I nod and reach into my pocket.
Declan grew up running the streets like I did. Then he got into some trouble and turned his life around. Just to become a corrupt cop.
I slam my hand to his and he takes his goodies with him.
I start to walk away and he whistles for me.
I turn and nod.
“Happy birthday, Mac,” Declan says.
“Thanks,” I say.
I walk back to the skate park.
Everyone is slowly coming back to keep skating.
I tell Taz to get my bag so I can get down to proper business.
The entire time I’m handling things, I’m staring at the beach, wishing Jolie was still lingering around.
Whoever I spend the night with tonight… her new nickname is going to be Jolie.
I sit at the head of the table with dim lights hanging overhead.
“What do we have?” I ask.
One by one, they all empty their pockets.
Guys like Taz and Les are like limbs to me. I can’t imagine not having them around. They organize their cash. They take notes when need be. And most of all, they know to burn all notes so there’s never a sliver of evidence.
Raf and Aric are good for collecting on those who feel that things in life should be free. The assholes who think Mom and Dad will cover it up and sometimes need a little muscle to remember who they’re fucking with.
And then there’s Ado.
I have no purpose for him.
He sits across the table, always looking nervous.
In his mind he thinks about Cole and Bain and what happened to them.
They put together a coup and wanted to toss me aside.
To me that’s a lifetime ago.
They never stood a chance to actually make that happen.
But I keep Ado around just as a reminder of what happens if I don’t look over my shoulder enough.
“What a great day today,” I say.
“Happy birthday again, my brother,” Les says. He stands up and points to Taz. “We got you something.”
“What?” I ask. “You threw me a party.”
“Fuck the party,” Taz says.
“Hey, Raf, what happened to you?” I ask. “Heard you fell in love.”
“Nah,” Raf says.
“You didn’t read her poetry and shit, did you?” Aric asks.
“The effect poetry has on panties is amazing,” Raf says.
“Wow, that’s kind of sad,” Les says.
“Only tears coming from me was when I was coming,” Raf says.
“Wait a second,” I say. “You cry when you come?”
“No,” Raf says. “I meant… because it’s good. Like figuratively speaking.”
“Big words,” Aric says.
“Shit, you need me to explain what that means?” Raf asks.
“Fuck you,” Aric says.
“Fuck you back,” Raf says.
“Fuck you all,” Taz says. “It’s Mac’s birthday. Shut the fuck up.”
Taz slides a box in front of me.
“Damn,” I say. “I guess it’s not a stripper.”
“Could be something inflatable,” Les says.
“I’ll give it to Ado,” I say. “He needs something to dry hump.”
“Thanks for that,” Ado says.
“Collect the cash and deposit it,” I say. “Don’t fuck around.”
Ado stands up and collects the cash as I open the box.
Inside is a gun.
I look between Les and Taz.
“You like it?” Les asks.
“Do I want to know how?” I ask.
“Nope,” Taz says.
I reach into the box and take the sleek weapon out.
I hold it in my hand as Aric and Raf both whistle.
“That’s sweet,” Raf says.
“Good pick, man,” Aric says to Taz as he holds his fist out.
Taz hits his fist.
“We all chipped in for you,” Les says. “Happy birthday.”
“This is nice,” I say. “I mean, really nice.”
“And it’s all clean in the dirtiest way,” Taz says. “That’s all you need to know about it.”
“I never asked,” I say. “I never would ask. I know you’re not stupid.”
I look around the table and nod.
It’s good to see everyone. And it’s good to see Ado still not back yet.
“Anything else we need to talk about here?” I ask.
“We’re solid,” Les says. “Everything that needs to be done is already done. Fuck the rest of the day and night. It’s your birthday, bro. You shouldn’t have to worry about anything.”
“We still have one place to go,” I say. “Everyone ready to eat?”
“I’m always ready to eat,” Raf says.
“You sure Mama wants us all together?” Aric asks.
“He’s just scared because of what happened the last time,” Taz says.
“You know how it goes,” I say. “You have to ask for seconds. You don’t just reach across her table and take more food.”
“She broke my fucking finger,” Aric says.
“Better than sticking it into a meat grinder,” Les says.
“Bullshit,” Aric says.
“Don’t believe us?” I ask. “When we get there, have her tell you the story about Willy.”
“Willy?” Aric asks. He laughs. “Come on, Mac…”
“I’m starving,” Raf says.
“Load up,” I say. “Let me go track down Ado. He’s probably sniffing the cash like Raf was sniffing his new love last night.”
“And twice this morning,” Raf says.
“No wonder your breath is rancid,” Aric says.
“Damn, man, are you still going for the discount grabs on campus?” Les asks. “I told you leave those for the others.”
“Easy pickings,” Raf says as he interlocks his fingers behind his head.
“Fucking nasty,” Taz says.
“We can debate on who’s licking what on the ride to Mama’s,” I say.
I make it two steps before Raf says, “When you’re drunk, it all tastes the same…”
Everyone at the table groans.
