Playing Fastball, page 19
She didn’t have time to interrogate her stoned and hungover excuse of a mother. Her purse was somewhere in this mess and she’d find it later.
“I want my purse found before I get back,” Tina said, twisting the door handle lock before shutting her door.
Timmy had a shitty practice. His arm was off, not that he was allowed to pitch again, but even his bat failed to connect.
Coach also fined him for the commotion of the police and Tina being brought to the park, and his teammates gave him worried glances throughout the pregame meeting.
Added to that, his father wasn’t speaking to him, and Tina hadn’t bothered to call or text to let him know she was okay.
Timmy took a water break and watched the relief pitchers warming up in the bullpen. He was benched tonight and had too much time to stew in his thoughts.
Oh, sure, he’d covered up for Tina, all right. He’d enjoyed her all night and she was his date. But she was also a load of trouble, upsetting his concentration first with Lennie, then with her mother, and now justifying his father’s righteous anger.
He tossed the empty water cup and wiped his hand over his tired eyes. This was major league baseball, not Little League, and he couldn’t afford to lose his focus—not if he wanted to win the Cy Young Award.
Josh sauntered up to him and patted his shoulder. “Tough night, huh?”
“It wasn’t the worst.” Timmy shook his head and ambled back to the dugout.
“What’s really going down with you and Tina? Heard she spent the night and robbed your house? You really letting her drive the Lambo?”
“Yeah.” Timmy gritted his teeth and twisted his neck around to loosen the knots.
“Her tail that good, huh?”
“Lay off of it, okay?” Timmy hunched his shoulders and stared straight ahead at the playing field.
“Okay, I get you’re confused,” Josh said. “But think of it this way. You got what you wanted. You slept with her and your father hates her. Done deal, right?”
Timmy twisted his lips and shrugged, walking away from his friend.
He’d screwed up. Hadn’t he? Gotten himself carried away with silly notions of love and romance—imagined Tina as someone he could enjoy life with—a sweet girl like his mother, caring, kind, and pretty.
Unfortunately, Tina was from what Americans called the “wrong side of the tracks.”
Baba was right and being sensible, of course.
Timmy was in America on a working visa and would be deported if he violated a law. Lying to a police officer for starters was bad enough. What if shielding Tina got him in even more trouble?
But when he closed his eyes and remembered the way Tina felt, the way she looked up to him, her gentle touch, and the love she poured out to Donut, his stomach ground and he groaned, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands.
Tina might be from the wrong side of the tracks, heck, even the wrong side of the Pacific Ocean, but Tina really, truly tried. And there was just something about the way she tried so hard, like a tender cactus sprout pushing from the cracked desert sand, to bravely raise its face to the scorching punishing sun—all for a glimpse of blue skies and a chance for life.
A life briefly held in the embrace of his arms, under the press of his lips, and the shadow of his shoulders.
He couldn’t let her down. Didn’t want to.
But he also had to honor his father and cherish the memory of his mother.
Tina, did you feel the love? He remembered himself whispering the night before. But the better question lay in his heart.
If she’d felt the love, did that mean he was already in love with her?
Tina’s eyes bulged, and her mouth shook with disbelief at Jeanine’s worried face.
She’d shown up at The Hot Corner for her shift and found out Madge was missing.
“Surveillance video shows her hopping on a motorcycle with a man who looks like your ex-boyfriend,” Tyson said to Tina.
“Madge is in no way, shape, or form capable of handling a crook like him,” Jeanine said, clenching her fists. “She has no clue what a man like him wants.”
“Did she get on the motorcycle willingly?” Tina asked.
“Apparently, yes,” Tyson replied.
“Let me ask Ruben and the guys in the kitchen what they know,” Tina said, marching toward the kitchen.
“Why didn’t I think of that?” Jeanine followed close on her heels.
Ruben and the other cooks glanced up from their stations as Jeanine told them about Madge.
“We never watched who she was taking breaks with,” Ruben admitted. “I try to get my breaks with her, but it’s not always possible.”
“I thought she went out back to smoke,” Arthur said. “Maybe that’s how he met her.”
“We have to find her.” Jeanine dragged her hands over her head. “I can’t imagine what he’s doing to her.”
“I know Lennie,” Tina volunteered. “I know his hangouts and the guys in his club. He claims they threw him out, but they still might know something or rat him out if he crossed them.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Jeanine asked. “Let’s go find them.”
THIRTY-THREE
Every muscle and bone in Tina’s body was dog-tired, and she could barely drag her feet from one step to the other. She and Jeanine had searched the entire metropolitan area of Phoenix from Central City to the canal zone, hitting the northern hills and the southern hills, and stopping in hangouts and parks along the way.
None of Lennie’s former associates claimed to have seen him or Madge, but Tina didn’t know if they were lying or not. After their unfruitful search, Tina and Jeanine visited the police station and reported Madge missing.
“It’s my fault for attracting Lennie to the bar,” Tina said. “Maybe I should have found a job somewhere else.”
