by Bella Knight
“Where’s the bar?” asked the woman.
“Dirty Vegas is only a few blocks from here,” she said.
“You own Dirty Vegas?” said Donna. “I’ve been there to dance a couple times since Greg left. Asshole can have Jeremy; kid won’t do his homework unless I go all Rambo on his ass.”
Ivy laughed. “Sometimes you gotta start carrying a foam baseball bat to be a mom,” she said. They both laughed.
They stopped at the bank around the corner from the bar, then Dirty Vegas.
“You closed?” asked Donna, counting the money.
“Open in two days,” she said. “Tomorrow’s Monday, we’re dark that day anyway.” They filled out the change-of-title paperwork under a streetlight.
Ivy dropped off Donna at her apartment complex and went to a car wash open late. She washed and vacuumed the car, bought a wheel lock and two car seats, and got two sets of keys made at a Wal-Mart. She also bought groceries that would sadly strain her little refrigerator: milk, juice boxes, bread, eggs, butter, lunchmeat, cheese, apples, salad mix, pancake mix, bacon, oil, cans of soup, more dog food, and little-people cereal. She filled up the trunk, drove home, unloaded the car, and sneaked into the house. She was super-quiet as she filled up the refrigerator and cabinets. She took off her boots, got into her T-shirt and shorts, and crashed, with Callie in her arms.
She awoke to the smells of coffee and frying bacon, the sound of a cartoon person talking in Chinese, and the touch of a breeze coming in through the open window.
A little Chinese girl was sitting next to Grace. They were drinking from juice boxes. Daisy was under the table, hoping for scraps of bacon to fall into her doggy mouth.
“Ni hao,” said the little girl.
“Ni hao,” said Ivy, rejoicing that her stuttering brain was able to let her say, “Hello” in Chinese.
Ivy was stunned when Callie gave her a sealed cup of something that smelled like coffee. It turned out to be iced coffee with a little sugar and milk. Ivy swooned with pleasure and sat down.
“Breakfast in five,” said Callie smiling.
Ivy made the sign of the cross. “Bless you, my child,” she said. Callie laughed.
The delicious smells of apple and cinnamon came from the griddle, while bacon popped and sizzled in the microwave. When did I get a griddle? Ivy asked herself.
“Breakfast!” said Callie.
The girls trooped in, pulled up chairs, and ate the apple-cinnamon pancakes and bacon.
“This is Hua Hu,” said Grace.
“Nice to meet you, Hu,” said Ivy, remembering that Chinese last names came first.
“Ni hao,” she said, and daintily ate a piece of bacon.
“Hu says that she knows you and that you eat at her grandmother’s restaurant all the time,” said Grace.
“Sadly,” said Ivy, “I need a two-bedroom.”
The little girl whipped out a pink cell phone covered with pink and silver chrysanthemum stickers and talked in rapid Chinese. She hung up, and happily ate pancakes.
There was a knock on the door. Ivy got up to get it, but Hu pre-empted her. The tiny girl talked to the tiny elderly Chinese woman that owned the restaurant and was Ivy’s landlord, and the woman nodded once, then twice. She gestured for Ivy to follow her. She did. The woman unlocked the door that was at a right angle to Ivy’s. Ivy had always wondered what was in it, but since she never heard anyone on her stairs, she ignored it.
The door led to what had been a storage area. There were still a few tables and chairs in it. It had been dusted. It was the same size as Lily’s bedroom. The woman made a karate gesture at a wall. The little girl, Hu, mimed kicking the wall in a certain spot.
“Hiya,” said Ivy, mimicking kicking the wall as well. “I get it. How much more a month?”
The grandmother whipped out a calculator and put in some numbers.
“Does this include making the door?” asked Ivy. The grandmother nodded. “Okay, I’ll take it.”
She bowed, and the grandmother and the child bowed to her. The grandmother mimed cutting the door and making more keys.
Ivy said, “Fine.” She bowed again, and they all traipsed out.
Hu followed Ivy back to the apartment. The woman took her sweet time heading down the stairs, grumbling to herself in Chinese.
