by C. L. Donley
“Hm. What’s the timeline?”
“Furthest one’s a flip, the closer one is basement mold. And they just fired the guy they had.”
“So they need someone right away.”
“More or less. But their budget’s ate up. I got someone else in mind if you don’t want it.”
“No, I’ll take it. They can’t afford to have someone to go in and fuck it up worse.”
“Let me negotiate it then.”
“Kenny, I’m not a sucker.”
“I know, but they already got you in charity mode, and this ain’t charity work.”
“Speaking of which, what’s the story on this Adam Kerr guy?”
“What do you mean by that? Don’t tell me he lowballed you?”
“No, he didn’t. That’s not what I’m getting at.”
“…You talkin’ about the nazi shit?”
“Yeah. What the hell is up with this guy?”
Jo couldn’t see Kenny’s smirk over the phone.”
“Well, I know he left the klan awhile back.”
“How long’s ‘awhile’?”
“Year or two after Charlie took him in. I know he’s been through hell. They all have.”
“Really?”
“I mean, I’m not one to gossip but… his mom? Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.”
“Crazy?”
“Crazy, abusive, addicted, just… she wasn’t always that way, let Charlie tell it.”
“Charlie’s her brother?”
“Her brother. Adam’s uncle. He took him in ‘bout six or seven years ago. Came here from Tennessee, I think. He’s a good kid. Just got caught up with the wrong crowd is all.”
“He doesn’t strike me as a ‘go with the crowd’ type of guy.”
“Well, the ‘crowd’ in this case was his crazy ass dad. Dusty Kerr. Lives in Littleton, I’m talkin’ the heart of lynch country. Gus was out there first, then Adam, then Corey. Adam was the first to leave, started working for Charlie.”
“Which is why he’s in charge and not Gus?”
“More or less. Gus is an ox, don’t get me wrong. Competent. Don’t like to be bossed around by his little brother, but he ain’t got any better ideas, from what I hear.”
“So their dad got them in the klan?”
“Hadn’t seen ‘em in ten years until Gus showed up on his doorstep on his 18th birthday. Dusty’s fourth-generation klansmen. A low-level drug dealer. Probably mid-level now, I don’t know. I keep outta that shit. That’s how he met their mother Carolyn, who I’m pretty sure was underage at the time.”
“Holy shit.”
“Yeah. Real heavy shit. He told me how he ran into you.”
“Judah’s obsessed with him. Thinks he’s Thor from the Avengers.”
“Oh shit,” Kenny chuckled as Jo recalled the story.
“Well, I got one more week there, probably. Just schedule me two weeks out.”
“Another one, so soon?”
“I got a feeling this Kerr guy is going to try and poach me.”
“You could just tell him ‘no.’”
“Or you could. I don’t want you to have to lie.”
Or say yes, she thought.
“Hey, Jo. You’re a helluva worker. Your dad would find me and kill me if somethin’ bad were to happen to you. I got no problem tellin’ him to back off if that’s what this is about.”
“Kenny, you and my dad can both stay out of this one.”
“Well, if you need me to kick his ass, I’ll do my best. He’s been warned. Charlie would understand.”
“He’s ‘been warned?’”
“Oh yeah.”
Jo didn’t know what to do with that information.
“He asked about me like that??”
“No, but he didn’t have to. He’s a good contractor, but he’s got a shit record with women.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah, you know Bethesda’s small as shit. Gus and Corey are about as bad as a buncha gossipy girls.”
“I love how me being black hasn’t come up once yet.”
“Yeah, well. Wanna know a little secret about men?”
“…I think I already know it, Kenny.”
“It’s funny because Adam might be one of the least racist guys I’ve ever met.”
You know, white people might really wanna consider retiring that sentiment, Jo thought but didn’t say. “Ironic,” she settled on instead.
“Yeah. Well, alright. I’ve fed the gossip monster enough.”
“I just wanted to know who I’m potentially dealing with.”
