Tease Page 16

  “Is Ollie here? I need to talk to him.”

  “Brother of the year’s out getting more paint for his bedroom, so prepare yourself for his oncoming freak-out when he sees your eye.”

  I pulled back, clenched my fists across my chest and squinched my eyes shut as if readying for a monster task. “I’m prepared for the wrath of Ollie.”

  “Are you sure? I could yell at you now to give you a preview, if you like. It’d go something like, ‘This job’s too dangerous!’ and ‘I want his name so I can make sure the warden throws his loser butt in solitary. No one hits my sister!’” Jordan’s fist in the air demanded vindication.

  I chuckled at the joker being an actual threat to anyone. “That was a decent Ollie impersonation. You were almost intimidating.”

  Darius came out of my bedroom, sweaty and filthy. “Someone say something about Bait getting hit? What happened?”

  I shrugged it all off like it was no big deal. “Work. It’s fine. I’ve had worse.”

  Jessica tried to be helpful with a chipper, “I’ve got some foundation that’ll cover that right up for you.”

  “I’m fine. Thanks, though. Sweet of you.”

  Darius mopped the sweat off his brow and came closer so he could examine my face. “I didn’t know you were back at the prison. Which inmate?”

  “It wasn’t Terence or Fender, of course.”

  Darius rolled his eyes at me. “I know my guys wouldn’t lay a finger on you. Give me a name, Bait. Who hit you?”

  I shook my head. “It’s really fine.”

  “Pistola,” Darius ruled. “I know it was him. T told me Pistola was the one who stabbed you in the thigh. I’ll make a few calls. It’s taken care of. Clearly he didn’t listen the first time I sent the message that you weren’t to be messed with.”

  Finn pointed to Darius, finally deigning to speak. “I like this one.”

  My friends all gasped at the injury I’d tried to keep a secret for years. I palmed my forehead when Finn joined my friends in the line of questioning I refused to answer. “Aw, jeez. That stabbing was a secret, Darius, and it was a long time ago. Ollie doesn’t know about it, and neither did these guys.”

  Darius thumbed my cheek to turn my face, so he could examine my eyes more closely. “Man, Pistola really nailed you. He didn’t...” Darius looked pointedly at my crotch, making my ears turn pink.

  “Sheesh, it wasn’t Pistola, and everything’s fine. I’m fine. I appreciate you being all terrifying on my behalf, but it’s not necessary. I can handle my life.”

  “I’m sure you can, but Judge is going to hear about this.”

  I blew out a disrespectful raspberry. “If Judge could actually help me, I’d be begging on his doorstep.”

  Darius eyed me curiously. “What sort of trouble are you in that not even Judge could get you out of?”

  I shook my head, trying not to let my melancholy get the better of me. “Nothing. Everything. Don’t tell Judge. I’m really fine.”

  Darius gave me a hard look. “You’re too stubborn for your own good.”

  “Don’t I know it,” Finn mumbled.

  “Who do you think taught me that? Was it your stubborn older brother or mine?” I waved my hand to clear the air. “Too much serious talk. I’m really fine. Thanks for the concern, but I’m alright. The house looks amazing. I mean, if one of those home makeover shows is looking for a new crew, you guys are seriously top of the list. Wow!” I looked around with a smile that couldn’t help but creep onto my face. “Y’all are incredible for doing all this. The place looks amazing.”

  “Oh! I knew you’d like it!” Gabby clapped her hands together as she sidled up beside me, all too willing to change topics to a happier one. I could tell Ollie had given her free reign with his bank account to refurbish the place. She had that retail therapy high about her that made her voice extra squeaky.

  There were new end tables made of blonde wood, and a silver lamp that somehow matched the crazy new paint on the walls. The couch was new – a welcoming lavender with sporadic diamond shapes in white spread across the fabric. It was in a slightly different place than the old couch had been. Now it was a few feet to the left when you first walked in the door, instead of a straight shot. Somehow the small difference made a huge difference. I couldn’t picture Manas’ bodies littering my living room. I couldn’t see the blood painting the walls. It looked like... a home. A cozy, welcoming home.

