Blind Turn, page 11
“A bed?”
“Yes, he’s giving up his office so it can become your bedroom,” Dex said with pride. “It’s here. It has nice sun in the morning. The bedroom next to yours is for the other two boys. I don’t know who they are. We’ll share this bathroom, but Mr. Merge doesn’t like a nasty house or bathroom, so we have to keep this clean. This is my space. I haven’t personalized it yet, but man, it is so roomy. I have a queen-sized bed all to myself.”
“You seem like you really like it here,” Ayana said. “Is Mr. Merge nice?”
“He’s cool for a grownup.”
“Your kind of cool and my kind of cool may not be the same thing, so you know what I’m asking,” she said, pausing at the entry to his bedroom door.
“He has a woman. A grown woman, so he won’t have any interest in your little skinny body with those tiny raisins on your chest,” Dex told her, playfully punching her in the arm.
“That’s what they all say until the middle of the night and the boner in their pants won’t let them sleep. They want to find the nearest warm socket to rub off some friction,” Ayana said.
“Good God!” One Way found himself saying. “Where in the hell did you kids come from?”
Dex pulled Ayana by the arm to the kitchen, heading for a side door which led to a mud and laundry room. “I’ve been in foster care most of my life,” he told One Way. “Had a few foster dads who liked boys. Most foster homes who take in teens do it for the wrong reasons. Technically, you age out at 18. In the real world, after 12, no one really wants you in their house.”
One Way looked at Ayana. She didn’t have anything to say to a man she didn’t know. Dex may have called him Uncle but he was of no relation to her. Her life wasn’t his business. Dex filled the assassin in on the details Ayana didn’t feel like sharing.
“Her daddy tries to get in her room at night, but she keeps the door locked and bolted with a chair against it,” Dex said. “She’s turning 16 next week, so her time was up. Honestly, I’m surprised he didn’t force the issue before now, or did he, which is why you’re here?”
Ayana yelled at him, “Dex! That is not your story to tell!”
“If you’re going to live in his house, he asks for your honesty,” Dex explained. “Don’t approach this man with half-truths and then your daddy shows up with a different story. If your doofus daddy shows up here making noise, you best be prepared to see his life end because Mr. Merge ain’t gonna play with that creepy old fool. He’s gonna drop him like the sack of shit he is. So, get comfortable speaking the truth.”
Ayana jutted her chin out. “I don’t have to speak my truth in front of this Uncle Wei man,” she said with defiance.
“Listen, Ayana, we are in different waters now,” Dex explained. “Mr. Merge won’t be back until tomorrow evening. If your daddy shows up tonight to take you home, he’s going to have to face Uncle One Way. Look at that man, Ayana. Look at him! Does he look like anybody you want to fuck with?”
“Hey kid! Language!” One Way said.
“Language, my ass. If her daddy showed up here and tried to take her back tonight, are you going to let that happen?” he asked One Way.
“Of course not!” One Way said, offended that the kid would ask such nonsense.
“Why not?” Dex asked.
One Way stood up and walked towards the two kids. “Nothing shall happen to you on my watch until Merge returns.”
Dex wasn’t done with the assassin, and he needed Ayana to understand where she was and the new family she was becoming a part of. There was no room in this life for half-truths and white lies. These were dangerous men who did dangerous work and ridded the earth of men like her daddy. It wouldn’t make either Mr. Merge or One Way lose an ounce of sleep ridding the world of the heartbeat of Mr. Mitchell.
“Listen, this is not the place for you to play around with words. Let these people know what kind of man your daddy is so they can be prepared to help you in this fight, and it’s going to be a fight. Men like that don’t like letting go,” Dex said. “Men like Uncle One Way and Mr. Merge don’t lose any sleep helping men like that unclench their fists from around your throat.”
One Way asked, “Jeez kid, you’re kind of jaded, aren’t you?”
Dex moved Ayana out of the way. He came to stand toe to toe with One Way, looking up to stare him square in the eyes. The boy didn’t blink.