“He’s not as dangerous as he sounds. But you probably shouldn’t fuck him. That’d be my recommendation.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ll keep him away as best I can if he asks for you again. But a guy like Adam likes to hunt. It’s tricky, but you might wanna try looking desperate.”
“…What’s my other option?”
“You could keep bringin’ up the kid.”
“He brought up Judah himself, actually.”
“He did?”
“By name.”
“Well, I don’t know, Jo. Sounds like you’re fucked.”
“Wow, Kenny. Thanks for the pep talk.”
“Look, he’s got a rep with the ladies for a reason. He’s a hardworking, good-looking fucker. And you ain’t exactly blowin’ the rape whistle, here.”
“Oh, fuck you, Kenny,” Jo said, ignoring Kenny’s faint giggles. “Just find me an extra job.”
“Yes, ma’am. Good luck, Jo.”
4
Chapter 4
After a meetin’ with Charlie, first thing I did when I got back was go upstairs to look for Jo, but she wasn’t there.
Her equipment was where she left it, but no sign of her. I couldn’t tell if she was done for the day or done period.
“How long ago did Jo leave?” I asked Gus.
“Not long. ‘Bout an hour.”
Jo was back on site thirty minutes later. She’d changed into this frilly little shirt with patterned roses on it and some jeans. Tight ones. She’d let her fake hair down and it was pretty long. She looked like the brown version of that chick from Baywatch. Not the one with the big titties, the other one. First pretty girl I ever remember seeing. It was more of a vibe they shared than a resemblance. All sweetness, but sexy no matter what.
“Where you going, all dolled up?” I sent her a playful glare, tried to keep my eyes up.
“You mean in my regular clothes?”
Regular clothes my ass.
“Sorry, I guess I’m used to seeing you covered in mud.”
Holy shit, that sounded fuckin’ weird.
“It’ll only take a minute, but… figured now was a good a time as any.”
“For what?”
“Your biggest fan is waiting in the car.”
I huffed a laugh and followed her back out front. I waited until the rest of the crew was out of sight before getting an eye full of Jo’s perfect ass. She kept that thing in its cage during work hours and it was a good goddamn thing she did. I hoped Judah wasn’t watching me watch his mom like a perv the whole way over to the car. Mom had a boyfriend like that. Carl. Fuckin’ hated Carl. I did not want to be Carl, but… it couldn’t be helped, I guess.
“Hey there!” I stuck my head in the window and ol’ Judah just looked at me like he was starstruck. I stuck my arm out for him to give me a high five. He gave my hand a big smack as hard as he could. He was cute as shit.
“What’s up? Hangin’ out with mom?”
“Yep.”
“Your mom’s cool huh?”
“Yeah,” he shyly confided. I looked over at Jo looking at Judah. She was smiling big and I got a little choked up. I don’t know why. Coulda been happy or sad. My mom was a gorgeous lady too, with a gorgeous smile. Had to have been as young as Jo when I was born. She was a young mom once. Then Corey came along and fucked that up.
“Can I sit in the truck now?”
“I told him the next tim
e we ran into you he could sit in the truck,” Jo said in a low voice. She didn’t seem thrilled at all. Which made me grin.
“If we ever saw you again,” Judah corrected with his little index finger-pointing. It was strange, so I laughed. His chubby little man hand was just too fuckin’ much.
“Come on, little man,” I said. He fiddled with his seatbelt as Jo opened the door and he hopped out, darting straight across the front yard to the truck.
“Judah, be careful!” Jo shouted, pretty much on autopilot. He probably wasn’t gonna get blown up on the way to the truck, but she seemed to know something I didn’t.
I opened the driver side door, picked him up and let him sit behind the wheel. Jo was instantly bitching about it.
“Not the driver side, Adam.”
“He’s not old enough to steal it, Jo.”
“Non-existent phase, Adam. I meant it.” She did. She went full Kindergarten teacher on me.
“Okay, then, what’s the next phase?” I said.
“There isn’t one.”
“Judah, what do you think, should I ask your mom to be my friend?”
“Yes!”
“Not fair.”
“Children are excellent judges of character, Jo. Everybody knows that.”
