The Straight Crimes

by Matt Juhl

  “Well shit, after standin’ ‘round that factory ten hours a day, I’ve gotta relax. You’d go crazy too if you saw all them half-witted, inbred monkeys I’ve gotta deal with.”

  “The point is you’ve been neglecting your responsibilities here.”

  “Hello, don’t you see me workin’?” Mindi shoved the laundry basket at Faye.

  “Only ‘cause I yelled about it. You say you’re gonna change, but I ain’t seen it yet.”

  “Then you must be blind.”

  “No, you’re blind. You can’t even see the horrible example you’re setting for Harper.”

  “Enough, Faye.”

  “You’re her mom. It’s time to start acting like it.”

  “I do.”

  “Please, you never give her a lick of attention.”

  “We ain’t goin’ there again, Faye.”

  “You only care about yourself.”

  “You always stretch the truth.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  Mindi threw her arms in the air. “Look, I’m sorry I ain’t as perfect as you, but I’m tryin’ real hard. When the hell are ya gonna quit throwin’ my mistakes in my face?”

  “Once you quit making them.”

  Mindi glared at Faye. “I can’t be doin’ all that bad.”

  “Right, only ‘cause I let you guys move in again.”

  “Just ‘cause you own this house now don’t mean it ain’t my home. You always forget we both grew up here, sissy. This was my place just as much as it was yours, so don’t go makin’ me feel like a stranger here.”

  “But you forget I’m the one who’s kept it all these years while taking care of you and Ma, when she was sick. Even on her death bed, I was the one tending to her while you were out doing God knows what. And—”

  “Exactly, you’re the angel. I’m the devil, blah blah blah, the end—”

  “I’ve held two jobs to make the mortgage payment. I’ve never once turned your ass away when you called, crying your stupid little eyes out in the middle of the night ‘cause you didn’t know who the hell would take you in. Or those times you didn’t know how you’d make it through another week ‘cause you didn’t get a paycheck, so I wired you all kinds of money that you’ve yet to pay back. And who could forget the time you were so blitzed out of your frickin’ mind that I drove over nine hundred miles to come pick your skeleton body off the bathroom floor. I’ve always had your back, Mindi.”

  “Right, but there’s always a price.”

  “Yeah, it’s called gratitude, but you never show me any.”

  “That’s a lie.”

  Faye grumbled in exhaustion. “This argument’s getting old. I need you to pull it together and focus on making yourself better. I need your help around here without my asking. Also, you need to cut out the partying and stay clean. I know where it leads. If that happens again, your ass is outta here.”

  It was difficult for Mindi to mask her glazed eyes as she wiped her scabbed hand over her tired face. “I ain’t doin’ drugs.”

  Faye raised an eyebrow to Mindi’s facetious grin. “I didn’t say you were, just that you better not be.”

  “I promise. I ain’t usin’,” she lied.

  From around the corner, Harper overheard the redundant exchange and returned to her bedroom.

  Just as she closed her door, a familiar tapping strummed against her window pane. She’d been so distracted by the argument she lost track of time.

  It was Nik, resting his back against the soiled ivory siding, as he’d done every morning for nearly two months.

  Although Harper’s family knew Nik, they didn’t know how Harper truly felt about him, or what was going on between them. However, she wasn’t entirely certain herself.

  Harper’s mind and heart were especially heavy in the days preceding that morning. While studying her reflection, she couldn’t believe in a few weeks she’d be eighteen. Being so close to adulthood without having a full grasp of her sexual identity was frustrating. There was no denying her strong attraction to Nik. However, every time she entertained the idea of being with him romantically, she was faced with the inevitable truth that they couldn’t be together.

  Harper’s deep thoughts were interrupted again by her family’s arguing. She took a deep breath and reluctantly emerged from her bedroom.

  "Damn it Mindi, what’d you spill on the couch?”

  “It’s just beer. That smell will lift out after it soaks a lil’.”

  Faye’s frizzy red hair bounced around like a balloon as she scooped down and retrieved beer bottles from the badly stained carpeting.

  "C’mon sissy, put down that damn bag. I already told you, I’ll take care of it.”

