Unhooking the Moon

by Gregory Hughes

  ‘That’s OK. Whenever she’s ready. Whenever you’re ready, Marie Claire. But for now shall we go see your new uncle?’

  I put her jacket on her, because she was shivering, and we walked her out to the car. I helped her into the back seat and sat beside her.

  ‘Just a short ride, Marie Claire,’ said Joey. ‘We’ll soon be there.’

  We drove slowly down the dirt road and, getting back on to the main road, we drove slowly towards Manhattan. There was no rush now. He’d either want us or he wouldn’t.

  But in my head I was praying that Uncle Jerome would be nice the way his brother was. I was praying he’d look after me and my sister and make her well again. If he didn’t want us they’d put us in a home. And now she was getting worse they’d definitely put her somewhere different. I wouldn’t let that happen! I couldn’t! If he wouldn’t take us both I would ask him to take my sister. At least she would be with family.

  We passed some Hispanic guys standing on the corner, just like they were that first day in the Bronx. That was the day I took my anger out on Marie Claire because I was frightened and didn’t want to admit it. I looked at her and kissing her on the head I held her a little tighter. We crossed a bridge and, heading into Manhattan, we made our way through Harlem. We passed the Starbucks where the girl liked me. She was a nice girl and she looked like Gabriela. I thought about Gabriela and wondered if she thought about me.

  We rounded the park and I looked over towards the swimming pool where we got showered. We were happy then. It seemed like such a long time ago. I thought about Erwin who had offered to put us up, but only for a few nights. I liked Erwin. I hoped he was sleeping somewhere safe.

  When we got on to Fifth Avenue there wasn’t much traffic. We were soon passing the den, and Ice’s apartment, and the spot where I shouted at Ice for calling our dad dumb. He hadn’t meant it. He’d been upset. And now he was in hospital recovering from his wounds. I wondered if they put him in a bed next to Tommy.

  When we neared the end of the park Joey drove off Fifth Avenue and parked down a side street. Then he turned around and looked at us. ‘Ready?’

  I got out the car. ‘Come on, Marie Claire.’ She never moved and so I reached in and took her hand. She looked exhausted, the way she did after she’d had a fit. ‘It’s going to be OK.’ She came out and, putting my arm around her, I closed the door. Joey put his arm around her as well, and we went to look for the Exocome building.

  We soon found it and, walking past a group of cops and a large chunk of granite with the words EXOCOME CORPORATION written on it, we climbed the steps. We walked through the revolving doors and headed towards a reception desk, our feet echoing around the deserted foyer. A security guard stood at the desk. He was a large man with a black moustache and he watched us as we came.

  ‘Where can we find Jerome DeBillier?’ asked Joey.

  ‘You could find him in the meeting on the top floor if you were going up there, but you’re not.’

  ‘We really need to see him. It’s important.’

  ‘Believe me, it’s not as important as the meeting that’s taking place. Now, why don’t you kids run along?’

  ‘These are his brother’s children. His brother is dead. We really need to see him!’

  ‘I’ve heard it all before. Next thing you know the little girl will need money for an operation or you’ll need ten thousand dollars to get back on your feet. You think I don’t know hustlers when I see them?’

  ‘Bob, you want to give us a minute?’

  I took Marie Claire’s arm and we walked over by the door. But I could still hear them.

  ‘Look, buddy, no one’s on the hustle here. I swear to you those kids are his niece and his nephew. Marie Claire doesn’t need an operation but she’s not well!’

  ‘Then take her to a doctor. What are you bringing her here for?’

  ‘Because their uncle’s got money. He can get her the help that she needs.’

  The security guard looked smug. ‘I knew you were here for money. The second I saw you’

  ‘No! Look! Why don’t you call him and ask him to come down?’

  ‘I’ll tell you why. Because I’ve worked for Mr DeBillier for five years and I’ve never heard of him having a brother. But let’s say they are his niece and nephew. He might not want to see them. So you call his secretary in the morning and work it out with her. Conversation over!’

  Joey came back toward me looking downcast. ‘I don’t know what to do, Bob.’

  ‘Ah!’ Marie Claire’s face cringed with pain.

