by H. B. Rae
"Oh, I didn't know you were that stingy. Sure you can spare a crumb?"
"They're for the people at the retirement home." Jessica said, not flinching. "You know, people less fortunate than us."
"Sure. I'd hate to make all the old farts your taking these to go without, considering half of them don't even know they are alive anymore." Kelly hissed with her mouth full of cookie. "These taste like crap."
Devin took the tin from Jessica then grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the kitchen away from his sister.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door.
"I'll get it!" Kelly yelled, violently pushing her way past both Devin and Jessica. Standing in the doorway was a man, easily in his early twenties who mumbled a salutation to Kelly who grabbed her coat from the floor and walked out the door without uttering another word.
Jessica smiled.
Devin handed the cookies back to her and they headed back to the kitchen.
"She'll be gone for hours."
"Good. Put the ballgame back on."
"How about some Christmas music?"
"Yes, please!" Jessica said, bumping Devin with her hip as she headed back to the kitchen. The disruption from Kelly was already lost like the snowflakes that blew past the window.
Chapter 2
It was early the next morning when Devin met Jessica at the corner of Burr Oak Lane and Bald Eagle Street. It was the halfway point between their houses. The sun had just crept over the horizon pushing its way through clouds that looked like pillows across the sky. On one side they were dark gray and along the bottoms they were bright yellow and pink as the sun reflected off them. The fresh layer of snow was completely smooth across all the lawns with the exception of a few squirrel tracks. It crunched under their feet. They smiled their good morning and just started walking in the direction of a forest preserve they had been going to since they were old enough to leave the streets they lived on.
Devin wore a bright yellow cap that Jessica had knitted for him when he was in eighth grade. She had improved on her craft since then and had made him other caps and scarves that weren’t so lumpy and lopsided. But he insisted on wearing the uneven, bulging yellow cap. It had become part of his winter ensemble for the past five years.
Jessica had made herself a lovely cap with a knitted flower on the side, matching mittens and a scarf in a vintage pink color that was barely visible underneath her heavy winter coat.
“What time did you go to sleep last night?” Devin asked.
“Well, you called after I left around eleven, right? So after we got off the phone. Around twelve-thirty.”
Devin nodded.
“Did your sister come home last night?” Jessica asked, more as a courtesy not because she was actually interested.
“No.” Devin answered matter-of-factly.
Silence wrapped around them except for the innocent chirping of the birds in the trees and the squawking of squirrels that chased each other up and around the trees as the pair passed.
“How come you’re so quiet this morning?” Jessica asked, peeking up at Devin as they walked. She wiped her nose and sniffled as her body became warmer from trudging along. She thought Devin looked cute when his cheeks were all red and he was bundled up. Even the slightest grin made dimples in his cheeks that were irresistible. But she’d never tell him that. Not to his face.
Devin shook his head.
“Is it Kelly?” Jessica asked, knowing the answer would be yes. “Don’t worry about her. You know, whatever happens to her she’ll have brought on herself. What I don’t understand is how completely nice, harmless people get abducted going to a grocery store but someone as careless and stupid as your sister hops in and out of cars and God knows what else and still manages to make it home every few nights to remind her family that she hates them.”
“It’s gotten worse than that.” Devin said, looking down at his feet as they walked in unison.
“What do you mean?”
“Do you remember last week when you saw my mom?”
“Yeah, one of the rare glimpses of the elusive Bev McGee. Yeah, I remember.”
“And you asked her what had happened to her lip? She told you she slipped on some ice.”
Jessica stopped. Her blue eyes twinkled coldly in the light.
“You don’t have to say another word, Dev. I know what’s coming.”
Devin walked a little bit ahead of Jessica. The forest preserve had a trail but the pair preferred the seclusion and spontaneity of taking the road less travelled. No joggers would interrupt their private conversations. No speed walkers eavesdropping on their secret plans to take over the world. It seemed like there among the trees and barren shrubs their secrets were meant to be shared. Nature promised to never tell as long they didn’t. So Devin sat down on a log and shook his head sadly.
“You and I were at work. Dad was in the shower. She just walked up to my mom and grabbed her purse saying she needed money. My mom, all five feet of her told Kelly no. When she went to grab her purse Kelly hauled off and slapped her across the face. Knocked her to the floor. Started screaming, again, like usual and left with grocery and gas money. About three hundred dollars.”
Jessica stood in front of Devin with her mouth hanging wide open.
“Do you think that is all? Are you ready for the rest?” Devin said looking up at Jessica.
“You mean there’s more?”
“Oh yeah.”
Folding her arms across her chest Jessica nodded.
“You know Stinky Joe from the sunglasses kiosk at Brementown?”
Jessica nodded her head. Stinky Joe was about four hundred pounds and had been a staple at the run down mall that was home the theaters where Jessica and Devin worked. He was a nice enough guy. In fact, he was really nice. Joe was always happy to give you a jump if your car wouldn’t start. He’d loan you his cell phone if you didn’t have your own on you. He even once gave Rudy Singleton one hundred dollars to pay a speeding ticket he got when he rolled through a red light at two o’clock in the morning and got his picture taken by one of those photo enforced corners. Then told Rudy he didn’t have to pay him back. No strings. No hassle. Stinky Joe had a good heart but for some reason personal hygiene was just not a priority.