  “Please, in an hour you'll be blacked out on that filthy couch.”

  “I wish, but I’ve gotta work today.”

  “I ought to go down there and find out how many times you’ve called out sick.”

  "I’ve only missed work twice, well, three times, but the third time wasn’t really my fault.”

  “I figured as much. You better hope they don’t fire ya.”

  "Faye-Faye, you’re givin’ me a frickin’ migraine. It ain’t gonna happen.” She turned to Harper. “I’m workin’ hard, ain't that right, Pookie?"

  Harper clapped her hands sarcastically. "Enough, Mama." She continued on her way to the coat closet. "Mornin’, Auntie."

  "You’re heading out already?" Faye asked.

  Mindi folded her frail arms and pouted like a child. "No ‘good mornin’’ for Mama?"

  "I said enough, Mama.” Harper looked back at Faye. “Yeah I'm goin’ to the pier."

  "But it’s raining.”

  "It’s okay. My jacket’s got a hood, and Nik has an umbrella.”

  Mindi chimed in. “Nik, again? My, y'all are spendin’ a lot of time together."

  "He's the only friend I've got, Mama."

  "Why do you need friends? You've got me and your Auntie." Mindi cackled as she searched for a match to light the cigarette hanging from the corner of her thin-lipped mouth.

  "You need any money?" Faye asked.

  "No thanks.”

  "But sugar, you did all those chores last week, and I know Mindi ain’t paying you nothing.”

  "That wasn’t me. Mama did the cleanin’,” she lied.

  Faye’s cloudy blue eyes stared down at her niece in disbelief. "Bless your sweetness, but I know Mindi like the back of my hand. May God strike me dead if that woman ever lifts a finger to help anyone in this world besides herself."

  "I heard that, Faye."

  "Good, then do something about it.” She put her hands on Harper’s shoulders. “You don’t gotta lie for her.” Then she stuck a handful of bills in Harper's pocket.

  "No, Auntie—”

  "Don't argue with me. Now get your little butt outta here."

  "Don't forget to come give Mama a big kiss," Mindi squawked from her chair.

  She ignored Mindi and waved goodbye to Faye.

  After escaping the house, Harper felt relieved to be away from the incessant headache she’d been listening to her entire life.

  "What was that about?” Nik asked.

  "Just the same stupid crap as always. They drive me crazy.”

  During their trip into downtown Silver Shores, Harper walked at an unusually steady pace through the drizzling rain. Thoughts seemed to overlap each other in her overworked mind.

  Meanwhile, Nik anxiously hobbled behind, struggling to keep up.

  "What’s going on?” he finally asked. “You’re never this quiet.”

  Harper turned to him, shielding her face from the spitting wetness. “Mama’s gonna screw it up again.”

  "Why, did she get fired?”

  "Not yet, but she’s skippin’ work and still usin’.”

  Nik frowned. “She probably never stopped.”

  “’Course not. She’s been shootin’ up in the basement. I’ve tried coverin’ for Mama by doin’ all the housework, but after I’m in be
d she trashes everything. Auntie’s gettin’ real tired. It’s only a matter of time before we get the boot. A few days ago, I overheard Mama on the phone with her ex-girlfriend back in Fire Brush. I think she’s tryin’ to make everything right with her in case we need a place.”

  Nik's heart sank. He couldn't bear the thought of Harper leaving, especially in such a miserable existence. It made him denounce his own situation. At least he had the comfort of knowing his home would always be in the same place, even if it was dysfunctional.

  “I don’t want you to leave.” Nik frowned. “Even if she kicked your mom out, couldn’t you convince your Aunt to let you stay?”

  “No.”

  “But she sees how horrible your mom is. Surely Faye knows you’d be better off here.”

  “You’re right, but there ain’t any reasonin’ with Auntie when it comes to Mama.”

  Suddenly, a cherry red sports car tore down the road with its music blasting and tires screeching across the slick pavement. Nik immediately recognized Daisy Holloway and her obnoxious friend, Mal.

  "Hey Queers," Daisy insulted them.

