Page 36 of Genesis

“Fine,” I say.

“Get out of here,” he says. “And take that psycho with you.”

Carson says, “Hey, I take offense to that.”

“You need therapy,” Moretti says. “Danny, if he’s going to be with you, get his ass some therapy.”

“Will do,” I reply as we head out the door. We head out to collect Moretti’s money from the local business owners, and then we make our way outside of town to grab the new order of moonshine from our guy. By the time we get back, it’s getting dark.

“I got something I need to do,” I tell the boys when we pull back up to Moretti’s.

“Like what?” Johnny asks.

“Like none of your business. I’ll see you later.”

Johnny gets out and Carson follows, both of them grabbing the crates in the back before I go.

I head to the north side of town, and when I pull up into Bexley’s uncle’s drive, I get out and walk up to the door. I knock and wait for someone to answer.

Her uncle opens the door. “Bexley here?” I ask him.

He looks down at my clothes and then out at my car. “Who are you?” he asks.

“Danny. Used to live next door before her mom…”

“Oh, the O’Briens,” he says. “She’s out.”

“Out?” I ask.

He nods. “I’ll tell her you came by.”

“Can I ask who she’s out with?”

He narrows his eyes. “I’m sure she’ll tell you if she wants you to know.”

A car pulls up to the curb, and I turn to look when a woman gets out. “I’ll get her to call you,” he says, and I take that as my cue to leave.

“Yeah, thanks.” I head back to my car, lifting my chin at the woman in hello before I get in. “Where the fuck is she?” I say to myself as I start the car.

I head back to Ma’s. I haven’t been there all day. Maybe she’s there. Last night runs through my mind as I drive on. She’s still wearing the bracelet I gifted her on her birthday. I reach for the necklace tucked into my shirt with the knot that matches the one she wears around her wrist as I recall the details of her thirteenth birthday.

Danny

2000

It sits in my pocket as I adjust the ladder so I can climb up into her window. She always leaves it unlocked now. It’s our little secret.

I reach the top, seeing her sitting on her bed, watching TV. She looks toward the window and gets up. Walking over, she pushes it up and acts like she’s about to help me inside.

“I got it,” I say, stepping in.

It’s her birthday and she’s sitting alone in her bedroom. I don’t know why that bothers me.

“Why aren’t you out?” I ask her as she sits back on her bed.

She shrugs, gripping the comforter as her hands rest beside her thighs.

I lick my bottom lip, tasting the evening air I’ve been out in. After I shut the window, I walk over to the chair in the corner of her room, moving clothes to the back of it that she obviously didn’t feel like putting up.

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