  “Whose idea was it to hang those pictures? And where did... Is that me?” I moved over to the one wall behind the TV that was a cream color to contrast with the silver to brighten the room. In silver frames were blown-up pictures of Ollie, Allie and me in three separate matching rectangles.

  Finn moved quietly beside me, unsure how to assess the danger in the space, or if there even was any. “Oh, is that your sister?” he asked, studying Allie at my nod.

  There we were – a real family. I touched my heart to stem the swelling and took a step back before the emotion could infect my tear ducts. They were all pictures taken with cell phones at various parties in our house. The one of Allie had her frozen doing the Running Man, color in her cheeks and a giant smile on her face. Ollie’s picture was of him flexing and shouting something hilarious into the camera.

  The one of me I didn’t even remember posing for. My hair was longer, so I knew it had to be a couple years ago. I wore my hospital scrubs and a long-sleeved thermal to cover the scars on my arms. I had my hand up to the person taking the picture with a polite smile that said, “Welcome to my home,” and also, “Get that thing out of my face. Here’s your pose, now leave me the crap alone.”

  “These are incredible. You seriously did all this?”

  Gabby bounced on the balls of her feet, overjoyed that I was happy. Her spindly black curls bounced with glee. Despite everything that kept me mildly distant from her over the years, I always knew she had friend potential in her. “Wait until you see the picture in your new bedroom.”

  “My new bedroom?” I quirked my eyebrow at her silly grin that came when she was too excited about something. “I can’t wait to see the makeover job you guys did on the rest of the place. You’re blowing me away, here.”

  The front door opened, and I intuitively knew it was my brother before his greeting sounded across the living room. “October? I didn’t know you were coming home today. Everything alright?”

  I turned, revealing my swelling cheekbone that told enough of the story. “I decided to come sleep here tonight. Is that alright?”

  Ollie’s jaw was tense as he tempered his words. I could almost see him biting back the angry versions of “Who did that to you? I’ll kill him!” Instead he swallowed. “Come for a walk with me? Too many paint fumes.”

  I nodded and moved out of the house, feeling Finn behind me. He’d been quiet during the whole exchange, for which I was grateful. It was nice to be out in the open spring air that felt like life to my pores, seeping through to my innards with restorative power.

  Ollie waited a solid fifteen seconds to make sure we were out of earshot from the crew before he let loose. “Who blacked your eye? Another Manas?” He clenched his fists. “For all the power everyone claims Ezra has, dude cannot keep you safe!”

  Finn put his hand on Ollie’s shoulder. “I’m watching her now. You don’t have to worry about anyone snatching at her while I’m around.”

  My voice was quiet as I explained the descent of Von into madness. I watched Ollie’s shoulders rise with “I’ll kill that idiot” vengeance, but then fall with a “Crap, I wish I could kill that idiot, but poor guy didn’t stand a chance” droop. “Ezra sent me away for a few days so they can deprogram Von. Apparently, that process is a whole big, brutal thing. Finn’s here to make sure no flying monkeys snatch me out of the sky.” I meant that last one as a joke, but flying bat women wasn’t too far a stretch.

  Ollie rubbed the back of his neck. “I really, really wish we could have like, a solid month of nothing bad happening. Every time I se
e you, it’s like you acquire a new injury. I never thought there’d be a job more dangerous than working at the prison, but you sure found it.” He pointed to his ring finger, indicating my naked one. “So is this it for you and Von?”

  I didn’t answer for several paces, looking around at the few trees that lined our dead-end street. There were a few birds whistling, as if nothing horrible could ever dampen their spirits. I wished I had a little bit of that magic in me. “No, but I’m taking a little space for now. I can’t really make heads or tails of anything. He takes off on me, but I understand the reasoning. He punches me, but I can’t really get mad because he was possessed. He’s like, a normal boyfriend and the worst boyfriend all rolled into one. Hard to say which way’s up. I think the few days apart is a good idea. I have to know how much of him is the guy who would never hit me, and how much of him is the guy who decked me. I’m giving myself a chance to breathe and figure things out.”

  “Breathing’s a good thing. I highly recommend. I do it habitually.”