  Harper anxiously wanted Nik to stand up to her, but all he did was stare blankly.

  "What's the matter, can’t afford your own car?" Daisy snipped.

  "Yeah right, look at Nik’s ratty clothes,” Mal mocked from the passenger seat.

  "I'd offer you guys a ride, but I don't let scum in my car. Sorry."

  Harper smirked. "But why not? I see you make an exception for skanks.”

  “I’m not a skank,” Mal insisted.

  Daisy glared at Harper. "Watch it, hillbilly.”

  "I ain’t scared. I already told you I could take y’all down.”

  "I'd like to see you try."

  “I’m warnin’ you.”

  “Oh, she’s ‘warnin’’ ya,’” Mal mocked Harper as she played with the purple highlights in her bleached hair.

  Daisy lifted her eyebrows and looked over to Mal. “For being a nobody, the little redneck talks a big game, doesn’t she?”

  Before the snotty girl could blink, Harper had a fistful of her silky brown hair entwined in her firm grip.

  “What are you doing?” Daisy cried.

  “She’s a frickin’ psycho! Drive!” Mal shouted.

  "That’d be real smart. Go ahead, bitch, slam on that gas pedal, but I ain’t lettin’ go of your mousy hair. It’s your call. Personally I think you’d look real hot bald.”

  "Let go, Queer!”

  "What’d you call me?" Harper yanked Daisy’s head backwards with her tightened grip.

  “Shit, that hurt. Get off me!”

  Mal slapped Harper’s hand. “Knock it off.”

  She knelt down and looked Daisy in the eye. "You need to watch your mouth. Consider this your warnin’. Next time, I’m gonna pull your skanky ass out this window and mess you up so bad there won’t be enough makeup in Oceana County to cover your nasty mug.”

  “I got it. Now let go!”

  Satisfied with the reaction, Harper stepped back and watched the girls race away.

  “Wow.” Nik stared at Harper in astonishment.

  "I hate them." Harper rubbed her hands and looked at Nik. "You okay?"

  "Yeah, I’m fine. I can't believe you just did that.” He laughed. “Nothing scares Daisy, but you really shook her up.”

  "Why do you let them talk to you like that?"

  "I don't care what they think about me.”

  She put her hands on her hips. "So? You shouldn't let them say those things.”

  "They're not worth my time.”

  “But if you don’t stand up for yourself, they ain’t gonna stop bullyin’ you.”

  “Daisy’s gonna do whatever she wants anyway.”

  “Didn’t you see her jaw drop? She ain’t gonna run her mouth with me again.”

  Nik sighed. “Maybe not.”

  “She won’t. And next time you deal with Daisy, Mal, Ricky, or whoever, I wanna see you stand up for yourself. Okay?” Harper put her hand between Nik’s shoulder blades.

  Nik’s face scrunched as he winced in pain.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing, it’s just some sunburn from yesterday.”

  “I see.” Harper clicked her tongue. “So is that why you’re limpin’?”

  "What are you talking about?"

  “I noticed you haven’t been keepin’ up all mornin’.”

  "It’s no big deal. I pulled a muscle mowing the yard yesterday."

  "But yesterday we were at the dunes and didn’t get home ‘til after dark. If you’re gonna lie, you’ve gotta do a hell of a lot better than that.”

  The desperation in Nik’s helpless stare said more than any words could express.

  “Damn it.”

  “What?” Nik asked.

  "That bastard hit you again, didn't he?"

  “Look, it’s no big deal.”

  “No big deal?” she asked. “I’m about to show him what ‘no big deal’ really is.” Harper pulled the hood over her wavy hair, turned around, and stormed away.

  "What are you doing?”

  “I’m going to your daddy’s job site. You think his buddies will get a kick outta seein’ me beat his pathetic ass?”

  “Don’t do that. Besides, they’re not even working today.” Nik hobbled after Harper and stopped her. "Look, I’m okay.”

  "Stop frickin’ lyin’! You ain’t okay. I can see it in your face.” Harper lifted his shirt. The deep purple bruises and fresh scratches across his muscular back were overwhelming.

  “Be careful,” he warned.