  I put my arms around her. ‘It’s OK. I’m here!’

  Joey’s face hardened. ‘To hell with him! We’re going in, Bob! Even if we have to fight our way in!’

  We got either side of my sister and walked towards the security guard.

  ‘We’re going up to see Mr DeBillier,’ said Joey. ‘Don’t try and stop us.’

  The security guard came from behind his desk. He looked amused. ‘Kid, I’m twice your size.’

  ‘You got a gun?’

  The security guard stopped. ‘No.’

  Joey pulled a gun from his waistband. ‘Well, I have!’

  The shock hit me. Then I got a very bad feeling. But when I thought about Marie Claire I didn’t care.

  The guard raised his hands. ‘You see them cops out there? How close to Mr DeBillier do you think you’ll get?’

  ‘Close enough to get this mess sorted out. Now put your hands down and take a seat … Now stay that way … Come on, kids.’

  The alarm bells were ringing in my head as we walked toward the elevator. But then they rang for real. The noise hurt my ears and shuddered my heart. They were so loud you could hear them in Winnipeg.

  ‘Run!’ shouted Joey.

  I ran towards two rows of elevators and pushed a button so hard my finger hurt. I looked back to see the security guard running for cover. ‘He’s got a gun!’ he shouted.

  ‘Who was he talking to?’ I said.

  But Joey never heard me. He tapped a button and looked up at the numbers. Then he kicked the door. ‘Come on, for God’s sake!’

  An elevator opened behind me. I grabbed my sister’s hand. But I heard someone shout. I turned to see a cop standing on the other side of the elevators. He was glaring at us down the sight of his gun.

  ‘Drop your weapon!’ he shouted.

  He was tall and mean-looking and his blue eyes looked fierce below his peaked cap. I was so frightened I felt faint.

  ‘It’s just a toy,’ said Joey and threw it away.

  ‘Get your hands in the air!’ he shouted.

  Me and Joey raised our hands.

  ‘You. Get your hands in the air!

  ‘She can’t!’ I shouted.

  Joey gave me a look. Then he indicated the elevators. I grabbed my sister and dragged her inside.

  ‘Don’t move!’ shouted the cop.

  I heard a crack as Joey rushed into the elevator. I tapped desperately on the top button. The cop edged his way into view. But the doors closed and the sound of the alarms faded. Joey slid down in a corner. His chest was bleeding.

  I held my head in my hands. ‘Oh no!’

  The colour drained from Joey’s face as rapidly as the elevator was rising. Tears came into his eyes and dark patches appeared below them. ‘I’m frightened, kids!’

  Marie Claire knelt down in front of him. She put her arms around his neck and gave him a hug.

  ‘What would I do without you, MC?’ His head flopped to one side and he fell unconscious. I helped my sister to her feet. There was blood on her shirt. I turned her towards me. It was Joey’s blood.

  The elevator chimed.

  He’d done so much for us. And he looked so helpless. But I knew we had to leave him. ‘Come on! The cops will take care of him!’

  We stepped out on to the top floor with the alarm bells blasting. There was a sign saying EXECUTIVE BOARDROOM and an arrow pointing down a long corridor lined with plaques and photographs. At the end
I saw an opening.

  ‘Come on,’ I said.

  But she didn’t move. She leaned against a wall, holding her head with her hand. Then I saw the numbers above one of the elevators were glowing red and rising. I went to help her but she backed away.

  I was desperate for her to come with me but I didn’t want to force her. ‘Please. The cops are coming. We have to go.’

  She bit down with the pain and then struggled to force the words out. ‘Am not gong ta make it, Bab … But yo aways be ma brader!’

  I threw my arms around her. ‘You are going to make it. You have to!’ I felt like crying, but I didn’t. I put her arm around my neck and walked her down the corridor.

  By the time we reached the end I was almost carrying her.

  We came to a wide area with a water fountain in its centre. There was a woman behind a reception desk shouting down a phone. ‘Security? What’s happening? … Do we have to evacuate the building? … What? I can’t hear you!’ Then she saw us. ‘Security, do you know there are children up here? One of them looks hurt!’