  Finn cut through the feelings aspect of our conversation and got down to business. “Is the house ready for us to stay in tonight?”

  “No, and there are parts I still don’t want her to see yet.” Ollie slung his arm around my shoulder. “I’m trying to do a total transformation on the place, so it doesn’t remind us at all of the attack.”

  My arm wrapped around his waist as we walked. “Ollie, you don’t have to do all this. You look like you haven’t slept in a week. You need downtime. You’ve been through too much. Let me help with the repairs. It’s my house, too.”

  Ollie shook his head. “I’m firm on this one, kiddo. I can’t fix Allie, but this one I can fix. I need to be able to make something better. I need this for me.”

  I mulled over his reason and finally nodded. “If you get overwhelmed, will you call me?”

  “Of course,” he lied. “But a big project like this helps me to not get overwhelmed, if that makes any sense.” He gave me a squeeze. “Go to Mariang’s hotel for a few days. The house is almost done.”

  “You’re the best brother in the whole world. In all my lives, you’re my favorite version of you in this one.”

  Ollie smirked. “What about the life where I was a firefighter?”

  “Well, I was a fire-breathing dragon back then, so we were at odds more often than not.”

  “Ah. The eternal struggle.” He walked Finn and me to my car and opened the door. “I’ve got work to do, kid. Try not to get banged up anymore before I see you next, okay?” He cast a silent warning glance at Finn, who returned the unspoken promise that he’d look out for me.

  Twenty-Nine.

  Wonder Woman

  “Okay, brake! Brake!” I shouted, my pulse racing a mile a minute, even though we were only going twenty-five miles per hour on our dead-end street. “Now put the car in park before I have a heart attack. No, P is for Park! Not R, P!”

  “What’d I do wrong?”

  I was gripping the door, and looked up at the roof to rein in my response. “Nothing. Nothing at all. I needed a good life-flashing-before-my-eyes moment. I’ve been living too safe an existence.”

  “You said to put my foot on the right pedal, so that’s what I did.”

  “Yes, but you can’t keep your eyes on the pedal. You have to watch where you’re aiming the car. See?” I pointed to the mailbox he’d almost hit.

  Finn deflated at my valid point. “Oh. Well, now I know. Let me try again. How do I back this thing up?”

  “Ho, no. Boston can teach you. I’m too young to die like this. We’re switching.”

  Finn glared at me and got out with a frustrated huff, slamming the passenger door shut when he flopped into his seat. “You’re a terrible teacher. Made me nervous with your little terrified hisses every five seconds. I was going slow, just like you told me.”

  “I guess I don’t realize how many things you have to pay attention to. It’s good you were focusing on which pedal you were pressing, and great that you were watching the speed limit. But you also have to watch where you’re going. It’s hard. You did a good job for your first time.”

  “Don’t patronize me.” Finn crossed his arms petulantly and stared out the window with a frown.

  I don’t know why his pouting struck me as funny, but I couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped my lips. “You’re adorable when you suck at something. Never thought I’d get to see you actually be bad at anything, but it’s cute.”

  “Shut up.” He shifted in his seat. “I hope you brought your swimsuit, because I’m teaching you how to swim the second we find a lake.”

  “The hotel’s probably got a pool, but I don’t want to learn to swim. I don’t plan on ever going into the water again, so I don’t need to know how.”

  “That’s weak,” Finn said, calling me out with no room for mercy. “That’s not you. Be afraid all you want, but don’t you ever tell me fear’s stopping you from doing something important.”

  “Hello, swimming’s not important in my line of work.”

  “What if someone you loved was drowning?”

  I chucked his shoulder while keeping my eyes on the road. “That’s why I have you to save the day in such a situation.”

  “I won’t always be here. I’m sure the second Von comes back to himself, you’ll send me on my way.” He raised his hand when I opened my mouth. “Don’t bother with the denial, or the charade you fed Ollie that you’re taking some space from him. I’m a big boy. I know it’ll be him. I’m just enjoying the time I get while I have it. I told you I’d be your friend before, and I haven’t changed my mind on that.” He cleared his throat. “But I’m firm on you learning how to swim. I’m here to keep you safe, so let me do my job.”

