Taking It All Read online

  "Yeah," said Janelle. "Real hard work cashing those government checks."

  Leon watched as the anger in his father's eyes reached a boiling point.

  "Say that one more time," he said, his voice now low and menacing.

  "Let's all just calm the hell down," said Leon. "Dad, you want to relax and enjoy your evening, right? Then why not just chill out and watch some TV; last thing you want is the cops coming over again, right?"

  Rick stood still in place, his face mere inches from Janelle's. He snorted through his nose like a bull about to charge.

  Finally, after several long moments, he spoke.

  "Fine," he said. "But only ‘cause I don't feel like dealing with any more bullshit tonight. This goddamn woman puts me through enough."

  Leon shot his mother a glance that said: "not a word." She got the message.

  Rick then went to the fridge, grabbed a beer and a clear plastic packet of lunch meat, and stormed out of the kitchen and back into the living room. Once he was gone and back in front of the TV, Leon and his mother both breathed a sigh of relief.

  "Thanks," she said. "I was worried he was about to go off the deep end again."

  "You should know better than to poke at him when he's acting like that," said Leon. "You know how easy it is for him to fly off the handle when he's got some whiskey in him."

  "I know, I know," said Janelle. "But I just gotta stick up for myself, at least a little bit."

  "I get it," said Leon.

  Then he lowered his voice.

  "But you know what you need to do if you want to put an end to this for good, right?"

  Janelle looked around, making sure that Rick hadn't snuck back into the kitchen.

  "You know I can't just leave," she said. "I've got you and Hunter to worry about."

  "I'm an adult," Leon said. "I'll be fine. And Hunter would be better off anywhere besides here."

  "You're twenty-two," said Janelle. "That's barely an adult. And Hunter…I just don't know what to do with him."

  "Where is he?" asked Leon.

  "In his room, as usual," said Janelle. "Might want to go check up on him."

  "Was just about to," said Leon.

  He turned to leave, but before he did, he looked at his mother with a serious expression.

  "Think about it," he said. "You know it's the right thing."

  Janelle nodded quickly. As Leon left the kitchen, he knew that, just like every other time he implored his mother to leave his father, it wouldn't result in anything substantial. After years of trying, the most Leon had ever gotten out of her was checking out the prices of some temporary apartments on Craigslist, and even then she was terrified that Rick might check the browser history. Part of Leon worried that his mother would never leave Rick, and that they'd be stuck in this destructive dance until Rick's liver finally gave out.

  Leon approached his little brother's room and gave the door a light knock. No reply- Leon knew that this meant Hunter was coping with the fighting in the way that he usually did, with headphones and video games. Leon entered the tiny bedroom and sure enough, Hunter was seated Indian-style in front of the small TV, a large pair of headphones on his ears and an X-Box controller in his hands. Leon snuck up to Hunter and poked him on the sides when he was close enough. Hunter let out a little yelp and dropped the controller as he whipped around.

  "Hey!" he said, pulling the headphones from his ears. "You made me die."

  "Thought you could use a break," said Leon.

  Hunter listened carefully for a moment.

  "They done yet?

  "For now," I think.

  "Are they ever gonna stop fighting?" he asked. "I mean, I think it's getting worse than usual."

  Leon looked over Hunter's little set-up, his eyes moving from the headphones, to the X-Box, to the Minecraft on TV. More and more Leon found Hunter passing the time like this, and knew that it was the only way Hunter could block out the domestic chaos around him and try to have fun like a normal kid his age should.

  "Maybe," said Leon, knowing that Hunter was right but not wanting to worry the boy. "Best to just stay out of the way."

  Hunter shook his head.

  "I can't wait until I'm in college like you; then maybe I can get out of here."

  "Trust me," said Leon. "It's no picnic being an adult, either."

  "Gotta be better than living here," Hunter said. "Hey…are you still planning on moving out soon?"

  "Maybe," said Leon. "Once I graduate at the end of the year."

