It was nearing night. The sun had set behind the houses and the moon had risen in the sky clouded by thundery black clouds in the evening sky. The smell of rain drifted through the open windows of the house. Igniting my senses, a fresh smell that filled me to the brim and soothed every tense muscle in my body. There was going to be a storm tonight.1
Ashley stood with his back to me. One hand on his hip the other holding the receiver as if he was strangling the life out of a rodent. His fingers twirled around the phone corn turning a light shade of blue, then purple as he hissed and snarled at the person on the other end.2
I couldn't quite make out what he was saying, but I knew by the rationalistic tone of his voice and the short conversation that it was more likely that he had stricken a hot wire with his father. 3
My stomach grumbled. The guttural sound catching my attention as Ashley hung up the phone. Slamming it down with a force hard enough to break the receiver. Causing my feet to levitate inches from the floor.4
I rubbed my hands over my stomach in a circular motion. The way Tanya had when Maggie and I were children with stomach aches or eyes much bigger then our bellies. It did nothing for the hunger, but settled the growling noises rising from me.5
Ashley glared at the phone. His nostrils inflamed. He gave the phone one last death glance before turning his back to it like an impatient child and shrugged his shoulders. Brushing his wispy hair behind his ears. Muttering frustrated profanities under his breath. He stopped in front of the laundry door watching me while I threw the dirty piled up clothes into the washing machine and sighed resting his arms against the door frame.6
“Hungry?”I asked throwing a cup of washing power into the machine. 7
I turned the knob setting it to quick wash, rinse and spin and let it begin its cycle. Dodging it before it chased me out of the bathroom door. Rocking forward across the laundry as if it had a life of its own. It reminded me of a time long ago when Tanya used to put Maggie and I on top of it when she used to do loads everyday after work.8
“Ride it cowboy,” Maggie used to scream. Laughing and gripping the side of the machine Trying to keep herself steady while it bucked her to and fro like a temperamental bull.9
Ashley nodded clutching his stomach.10
I didn't want to ask him about what had gone down the phone call. I already had predetermined that it would not have gone down as well as Ashley would have hoped. I only hoped that whatever I had started wouldn't land him with a black eye and a few broken ribs when his father finally got a hold of him when he went home. Whenever that would be.11
“Prick,” Ashley said without my instigation.12
“He said it was my fault that my mother has gone to say with my grandparents for the evening. She said she needs some time away to let us sort out our differences and she doesn't want to be there when it happens. He wants me to come home immediately. He wasn't even listening to me when I told him Tanya was in the hospital.”13
I shrugged not meaning to be inconsiderate, but expecting Mr. Collinson's God all mighty, self absorbed reaction. In fact I expected nothing less than degradation, but it wasn't fair to put the blame on his own marital issues and brutish behavior on Ashley and it took everything inside of me not to kick the phone of the table. Knowing how those words of blame could affect a person. Being one again reminded of the repercussions that were sure to come the following day.14
“He just wants someone to blame. They all want something to blame. They show great physical strengths, but cowardly emotional weakness. Trust me. Your mother is far better where she is right now, even if she is with your grandparents. It sounds to me like your father needs to cool down, but if you think its better to go home I won't stop you,” I said swaying back and forth.15
Ashley shook his head, to the affects of a bobble dog toy. 16
“No. I am not leaving you alone. That is the end of it. He can rot in his selfishness. I have had enough, It will do both of us good to have a night away form our parents. We can order in some food, sit back and relax in front of the television. I mean when was the last time you sat back and really relaxed without analyzing Trey's next move?”17
Ashley was right. He had a great point. I could not remember a time when I had let all of my worries disappear to spend useless time in front of the idiot box, for no other reason but to relax and not to void out the noise of Trey's violations.18
“Didn't I hear Tanya say something about leaving money for food on the message? I think we should order something before the storm gets heavy. Look out the window. It looks like the apocalypse,” Ashley said chuckling. His averting his attention to the window.19
The rain had started to patter on the window. The moist aroma stronger than it had been a few minutes ago. I laughed, a guttural laugh that made my stomach grumble again. Apocalypse was right. There was a dark cloud forming over our lives and it was ready to rip us of out feet in the shackling whirlwind.20
“Tanya said there is some money on her side of the bedside table, ” I said walking past Ashley to the end of the hallway into Trey and Tanya's bedroom.21
If I had no belief in superstitions and intuition before I sure as hell did now. The minute I stepped into the room a draining thick shadow field itself around me and sapped all the happy energy from within my body like a priest performing a holy exorcism. The room had bad vibes, and they weren't just coming from the truth that I knew.22
“Are you alright Taint,”Ashley said padding his way behind me. Wrapping his comforting arms around my waist. 23
“You look like you have seen the dead?” He said shaking. Intertwining our fingers.24
I could feel his eyes scanning the room. His hair brushed against my neck, causing the hair raised on my neck to ease. I could do this with Ashley behind me, or better yet beside me. The whole thought about entering the room had started my heart pulsating faster again. Turning my body to wobbling jelly and I was not the only one. Ashley beating pulse was vibrating against my fingertips, but he was strong enough to put on a face. I could not.25
“Lets just go in, get the money and get out. This room is like the pits of hades reincarnated,” Ashley said side stepping me into the room. Dragging me along to Tanya's side of the bed. 26
There were no curtains opened allowing the light from the street lamps to guide us through the piles of junk that were scatted across the carpet, though even without the dull light radiating from the hallway Ashley still managed to guide us to the bedside table like a tourist holding a map in the city. Pointing me towards the bedside lamp switch before flickering it on. Illuminating the room in a far eerier way than the darkness had masked.27