  “Well, I don’t own a bathing suit, so that’s that.” I kept my eyes on the road, maintaining my silence as best I could until we neared the hotel. I checked us into a room on the same floor as Mariang’s, and went straight to her room instead of unloading my bag into ours. The cleanliness of the lobby and hallways put me at ease. This was easily a five-star hotel, and the difference in room price meant more Lysol was used, the sheets were washed regularly, and the vacuum was run more often. My shoulders relaxed at the heady feeling of comfort the non-germy environment gave me.

  Mariang let us into her room with a hug that threatened to force emotion out of me, so I ducked out of it five seconds in. “I missed you, too,” I admitted with a smile. Her belly was big and round, making her tiny frame look unstable. I ignored the stab of pain I felt at being around a pregnant woman, and chose to focus on my sister going into the tail end of her third trimester. “How are you feeling?” I asked, rubbing her belly without asking permission. She didn’t have the hang-ups about touch that I did, and reveled in the glory of pregnancy.

  “Great! Bored, but I feel fine. So ready to meet little Anastasia Grace.” She grinned at my eyes that went wide.

  “Grace? Like, after me?” I was stunned. It dawned on me that no matter how much I adored Mariang, she would always find a way to be more generous with her love. “Are you serious?”

  Mariang nodded quickly, finally backing up to let us all the way in after she shook Finn’s hand. “I’m so in love with the name. It was Danny’s idea, actually.”

  I shot her a withering look, getting the familiar feeling that she was trying to force me to like Danny by putting nice words in his foul mouth. “I can’t picture that. Hey, Boston,” I said to the brother who was texting on his phone from the chair by the window. He didn’t bother to stand up to greet us, which only added to Boston’s brand of charm.

  “Hey, sis. Miss me so bad you just had to come visit?”

  “Something like that.”

  Mariang held her hand up. “Honest! It was Danny’s idea. He wanted to name her after a strong woman, and said he didn’t know any who were stronger than you.”

  I winced. “Yikes. I almost feel bad for yelling at him before I left. He really said that?”

 
Boston nodded. “I remember because I made him repeat it. I mean, strongest woman? I nominated Wonder Woman, but he turned it down. Anastasia Wonder Woman Vandershot. Has a certain ring to it.”

  I chuckled and bent slightly to kiss his forehead, mussing his hair. “Missed you too, Bos.” I scribbled down our room number on the pad of paper on the desk and flopped onto the bed next to where Mariang sat, rubbing her belly like it was a crystal ball. “So tell me about my niece. What’ve I missed? Kicking a lot?”

  Finn excused himself to go do a few rounds to inspect the grounds, and put up charms to reinforce the ones Boston already had in place. Mariang and I talked animatedly about her pregnancy while I brushed her hair and braided it for her. With every question I asked her about her baby, she grew more and more overjoyed, relieved that I didn’t hate her for being able to keep her baby when I couldn’t have mine.

  I loved her, plain and simple.

  Thirty.

  Boys and Bikinis

  “Come on, you yellow chicken!” Boston jeered with a playful smile from the deep end of the pool.

  “The water’s warm, hun. You’ll love it.” Mariang waded in the shallow end, laving water over her arms.

  “I don’t want to do this,” I gulped, standing at the edge of the pool. I peered into the chlorinated water, my arms crossed over my stomach. Of course Mariang had multiples of everything, including swimsuits. This one could hardly be classified as a suit; it was pink and skimpy, and I felt so exposed that I couldn’t leave the hotel room until I’d pulled a tank top over the barely-there swimsuit. Though I didn’t have my scars anymore, I didn’t need the whole world seeing me in what was basically my underwear. Come to think of it, my underwear covered a lot more than this pink number did. While I was shorter than Mariang, my breasts were heaping handfuls larger than hers, and my butt was a little rounder than her size two frame. Pregnancy had only enhanced the areas I tried to keep off the map. Trying to stuff my body into the smaller bikini made me painfully aware that I was a woman. I was wary of a wardrobe malfunction if I moved my arms too much.