by Mj Fields
I hear a door slam and cringe at the thought of how the embarrassment I’ve been able to keep hidden in this darkened closet will soon be brought to life.
“Where are you?” Gabby whisper-hisses.
I jump up and blindly reach for the door handle but get his hand instead. I pull it back quickly.
“Don’t be like that,” he whispers as he opens the door.
I hurry out and feel him tug on the back of my dress.
I glare back at him.
“Your skirt was folded up.”
I huff, “Great, just freaking great.”
I hurry in the direction of Gabrielle’s voice and, when I see her, I immediately stop.
“Go. Now.” Her voice does not mirror her demeanor.
“Gabrielle, chill.”
“Go.” Her voice breaks. “Now.”
“Jesus,” I sigh exaggeratedly as I walk to her. “I hated you hours ago, and now, here I am, ready to fight with your bitchy ass.”
“Just leave me alone.”
“Not gonna happen.”
“Just leave!” she cries.
“Only if you go with me. If not, my very angry father is going to show up with my Hello Kitty sleeping bag and retainer, and you and I—”
“Oh my God, shut up.” She’s half-serious and half-laughing.
“Gotta go out the back way,” Tobias says from behind us. “Good news is you’re less than a mile with a straight shot down the beach to Truth’s place. Should be easy.”
“She’s a fucking gimp,” Gabby snaps at him.
“Gonna warn you; that’s my second to last nerve,” I say.
“Still have the dune buggy?” Tobias smiles at her, but hardly ever at me.
She nods. “I’m driving.”
“You take your bedtime pills?” he asks her.
She gasps and nods toward me. “Really?”
“Then Tiny T’s got the wheel.”
I shoot Patrick and the crew a text, telling them I’ll be heading home. I find out that all of them are already at their perspective homes. Justice picked them up and was waiting for my text to come get me. I shoot him back a text to tell him to stay put, that I’m fine.
We use the access road next to the house to pull up the driveway, killing the engine and coasting in. As always, it’s lit up.
“Jesus,” Tobias says, covering his eyes from the blinding security lights.
“That’s Dad’s way of saying welcome home.”
“Sup?” Dad says, stepping out of the shadows, shirtless and in sweats, nearly giving me a heart attack.
“Jesus, Dad!” I gasp.
Ignoring me completely, he walks around the dune buggy and asks, “This a Meyers Manx?”
I walk around him as he leans in. “I don’t know.”
Still ignoring me, Dad lifts his chin to Gabrielle. “This yours?”
She nods as she looks down.
He sticks his head in farther and looks in the back, seeing Tobias. “You wear tights?”
“Oh my freaking God, Dad!” I try to slide between him and the buggy, and he freaking blocks me.
“No, sir.”
“You have a license?”
“Yes, sir,” Tobias answers.
“You not driving because you’ve been drinking?” Dad asks.
“Dad, what the hell?” I try to hip-check him and basically bounce off him.
“Yes, sir,” Tobias answers.
He nods and looks at Gabrielle. “You been drinking?”
“Dad, this is why I only invite family over.”
She swallows hard and answers, “No, Mr. Steel.”
“So, why aren’t you driving?”
I try to push him again, to no avail. “And also why some kids don’t tell their parents when they’ve been drinking, end up driving, and wrapped around a pole.”
“You lose your voice?” he asks her.
“Gabrielle, you do not have to answer him.” I grab his shoulders and yank on him.
“I took a sleeping pill.”
“You tired?”
“Dad!” I jump on his back now, and Gabrielle starts laughing.
“Too tired to get out of the ride?”
“Um, no, but”—she points at me—“your daughter is really trying to get your attention.”
He stands up, and I nearly fall off but quickly wrap my legs around Dad’s back.
“And I’m ignoring her like she did my text a few minutes ago.”
“I was driving. And just so I don’t have to repeat myself, rewind to the whole drinking and driving spiel I just gave—same dangers.”