Underneath a outdated copy of womans weekly magazine Tanya had hidden two ten dollar notes and a collection of dollar coins. All together accounting to thirty-five dollars. I picked up each coin putting it in my pocket. The notes following and turned to Ashley ready to switch off the lamp and veer into the hallway where my soul was safer than it was inside these four walls.28
I turned around letting go of Ashley's hand. I was safe beside him now that I had completed my mission. If I wanted to I could run. Instead I inhaled a deep breath feeling it in my loins before I exhaled and spun around coming face to face with Ashley holding up what could only be, and were a pair of Maggie's stained panties.29
Immediately my first impulse was to snatch them from his hand to add to the collection I had left in the hallway, but I could only stare, bewildered at the dried raven blood stains that smeared the light colored fabric of Maggie's favorite pair of underwear. The pair Tanya had brought her for her last birthday. 30
“Taint there's- there's blood on them,” Ashley said lifting the panties of the floor raising them to eye level. His emerald eyes darkening in confusion and disgust at the dry blood on Maggie's pastel blue panties. 31
In shock I meant to reach for them. My mind was going through the motions, but my motor skills were lacking. All I could manage was a few strangled words that sounded more like someone had winded me, before I saw shadows dancing in the hallway and Maggie standing in the bedroom doorway. Staring at the two of us in horror. Her hand held over her mouth.32
“This isn't what it looks like,” Ashley said spinning around to face Maggie. The panties now tangled between his fingers. He flicked them of respectively flinging them into my face and stood up in attention like an army cadet reporting for duty.33
Maggie lowered her hand. Taking it away from her still open mouth and brought it to her hip, grasping her shirt. For a minute she stood silent staring at the floor. Then she looked up at the two of us who were now standing. Her panties in my hand. Tears free flowing from her already swollen eyes.34
“It never is,” She said wiping her rosy cheeks clean of the droplets that had trickled down past her sniffling nose, past her flushed cheeks and into the cracks of her parted lips.35
Maggie loosened her grip on her shirt allowing the crumpled fabric to find its place against her petite frame. Glaring at the panties I held, she stepped inside Trey and Tanya's bedroom. Walking across the carpet as if their were live mines ready to explode with every step she took. Her hands two infernal fireballs of rage fighting against her body to be released.36
Ashley stepped to the side. His head hung low in shame. For his reaction or for what he had uncovered I Was unsure. In any case he knew his place in the picture and had taken his stand to the side to watch the Maggie's embarrassment and anger unfold. Giving us our privacy, but still supporting me from the side lines.37
“What are you doing in here,”Maggie hissed yanking her panties from out of my hand. The tears in her lingering in her eyelashes. Falling like rain drops on a pale glassed window. Scrunching them into a small ball, Maggie stuffed them into her pants pocket. Wiping her nose on the back of her arm and looked to Ashley who was quietly slinking out of the room.38
“Didn't you hear the message?” I asked sure that she would have heard it from her room.39
“What message? I had my headphones on. I heard the phone ringing, but I assumed you had either picked it up or ignored it. Given the chance I know what I would have done,”She said shaking her head. Patting the bulge in her pocket where her panties were now hidden securely. 40
“The message from Tanya. The one where she said Trey would be coming back and that she loved us. The one that also said that she left one on her bedside table for us to get dinner tonight. Does that answer your question? I asked centering myself.41
I regretted the look on Maggie's face. I despised myself. I made her feel worse than she was already feeling with my temperamental response. It was my job to look after her regardless of our age. Especially in hard times like this. Instead I had invaded a part of her that I could only imagine she tried desperately hard to rid herself of. Worse I had let Ashley into the depth of the truth. Now he truly new what Trey was capable of.42
“Tanya said she loved us?” Maggie asked, surprised. Her fluttering eyelashes flicking the last of the tears across her temples.43
I nodded.44
“I'm just as surprised as you are. The point is that she left us this money,” I said patting my pocket. Ready to avert the conversation and incident elsewhere before it got out of hand. The last thing I wanted to have to explain to Tanya was why Maggie had taken off. It was inevitable, but avoidable if I could help it.45
“I can't believe he's coming home,” Maggie said, desperation hindering her confusion over Tanya's words of affection. 46
I rose to my feet. Wrapping my arms around Maggie. It wasn't much of a gesture, and it wasn't often I had the chance to feel her warmth against my own, but she welcomed it as I welcomed her soothingly. Stroking the wet strands of hair behind her pink ears, away from her swelling eyes.47
“What do you say we order some dinner? I haven't eaten in a while and I am starving. You must be starving as well? What do you feel like eating? We can order Chinese or pizza. Would you like that?” I asked turning out bodies towards the open door. 48
Maggie followed. Her attention once again veering to Ashley who had his head hung like a disobedient puppy who had peed on new carpet. Her face lit up. A smile I had not seen since the night I had helped her bath. It was a smile and a signal that she was relaxing around Ashley.49
“Chin up,” Maggie laughed softly giving Ashley a soft friendly punch. The kind she used to give me all the time when we were younger. When Tanya used to tell us she loved us all the time. Another symbol of her growing, awkward happiness.50
Ashley slowly smiled. Obviously unsure of how to react to the odd situation. He rubbed his arm where Maggie had punched him pretending that she had caused damage and extended his hand to her.51
“Ashley Collinson,” Ashley said staring awkwardly at me as you would to a strict father whose precious little girl you were taking to the senior school dance. His eyes were skittish. Worried, but my own smile seemed to ease him.52
Maggie took his hand cautiously in hers. Vigorously shaking Ashley's hand like a salt and pepper shaker. Welcoming his invitation.53
“I was wondering when Taint was going to introduce me to one of his friends,” Maggie said bluntly. Easing into Ashley's light hand grip.54
“Funny,” Ashley said nervously shaking Maggie's hand. His eyes still glued to mine.55
“I was wondering the same thing.”
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