Page 68 of Road Queens
“Wow. Lots to unpack here.” Amanda took a breath and tried to will herself calm but could feel her temples throbbing in time with her heartbeat. “Big number one, this isn’t the first time you’ve hinted my lack of DV-survivor street cred means it’s weird that I give a shit about survivors. But I think I’ve proved myself. Screw that—IknowI have.”
“No question,” Sidney piped up.
“So why are you still acting like I should have auditioned, should have been vetted instead of jumping in? And number two, just because my dad didn’t make a habit of beating the crap out of my mom doesn’t mean ‘perfect childhood.’ It’s not a contest, for God’s sake.”
“If there was, though, I think Cassandra would win.”
“Not helping, Sidney,” Amanda replied. “And third—and again, we’ve been over this—I’m in it for the same reason you are. We couldn’t help your mom, but we can help others.”
“But you didn’t prove yourself. Neither did I. Neither did Sidney.”
“I feel like I should jump in with ‘Leave me out of this,’ but it’d be a waste of breath.”
Cassandra ignored Sidney’s comment. “Case in point: Debbie Frank.”
Amanda sighed. “So as I pointed out, you’re choosing to focus on the one failure instead of all the other successes. Which isn’t just insulting, it’s shortsighted. Though it’s nice to hear you sort of acknowledge that your street cred didn’t make you any better at this than I am.”
Ha! Direct hit.Cassandra didn’t have an immediate rejoinder. Long seconds ticked by, giving Amanda enough time to wonder if this had been the best approach.
Cassandra tried to pull off another long strip of tape, but there was only an inch left. She cursed and tossed it aside. “Goodbye, you guys. It was a disaster, but only at the end. And the beginning.”
“A stirring summation,” Sidney said dryly. “Well, when you recover from ... from whatever the hell this is, we’ll be here.”
“And when Frank gets out and comes home? And is walking around breathing the same air we are?” Cass kicked another box across the room; Amanda didn’t know what was inside, but they all heard glass breaking. “What then?”
“Well, we could murder him,” Sidney suggested. “Right in his fat stupid face! Starting with that cleft chin. Might as well be a bull’s-eye. That might make you feel better.”
“Yeah, let’s shelve that plan for later. Out, now. Both of you.”
“Don’t act like you don’t need our help,” Amanda warned.
“I don’t. Which is the point.” Cassandra gestured to her apartment. “What you see is what you et cetera. I can move this by myself in an afternoon.”
“Nice to see you embrace the lame joy of minimalism, I guess?”
“You’ll be back,” Amanda vowed. “Mark my words!”Okay, I didn’t mean for that to sound like a threat. But it is what it is.
“Don’t bet on it,” Cassandra said, and gently shoved them toward the door. “You can mark my words too.”
“Well, at least Sonny Manners is gonna have a good day,” Sidney said. “Don’t fucking push, we’re going. He and Jeff have been lusting after your Commando for years.”
“I’m glad someone’s having a good day,” Cass replied.
“You take that back, Cassandra Rivers! You don’teverwish nice things foranyManners!”
For rebuttal, Cass gently closed the door in their faces.
They stood there for a long few seconds, then looked at each other. “Well, fuck.”
“Perfect encapsulation,” Amanda agreed.
Sidney pounded on the door. “I meant what I said, Cassandra Rivers! When you wake the fuck up, we’ll be here for you!” To Amanda: “I give her two months.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“It’s still here!” Cass whirled on Sonny. “Why is my bike still here?”
Excellent question, because there it was in all its classic glory. The isolastic frame, the vertical twin engine, the center stand, just a lovely pile of bright red and chrome, like an apple you know you shouldn’t eat but will anyway. Amanda knew if she checked the bike’s windshield bag, it would be full of crochet hooks, earplugs, a tire gauge, Starburst, and sunscreen.