“Life for older foster kids is hard, I’m sure you know this, especially when you’re different, look different, or are a blossoming young woman. To many adults we are prey,” Dex said. “This is our chance for something better. She’s not going to ruin this chance at our lives to grow up in a happy, healthy home. If Ayana wants to keep secrets and play word games, this isn’t the place for her.”
“So, this is about you and your good thing?” One Way asked.
“Yes. Yes, it is,” Dex said. “We’re getting two more kids in this house, and I’m setting the mood. I want a happy home, and I’m not going to put up with any bullshit from any of these kids. Mr. Merge is good. I can feel the goodness in him, and none of you are going to fuck that up for me. I will fight each and every one of you to protect what he’s trying to do for us. I will fight you with my fists, so get it in your head, Ayana, you’re going to be a helper here, or I’m calling the Archangel to find you someplace else to live, or you can leave and go with Uncle One Way.”
“The hell she can! Don’t be volunteering me for nothing and watch your language. Being angry doesn’t give you an excuse to have a filthy mouth. It makes you look cheap,” One Way said.
“I am cheap! I’ve been treated as if I came off the shelf at the One Buck Store and am disposable. Mr. Merge doesn’t make me feel that way, and Doc Tootie said she was going to fix my feet. I have shoes that fit and clothes that he bought that are mine! I have a toothbrush and my own room with clean sheets and fresh pillows that aren’t brown with stains. This is my life now. I deserve this goodness, and so do you Ayana.”
She didn’t say anything but looked at the table with the lousy sandwiches Dex had made for lunch. That type of food would never do. If there was one thing she could contribute, she knew how to cook.
“Fine,” she said, “but I see no need to eat that pitiful meal on the table. Let me make something more decent.”
She took her backpack to the small office, looked about a bit, and nodded. It would do. Nervousness coursed through her at living in such a place, but her daddy grew his own food, so she was no stranger to living off the land. A few spices and seasonings made all the difference in chicken and eggs for breakfast, or it could be the ingredients for a four-course meal.
Ayana opened the fridge and saw all the food. She checked the pantry and noticed the high-end items for cooking, including truffle oil which she grabbed first. A bag of dried pasta, a bottle of cream sauce, and leftover chicken was about to become a gourmet meal.
“Allow me to start my contribution to your happy home Dex,” she said, turning on the burner and setting to work. “This chicken is still bloody, which is not good.”
Chapter Eleven – Spoil
That mattress is awesome...
Merge called the kid right before he went to bed. His eyes burned from staring through binoculars for hours at a time, clocking the movements of a man who was going to drink his special blend of tea. The moving bags that held small bodies kept him from sleeping peacefully through the night as well as knowing the girl was at the house.
“I hope she’s a nice kid. The last thing I need is some smart-mouthed teenager to deal with along with Tootie,” he mumbled, looking at the ceiling. “Plus, two more boys. Those I have concerns about, especially knowing Gabe. Either way, it is what it is.”
Before he closed his eyes and surrendered to sleep, he thought about the kid’s words. Dex hadn’t said anything about the girl other than she was there. That, in itself, was an oddity. The boy was omitting facts, but in a few hours, he’d be home to see for himself.
“Mattress, engagement ring...shit,” Joel said, relaxing and focusing on his breathing and taking it down a few notches. He’d be home soon.
“HURRY UP, AYANA; HE’LL be home soon,” Dex said, checking everything around the house to make sure it was just so. “Uncle One Way, are you going to help or just sit around looking menacing?”
“Help with what? I slept on the couch,” he said, growling at the boy.
“You also ate. Ayana did the cooking, so you could at least wash the dishes,” Dex said.
“I could also...never mind,” One Way said, going to the sink and starting the dishwater. Again, he asked himself why he was still here taking orders from a pip squeak. In a lot of ways, he saw a bit of himself in the kid, and kind of, sort of, just an inkling or two shos, maybe liked him. He also respected what Merge was doing for the children, especially after hearing their stories.
