The Guys Next Door

by Amber Thielman

  “No,” she said. “Not to that extent, anyway. I was caught off guard.” Lila nodded and turned toward Judge Rayburn.

  “No further questions, your honor.”

  The Judge tapped the gavel. “We’ll have a five-minute recess, and when we return, I’d like to hear Olivia’s perspective on the matter.”

  My heart dropped. The crowd in the courtroom departed to take a break, and an annoying chatter filled the air. In the front bench, none of us moved from our places. Nobody moved.

  “I don’t want to go up there,” I said. “I won’t go up there.” Jesse’s grip tightened on my hand, but it didn’t reassure me. Had he not been holding onto it, I would have fled already.

  “It’ll be fine,” Audrey assured me. “The attorney is just going to ask you some questions. Just tell the truth, and it will be over with before you know it.”

  “The truth?” I had visions in my head then, images of half-naked male dancers, late nights, drinking with Emma, throwing up in the park, being forgotten about and left at school. I had to make a serious attempt to swallow back bile. “The truth,” I said again. “Yeah, I can handle that.”

  “You’ll be okay,” Jesse said. His eyes were kind, drawing me in. I was so thankful that he’d shown up. We needed all the support we could get.

  “How is everyone doing?” Ty asked. He and Kristen walked up, taking a seat on the bench behind us. Kristen smiled at me, much more kind than she had been before. I couldn’t bring myself to smile back.

  “How can we help?” she asked. “We’d like to offer our support.” Audrey sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

  “I don’t think you really can,” she said. “Olivia is going up there next. Judge Rayburn already spoke to Noah, but we’re not sure what about.” She peered around Marisol to look at Noah, who was sitting with a somber look on his face, arms crossed. He didn’t look like he was ready to talk to anyone about anything.

  “Everything will be okay,” added Ty. “It will all turn out fine, I’m sure.” We all smiled at him, friendly, but the tension in the courtroom was smothering. There was nothing left to do except hope for the best.

  Two minutes before the judge took her seat Emma came flying through the back door. Her cheeks were flushed, as if she’d been running, and her frizzy red hair was flying around her face.

  “I didn’t think I would make it,” she said breathlessly, throwing her arms around me and placing herself smack dab in Jesse and me. “I almost couldn’t sneak out of class.”

  From the corner of my eye, Mr. Devereaux shot her a disapproving look, but he said nothing. We all knew he had no room to talk.

  “Thanks for being here,” I said. And I meant it. Emma had become my best friend. With her presence, my confidence grew.

  “They didn’t make a decision, did they?” asked Emma.

  “No, but it’s my turn to go up there,” I said. I felt nauseated suddenly like I’d eaten something bad. I wondered if I would hurl all over the stand.

  “You’ve got this, sister,” Avery said, leaning forward between Emma and me.

  As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Judge Rayburn tapped the gavel, and we all turned our attention toward her. The crowd in the courtroom settled down, and I saw Lila rise. My breath caught in my throat.

  “Your Honor, I’ll call Olivia James to the stand.”

  “It’s all you, babe,” Marisol said. Emma and Audrey both squeezed each hand as I stood up, trembling, and made my way to the front of the room. I could feel a dozen or more pairs of eyes on my back as the bailiff swore me in and I climbed the steps to sit down. The whole time I prayed I wouldn’t trip and fall in front of all those people. I cleared my throat and clasped my clammy hands in my lap. Lila met my gaze. Her expression hadn’t changed. I wished I could read it. Instead of questioning me immediately, though, she stepped back and let the judge speak first.

  “Miss James, CPS is under the impression that you and your younger brother Noah may be better off in foster care until we can find a better-suited family,” Judge Rayburn said. Her eyes were kind—much less intimidating than Lila or Sheryl. “However, you have less than a year left until you are an adult, so this matter concerns your brother to a greater degree than it concerns you.” The judge smiled gently to put me at ease and removed her spectacles to wipe the smudges from them. “I trust you’re a good big sister, full of love and dedication for your brother, Noah. Am I assuming correctly?”

  “Yes, Your Honor,” I said, and swallowed my fear. She was right; Noah was my biggest concern. I couldn’t bear to see him hurt or sad, even if that meant fighting until my last breath for him.