“Next time, have one of them reply, then.”
“Why didn’t you just ask Justice?”
He reaches behind him and swings me around. Then he sets me on my feet and bends down so we’re eyeball to eyeball. “In case you forgot, I’m your father.”
I lean in and blow a breath of air at him.
He smirks.
I lean back. “You’re so predictable.”
“Love you, little bird.” He kisses my nose then steps back. “You two, come inside. Tara’s got snacks.”
“Gabrielle is spending the night,” I call behind him.
“Cool,” he says as he walks to the door.
Tobias then says, “Thank you for the invitation, Mr. Steel, but I’m going to head home.”
He stops, turns around, and cocks his head to the side.
Inside my head, I am pleading with my father to just let him leave.
“How you getting home?”
“I live just a few minutes away,” Tobias tells him.
Dad crosses his arms. “Great. So how you getting home?”
Tobias looks at me.
“Gabrielle and I can take him home.”
“I can walk,” he whispers.
Dad looks at Gabrielle. “Trust me to take it for a spin?”
She nods.
“Jesus,” I whisper.
“He serious, Truth?” Tobias whisper-hisses as he slides out of the buggy.
“Dad, he can take a Lyft or Uber.”
Dad walks up and pats Tobias on the back. “Thinking about getting one of these. How fast does she go?”
“The speed limit,” Tobias answers, trying to hide his annoyance.
“I bet we can do better than that.” Dad grins.
Tobias sighs and turns to walk away. I grab his elbow, and he turns back to me. “Remember our deal.”
He lifts his chin. “Any notes or tips you wanna share?”
I shake my head. “Protect your face.”
He squints his eyes and nods, looking at me intently. “Will do.” Then he walks to the passenger side and opens the door.
Dad revs the engine. “Buckle up, Buck.”
“Where’s Dad going?” comes from behind me.
Fuck, I think.
Before I turn to look at Justice, I see an apology in Tobias’s eyes. I don’t know if it’s for the closet, the fact that he’s at the home of the guy he’s fighting tomorrow, or something to come.
When I turn around and see Justice, his face is hard, eyes narrowed, as he watches Dad peel out and speed down the road. He turns and looks at me, shakes his head, and starts to turn away.
“Justice,” I call after him, and he turns back. “He was drinking, the cops came, I—”
“You think that pisses me off, T?”
Confused, I shake my head. “What?”
“That ain’t shit. He’s basically a good dude, but the girl who’s fucked with you and Kiki since go—Gabrielle Morales-fucking-Ortez—is sitting in our kitchen with Mom.”
“Shh …” I hush him.
He shakes his head and whispers, although loudly, “Self-respect, T, self-fucking-respect.”
“How about compassion?” I whisper back.
He shakes his head in disappointment and walks inside.
Chapter Sixteen
Idiom
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
Truth
And some only act the part when necessary.
Walking up the stairs, I smell pizza and hear Gabrielle’s nervous, “Thank you, Mrs. Steel.”
“Please call me Tara,” Mom says, a smile in her voice.
“She’s showing you some respect, Mom.” Justice’s voice vibrates, clearly trying to keep control of his anger.
“Which is appreciated,” Mom says as I crest the stairs, “but as a guest of Truth’s, I would hope she’d feel more comfortable calling me by my name. I know I would be.”
“I’ll try,” Gabrielle says sweetly.
Justice is leaning against the counter, arms crossed over his chest, as Mom plates a slice of pizza.
She turns to hand it to him.
He holds up his hand. “I’m good, Mom, but thanks.”
She steps forward and feels his head with the back of her hand. “You don’t feel feverish, and this is your favorite. Is your stomach off?”
He lifts a shoulder. “Nah.”
“You and Dad worked out for three hours; you have to fuel up.” Mom holds out the plate.
He glances at me then back at Mom and takes the plate. “It is, but tomorrow, I eat clean.”
“And Sunday?” Mom looks at Gabrielle. “Dinner at Momma Joe’s. Always great food, not always good on the body.”
