Page 12 of Genesis

I wanted what Moretti had.

I also remember thinking…these guys are gangsters.

And maybe I wanted that, too.

Chapter Seven

Danny

1998

Samuel holds on to the cake as Paul knocks on the door. Moments later, a woman swings it open. She’s tiny, her hair is dark, and there are bald spots on top. She touches her head, looking a little embarrassed. I look over at Paul who slightly shakes his head, meaningdon’t say anything. Quickly, she reaches over, grabs a black beanie, and slides it over her hair.

“Boys?” she says. “Can I help you?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m Paul, and this is Samuel, Danny, and Johnny.” Paul slides his hands into his pockets. “We live next door. This cake is a welcome-to-the-neighborhood gift from our grandmother.”

“Oh,” she says with a smile in her tone. “How nice.” She reaches for the cake. “I’m Cora Walker.” She turns around and places it on a table before looking back at us and wrapping her gray sweater around her small frame. “I’ll get Bexley to run the cake holder back to you.”

“Thanks,” Paul says. He clears his throat. “Um, Danny and Bexley got into a little accident earlier. He needs to apologize.”

“Oh,” she says in a that’s-what-happened way. “Yes, she has a nasty cut on her jaw.” She looks at me, not like I’m in trouble, but like this is cute that I want to say I’m sorry.

She’s judging this situation wrong. I have no desire to apologize.

Paul nudges me. “Sorry about that,” I say.

Mrs. Walker tries to hide her smile. “Kids will be kids,” she replies. She opens the door wider and turns around. “Bexley,” she calls out.

I study Mrs. Walker as she looks to the stairs. She’s pretty. Would be prettier if her cheeks weren’t sunken in and her eyes were a little brighter. She looks like she’s sick, dying even, and now I think I know why Bexley Walker was so upset the other night.

Moments later, the girl I have to apologize to walks down the stairs. She’s got headphones from a Walkman hooked around her neck.

“Yeah, Mom?” she says but stops when she sees us, pointing her eyes at me mostly.

“This young man wants to say something to you,” Mrs. Walker says.

Bexley looks apprehensive as she slowly starts to walk again. She looks to her mom when she hits the bottom step.

“Come here,” Mrs. Walker urges her daughter.

Bexley walks over until she’s standing in front of us with a lifted brow. Like we’re intruding on her music time or something.

“Sorry about earlier,” I say, looking at the bandage she wears on her chin.

“Okay,” she says. I smirk because I can’t help it. I just apologized and she has shit to say about it. NoI’m sorry, too.OrI should have been paying better attention. Granted, I also should have been paying better attention, but still.

No one here but Johnny knows we’ve already met, and no one knows at all that we busted out windows just a few nights ago.

Bexley and I have secrets and we’ve only known each other a few days.

And I like that about us.

“You don’t have anything to say?” I ask her.

Paul kicks the back of my foot and Mrs. Walker narrows her eyes at her kid.

“Nope,” Bexley says with a shrug. “Can I go back now?” she asks her mom.

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