By the time he had finished the dishes and wiped down the stove, countertops, and tables, Merge was pulling up to the front door. Dex ran from one end of the house to the other, stopping in between and grabbing plates from the cabinet to set the table for lunch, which the girl had already prepared. One Way was amused at the boy for checking the girl’s attire and appearance before Merge came into the house. He noticed the boy also checked himself in the mirror and waited in front of the door for the man of the house to come inside.
“Hey,” Merge said as he walked in and noticed One Way still in his house. “You’re still here.”
“Yeah, didn’t think they needed to be left alone,” One Way said.
“Appreciate it,” Merge added. “You got time to stay a little longer? I could use a hand unloading, plus I have some new stuff to show you that you might want to take with you versus me sending it to the P.O. Box.”
“I’ve got nowhere special to be today,” One Way replied.
“Good,” Merge answered, looking at his kids. “Dex, did everything go alright while I was away? Chores done and animals fed?”
“Yes, Sir,” Dex said, stepping forward. Hesitantly, he held up his arms as if he were asking for a hug, but then dropped them to his sides, looking down at his feet.
Merge moved forward, wrapping his arm around the boy’s shoulder and providing a quick kiss to the temple. He released Dex, his eyes on the young woman. She stood at about five feet tall, thin for her age with natural hair which needed a bit more polish and shiny shoes usually worn to church by young girls. The white lace socks creeped him out, and he knew immediately, he was going to get her out of the little footwear and into a pair of regular shoes, sneakers, and normal socks.
Those socks reminded him of every image he’d ever seen in a pedophiles secret stash. He squinted his eyes, thinking the man who put her in those...Merge stopped himself. He offered a wry smile to the girl.
“Welcome, Ayana,” he said to her surprised face. “I’m sure Dex has given you the lay of the land. Do your share, don’t touch my shit, go to school, and get good grades, and you’ll earn an allowance. How old are you?”
“You know my name?”
“You think I’d be okay with some random teenage girl being dropped off at my home and I do not know who she is or what she’s leaving?”
“You know?”
“I know the basics; the details are your story, and you can share when you feel comfortable. However, if your dragon is going to come breathing fire at my front door, I have several extinguishers around here, and I won’t hesitate to use a single one. Understand?”
“Yes, Sir, I understand,” she told him. “I’m fifteen. I’ll be sixteen next week.”
“Can you drive?”
“Yes, but I don’t have a permit,” she told him. “I had to drive the tractors and the pick-up truck to help with the chores around the place. If I can drive an old stick shift, I can pretty much drive anything.”
“Sounds good,” Merge said. “I’m hungry. I’ll make us some lunch and then we can unload the furniture for your bedroom and get you situated. You brought clothes and stuff?”
“Not really,” she said, looking down at the shiny shoes and the socks she’d washed out in the bathroom sink and hung up to dry. “I have one change of clothes and about twenty dollars. If I could get to a second-hand store, I can buy a few more pieces of clothing. And I made lunch already.”
“You made lunch?” Merge asked, looking at One Way, whose facial expression had not changed.
“Yes, Sir. I found some capers in the back of the pantry, and I used the left-over chicken and made a quick lemon cream sauce and turned the grilled meat into a grilled chicken picatta,” she said, offering a small smile.
“Say what?”
“My contribution will be to help with the cooking for the ‘family’,” she said, swallowing hard. “I recycle leftovers, so I don’t have to slave over a stove every day, and I don’t want to cook on Saturdays which can be hot dogs or burgers. Pizza would be good. The only pizza I’ve ever had was the squares we have at school for lunch.”
“Back up a second there, you said you used the leftover grilled chicken from the other day and made chicken picatta with lemon cream sauce and capers?” he asked, arching his eyebrows.
One Way spoke up, “Last night, she took those ribs and made a demi-glace in truffle oil with feathery white rice.”
Merge slapped his hands together in excitement. One Way’s face didn’t exhibit any contortions indicating the food had given him the trots. Good food was always a way to win bonus points with him, and the girl had just racked up a few.