  “Terrific,” Judge Rayburn said. She nodded at Lila. “Proceed.” The attorney approached the seat. My entire body went stiff. Something about the attorney made me anxious and tense. It was probably the fact this strange woman standing in front of me had more control over the situation than any of us.

  “Olivia, I will ask you now to please answer my questions to the best of your knowledge and ability,” she said. I noticed from the front that when she smiled, there was a red lipstick mark on her big tooth. But even that didn’t make her any less intimidating. I nodded, trying to avoid Audrey’s gaze so I wouldn’t break down and cry. “Miss James, is it correct that you and your brother Noah have been living with Ms. Bell for approximately three months now?”

  “Yes,” I squeaked.

  “Speak up, please,” said Judge Rayburn, and my heart skipped a beat. I felt dizzy with fear.

  “Yes. That’s right.”

  “Good. And has Ms. Bell proved herself to you and your brother as a responsible, caring guardian?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is it also true that Ms. Bell is dating your teacher? A Mr.…” She glanced at her pad. “A Mr. Jacob Devereaux?” From the audience, I let my eyes meet Mr. Devereaux’s. I hesitated briefly and then nodded.

  “That’s correct.”

  “How did that happen, Olivia? If you wouldn’t mind telling me.”

  “I—” I could hear the blood roaring in my ears. My heart was pounding a million miles an hour. I caught Mr. Devereaux’s gaze again from where he was sitting next to Audrey. Even from where I was on the stand, I could tell she was about to cry. I wanted nothing more than to comfort her.

  “They met at Audrey’s apartment,” I said finally. I knew I couldn’t lie. Lying would have been the worst thing to do.

  “And why was Jacob Devereaux in the apartment, Olivia?” asked Lila. Her tone was innocent, but I knew better.

  “Because he gave Noah and me a ride home after school.”

  “Why?”

  I let out a breath of air. “Because Audrey had forgotten us.” A silence fell over the courtroom, and the attorney let it sink in, probably for effect. I had been ringing my hands together for so long they were feeling raw. I felt sick, almost worse than I’d felt drinking with Emma, but I forced the bile down and prayed to a God I wasn’t sure I believed in.

  “Miss James, where is Audrey Bell’s place of employment?” Lila asked. The silence was deafening. In the back, someone coughed, and it sounded like an exploding bomb. I jumped, catching Mr. Devereaux’s gaze again. Next to him, Audrey’s eyes met mine, and she forced a smile. Then she nodded once, permitting me to proceed.

  “She owns and manages a club called The Guys Next Door,” I whispered. My voice sounded so far away, even to my own ears.

  “Interesting name,” said Lila. I could almost hear the triumph in her voice. “Is that a strip club?”

  “No,” I said, and shook my head. “It’s an all-male dance club.” A laugh rippled through the crowd. My face burned. I wondered if anyone had noticed the pit stains on my shirt yet.

  “Can you explain to Judge Rayburn exactly what that is?” Lila asked. I cleared my throat and forced myself to look over. Judge Rayburn was staring at me silently, waiting for me to speak. The smile was gone, but even then, she didn’t look mean or angry.

  “It’s a club sp
ecifically designed for the entertainment of women twenty-one and over. There are dancers—male dancers—who put on a show a few times a week for the ladies,” I said. “They dance and do different kinds of shows for entertainment.” I paused. “It’s a lot of fun.” There was more laughter. I took a steadying breath and looked back at Lila, who was now smiling. But it wasn’t a genuine smile. It was a, “I’ve got you now” kind of grin.

  “You’ve been in this club before, correct?” she said.

  “Only ever during closed hours, really,” I muttered. “So Audrey can get her work done.”

  “Only ever after hours?” the attorney asked. “Or other times, as well?” I closed my eyes, fighting off the urge to hold up my middle finger to Lila.

  “Once or twice during a show,” I said. “When Audrey had to work late.” I was sick to see the attorney and the judge exchange a glance, as if some unspoken question had been answered. The attorney turned once to look at the audience behind her, and then she looked at me again.

  “Thank you,” she said. “That’s all I need.”