They had barely finished breakfast when there was the sound of feet tromping up the stairs. Ivy cleaned up while Callie looked strangely at the knocking on the wall.
“They’re opening a door between the studs,” Ivy said. She walked over and listened for the knocking.
She had the girls get up, and she moved the couch in the corner and tilted the television so they could continue to see a little girl and a talking panda on the screen.
Sledgehammers went after the drywall, then the particleboard in between the apartment and the former storeroom. Soon, there was a hole in the wall, and then, slowly, the outline of a doorway. A saw came out and framed the door. They put in an actual doorway and door, the entire thing together, already on hinges. Ivy wondered if they had stored the door somewhere as she did the dishes.
The door was nailed and screwed in, and two tiny Chinese men came in to remove the rubble and vacuum the floor. Then, they vanished.
“Shit,” said Ivy. “They can cut out a door anytime,” she said, testing the door, opening it wide. “Well, Grace, this room doesn’t have any windows. It’s like a cave. Do you want to have this one or the one with the windows?”
“I like caves,” said Grace.
Ivy took out her phone and found a used furniture store a few blocks away.
“Grace, do you want to pick out the furniture for your room now?”
“Can Hu come?” she asked.
“Sure,” said Ivy. “It’s just down the street.”
All four of them went.
They got bunk beds, “So Hu can stay over,” clarified Grace.
They also got two small desks, two small rolling chairs, an easel, a plastic toy chest, two desk lamps, a floor lamp, a little shelf, and a little chest of drawers with a mirror. They barely had time to sweep out the former storeroom, now bereft of chairs and tables, when the furniture people arrived. They put together the furniture, accepted bottles of water, and left.
Ivy went back out for a roll of newsprint for coloring, paint, brushes, two smocks, colored pencils, school supplies, and a bright yellow backpack at Wal-Mart. She even found a ukulele; she sighed and bought two. She went to the DMV to change over the registration on the car, then headed home.
The girls considered the stuff to be presented. They busily put the supplies in various places in the room. Grace put on some music on her little tablet computer; something bright and boppy, and the girls put on smocks and started painting things. Grace prattling in English and Hu in Chinese. Callie made tomato soup and grilled cheese. Everyone ate, then the girls went back to painting again.
Grace came in after a long painting session. “We have tape?” she said. Ivy found it, and Grace retreated.
The ladies relaxed on the sofa, watching Twilight.
“This is the silliest movie,” said Callie, “but I love it.” She took a sip of the Coke she’d picked up at the corner convenience store. “I should have realized I’m bi. I mean, I wanted to boff both of them. All three of them.”
Ivy smiled. “Exactly,” she said.
They curled up, listening to little-girl talk coming in through the halfway open door.
“Looks like we have to learn Chinese,” said Ivy.
“Word,” said Callie. They both laughed.
They had, of course, Chinese food (or, at least, the American version) for dinner. Yummy dim sum, and mu shu pork, and orange chicken. Hu wielded chopsticks like a pro. Ivy used a rubber band to turn a pair into “training chopsticks” for Grace. Hu and Grace laughed together as Grace learned to eat the Chinese way.
The grandmother came up to kiss Hu goodnight. She handed over a new toothbrush and a stuffed panda and left a child’s
backpack.
“Apparently, we’re having a sleepover,” said Callie smiling.
The girls showered and pulled up a YouTube video on how to play the ukulele. They giggled and played wrong notes. Callie and Ivy continued their Twilight marathon with popcorn; the girls eventually demanded their own popcorn and watched cartoons on the tablet. When their movie finished, Callie stood up to tell the girls to go to sleep, but they were already in the same bed in a puppy pile, sound asleep.
In the morning, both girls were at the table, drinking juice and eating cereal. Callie handed Ivy iced coffee laced with chocolate.
“What did I do to deserve you?” said Ivy smiling.
Callie smiled. “I was thinking the same thing.”
They finished their cereal, the girls brushed their teeth and they went to the car. Callie jumped up and down.
