you all go first.” She sticks her hand out. “Bet?”
Fist bumps all around, when we get there, I’m handed everyone’s shoes.
“Do I look like a shoe tree?”
“Well, you certainly are the tallest asshole in this bunch.” Wayde winks at me. “Be glad I’m using odor eaters.”
“Oh, brother.” I lament.
They approach the walk. To be honest, it looks deadly. I mean, have you ever stepped on one Lego? Now imagine a twenty-five-foot pathway filled with them. What’s worse is this thing is like a bed, filled several inches deep. You have to step up and down into it.
“You all sure you want to do this?” I ask as Adam takes out his phone.
“I’ll record. You time each of them. If you don’t get across, you forfeit.” He announces.
“Yeah, yeah.” Wayde passes his three tickets to the attendant. “I must be out my damn mind,” He grumbles, stepping up to it.
“Ready?” The attendant asks.
“Yup.”
“Okay, go for it.”
“C’mon Wayde.” Adam hollers.
A trepidatious first step has him hissing. He backs up, getting back on the ledge. “I gotta roll up these pants.” He announces.
“Choke!” Vic yells, while Abigail just waits her turn while working on the last of her cotton candy. Sucking it off her little fingertips.
Wayde gets his pants rolled up and starts to try and run, remember time is money here. He gets to the halfway point, and with tears in his eyes loses his footing. Down he goes! Legos everywhere! He’s screaming like a banshee as he rolls over.
“Get me out! Get me out!” I can’t even imagine how bad that shit has to hurt. Hands, arms, back. He asked for it, though. They get him out, and he just sits on the ground, huffing, and puffing. “That was horrible! You’ll never do it.” He looks at Vic.
“Vic, are you sure?” I ask. “I mean, really, you can just pay Abigail and save us the trouble of pulling you out of there next.”
“I got this. Haven’t you got any faith in my ability to take a little pain?”
“Totally different.” I’m sure my face has just flamed.
Adam looks at me then at Vic and Abigail. “What kind of kinky fuckery do you get up to?”
“Quit lookin’ at me. I’m just carrying the baby. They are the kinky ones.”
“Ah, you love it.” Vic teases as he climbs up to the bed of pain. “Here we go. I can do this.” He huffs and takes his first steps. “Fuck me in the ass with a broom!” He shouts but keeps going. He walks like a cat through a puddle. All pissed off at not being able to avoid it while trying to shake the water off.
“If your feet get any higher up in the air, you’re gonna fly!” I giggle shout. I can’t help myself.
“Shut up, you pussy! I don’t see you trying this shit!”
“Because I’m not an idiot trying to prove that my dick is bigger. I know it is. I’ve seen yours!”
“Yeah, as I’m shoving it in your mouth!” Vic screams as he cries. Hot damn, he made it across. He collapses on the grass. “I need Band-aids! Stat!”
“Oh, you’re not bleeding that bad!” The attendant chuckles. “Is the lady really ready?”
“Oh yeah, because my dick is bigger than all of theirs,” Abigail says, handing over her tickets. She starts singing as soon as she steps on to the Legos. I don’t know what she is singing until she points to Vic and Wayde. The Gambler by Kenny Rogers. Sheesh, she’s just gotta rub it right on in.
“That’s my girl!” I shout. “Come on, Abigail, belt it, Honey!”
She finishes just as she says the last line of the song. Three minutes and thirty seconds, not a tear one, and she just made a hundred and fifty dollars.
“You can pay me at graduation tonight.” She winks at Vic and Wayde.”
“Cash only, no checks or money orders.” I smile, hugging, and kissing her congratulations.
50
Abigail
Today was fun, watching Vic and Wayde’s face as I crossed the Legos like they were nothing was priceless. They seem to forget I’m used to going without. Shoes were one of the things I never had in the summer until Fred started buying me things. They need to learn that in things like this, they could never beat me. We’ve been sitting in these hard chairs for what feels like hours listening to person after person talk. I’ve been elbowed for falling asleep. What? If these people would get the show on the road, I wouldn’t be falling asleep. It’s been a long day, and I’m pregnant.
I had to sing to myself to stay awake. Me singing had others from choir following along. It also lets us get through the process better. Vic and Clayton’s names were called for their scholarships. Once we finally get called to get our diploma, it’s one by one.