Gabrielle smiles politely as she picks at her pizza.
Mom looks back at Justice as I grab a slice of pizza and a napkin. “Did you tell Truth about tomorrow night yet?”
He shoves half the folded slice of pizza in his mouth and shakes his head.
“What about tomorrow night?” I ask.
Justice raises his eyebrow at Mom, and she makes an oops face.
I repeat, “What about tomorrow night?”
Justice chews his pizza then swallows it down. “It’s a surprise.”
“I hate surprises,” I tell him.
“We’re well aware.” Mom laughs as she walks to the sink, hip-checks Justice, and then wets a washcloth as she looks up at Justice. “Sorry.”
He pops a kiss to the top of her head. “No big deal. Gonna be fun to see Truth stomp around and wonder what the hell’s going on until then.”
“Be nice,” Mom says as she turns around and begins wiping up the crumbs.
“Trust me”—he glares at me—“I am.”
My phone rings, and I secretly hope it’s Tobias telling me he made it home and lying to me as he tells me my dad didn’t make shit uncomfortable. When Dad’s number pops up, though, I am reluctant to answer, worried he might ask me to meet him somewhere with a shovel to hide a body.
I bite the bullet and answer anyway. “Hey, Dad.”
“Am I on speaker?” he asks.
“You’re never on speaker,” I sigh, exasperated, and Mom laughs.
“Put me on,” he says. His mood is upbeat, so he’s either already hidden the body or things went smoother than I imagined. “Truth. Speaker. Now.”
“Fine,” I say, pulling the phone away from my ear and hitting the speaker button. “Please don’t be embarrassing.”
“Embarrassing is coming face-to-face with two boys who got something for my girl; one whose face is pinched up like he might shit his pants. Well, in his case, tights.”
“Oh my God, Dad, really?” I ask as Justice laughs.
“And the one I just dropped off, who either pissed his pants or”—he stops—“hoping he spilt a drink. Regardless, neither are your type, so—”
“The point of the call, Dad?” I groan.
“Gabs around?”
“Her name is Gabrielle,” I correct him.
“She’s Gabs now. Couldn’t get a word in edgewise with her around. Girl never stops talking.” He laughs at himself.
I slap my hand over my face, and Mom and Gabrielle giggle.
“That you, Gabs?”
“Yeah, I’m here, Mr. Steel.”
“Name’s Cyrus, Gabs.”
“Gotcha,” she says, shaking her head.
“This thing licensed and insured?”
Her smile falls. “Honestly, I don’t know.”
“That’s cool. Pretty sure I could outrun M.P.D. with her. Anyway, Gabs, you mind if I take my wife for a spin?”
“Dad!” I gasp.
“Thing’s cool as shit.” Dad laughs.
“Of course.” Gabrielle laughs, really laughs.
“Sweet. Nice chat, Gabs. Birdie, get your ass out here in two. We need one of these, and I’m gonna convince you of that.”
“Okay.”
“Make sure you have a coat or grab a blanket; cold out here. Grab me a shirt, too. Nips are like nails.”
“Dad, gross. I’m taking you off speaker.”
“Love you, little bird.”
“Yeah, I know. Love you, too.”
“You better.” He ends the call.
As soon as Mom’s out the door, Justice uncrosses his arms and walks over to the island, plants his hands on it, and leans in.
“Justice, don’t.”
Ignoring me, he glares at Gabrielle. “I don’t know what your game here is, but I’m not buying this overnight kiss and make up shit.”
She clears her throat and sits up straight. “Wouldn’t expect you to.”
“She’s much nicer than I am. Kind of fucking naïve when it comes to—”
“Knock it off, Justice,” I snap.
Gabrielle crosses her arms in front of her chest. “I get that she’s a better person than me.”
“We don’t know that,” I say, trying my best to defuse the situation.
“Fuck we don’t.” Justice laughs maniacally. “She’s been nothing but a cu—”
“Stop it!” I yell at him.