  I saw a set of double doors with a sign saying BOARDROOM above it. I passed the reception desk and headed towards it.

  The receptionist came after us. ‘No, you can’t go in there! If she’s hurt bring her to me!’

  As I turned a couple of cops came out an elevator. They came quickly down the corridor with their guns out.

  ‘Hey!’ One of them called. And then they ran towards us.

  I supported my sister and charging toward the doors, I burst in. There were a dozen people standing or sitting around a long table. Some gathered their belongings ready to leave. One guy was shouting above the alarms.

  ‘Everyone stay calm. There’s no need to panic!’ But he panicked when he saw me and my sister, and the blood her shirt. ‘Oh my God!’

  At the other end of the room sat a large man with thick black hair. He was looking at a file while drumming his fingers on the table. I sat Marie Claire in a chair and ran towards him. One woman clutched her bag. A guy went to grab me but I pushed him away. I tripped over something. I got up and ran in front of him. ‘Uncle Jerome!’ When the man looked up I saw the scar on his cheek.

  Then the boardroom doors blew open and the cops burst in. There was a lot of shouting and commotion. Everyone was trying to calm everyone else. Then the cop that shot Joey saw me. ‘There he is!’ They came towards me either side of the table. The other one, a big, broad, cop aimed his gun at me. ‘Don’t move, kid!’

  A man and a woman ducked for cover.

  I looked at Uncle Jerome. ‘My name’s – I’m your—’

  Uncle Jerome sat back in his seat. He looked bewildered. I couldn’t find the words. I took a deep breath.

  ‘Jerome DeBillier! You’re our uncle!’ I shouted. ‘John – your brother – our father – is dead! If you don’t want to take us both then please take Marie Claire! Because she’s not well!’

  Uncle Jerome looked from me to Marie Claire like we’d fallen from the sky. ‘You’re John’s kids?’

  A cop grabbed my arm aggressively. He shoved it up my back and took out his handcuffs. I was crying. ‘Don’t let them separate us! You’re our uncle! You have to stand up for us!’

  And stand up he did.

  ‘Take your hands off him! That’s my nephew! And put them guns away!’

  The cops did as they were told. More cops and security came in the room. There was more shouting. Uncle Jerome stood on a chair. ‘There is no need to panic! These children are my niece and nephew!’ he shouted. ‘Now I want everyone to keep quiet!’ Suddenly the alarms stopped and everyone stopped talking. ‘Now everyone stay quiet while I sort things out!’

  It was silent except for some commotion. My uncle looked for the person who had not obeyed his command. When a group of people cleared from his line of vision I saw Marie Claire on the floor. She wasn’t moving. ‘Call an ambulance!’ I shouted. I ran toward her and took her hand. ‘I’m with you, you’re going to be OK! Call an ambulance!’

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  And that was, as they say, a long time ago. I’m sixteen, now, and six foot. And I’ve really broadened out. I live with my Uncle Jerome who has become my legal guardian. We move between his house in the Hamptons and his place downtown. Sometimes we stay at his apartment on Fifth Avenue, the apartment we had searched for but could never find. Uncle Jerome used to have me attend a private school, one of the best in New York. But now I come here to the Marymount Manhattan College, just a short walk from where we live. I like living in New York, it’s become a second home, but I still miss Winnipeg.

  Anyway, my classes are finished for the day and so is my writing, and now I have to go to New Jersey.

  I leave the library as quietly as I can and head to the main entrance. Students are stamping snow off their feet as they come into the building. New York never gets as cold as Winnipeg, but it’s making a real effort this winter. And so I wrap up warm before going outside.

  ‘Hi, Bob!’

  I turn to see Ashley going into class. ‘Hey, Ashley!’ She makes that sign with her fingers to tell me to call her and, smiling, she drifts away. I will call her as well. She’s the prettiest girl in Harlem. We had a dinner date there last week. She took me to this soul food place on 125th Street. I thought it was tacky at first because it was so rundown and they microwave the meals. But the food tasted so good you’d never know it. And the people who ran the place were really nice. I’m going to take her somewhere next week, but where I don’t know.