“Stinky Joe told me that some of the guys who loiter around the empty side of the mall were telling him about a girl who fit Kelly’s description.”
“What did they say? I think I can guess.”
“No, it isn’t what you think. Well, it’s partly what you think but not all together.”
“Oh, God.” Jessica said, rolling her eyes. “Is she having sex for money?”
“Not quite.”
“Drugs?”
“Knives.” Devin said shaking his head. He had a tired smile on his face. “Can you believe that? She is pimping herself out to these lowlifes for knives.”
“I don’t mean to laugh but…” Jessica shook her head and sat down next to Devin, her left thigh rubbing against his right. “But what kind of knives? I mean, like plastic knives? Pocket knives? Is there a special if a spoon and corkscrew are attached? Rambo knives? I mean, what the hell, Devin?”
“I know. I don’t even know what to say. It’s embarrassing. And it’s scary. You know as well as me it isn’t plastic knives. What is wrong with her?”
Jessica rubbed Devin’s back with her hand.
“Are you going to tell your parents?”
“Well, when I see them. That will be, let’s see, my dad in about two weeks and my mom is anybody’s guess.”
“So you are going to be home alone with her?” Jessica’s eyes looked worried.
“Well, no because you’re going to be with me most of the time.”
Jessica laughed out loud.
“That will be helpful, considering she hates me as much as you.”
Devin looked up into the leafless trees taking a deep breath.
“She’s constantly texting and running off to talk on the phone. Then
she runs out the door. I don’t know what to do about it. Do you think she’s dangerous?”
Laughing out loud Jessica nodded her head in an enthusiastic yes.
“Don’t turn your back on her, Dev. I know she’s your sister and maybe deep down you care about her. But there is a major malfunction in Kelly’s chemistry. She’s not right. And the truth is she never has been. It’s only a matter of time before she breaks something that can’t be fixed, you know? I just don’t want it to be you who she breaks.”
Devin smiled, showing off his dimples and looking Jessica squarely in the eyes. Inside he wanted to just lean in and kiss her. She looked so pretty without any make-up, her nose and cheeks red and that pretty pink hat peeking out from underneath the heavy hood of her coat.
For a moment Jessica thought the same thing but panicked. What if he was just teasing? What if she was reading Devin all wrong and he was just getting more handsome, more intense as they were getting older but still saw her as the little girl from down the street who ate a fly on a dare. She shook just a little at that mortifying memory. Blinking back the urge to kiss him she smiled back and patted Devin’s leg.
“I’ll tell you what, Dev, if that were my daughter and I couldn’t beat some sense into her I’d hire a couple of guys to do it. She really just needs a good swift kick in the ass.”
“Are you applying for that position?” Devin asked, folding his hands in front of him and nodding his head yes.
“Are you kidding? Not if she’s collecting an arsenal of blades. No. No. This is a job for someone bigger and badder than me.”
“I didn’t know there was such a person.” Devin said, standing up and rubbing his thighs to get the blood circulating. He reached his hand out to Jessica.
“Seriously, Dev, I don’t know what to do. I’m an only child. If she were my kid I’d kick her ass and then tell her how much I love her just before I had her locked in a padded cell and threw away the key. Maybe that means I shouldn’t have kids.” She said taking his hand and letting him help her up off the log.
“I was never big on the idea of having kids. It seems like there is so much to worry about.” Devin said, still holding Jessica’s hand.
“Yeah.” Jessica said feeling her cheeks start to burn with embarrassment as she held Devin’s hand.
“Yeah.”
“Well, besides, you wouldn’t want to have kids because yours would be ugly.” Jessica teased.
“The hell you say. My children would be hot.”
“That sounds totally inappropriate.”
“Only to someone whose mind is already in the gutter.”
Jessica laughed and bumped Devin with her hip.
They let go of each other’s hand but both Devin and Jessica still felt their warmth.
Chapter 3
After a few hours of trampling through the snow and getting more fresh air and exercise than two teenagers would ever need Devin and Jessica parted ways only to see each other at work in about two hours.
Devin stepped into his house and listened. He knew his mother was already gone for work and his dad would be out of the picture for a couple of weeks. Holding his breath he listened for his sister.
“Kelly, come down here and take out the garbage!” he yelled, knowing a command to do anything even remotely helpful would spur a rage in her she’d be unable to repress. But thankfully, nothing but silence came back from every corner of the house. Letting out his breath Devin went upstairs to take a fast shower and get ready for work.
He thought about what Jessica had said. He couldn’t say he loved his sister with any certainty. But he loved his parents. He thought about going in Jessica’s room and taking a look around but just as he pulled up the courage he heard the front door open and slam shut.
“That girl doesn’t know what she’s talking about.” He heard Kelly on her phone. She stomped up the stairs and into her room slamming that door, too.