  "You have to take me with you," said Hunter. "I can't live here anymore. Please."

  It wasn't the first time that Hunter had begged Leon for this. And as time went on, Leon found it harder and harder to say no. But Leon knew with his side gig of working for Anton's gang, he didn't exactly have a better situation to offer Hunter.

  "We'll see," said Leon. "But for now, you gotta stay strong. And try and ease up off the video games."

  "Hey," said Hunter. "It's either that or listen to mom and dad fight all day."

  "Guess you got a point," said Leon. "Anyway, I gotta get some studying in."

  "OK," said Hunter. "Shut the door when you leave; I don't want to have to hear them again."

  With that, Leon got up and headed back to his room. Putting his headphones on, he turned his music loud as he got his books out of his backpack and prepared to spend the rest of the night cramming for his upcoming test. Leon knew that school was his one ticked out of this neighborhood, and he didn't want to waste it.

  The next morning, Leon woke up early and helped his mother get Hunter ready for school. As he left his room, he was greeted with the sight of his father on the couch, his big belly expanding and contracting with each loud snore. Shaking his head, Leon turned off the TV and cleared up the empty whiskey bottle and beer cans.

  Looks like another late morning, he thought sardonically.

  Once breakfast was made and Hunter was ready, Leon dropped Hunter off at middle school on his way to the library. Once there, Leon spent a few hours before class catching up on his studies. But as he made his way from the library to his first class, he spotted a girl who struck him as familiar. She was a slender girl wearing skinny jeans and a slightly oversized hoodie for their school. Her hair was dark and shoulder-length. It took Leon a moment, but as soon as she happened to glance in Leon's direction and he noticed her stunning, dark green eyes, Leon recognized her right away as the girl from last night, the one who'd been hiding behind the dumpster.

  So, he thought, the sweatshirt wasn't just for show- she actually goes here.

  Part of Leon had wondered if the girl might've been a cop, but her overall clumsy and guileless demeanor quickly convinced him otherwise.

  She's just some student who ended up in the wrong part of town, he thought. What the hell was she doing there?

  But as soon as she hurried off and out of view, Leon turned his attention back to more pressing matters.

  The next couple of days passed uneventfully, with classes going well and things staying mercifully quiet at home. But once Friday night rolled around, Leon got a call from Anton letting him know that he was going to be needed to back him up for another deal. Leon checked the address and saw that it wasn't too far from where he'd done the deal the previous day. He got his gear together, removing his gun from where it was hidden in the back of his closet and tucking it into the back of his pants. He hated carrying around a weapon like that, but being armed and dangerous was a requirement of working in Anton's crew.

  Riding his motorcycle over to the designated area, Leon met up with his crew and headed off to make the deal. Thankfully, this one went far more smoothly than the last, and after about fifteen minutes, they were done.

  But once Leon started back down the road where his bike was parked, he spotted that same familiar figure.

  No way, thought Leon. No way that girl would be naive enough to come back here after almost getting found out before.

  He had to confirm. Stayin
g a good distance behind, Leon looked the girl over to make sure it was her. He couldn't quite tell, but the slender frame and dark hair looked like hers.

  If it is her, at least she's wised up and left the college hoodie at home, he thought. I can't think of an easier way to advertise the fact that you don't belong in this part of town than that.

  Leon stayed behind her and with each second he became more and more certain that this was the same girl.

  Stupid girl didn't learn from before, he thought. Maybe I can talk some sense into her, make her realize that this part of town isn't for girls like her. Or scare her enough into realizing it.

  Leon stayed in the shadows, cutting the distance between the girl and him by the moment. One way or another, he was going to send her a message she wouldn't likely forget.

  Chapter Three

  The back of Jade's neck tingled as she made her way down the cracked sidewalk.

  I knew this was a bad idea, she thought to herself. I knew that I'd be pressing my luck by coming here again. But I did it anyway. Why?

