Page 119 of Restless
They were standing on the Harris porch, where they’d been for five minutes, waiting for Molly to open the door. When he’d texted her his time of arrival early this morning, she’d sent him a thumbs up. Now, he’d knocked several times, tried the door, and knocked a little more. She wasn’t even answering his texts.
It was a quiet Monday morning in this older section of Hortensia, lacking the hustle and bustle of the Medical District and the new areas. This was a low-income neighborhood where the residents struggled to make ends meet even if they held down multiple jobs, which most of them did. Partnering with Molly for the science project allowed CJ a glimpse of this side of town. Sometimes, when they walked to McDonald’s, she’d stop and talk to her neighbors, then fill him in on gossip. Most of the houses on this street resembled the Harris’s with cracked driveways and crooked foundations.
“How’s Aunt Kendall this morning?”
Rory shrugged. “I…fuck, I don’t know. She plays so many fucking games, but I think she really lost her shit when Dad walked out.”
“Just because Aunt Kendall twists shit sometimes, doesn’t mean she doesn’t love Uncle Johnnie, Ro.”
“It just means she’s a fucking woman.”
CJ grinned. “You’re being too hard on Aunt Kendall and all girls.”
“No the fuck I’m not. Girls are manipulating cunts.” Rory lit a cigarette and nodded to the door that stood between them and Molly. “Take Ryan’s bitch. She knew we were coming. Now, she won’t let us in.”
“Molly’s a sweet girl. Something’s up, Rory. I can feel it. She wouldn’t have us come over here, especially knowingwhy,and not let us in.”
Rory huffed out smoke. “You’re feeling her?”
“Ilikeher,” CJ stressed. “She’s my friend.”
“You can’t be friends with a chick, C. You eitherwillfuck them or want to fuck them.”
CJ fired off another text to Molly.
“Any chick you fucked you want as a friend?”
“I wouldn’t know, Ro, since I’ve never fucked.”
Puffing on his cigarette, Rory squinted. “Got your cock sucked before?”
“Nope.”
Ryan’s arrival interrupted Rory’s response.
“You boys okay?” Uncle Val called. He’d driven Aunt Zoann’s Jeep to drop off Ryan.
“Fine, old man,” Ryan grumbled, topping the rickety porch. “CJ has Uncle Christopher’s pickup.”
Rory and CJ waved Uncle Val off, while Ryan ignored his father.
“You’re a fucking asshole,” CJ said once Uncle Val drove away.
“Whatever. Would you get that bitch already so we can get this over with?”
Rory blew smoke in Ryan’s face. “Your bitch. Your baby.”
“That I only know about because she called and told me she was getting rid of it, so fuck her.”
“Did youwantthe baby?” CJ asked in surprise.
“Does it matter? She made the fucking decision with your help.”
“She made the fucking decision because she’s afraid of Bash, you stupid motherfucker,” CJ snarled. “And if I wasn’t here to help her, I’d bang your fucking head against the sidewalk. You know that motherfucker, just like Uncle Johnnie.”
This was the first time CJ had seen Ryan since confronting him after the incident at Turn Creek Bridge. He hadn’t been to school because he’d been spending his days at the hospital, trying to coax his father to continue resting as much as possible and eating more regularly, making plans to help Molly, and watching over his mother. If Rory hadn’t told CJ this morning that Ryan would show up, he would’ve started whaling on that motherfucker on sight for more than one reason. CJ also hadn’t confronted Ryan about telling Molly she broke the bank because he bought her fries, and he didn’t even want to think about her sucking Ryan’s cock forthings. The fuckhead.
“Why is Molly afraid of Bash?” Ryan asked, not denying CJ’s accusation.