“…I don’t know about excellent.”
“Mom, I’m hungry,” Judah announced. He instantly tried to jump out of the truck, like hunger just made all of life ridiculous compared. I grabbed him and helped him down.
“I know baby, we’re leaving now.”
“Let me take you guys out,” I offered.
“Judah’s not really into fast food, thank God.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I gotta make him something at home.”
“You can come to our house,” Judah suggested.
“Baby, Adam’s really busy right now. Maybe some other time.”
Don’t think I didn’t know “maybe some other time” meant never.
“Actually I’m not busy. At all,” I said. Jo gave me a golden moment of knowing eye contact before she had to shake her head. It was real cute. Like she hates me, but she can’t help but love me.
“Yay!”
It was definitely wrong for me to use the kid like this. But it wasn’t really— he was helping me. Jo shooting me down was startin’ to smart. I had no hope of Jo ever believing I was a good guy unless I could get Judah to vouch for me.
She only had a few days left at Cormier, and she didn’t fuck around, which I appreciated. So there was very little talking. The odds I was gonna be able to make an impression before the mud was all dry were dismal. I just wanted to spend some time with her is all.
“You can bring me back here. About an hour should do it?” I proposed. I made sure it was about the kid. She sighed.
“One. hour.”
Judah looked at me like he knew what was happening. Maybe he did. Maybe us men are all just born motherfuckers. Poor little half white bastard. I gave him a wink.
We rode in Jo’s Infiniti not ten minutes away to her house, a cookie-cutter gray duplex at the end of a cul-de-sac. Probably renting. Her house was all beiges, full of light from the big window above the door, high ceilings. Toys tucked away in the corner of the living room and the kitchen just off the entrance. In her living room was a giant sound system monstrosity.
“Judah, sit down at the table,” she said. I could’ve followed her in the kitchen, but instead, I sat next to my biggest fan.
“You hungry?” she directed at me.
“Nah, I’m good,” I said. I was actually famished as fuck. But I didn’t want to trouble her. So there I was like a dumbass, about to starve myself for an hour because I gave a shit what Jo thought of me.
“So, this is my house,” Judah proudly stated.
“I see it, it’s nice.”
“Well, it’s really my mom’s house, but that’s my room over there,” he said, pointing behind us. I assumed Jo’s room was on the opposite side.
“Got it,” I replied.
Jo interrupted us like a waitress and set the snack plate down in front of Judah who only picked at it. But he was still eager to have it and I couldn’t fault him. Meat, cheese, kiwi, raisins in a neat little pile. Oh, wait, no those were… black beans? Potato chips to keep it kid-friendly. Chocolate covered almonds for dessert.
“That’s a nice little spread you got there, Judah,” I commented. He didn’t say anything back. Just started attackin’ the plate one element at a time with two fingers. He was left-handed like me.
“I’m not that great of a cook,” Josie answered in her own defense. But I wasn’t trying to be funny, I was serious. “I try to feed him things that aren’t more than a few ingredients, or ingredients themselves. But it’s not always easy. He loves bread. Cereal.”
Maybe I was just hungry as fuck, but his plate was damned colorful and looked delicious. Nutritious to boot. It made me ashamed what kind of shit I was putting into my body every day. Yeah, I was busy, but I didn’t have a kid. Didn’t work two jobs. I had no excuse.
“I don’t suppose I could trouble you for one of those plates,” I caved. She gave me a bright white smile.
“Are you serious?”
“I’m dead serious.”
“Um… sure.”
A few minutes later I got my own snack plate and me and Judah were munchin’ like we invented it.
“Adam, did you know, that, um… that— Adam, did you know that, that— did you know that if you, if you put— Adam, did you know, that if you put, if you put syrup, in the um, microwave, that it explodes??”
“I did know that, bud.”
Jo gave me a sassy little look over her shoulder, smiling a bit before she returned to a sandwich she was making. My stomach did a little rise and fall like I was going over a hill.
“What?” I smiled back.
“No you didn’t,” she insisted.