  Uh-oh. That seemed too easy. I got up, wanting desperately to run back into Jesse’s arms, but I stayed where I was instead. I stood there for a split second, teetering nearly at the step, fingering the locket around my neck—the locket my parents had given me on my thirteenth birthday. I stepped back, and then another until I was back in the podium chair. I sat down. The entire courtroom was silent.

  “Can I say something?” I asked. Instead of looking at Lila, I glanced at Judge Rayburn, who looked startled.

  She only hesitated a split second before nodding.

  I took a deep breath and looked back out toward the faces in the crowd, both a mixture of familiar and unfamiliar. Some were smiling, supportive. Audrey was crying. Noah’s face was expressionless, but at some point during my questioning, he had allowed Emma to take his hand for support. I turned my attention back to the judge.

  “Over three months ago, my and my brother’s lives fell apart when our parents were killed,” I told her. “I thought it was the end of the world. I think Noah thought so, too.” I let my fingers drop back into my lap, and I caught Audrey’s gaze. “We came to live with an aunt we barely knew in a city we had never been to. We started new schools, met new friends, and began a life together that was both terrifying and amazing all at the same time.” I looked back up at the judge. “Our life is really no different from any other teenager in the world, your honor. While other parents work a nine to five job, my Aunt Audrey runs her own business. It might not be a bakery or a real estate company or a ballet studio, but it is the hottest club in town.” There was more laughter. I smiled—I couldn’t help it.

  “And while it may be weird to go to school knowing that my aunt is dating my teacher, I come home, and I see them together—and suddenly it all makes sense, no matter how weird I think it is. And while other kids are spending time with their aunts and uncles and big brothers and sisters, my brother and I go to Audrey’s club every day after school, and we see our family. We see our Uncle Avery, who is not only a dancer in that club, but he may also very well be the gayest—and yet kindest man—in the city of Seattle. We spend time with our Uncle Ty, another employee of Audrey’s, who may be standoffish at times, but he offers some of the best boyfriend advice in the world. He’s also really superb at math. Which is good, otherwise Noah probably would have flunked already. But nobody should be surprised, because Ty is also studying for his master’s degree in physics. So, you can take him seriously.” By now a tear slid down my cheek. I wiped it away abruptly, hoping nobody saw.

  “I can’t forget our Aunt Marisol, who isn’t just a bartender, but she is one of the coolest women I know, and she cares for people unconditionally—Noah and me included.” My voice cracked. “Then there’s our Uncle Ed—Eduardo, who seems crazy about Mari, and she for him, and yet neither of them can see it. But that’s just life—sometimes you can’t see what’s right in front of you, even if it’s the right thing to see.” If I thought it had been quiet before, I had another think coming. Around us, the rustling of paper and tapping of feet rang in my ears. Someone coughed. I wiped another tear from my eye, and then another, but the tears kept on coming. I turned to face the judge.

  “You don’t have to be a ‘normal’ family to be a loving one. Audrey is good to us. She’s good to my brother. She can be flaky at times—and erratic. And immature. And sometimes she doesn’t know left from right or up from down—but she loves us. Even when she puts salt in the cookie dough instead of sugar, we still know it. And she does have support. She has a whole club of support.” I laughed lightly, and it turned into a sob. The tears streamed freely. I wasn’t sure if I could finish, but I caught my breath and went on. “They say it takes a village to raise a child, your honor. And it’s true. My village is right out there—starting with the man up front in the boa.”

  The silence so suffocating suddenly erupted. Avery stood up first and clapped dramatically, looking like a diva in a parade. Only moments later, Mari and Ed joined him, and then Ty and his girlfriend. In only a few more seconds, the entire courtroom was on their feet applauding. Emma was whooping as if she was at a rock concert. Audrey and Mr. Devereaux looked stunned. Jesse, however, was beaming at me.

  “Order in the court!” Judge Rayburn shouted. “Take your seats, please, there’s no desire for dramatics here.” The crowd settled down after a moment, and I stood up to exit the podium. Judge Rayburn stopped me.