“So much for that plan.” He grumbled to himself. Quickly he got dressed in khakis and a red polo shirt that had the words Brementown Theater embroidered on the left side. He quietly grabbed his wallet, slipped on his shoes and took a look around his room to make sure no valuables were left lying around. His phone and iPod were slipped into his coat pocket and for a brief second he thought of checking his parent’s room to make sure any jewelry or money was out of plain sight.
Opening the door to his room he walked down the hall and checked his parents’ room. His mother had a few pieces of jewelry in a tiny dish on her nightstand. Her wedding ring that she couldn’t wear at work, a pair of earrings that looked valuable but Devin really couldn’t tell. He took the little dish and slipped it between the mattress and box spring of the bed.
Devin didn’t see anything else but he realized he wasn’t looking at the room with a criminal’s eyes like his sister would. Well, he did his best. And if he didn’t hurry he’d be late for work.
The evening went by at the theater without any real excitement. Devin and Jessica played one of their favorite games of “if money were no object what movie would you remake?” to help as they swept the theaters, cleaned the counters, mopped the floors at closing.
“I would remake Pretty Woman only I’d make it the way it would really happen. Julia Roberts would have meth-mouth and tattoos. Richard Gere would be popping Viagra and on the verge of bankruptcy.” Jessica said. “I’d pay to see that version.”
“So would I.” Devin said laughing. “I’d remake Rocky.”
“What? You can’t remake Rocky. That’s a classic.”
“I would only instead of boxing the guy would be into curling.”
“You mean with the brooms?” Jessica burst out laughing. She held her stomach as she doubled over unable to stop even when the theater manager came to see what all the noise was. Ted Dukase was his name and he stood with his hands on his hips studying the pair as if he were searching for signs of possible intoxication. Devin, as usual, stood completely still, shrugging his shoulders with a somber look on his face.
“What are you two doing?” Ted asked.
“I was cleaning up, Ted. I’m not sure what happened to Jess.” Devin jerked his thumb in Jessica’s direction making her laugh even harder.
“Alright.” Ted said. “You guys are done for the night. I’ll get the lights and lock up.”
Both Devin and Jessica scooted out of the theater in a flash just in case Ted decided to change his mind. Locking up took an extra half hour to forty-five minutes because every door had to be checked to make sure it was locked, all the stall in the bathroom had to be cleared out.
“Who in their right mind would want to spend the night in that smelly place?” Jessica said as they stood outside in the cold. Devin shrugged his shoulders.
“Want to come over and watch a movie?” He asked. “I’ll put on Pretty Woman.”
Jessica’s eyes lit up.
“Only if we can make up our own dialogue as we watch.”
“Of course.” Devin said, walking Jessica to her car. “See you at my house.”
She took off out of the parking lot and once again Devin was feeling conflicted. He could have kissed her right then too. He wanted to kiss her while she was laughing at his joke that even he thought was hilarious. What was wrong with him? When did Jessica become so perfect? He climbed in his car and left the theater.
“This was a great idea.” Jessica said pulling a blanket around them. “I love to hate this movie.” She sat next to Devin but not too close, crossing her legs Indian style underneath the blanket resting her knee on Devin’s thigh.
“What should we do tomorrow?” Devin asked.
“Hey, we’re getting in Toolbox Murders tomorrow. Remember? There is just something so cool about those old slasher movies from the 1980s. I love it.”
“Yeah, me too. They just don’t have that kind of creativity anymore.”
“You know, how lucky are we that we found each other and can appreciate these finer things in life together?” Jessi
ca said leaning a little closer to Devin. He took her hand and held it up to his lips kissing it quickly. Jessica blushed but didn’t pull her hand away. Instead, she leaned in closer. Closing her eyes she let her lips touch Devin’s and for a brief moment, a few precious seconds, they kissed. Sometimes people talk about seeing fireworks or sparks flying when they talk about kissing someone. But it wasn’t like that for Devin and Jessica. To them it was like slipping into a warm tub. So comfortable and inviting they could relax and stay there forever. It was a kiss they had both been waiting for, wondering if it would ever happen, or should it ever happen. But now that it had they were happy to linger there.
“Devin!” The front door burst open and Kelly began screaming. “Devin!”
He pulled back from Jessica with a start and looked at her, his eyes apologetic even though he said nothing to her. Jessica blushed and bit her lower lip.
“Devin!” She screamed slamming the door shut behind her.
“What? What is the matter with you?” Devin shouted back, throwing off the blankets to stand up.
“I need your help! I’m serious…oh, great! What the hell is she doing here again?” Kelly stomped into the living room only to stop in her tracks as soon as she saw Jessica sitting on the couch, still partially covered by the blanket.
“Don’t start, Kelly. What did you do now?” Devin said having heard this level of desperation in her voice before.
“You need to say I was home with you all night.” Devin was sure he heard her wrong but Jessica was all too aware of what she said. “I was home all night, just watching television.”
“Why would I have to say that Kelly? What’s going on?”
“You just have to promise me if anyone asks you’ll tell them I was home. If you don’t, Devin, I don’t know what I’ll do.” Tears filled his sister’s eyes but Devin was sure he saw the glint of a lie behind them. “I just don’t know what I’ll do.” She looked menacingly at Jessica.