  She knew the answer to that question, however. After coming down to this part of town, she realized that exposing herself to a part of the city that she'd never seen before was just the thing to give her writing the realism that it had been lacking. As much as she hated to admit it, Katie was right. But Jade knew that the last time she was here she nearly walked into a drug deal in progress, and she swore that she'd be more careful today. But she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being followed.

  Jade tossed a quick glance over her shoulder, and among the homeless and otherwise down-on-their luck who lived in the area, she was almost positive that she spotted a man walking behind her at a brisk pace. But she couldn't be certain.

  Better be on the safe side, she thought. I bet I can lose him if I pick up the pace.

  Jade made a right turn, her heart beating fast by the minute. She hurried down this block of rundown apartments and made another right at the end. She weaved through the smatterings of pedestrians on the sidewalks, doing her best to evade the man behind her, if indeed he was following her.

  After a handful of blocks, Jade looked around, realizing that she had no idea where she was.

  Fuck! she thought.

  She reached for her phone, but realized that pulling out the latest model of iPhone that she owned –given to her as a birthday present by her father- was likely an easy way to be robbed in a part of town like this.

  OK, she thought, looking around, how hard can this be? I can make my own way without needing Google Maps for everything.

  But as soon as she began to take stock of her surroundings, Jade spotted the figure of the man who'd been following her. He emerged from around the corner that she'd just turned. Wearing a jet-black pea coat, a pair of dark jeans, and stylish brown boots, he struck Jade as just about as out of place as she was. Jade looked around once again and realized that there was no one on this block, no one besides her and the man who was closing in on her with each passing moment.

  Jade realized that she wasn't imagining things- this man was indeed following her. Her heart thumped in her chest and the adrenaline began to rush through her body. Turning back towards the direction she'd been facing, Jade realized the time for playing it cool was over. She started into a full sprint, running as fast as her slender legs could carry her. Looking over her shoulders as she ran, she saw that the man had broken into a run of his own.

  Fuck, fuck, thought Jade, her legs pumping underneath her.

  Fearful tears formed in her eyes; her mind raced as she wondered just what this man would do if he caught up to her. Remembering she'd brought Katie's mace, Jade fumbled in her jacket pockets as she ran and pulled it out. Looking over her should once again, she saw that the man was outrunning her, and would be on top of her within seconds. To her horror, she realized that the mace was the only chance she had once the man managed to cut the distance.

  Whipping around, she aimed the mace with a shaking hand at the man in pursuit. But just as she squeezed the trigger to fire it, the man's hand shot out with incredible speed. He grabbed her wrist and turned it in a way that didn't cause her pain, but made her grip awkward enough to no longer be able to hold onto the mace. The spray dropped out of Jade's hand and hit the ground with a clatter. Jade was desperate. Grabbing her little purse, she swung it like a club, but just like with the mace, the man deftly avoided her attack.

  "Christ, calm down!" said the man. "I'm not gonna hurt you!"

  Jade, now totally spent, placed her hands on her knees and took in deep breath after deep breath. Her eyes fixed on the sidewalk at her feet, she slowly lifted her gaze. The man's face was shrouded in the hood of a gray sweatshirt worn under his black pea coat, and Jade couldn't make out his features. Her heart continued to pound; sure, he's said that he wasn't going hurt her, but how did she know that?

  "Now," said the man, his voice deep and stern. "Tell me who the hell you are and why a college girl like you is wandering around this part of town."

  "How…" started Jade, still trying to catch her breath. "…how did you know that I was a college girl?"

  The man hesitated a moment before speaking. "Because I can spot a naïve kid who's in the wrong part of town from a mile away."

  Jade got the sense he was lying, but her senses were in such a state of overdrive that she couldn't be certain. And as she continued to catch her breath, her eyes fell on the mace. It had landed only a foot or so from her, and she knew that if she were quick, she might be able to grab it.

  "Now," said the man, "answer the goddamn question."