I shake my head.
I think about Jolie.
Fuck, I can’t wait to taste her.
I open the door and the first thing I hear is crying.
Not sniffling or a whine when you stub your baby toe on a table or some shit.
I hear crying.
A dude openly weeping.
I shut the door, lock it, and turn on the light.
Part of me expects to find Ado half naked, cradling money like I plan on cradling Jolie, crying because the money is something he’ll never have.
But lucky for me - and you - Ado is fully clothed.
He’s standing at the safe, his hand on the lever, head down, weeping.
“Open it,” I say to him.
Ado jumps.
“Mac,” he says.
“Open the fucking safe,” I say.
“What?”
I step toward Ado and he hurries to open the safe.
There are only a few allowed to touch the safe. Each with a code. And I can track who has opened it.
Ado backs away from the safe.
I look at him and a few tears fall from his eyes.
What the fuck…
I look down at the open safe and everything is in place.
I’m not going to stand there and fucking count each bill. I don’t have time for that. And if it came down to that, we’d all be fucked.
I shut the safe and make sure it’s locked.
Then I set my sights on Ado.
“I’m sorry, Mac,” he says. “I just needed a minute to myself.”
“To cry?”
“I didn’t want to fuck up your birthday,” he says.
“Fuck it up? How?”
Ado shakes his head. “It’s nothing about you. Or this. Or BC.”
&n
bsp; He makes a move and I lunge at him.
I grab his arm and then put my right forearm to his chest.
I drive him back against a soundproof wall and slowly inch my arm up to his throat.
“Nobody can hear you cry,” I say. “Or gasp for a breath.”
“Mac…”
I move my forearm up a little more.
“Fuck,” Ado says. “Okay… it’s my… mother.”
“Your mother?” I ask.
“Yeah,” he says.
“She get caught with another needle in her arm?” I ask. “You’re not running out of money, are you? I know what she does costs a pretty penny or two, but she’s got to have advisors doing all the legwork, right? I know lawyers aren’t cheap either…”
“She’s dying,” Ado says.
I release my hold on him and step back. “Dying? Like… overdose?”
“Cancer,” he says.
“Shit.”
Ado nods. “It’s not good. None of it is good, Mac. She’s been clean for a few months now. Finally. She took it serious this time after the playground thing.”
“The playground thing?”
“When she drove her car through an elementary school playground,” Ado says. “She jumped the slide and was sideways until she was rescued.”
“That’s right,” I say. “You have one fucked up mother, bro.”
“And now she’s going to die.”
“We’re all going to die, Ado.”
He shakes his head. “Whatever, Mac. I just needed a second to myself.”
“You can cry at home when you’re alone,” I say. “Not in here.”
Ado stares at me.
He’s looking for sympathy. A hug. Someone to tell him it’s going to be okay.
Could I be that person? Even for just a second?
Yes.
But I’m not going to be that person.
When I see Ado, I see Cade and Bain. And I see them working to try and fuck me over. Because Cade thought he could toss me away and take over what I had built on the other side of BC.
Keeping Ado around is a pain in the ass though…
“How long?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” Ado says. “She’s got some tests coming up. There’s some kind of treatments she can get too. Not sure what she wants to do. There’s more to it but you don’t give a fuck, Mac.”
“You’re right, I don’t,” I say. “Are you coming to Mama’s for dinner?”
Ado shakes his head.
“Get the fuck out of here, Ado,” I say.
He moves toward the door.
“Hey, Ado, did you throw coin in on that present for me?” I ask.
“No,” he says. “Nobody told me about it.”
I nod. Then I grin. “So you didn’t get me anything for my birthday?”
I looked back at Ado.
He looks scared.
He should be.
Everyone should be.
5
The back door to the big country house has these old curtains that have been there for fifty years. Actually, that’s how the entire house is. Nothing ever gets changed or updated. She just leaves it all the same. She has more money than anyone I ever met in my life and she only buys certain foods if they’re on sale.
She’s the best.
And she’s the most dangerous person in the world.
The door opens with its normal creak and Mama Dae steps back using her cane.
There’s a scowl on her face, but that’s only for a second until she realizes is just me and the guys.
She hurries to balance her cane on the edge of the counter as she opens her arms for me to hug her.
You always went to Mama Dae. You never make her come to you.
I step into the house and I smell meatloaf and chocolate.
I lean down and hug Mama Dae.
She puts her arms around me and squeezes as tight as she can.
“Oh, Cormac,” she says. “My Mac. Another year older.”
“Seems that way,” I say.
I break the hug and she grabs my face. “And you’re sure you want to be here? You’re young. The best-looking guy I’ve ever seen. And you want to be here? You don’t want to be out chasing pretty girls?”
“I’ve been doing that my whole life, Mama,” I say. “I know what birthdays mean to you. I’d never miss this for anything.”
Mama slaps my face. “You’re the only one who gets it, Mac.”