  "You can't tell me this is okay. I've seen you with a mark here and there, but nothin’ like this.”

  “I should've taken care of my errands yesterday before I left the house, but I was in a hurry.”

  "What’d that asshole hit you with, a two-by-four?”

  "No, his belt.”

  "Bull. A belt couldn’t do all that.”

  "Sure it could.”

  “No more lies.”

  He let out a deep breath. “All right, after I ran up the stairs to get away, he threw me.”

  "Into what?"

  Nik stiffened his back as much as he could. “He pushed me down the stairs.”

  "No way.” She covered her mouth.

  “Look, I told you I'm fine."

  "Knock it off! You don’t gotta pretend with me. We’re goin’ to the pharmacy. Auntie gave me some money that we can use to get you fixed up.”

  "You don't have to do that."

  Harper ignored him and marched towards the corner drug store. "The scratches are kinda red. We’ll need some peroxide so they don’t get infected. Your bruises are already swollen, but they may just need some ice. We’ll grab a bag on the way out.”

  "Please, don’t fuss over me. This is nothing."

  "Stop talkin’. I’m in charge now. Just ‘cause you’re hurt and wanna ignore it doesn’t mean I’m gonna.”

  After picking up an arsenal of supplies, they returned to the beach where Harper tended to Nik’s injuries.

  He flinched while she swabbed his cuts and covered them with bandages.

  “I’m sick of people hurtin’ you.”

  “I know. I appreciate you taking care of me.”

  “It just pisses me off. You’d never lay a hand on anyone.” She smoothed his black hair. “Your daddy makes me so mad I can’t even think.”

  Nik watched Harper in a way he’d never looked at someone in his life. He was overwhelmed by her sincerity, realizing she was the only person who cared about him.

  All his budding emotions fluttered back. She was stunning, the way her hair blew in the wind and her skin glistened from the wetness of the rain. In all his life, Nik had never seen someone more beautiful.

  Suddenly, he scooted closer to Harper and ran his soft fingers across her delicate, pink lips. Then he placed his warm hands on her cheeks and longingly looked into her kind stare.

  Nik read the desire in her
expression and felt the want on her breath. His heartbeat nervously strummed as he tilted Harper’s head to the side. Then his eyes slowly rolled back as he pressed his mouth against hers in a long, gentle kiss.

  Harper’s body nearly melted from his touch. Every part of her that screamed ‘no’ couldn’t compete with her secret passions.

  Nik stopped for a brief second, pulling away to catch his breath before looking back into Harper’s eyes.

  He’d surprised both of them with his boldness. However, she wasn’t about to fight him.

  Nik kissed Harper again. This time, he moved closer and parted her lips with his soft tongue, sweetly and slowly.

  It was overpowering. Nik’s brazen manner made Harper’s entire body tingle. The fiery, sexy man she’d been craving for months had finally caressed her skin and kissed her the way she’d always dreamt of being kissed.

  Harper relinquished all control as they clung to each other in the chilling rain.

  Nik crawled on top of her and overpowered her with his incredibly hungry desire, digging his hands into her damp hair and pulling her mouth into his. They took turns rolling over each other like the waves coming to shore. He squeezed her between his developed thighs as if he was a human clamp, holding her in his strength. Feeling her perfectly taught form against his hard body was astounding.

  Harper desperately pined for air between the breathless kisses, barely able to pull away. The way he wrapped his massive body around her like a blanket made her body grow helpless as she surrendered to their passion.

  With soaked hair and sand across his scruffy cheek, Nik opened his enticing green eyes and pulled his lips mere inches from Harper’s. Then, he whispered, “I’ve been waiting to do that.”

  Overcome with emotion, she breathlessly exhaled. Harper didn’t know what else to say, except, “What the hell took you so long?”

  Nik flashed a playful grin. Then he pulled Harper back on the edge of the sandy shore. The rain trickled down and cold waves crashed against their bodies as they lost themselves in each other.

  At that moment, both of them knew with absolute certainty they were straight. And even though it was more socially acceptable to be gay, they weren’t thinking about that—because what they had felt undeniably right.

  FOUR