  I can’t get a cab on Third Avenue now that the snow is coming down and so I walk over to Fifth to see if I can do any better. I throw some nuts to the squirrels scavenging in Central Park and then I look around me. I’m not far from the old den. It seems like a dream, now, that me and the Rat had once lived in the park. But a lot of things seem like a dream from around that time, like Joey getting shot.

  I thought he’d definitely die, but he was out of the hospital in a matter of weeks. The cops never brought charges against him as long as he never brought charges against them. And that was the end of it as far as all parties were concerned. He went to live with Sexy Sandra in Queens. He said he was only staying until his wound healed. But now they have a girl called Sydney and another one on the way. They’re even talking about getting married and moving to Venezuela, where Sandra is originally from. But I hope they don’t, I’d miss them if they went.

  A cab whizzes by without stopping. I can’t stand that. It didn’t even have anyone in it! I blow into my hands to warm them up and then I look at my watch. I’m already late. I want to be there and gone before Uncle Jerome arrives. He can be stern in many ways. But he can be kind too. For example, he had his lawyers exhume Dad’s body, when he found out we’d buried him without an autopsy – turns out Dad died of a heart attack – then he had him reburied, in the same spot, with Father Henri performing the burial rights. He also ordered a beautifully sculptured angel from Paris and had it placed over Dad’s grave. I know all this happened because Harold kept me informed by email. I was angry that Uncle Jerome never told me about the service. I was even more angry when I found out he had gone. But Uncle Jerome can be quite secretive.

  The second cab I flag down stops and I get in the back, glad to be in the warmth. ‘Take me to New Jersey.’

  When I first heard they were charging Ice with murder I could hardly believe it. Ice was up on one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder, and countless other charges. They were even charging him with driving recklessly. One count of murder and driving recklessly. They didn’t go together, not unless you ran your victims down.

  Ice’s lawyers postponed the trial on more than one occasion, mainly because the paedophiles at the Don Children’s Home gave up so many of their so-called friends. And they, in turn, would give up their friends. What’s more, the FBI scoured the country for the three girls who had gone missing from the home. And in doing so they uncovered a paedophile network that had tentacles across the
country. They started arresting paedophiles from New York to Miami and as far west as San Francisco. They were even charging paedophiles who had committed crimes twenty years earlier. No one was walking away from this one. The last I heard they’d arrested fifty paedophiles, and they were charging more everyday. And that’s why they kept postponing the trial, so it would go better for Ice. But when the FBI found the bodies of the three girls they were looking for, the lawyers postponed the trial no longer.

  I watch a bicycle courier in bright gear riding up Fifth Avenue the wrong way. He ignores the horns of the demonstrating drivers. He even gives some of them the finger. He brings back memories of our great journey on our BMXs. I’ve only ridden a bike once since we gave ours to Big Frank. But I have to say it wasn’t the same by myself.

  The trial was televised and the circus was soon underway. The media wanted to talk to everyone we’d met in New York and there was no shortage of people coming forward. They spoke to Sean and Connor who told them how we’d been chased that night. And how they’d chased the guy who had chased us, but he got away. They talked to the Bronx people who told them how we’d searched for our uncle in the pouring rain. It was amazing how many of them remembered us. Even the likes of Tall Toni and the bald guy he was fighting with, who both wanted to know if there was a reward, or any chance of bail. Al the butcher told them if we had come back five minutes later he would have told us who our uncle was.

  They talked to Karl the chauffeur, the guys him and Ice were fighting with, and the media people at the Marriott. They talked to the cops who turned up at the Exocome Building, the security guard, and Sonny, Tommy’s tattooed friend. The only person they didn’t speak to was Big Frank, who threatened them with physical violence.

  I turned on the TV one time and they were showing dozens of clips of me and Marie Claire captured on CCTV. I couldn’t believe how many cameras we were on. When I changed the channel they were talking to Erwin. How they found Erwin I’ll never know, but they did. He told them that white kids could get away with anything, but we weren’t so bad. And we could still come over if we wanted. That’s when they found out we had slept in the park. They took pictures of our den and put them with their stories.