He stands up, rolls his neck, and crosses his arms.
More calmly, I say, “We’re moving forward.”
“You see the good in everyone, T. I see what’s real.” He nods toward Gabrielle, who sits like a statue, face unchanging, eyes heavy.
“I’m a good judge of character, Justice. And I’m telling you, she’s not a bad person.”
“Truth, you don’t have to defend me. I don’t deserve it.”
“Fucking right you don’t.” He slams his fist on the island. “You come to my house and take pictures of us through a window, and then try to gaslight my sister less than a week ago, and here you sit, eating my fucking food, smiling in my mother’s face, acting like you aren’t some little posh twat who—”
“Justice! Stop!”
“No, by all means, let him continue.” Gabrielle shrugs.
“I’m done with you.” He points at her then looks at me and shakes his head. “T, I get you think the best of people, I get you think she’s being true to you, I get you believe people can change, and I’m not fighting any of that shit. I love you, will defend you with my last breath, but she”—he sneers as he points at her, still looking at me—“fucks you over one more time, and she’s gonna come face-to-face with her crimes, and justice will be served.”
“Cute little play on words,” Gabrielle retorts.
“You’ll wish you were playing on something, Queenie.”
“You don’t know jack about me,” she says, sounding calmer than I expected.
I push off the stool and grab her hand. “Come on, Gabrielle; let’s—”
“Yeah, well, you don’t know jack unless it’s some dude’s bean stalk you climbed, thinking it was the popularity pole.” Justice laughs at her.
She blinks a few times then looks at me. “I can promise you, if I wasn’t being sincere enough before, I will be just to spite him.” She looks at Justice. “And I can promise you …” She stops and shakes her head.
“Promise me what?” he snaps.
She shakes her head again. “You and I will never be friends. Even when I smile in your face, I will always remember the way you treat me. And you think you’re any better than me?”
“I’m defending my family!”
“And I mine.” She slides off her stool
, and I tug her toward the stairway as she yells over her shoulder, “To show good faith to Truth, I’m going to tell you you’re a fucking idiot.”
“T, you better sleep with one eye open tonight with this crazy bitch in your room.”
“Oh my God, please, both of you stop!”
“He’s an idiot because working out for three hours before a fight is stupid.”
“You calling me stupid?” Justice growls.
“Twist it however you want,” she snaps. “You, or your choices, doesn’t matter to me either way.”
Stomach in knots, I walk into my room. “I’ll get fresh linens for—”
“No, this is more than fine. I’ve put you out enough,” she says, walking toward the twin daybed in the far corner of my room and pulling the covers back.
“How about a tee-shirt or something to sleep in?” I ask as she tosses her sweatshirt off.
“I sleep nude.”
Awkward.
She looks back at me. “Will that be an issue?”
I shrug.
“I’ll leave my panties on.” She shimmies out of her sweats, and my door flies open.
Justice points at me. “I’m not done with this conversation yet.”
“Justice!” I gasp.
“He’s fine. He has the right to say whatever he wishes, and I have the right to tune him out.”
I glance back at her, and she’s legit standing naked, except for skimpy black underwear.
She yawns and makes a show of stretching, hiding nothing from my brother.
I snap my head back to Justice, who is livid.
“Give her some fucking clothes, T. Hers have apparently fallen off.”
“This is how I sleep,” she says smugly.
Justice scrubs his hand over his face then looks right back at naked Gabrielle. “Explain something to me.”
“It’s late, and I’m not sure I have it in me to do so,” she says, turning and crawling into the bed. Her undies happen to be a thong.
Justice’s shirt flies past my head. “Put some fucking clothes on in my home. Quit flaunting your shit like I’ve never seen tits and ass. Newsflash: I’ve seen bigger and better.”
She sits up, allowing the blanket to drop, exposing her perfect boobs again, as she pulls the shirt over her head. “Does this work for you?”