“It’s perfect!” she said. Ivy gave her the keys.
Callie looked down at Hu, clutching Grace’s hand. “We’re going to school now, sweetie,” said Callie. “I think Hu has school.”
“She’s going to our school?” said Grace.
“Her grandmother knows that?” asked Ivy.
“Yes,” said Grace. “Duh.”
“Good thing I installed both the car seats,” said Ivy.
“Yes,” said Gracie, pumping her fist. She opened the door and helped Hu in first.
Ivy walked around and helped Hu into the car seat, and got her buckled in. Callie did the same on the other side with Grace. Ivy hopped in the front on the passenger side, and Callie was cackling as she got in the front seat.
“Where am I going?”
Ivy laughed. “We both should have thought of that sooner,” she said and got out of the car.
Callie sighed and said, “Chinese fire drill,” she said and got out. They changed places.
Ivy took them to the club. Henry smiled when he saw Grace. Hu raised his eyebrows when Ivy took Hu out of the car, put her on the ground, and handed her a bright red backpack.
“Who is this?” asked Henry.
“This is Hu. She is Chinese. She lives behind our building,” said Grace. She walked around the car and took Hu’s hand.
“I’m Henry,” said Henry, pointing to himself, kneeling to look the girls in the eye. “Do you both have tablets?”
“Yes,” said Grace. “Her gramma bought one, and I charged it last night.”
“Very smart,” said Henry. “Do you want to see your new classroom?”
Both girls nodded. Henry reached out and took each girl’s hand in his.
“You’re gonna love it,” said Henry, and drew them inside.
“That went well,” said Callie. “I don’t have to sign anything?”
“Maybe later,” said Ivy. “Whatever shall we do?”
Callie looked at her, then smiled. “I don’t know. What do you want to do?”
“Drive us home, woman,” said Ivy.
Callie snorted. “I’ll probably get us lost.”
Ivy laughed. “You mean on the streets that change names three times?”
“That sucks,” said Callie.
“Tell me about it,” said Ivy.
They made it home in record time. They ran up the stairs and locked the door behind them.
They made it to the couch, ripping each other’s clothes off. Callie ended up on top, grinding against Ivy, stroking her hair, biting her neck. She put her fingers in Ivy’s mouth, and Ivy sucked. She ran the wet fingers over Ivy’s naked breasts, and Ivy moaned. Callie sucked on Ivy’s breasts, first one, then the other. She licked down her stomach, sliding one finger, then another, into Ivy. Ivy moaned and arched her back. Ivy moved her hips as Callie went in, and out, and back in, with her fingers. Ivy arched her back, screamed out, as she came in big rolling waves, again and again.
“Ooooh, yess, yess,” said Ivy as she came.
They slept together on the couch, finally making it to the bathroom after a nap. They took a shower and changed the sheet that was still on the couch. They made love again, slower this time, in the actual bedroom.
“Do you want grilled cheese or ham?” asked Callie, after she had brought in a washcloth to clean them both up.
“Neither,” said Ivy, “get dressed, honey, we’re going out.”
Ivy took her bike, and Callie followed. They went straight to Sonic.
“You take me to all the best places,” said Callie, ordering a cherry slush, chicken strips, and cheese fries.
“Two,” said Callie. They ate there, laughing in the light.
“Simple pleasures are perfection…”
4
Back to Vegas
House
“There’s nothing quite like home.”
Lily and Ace made it home alive and happy. They put the boys and Duke the beagle in the guest bedroom and the pug’s dog bed in their room. Sadly, Jake the pug abandoned Lily for Pavel, Keiran, and Duke the beagle. Lily suspected dog treats were involved. Everyone slept like stones.
In the morning, they all sat around in front of the television, watching stupid movies and eating cereal. Ace stole his brother’s tablet and ordered groceries, dog food and treats. Then lots of juice, sodas, and flavored water to be delivered. He ordered enough for a platoon and hoped that somehow it would be enough for another week and a half.
He put the groceries away when they arrived, cooked up enough mushroom cheese tortellini for seven, and fed everyone lunch.