I wink.
I step to the side and one by one, the guys enter the house.
Mama grabs their arms and they lean down and kiss just one of her cheeks. She kisses the air back at them, never actually kissing them.
“I’m starving,” Raf says after kissing Mama’s cheek. “And this place smells amazing.”
“Meatloaf and chocolate cake,” Mama says. “Mac’s favorite dinner.”
They all look at me like they want to break my balls a little.
But they know better.
They say one word and I’ll take them down to the basement.
That’s where Mama keeps her canned goods and jarred stuff she makes that she claims can survive the end of the world. And there’s the secret room with all the weapons… and other supplies… that’s soundproofed… where many last breaths had been taken…
“Everyone, sit down,” Mama says.
She grabs her cane but doesn’t use it.
She doesn’t need it.
The cane is a diversion and a weapon.
As Aric walks toward the table, Mama stops and swings the cane. She knows all the spots to hit on someone to take them down.
She hits Aric at the back of his left knee with such precision that the big guy falls to one knee.
He looks back at her.
They’re about the same height now.
“A week ago you had a bag on your left shoulder,” Mama says. “Just your left shoulder. Now imagine what could have happened…”
Aric nods. “I’m sorry, Mama. I was being very careful.”
“Careful is worth fuck shit,” Mama says. “Got it? Fuck shit. Say it, Aric.”
“Fuck shit,” he says.
“Fuck shit,” Mama repeats. “It takes one slip to fucking ruin everything. So what are you going to do now?”
“Use both arms,” Aric says. “Have the bag on both shoulders, I mean. You know, wear it the right way.”
“That’s perfect,” Mama says. “No chocolate cake for you.”
“What?” Aric asks. “Oh… fuck…”
Mama grabs Aric’s mouth. “Are you talking back to me?”
Aric shakes his head.
Mama steps back. “Hope everyone is hungry.”
We get to the table and it’s obvious Aric is flustered.
And he should be.
The entire process of what I do - what we do - hinges on everything going right.
And Mama is right when she says it takes one little fuck up to ruin it all.
And in this life, ruining shit has one of two outcomes.
You’re either in jail for the rest of your life.
Or you’re dead.
But since it’s my birthday, I refuse to think about death.
Even though Mama loves my birthday.
It’s the same as her late husband’s birthday.
That’s why she loves it.
It’s her day to remember him and look at me as though I’m him.
It’s a little fucked up, but I go with it.
Mama stands behind my chair. “When I first started caring for this one, this was the only thing he’d eat. This little rich prick of a kid begging for meatloaf and chocolate cake.”
“Not much has changed,” Les says with a wink.
Mama laughs. “And then he became like a son to me. To my late Lyle. And from there…”
Mama always cries on my birthday.
I let her go for a few seconds before standing up.
I hug her.
Then we all hug her.
“Hey,” I whisper to Mama. “They want to hear the story about Willy.”
Mama looks around at us. “Well first off, sit the fuck down and eat something. You let my fucking dinner get cold and I’ll turn all of you into Willy.”
“You got it, Mama,” Les says.
“Hey,” Taz says. “If Lyle was here… he’d be proud of you.”
“Oh, don’t you make me cry again,” Mama says. “And he is here. He’s always with us.”
Mama touches one of her necklaces.
She wears a necklace of Lyle’s ashes.
The rest of the ashes… well, that’s not a story for dinnertime.
Maybe.
We all sit down and wait for Mama to give us the signal to eat.
When she does, we dig in.
Now the idea of eating meatloaf isn’t the greatest thing in the world… I get it. But Mama’s meatloaf is its own food. And before any of you start getting pissy with me, here’s the ten second story…
Mama was something like a nanny to me when I was a kid. Simple as that. I wasn’t the calmest or nicest kid and my parents hoped having a kid would make them look good and that I’d be like a decoration in their rich life. Instead, I fucking ruined their rich life.
Oops.
Mama took care of me. Then she went away. And then I found her.
And then life moved on.
That’s all you need to know about it right now.
I finish my plate and Mama nods to me to get another.
She lets all of us eat seconds before bringing out the chocolate cake.
And, yes, there are candles on the fucking cake. They’re lit. They all sing. I smile. I blow out the candles.
Raf makes a comment about me being good at blowing.
So Mama tells him he’s not allowed to have any cake either.
It’s a wild scene to imagine who we are… the strength, power, how we make a living and the muscle we use to make it… and we are eating chocolate cake for my birthday like I’m fucking seven years old. And then there’s Aric and Raf, sitting with their arms crossed, pissed they don’t get any cake.
After we’re done eating, Mama looks around the table.
She clicks her tongue a few times.
“Let these two have cake,” she says. “I can’t stand to see them upset.”
“Really?” Aric asks.
“Eat,” Mama orders. “And I’ll tell you about Willy.”
I’m glad I’m done eating when she starts talking about Willy.
Mess You Up (Brooks Crest Book 1) Page 4