Her confidence in her son as a conversationalist made me chuckle.
“Pretty easy to imagine,” I said. She turned to face us, a sandwich triangle in her hand.
“So you inferred, but you didn’t know.”
“I inferred, same as him.”
“Oh… he knows,” Jo cryptically says in a haunted voice, facing her son. I couldn’t help but laugh as I looked over at Judah’s big bright smile. I’m not sure he understands we’re laughing about him. But then he puts up his hand for me to high five it and I know he does.
“Imagine if you had three of these knuckleheads,” I said.
“No thanks. How’d your mom do it?”
“Well… by not doing it. Not really. Gus is three years older, so he remembers her a lot different than me. She was an angel for the first six years of his life, let him tell it.”
“Kenny told me a bit about it.”
Thank goodness I was busy chewin’ when she said that. I played it cool since she didn’t seem to know she was busted.
“Kenny?”
“Yeah. Well, not the details, just the… gist. Of your life.”
So Jo Jo’s been wonderin’ about my life, huh. Probably at night. In bed.
“Coulda just asked me, you know.”
“I wasn’t gossiping or anything. Just trying to find someone who could vouch for you, I didn’t know there was a whole freakin’ soap opera attached.”
“Don’t say bad words, mom!” Judah suddenly blurted.
“What… ‘freakin?’ Sorry.”
“Vouch for me how?”
“I don’t know, just in general.”
The conversation gave me the confidence to shoot my shot. She all but said she wanted to take me out. If it was stories she wanted, I had plenty. But somehow I knew she was just gonna turn me down. She had to. It was the smart thing to do.
Which meant I was gonna have to bring the party to her.
“So um… you still doin’ that DJ stuff?”
“Every Friday, pretty much.”
“This comin’ up Friday?” I asked.
>
“Why?”
“Well, I’ve been thinkin…’”
“Uh oh…” her eyes got big for a second.
“Maybe I can come to see you.”
“…You?”
“Yeah, why not?”
“I don’t think it’s really your scene,” she smiled. I tried not to feel insulted.
“And what do you think my ‘scene’ is, Jo?”
“I couldn’t even fathom.”
I just grinned at her.
“Well. I think this Friday my scene might be standin’ around lookin’ at wasted college students and watchin’ you on the turntables.”
Jo giggled. “Alright, well. I’ll play something special for you then.”
Suddenly, Judah grabbed a sliced piece a’ kiwi from my plate and placed it in my beard. Little rascal. He giggled a little. When I didn’t do anything he grabbed it and smushed it in.
“Judah!” Jo exclaimed like she was genuinely horrified.
For a minute the kid was scared that his instincts were wrong. That his mother was right and he was doin’ something bad. No way was I gonna let him wallow in that.
I grabbed his arm and wiped smushed up kiwi all up his shirt sleeve and he let out a long wail of disgust and delight.
We were speaking a language mothers don’t speak. He was telling me he wanted to play.
I couldn’t resist having a chance to be the undisputed champion in a kitchen table fight. It was the primary way my brothers and I showed affection, even now, and it usually leaves one or more of us pretty busted up. We loved each other so much once, we cracked Pete’s windshield and he had to get stitches in his ass.
“Okay, okay, that’s enough before someone gets hurt,” Jo broke up the fun. “C’mon let’s take Adam back to his truck.”
Judah’s a good kid. A real good kid. Good heart. The way I saw it, he had about five years before he would let the black side of him take over. Jo’s doin’ a good job, so far. But his fuckin’ soft hands dad was gonna get him killed. Jo thinks she’s doing the right thing, but she isn’t.
Judah was gonna be a man sooner than later, and no one was teaching him the skill. Certainly not his faggy dad, who was white and probably delusional. Judah was only half white, unfortunately half fag, and couldn’t afford to be delusional.
Judah was smart. And if everybody was too chicken shit to tell him the truth, somethin’ really fucked up was gonna happen to him, and the worst part for him won’t be that it happened, it’ll be that nobody prepared him. And then he was gonna turn on them all.