“Before you lurch back to the couch, we’ve got to have a serious financial discussion,” said Ace. “I have a trust and profits from the bar, and we can get by on that with one kid in your fancy private school. Two kids are a stretch, and I’d like to get a house.”
“Pavel can stay,” said Keiran.
“No,” said Pavel, “I can stay here, get job.”
“Both of you are going back,” said Ace. “But, you’ve got to work a lot harder. I did some investigating, and if you take two summer classes, and add online or offline classes each semester, you can graduate a year early, possibly a year and a half early, even with taking AP and college classes.”
Keiran’s eyes bugged out. “We can graduate a year early?”
“Or,” said Ace, “you both stay there the full four years until you graduate, and your last two years will be all college classes.”
“What about my trust?” asked Keiran.
“Sorry, but you know our mother embezzled money from two companies, hers and our father’s company. It’s possible the cops will take it and give the money back to the investors. Even if it doesn’t go poof, it won’t kick in until you’re twenty-five.”
“In other words, don’t count on it,” said Keiran.
Pavel sighed and said, “My family was very rich, but if my father is a bad man, we run into the same problem.”
Keiran and Pavel looked at each other. “Early,” said Keiran and Pavel, at almost the same time.
“And,” said Keiran, “you either train the therapy dogs, or you get work. I know both of you code, and you could get online work doing websites. If you could put all the money into a college fund, that would help you both.”
“I want to train the therapy dogs,” said Kieran.
“But it is much work,” said Pavel. “And they are animals, needing constant care. We will be very busy with classes.”
Keiran teared up. “I love the dogs,” he said.
Lily smiled and clasped Keiran’s hand. “Your brother and I talked a lot on the ride. I can get more accounting work, and we can both work more at the bar. Or, we can look into getting a house that will allow us to have dog doors and a dog run in back. We can start a pet therapy training program, and take dogs into schools. We can use them for reading time and stress therapy in hospitals, retirement homes, disabled people’s homes, stress relief clinics, and the like. We can train with dog trainers before getting more dogs, and learn the business.”
Keiran smiled and said, “I can work hard, and take online courses too, so maybe I can come
back and work with the dogs.”
“If this is your life’s work, great,” said Ace. “But each dog is a lifetime commitment for somebody, and is an animal with love and devotion. They are like infants that need constant care. You can’t just start and suddenly stop this business. Take business classes, and investigate this avenue. Write us a report on what to do and how to do it based on your investigation.”
“We can investigate now,” said Pavel.
“Can I use your laptop?” Keiran asked Ace.
“Sure,” said Ace.
“You can use mine, Pavel,” said Lily.
“First, clean the table, then investigate, then walk the dogs in an hour or so,” said Ace. “Right now, we have to see a woman about a house.”
The boys rushed to comply, chatting excitedly about the dogs. Jake and Duke rushed to help, looking for any treats that might be involved.
The neighborhood itself wasn’t rundown, just off the beaten path.
“Henry’s right,” said Ace. “This school district kind of sucks.”
“Henry’s a great teacher,” said Lily, “and our two are currently in one of the best schools in the country.”
Ace laughed and said, “Lit a fire under them, didn’t I?”
“Sure did,” said Lily with a big smile.
The house was a ranch style, with blocks and machine parts rusting in the yard.
“The kids will need gloves to help us clean this mess up,” said Ace.
“Yes, but it’s desert landscaping, rocks, and cacti. Easy to take care of.”
Two windows were broken, the front door was obviously off kilter, and the doorbell didn’t work.
A little blue car drove up, and Henry and a wizened old lady hopped out.
“Hey, Henry,” said Ace. “Long time, no see.”
Henry snorted, and Lily slapped his arm. “This is Mrs. Wang,” said Henry, rushing around the car to take her arm.
“Hello,” she said, slapping Henry’s arm. “I’m old, not infirm,” she said.
She had almond eyes and a tiny, flat nose and a little bow mouth, and had a lot of wrinkles on her face. She was tiny, about Henry’s height.