  “I am assuming one of two things here, Miss James,” she said sternly. “Either you and your brother truly want to stay with Audrey Bell, or you are just a phenomenal liar.” I opened my mouth to respond, but she put up her hand to stop me. “I have been a courtroom judge for twenty-eight years. I have seen many acts, many lies, a lot of betrayals—but I have never seen anything like that. Not until now.” She looked over the crowd, and straight at Audrey. “You seem to be doing fine in your life, Ms. Bell—strip club or not.”

  I rolled my eyes and sighed.

  “Your honor, it’s not a strip clu—”

  “Let me finish,” she said.

  I shut my mouth, heat rising to my face.

  “I don’t think there’s even a question here,” the judge said finally. “The court will grant full custody of Olivia Kate James and Noah Michael James to one Ms. Audrey Bell.” She took a breath and hit the gavel. “Case dismissed.”

  The commotion that surrounded me was overwhelming. I sat in the chair, looking out into the crowd as everyone jumped to their feet. There were dozens of happy faces. Smiles, laughter, tears. Mr. Devereaux held Audrey to him as she cried. When she pulled away a few minutes later, she was smiling, her face beet red and her eyes darkened by makeup. Emma and Jesse approached me first. As they got closer, Emma, too, had been crying.

  “You won, girl,” she said. She folded her arms and looked back over her shoulder, at the bustling courtroom. “I was afraid for you—but you won.” I stood up and embraced her, unable to imagine what it would have been like to lose the case. I would have lost Audrey, lost the guys and Marisol—lost Emma, my best friend, Jesse, my crush (boyfriend?), and I maybe even would have lost Noah.

  “I’m not sure what I would have done without you,” Jesse said, stepping up to embrace me next. I let my forehead rest on his chest, taking in the sweet smell of cologne as he held me to him.

  “It doesn’t look like you are going anywhere, little sister,” Ty said as he approached. The guy wasn’t known for smiling much, but today he was beaming. Next to him, Avery had his hand over his heart, eyes red-rimmed and puffy.

  “My pumpkin pastry,” he said. “I am so proud of you.” He pulled me into a hug, and I let myself melt against him, comforted and—finally—safe. There was a swarm of people around me, familiar faces, and smiling faces—the faces of my family.

  “That was a close call, sis,” Noah said. He was smiling, joking—happy. I grabbed him and pulled him into me, not caring even a little bit if it upset him
. He didn’t fight it, and after a moment, he returned the hug.

  “What did you say to the judge?” I asked him quietly. Noah got on his tiptoes and close to my ear.

  “I told her that there was nowhere else I would rather be than with my family.”

  Back home in Michigan, we had known curfews and bedtime—we’d had family nights and fights, groundings and praises. Being thrown in with Audrey had been unexpected and shocking. She was our Aunt Audrey—the erratic, flaky woman who lived in a three-bedroom apartment, enjoyed blended margaritas, and owned the most popular all-male dance club in Seattle. It didn’t have to be normal. It didn’t have to be routine. It was our life, and we loved it.

  As the group of us sat around the dinner table later that night, celebrating the victory, I felt warmth in my chest that had been a dark void since my parents’ death. I looked around, feeling such love for the people around me. People who were no longer strangers on the street, but who were now my family. I saw Audrey and Mr. Devereaux, who were laughing at something that Avery had said. There was Ty and his girlfriend Kirsten—Ty, who wasn’t just a pretty face, but also a student. A scholar. A genius. At the end of the table, there was Marisol, and next to her was Ed. He held her hand, and she was grinning. They looked beautiful together. Next to me, Emma and Noah were arguing about something. I reached out and squeezed my little brother’s shoulder. He didn’t pull away. Instead, he took my hand, just briefly, and squeezed it. On the other side of me, Jesse had his hand resting on my leg, and my skin tingled beneath his touch. Never had I known a guy like him. Next to Mr. Devereaux, Avery raised his glass, tapped it with a spoon, and cleared his throat.

  “To us,” he said, and a hush fell over the room as we all raised our drinks. “To each person in this room who came together when life needed it the most. I love you all. Cheers.”

  We all centered our glasses and clinked. In the living room, the radio that Audrey had turned on for background noise played a familiar tune, and The Weather Girls sang.