  "Sure," said Jade, "I-"

  Before she said another word, she lunged forward and reached for the mace. But her hand closed around nothing but air. Looking around, she saw that the man had managed, with incredible speed, to kick the mace out of the way. Raising his foot, he brought down his heavy brown boot onto the mace and smashed it to pieces.

  "Come on!" he said, raising his voice. "You're beaten. If I wanted to hurt you I would've done it already. Now, just answer the damn question."

  Jade knew that he was right. That mace was the last chance that she had to defend herself; she was totally at this guy's mercy.

  "Um," she said, looking up and trying to make out the man's face through the shadows of his hood. "I'm here…for school."

  "What?" asked the man, his tone disbelieving. "What the hell are you doing in the skids for a school project? Is this some stupid urban studies class or something?"

  Jade lifted herself out of her leaned-over position and stood up straight. Her heart continued to thump in her chest as she formulated a response.

  "No," she said. "It's for a writing class. Creative non-fiction."

  As soon as the words left her mouth she realized how ridiculous the whole thing sounded.

  "You've come all the way to the worst hood in the entire city for a fucking writing assignment? Are you out of your mind?"

  "No," stammered Jade. "I mean, I don't know, I mean, I just…"

  The man held up a palm.

  "Just stop there," he said, looking around. "Listen, there's a diner around here where we can grab a cup of coffee. I need to know just what kind of lunatic I'm dealing with."

  "Why the hell would I want to come with you?" asked Jade, finding a little backbone. "How do I know you're not going to lead me to some gang hideout or something."

  A scoff sounded from the shadows of the hood.

  "You watch too much bad TV," he said. "No, I'm not going to lead you to a gang hideout. I'm going to lead you down to the end of the block where you and I are going to drink a couple of cups of especially shitty coffee, and you're going to tell me exactly what the fuck you're doing here. And when I'm happy with your answer, you can get the hell back to your student apartment or wherever the hell else you came from."

  Jade realized that she didn't exactly have very many options here. If she wanted to make a break for it, the man would just catch up with her again. Sure, sh
e could call his bluff that he wasn't going to hurt her, but Jade didn't want to take any chances.

  "So, I have some coffee with you and tell you what I'm doing here, then you leave me alone?"

  "Assuming you're not an undercover cop, something I'm believing less and less by the second, then yes. I'll even walk you to your car."

  "Fine," said Jade, figuring this was as good of a deal as she was going to get. "I'm Jade."

  She extended her towards the man, but he only looked down at it and shook his head.

  "That's…not a good idea in this part of town," he said. "Don't just go offering up info about yourself like that; you never know who's gonna try to use that against you. You're not in the suburbs anymore- don't ever forget that."

  Jade, now feeling awkward, withdrew her hand and clapped it to her side.

  "Does that mean that you're not going to take that hood down?"

  "Once we're at the coffee shop; then I'll think about it."

  "Fine," said Jade. "Let's get this over with."

  The man moved to her side and the two of them walked down the block. Jade remained on edge during the entire walk, only calming down when they reached the purple and yellow neon lights of the diner's sign. Jade looked through the large glass windows of the diner, seeing that the place was about as dingy and run-down as the rest of their surroundings. The buzzing of the sign above reading "Lenny's" cut through the still silence of the air.

  "This is it?" asked Jade.

  "Coffee joints in my part of town are a little different than the ones you're used to," said the man, pulling the door open and gesturing impatiently for Jade to enter.

  Jade walked in through the open door, the astringent smell of cleaning supplies mixed with greasy food hitting her in the face like a hammer.

  "Hey, kid," said the heavy-set man in a dirty white apron from behind the counter.

  "Hey, Lenny," said the man as he slid into a booth near the front windows. "Just two coffees."

  The man nodded and set to work making a pot.

  "I don't really drink coffee," said Jade, her eyes moving over the grimy surface of the table. "I'm more of a tea person."