“Yeah, let’s eat and get her room set up,” Merge said. “Welcome home, Ayana. Welcome. Welcome.”
MIDWAY THROUGH LUNCH, Tootie called. She wasn’t her normal surly self, which gave Joel cause to pause. Things needed to be different between them going forward, and he would make the first step.
“Hey. What time are you finishing up at the office?” he asked the lady.
“I’m done about six,” Tootie replied, wondering what he was up to.
“Okay, I’ll pick you up, and we’ll go out and grab a pizza for dinner,” he said.
“What?”
“I’ll see you at six. Gotta jet,” he said and hung up the phone.
Dex shook his head no. One Way shook his head no. Ayana stared at him. Joel shrugged and kept eating. Either she was going to accept the ring, move in, and become a mother figure to the kids, or she wasn’t. He was beyond the point of just being casual.
His life required a pantry of goodies like pickled okra and black garlic, prepared by hands of love. He found himself smiling, thinking of Ayana actually teaching Tootie to cook food that didn’t tear up his stomach. That part would be a welcome relief. He considered it to be rather uplifting.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN I’M not lifting? I’m lifting,” One Way said as they unloaded the chest of drawers. “This is very heavy.”
“It’s solid wood,” Merge boasted, carrying it inside of the house. “We need to take out the sofa and maybe the desk.”
“No, leave the desk so she has a place to do homework and write in her diary,” One Way said, stopping and staring at Merge. “What in the hell am I talking about? I have got to get out of here before you weirdos make me want a family.”
“You have a family, my brother from an Asian mother,” Merge said. “I’m Joel. Joel Thomas. Or are you my brother from an Asian daddy. I can never tell, especially since you’re taller than five feet five inches. I’m thinking, maybe a black momma and Asian daddy or vice versa. Either way, call me Joel.”
“Oh, we’re sharing real names now?”
“We’re family, and if I see an article in the Tennessee news about a Japanese man being killed, I need to know your name so I can know who I need to exact vengeance upon,” Merge said with a lopsided smile. “Knowing your name would help.”
One Way’s voice was droll as he answered, “If I tell you, are you going to kiss me on my temple too?”
“Only if you’re into that kind of thing.”
“Not really, but Archangel does it to me; don’t much like it,” One Way said, “but don’t much not like it either.”
He paused for a moment, setting the dresser down and pushing the couch, which was a little bigger than a loveseat, out the office door. He pushed it to the front porch, next to the rockers. One Way laughed.
“You should leave this here, make it real at home, southern trash like,” he told Merge, laughing. Squinting into the evening sun, he spoke to no one in particular. “Uriel. Uriel Tamagotchi.”
“Hmm, interesting.”
“What?”
“Two days ago, in my kitchen was Uriel, Raphael, and Joel,” Merge said. “All that was missing was Michael and Gabriel.”
One Way turned slowly, staring at Joel’s face, actually making an expression. Merge knew the look. He didn’t like the look. The look meant something bad was coming, and he wasn’t ready for something bad. He was a dad now, well kind of. He didn’t need bad.
“Spit it out so I can mull it over,” he said to One Way.
“We have a Gabriel...and a Michael. Slow is named Michael,” One Way said. “That is all five of the archangels. What do you think it means?”
“It means I’m going to give you the new poisons I made for your darts and ninja stars and I’m going to send you on your way. When you speak negative into the universe, there is always some mean bastard on the other end ready to take the call,” Merge expounded. “I’m not placing any calls today. I’m taking the kids and my girl out for pizza. If it goes well, I’m sticking a ring on her finger and maybe getting some loving tonight.”
“I wanted to go for pizza too, but if you’re going to make it a family thing...,” One Way said, feeling a weird sensation in his stomach. “What the hell am I saying?”
“Sure, come on with us. It will be cool, plus, the kid likes you,” he said. “The girl avoids you, but hell, so far, she’s been avoiding me too.”
