I lean against the counter, facing the opposite way of her.
“I have things in motion,” I say to her. “I’m going to get Jeff out in the open and finish this.”
“Making plans without me?” Mama asks.
“No. I’m just going after an opportunity. I don’t want anything to get fucked up again. It’s too hard on you. And on Jolie. I want this to end.”
Mama looks at me. “You really love that girl.”
“I really love that girl,” I say. “How many times are you going to say it?”
“A million more,” Mama says. “Go tell your brother it’s time to dry these pans.”
“What?” I ask.
Mama turns her head. “What?”
“My brother?”
“Brother?” she asks. “What are you talking about?”
“You just told me to have my brother dry the pans.”
“No,” Mama says. “I meant Taz or Les… I thought… never mind, Mac.”
“Are you okay?”
“I had a little too much with dinner I think,” Mama says. “I’m tired. I thought Taz was here. He’s always here. He needs to get a life. Right?”
“Yeah,” I say. “He needs a life for sure.”
I push from the counter and walk through the house.
I feel like someone is sticking the rusted tip of a screwdriver into my chest.
I stuff that feeling away and go find Jolie.
She’s in the bedroom, her bag on the bed, along with the bag of her father’s dirty money.
When she sees me she runs and jumps into my arms.
We hug each other in silence longer than I’ve ever hugged a person in my life.
I can feel something coming from her.
And I’m hugging her just the same because of what I’m thinking and feeling.
I need her.
That’s kind of what this thing is coming down to.
I need Jolie.
I don’t need her pretending to be kidnapped or being chased around by guys that is revenge for something she didn’t do.
I need Jolie to be the pretty girl walking down the beach. I need to see the innocence in her eyes and on her face. I need to see the surprise on her face when something crazy happens. I need to pull her toward the fire and whisper to her that I’ll make sure she’ll never get burned.
I kiss her and put her down.
“Let’s get out of here, sweetie,” I whisper.
She nods.
I carry her bags downstairs for her.
Mama is at the back door waiting for us.
I kiss Mama’s cheek.
Mama grabs Jolie and hugs her tight.
“Don’t be stupid,” she whispers to Jolie. “And come back for a real meal once in a while.”
“I’ll be back soon,” Jolie says.
“I know you will,” Mama says.
I hold Jolie’s hand as we leave the house.
She gets into my car and I take off with speed.
Just to try and piss her off a little.
When I look over at her, she’s not mad at me.
She’s crying.
“Holy shit, sweetie, what’s wrong?” I ask.
“I’m not supposed to say anything,” she says.
“Say what?”
Jolie looks at me. “It’s about Mama Dae.”
“What happened now?”
I think about Mama thinking I had a brother and that brother was going to dry the dishes.
“Mac…”
“Fuck, Jolie, I need to know,” I snap at her.
Then we both go silent.
I speed up and find a dark road where I can pull over.
I park the car and reach for Jolie’s hand.
“I didn’t mean to yell,” I whisper. “I just… I know what it is. I already admitted it to you. You were right.”
“She went to the doctor today,” Jolie says as she stares out the window.
“For what?”
“What do you think?” Jolie asks.
I swallow hard. “You went with her?”
“I drove her,” Jolie says. “I wasn’t allowed inside. When we got back to the house, she left the papers on the counter for me to see. She didn’t want to tell me. But she wanted me to know.”
“Meaning what?”
Jolie looks at me. “She’s sick, Mac. She’s… she’s got Alzheimer’s.”
I shut my eyes. I shake my head.
“Mac, I’m so sorry,” Jolie whispers. “I saw it though. She’s got it. There’s this whole plan of things doctors want to do to try and help. She’s had it for a little while now. And it’s getting worse. I think if she-”
“Jolie,” I say.
“What?”
“Just please stop talking for a second.”
She listens.
I look forward.
I put my hands to the steering wheel.
I take a deep breath.
Jolie touches my right hand.
My eyes move to her hand over mine.
Fuck…
A tear falls from the corner of my right eye.
12
JOLIE
I pretend that I’m someone famous.
It’s the only way I can keep my sanity and stay somewhat calm.
Mac tells me to climb into the backseat of his car and hide.
I get into the back and I slouch down and wait.
The car comes to a stop and he turns and looks at me.
“Remember who knows and who doesn’t, sweetie,” he says. “I’m going to get you out and we’re going through the side door, okay? There should be a bag on the floor. Dig around and find a hat and a hoodie. Keep yourself safe.”
“You mean hidden,” I say.
“Right. Same thing.”
“I’m hidden because I’m important.”
“Exactly.”
I grin. “I’m a famous movie star, Mac. And there’s people out there who want to take my picture. They want to get near me. They want to ask me personal questions. Because I’ve had such a good and high life, but now I’m rumored to be fooling around with a known criminal. Everyone claims they’re worried about me but in reality they just want the dirt on me.”
Mac blinks a few times. “You know, maybe you don’t need law school, Jolie. Maybe you should be a writer.”
“That’s a good story, right?”
“That’s what you’re telling yourself?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
“Okay then, movie star Jolie… I’ll make sure you get to your room safely. And since I’m the criminal in all of this, if anyone gets too close, I’ll just shoot them.”
I gasp.
Mac opens the car door and gets out.
Now my heart is racing again.
Of course he would say something like that.
Worse yet… he meant it.
I hurry to turn on my phone’s flashlight and find the bag he was talking about. I unzip it and find a black hoodie and black baseball cap.
My body shivers, wondering what this hat and hoodie have been used for.
Breaking into my parent’s house?
Mac knocks on the window and I jump.
I turn the flashlight off and put the hoodie on.