“You couldn’t have known.”
“Problem is, I attract the sketchy types.” Tina rubbed her eyes. She didn’t want to think about Dana filling her apartment with stolen goods and the trouble she brought to Timmy with the police appearing at his workplace.
“You didn’t exactly have family to fall back on when you left the foster system,” Jeanine said.
“True, but neither did you, and you went to college and became a businesswoman. Me? I ended up in prison.”
Jeanine gave her arm a squeeze. “You’re turning a new leaf. I heard about that puppy of yours. If you want time off to take him to the vet, go ahead.”
“Thanks, but I need the hours and the money,” Tina said. “I’m trying to save enough so I can get a decent apartment with a roommate. Donut is doing okay, and all the vet would say is that he’s blind and partially deaf. He’s eating well and sleeping well, especially now that he has a dog friend.”
“That’s good to hear,” Jeanine said. “You were always good with animals. Remember when you hid a baby squirrel in the closet?”
“Ah, yes, Squeaky the Squirrel,” Tina said, chuckling. “Karen freaked out.”
“And you cried a river of tears and refused to come out of your closet for weeks after George threw him out.”
Tina blinked at the memory of begging George not to kill Squeaky. “At least he didn’t kill him. That little sweetie used to eat out of my hand. Maybe I’ll rescue another baby squirrel.”
“They are cute little critters, but destructive too,” Jeanine said as they arrived back at The Hot Corner.
The cooks rushed out when they saw Jeanine park in her spot near the Dumpster.
“You didn’t find Madge?” Ruben asked, his brow furrowed with concern. “I should never have let her take out the trash without watching her.”
“It’s not your fault,” Jeanine reassured him. “We turned the search over to the police and we’ll keep praying. Maybe he took her for a joyride and will drop her back off tonight.”
Tina swallowed and pressed her lips together. Why would Lennie target Madge of all people? She was autistic and while she was usually agreeable, there were many moments when she’d be stubborn and unyielding. She wasn’t the easiest person to dominate because she was so bullheaded. But she was also naïve and vulnerable, and that scared Tina more than ever.
“I wish I could trade myself for Madge,” Tina said as they exited the kitchen and walked toward Jeanine’s office. “At least I know how to handle him.”
“Don’t think that way,” Jeanine said. “None of us should suffer abuse because we think we can handle it.”
“True, but he could be grooming Madge for the sex trade.” Tina’s fingernails dug into her forearms as she tried to hold herself together. “He tried to pimp me out. That’s why I ran. It wasn’t enough for him to demand his due, but when he owed money to a rival gang …”
“Oh, Tina, you never told me.” Jeanine’s arms wrapped around Tina’s shaking shoulders. “Men like Lennie should be put in prison.”
Only to be let out too quickly—a revolving door.
She could understand why her mother wanted a new start in a new city—to get away from old influences, but it looked like Dana wasted no time finding bad characters to hang out with.
Tina pulled herself together and backed out from Jeanine’s hug. As much as she craved forgiveness from her former foster sister, she was still aware that Jeanine was her boss, and she needed to work hard and prove that she was truly rehabilitated.
“I’m late for my shift already,” Tina said. “Hopefully, Lisa held down the fort.”
“We’ll need a temporary dishwasher until Madge returns,” Jeanine said, stepping into her office. “Do you think your mother would like the job?”
“My, uh, I’m not sure she …”
“Can’t hurt to ask,” Jeanine said. “She’d get free food for the days she works.”
“Right, but I left her sleeping off a hangover.”
“Free food doesn’t mean free drinks. Why don’t you check with her and see if she’ll adhere to the rules?”
Tina nodded briskly, not wanting to turn down Jeanine’s generous offer, yet unsure if her mother could possibly comply. “She says she wants to turn a new leaf, but I’m afraid she’s sliding back to her old habits.”
“Up to you if you want to help,” Jeanine said. “Let me know.”
“Right, thanks.” Conflicting thoughts and emotions warred inside of her as she watched Jeanine turn on her computer and attend to her paperwork.
This would be an opportunity for Dana to turn her life around, but at the same time, she had to want it and she had to follow the rules.
But if Dana brought nothing but trouble, Tina would have to crack down and kick her mother out, maybe even turn her in.
Tina raised the bar counter hatch door and let herself into the bartender’s side of the counter. “Hey, Lisa, thanks for holding down the fort.”
“You couldn’t find Madge?”
“No, unfortunately not. This is all my fault, attracting Lennie’s attention with my job.”
“You can’t blame yourself with everything going on.” Her friend’s gaze was probing and curious, and Tina was glad she didn’t ask any questions.
So much had happened so fast. Tina felt like she was freefalling without knowing if there was a parachute at the end of the ripcord.
Timmy sat in front of the dinner table across from his stern-looking father. He’d struck out all three at bats as designated hitter and was pulled from the game. Nothing was going well, but he had to mend fences with his father before going to The Hot Corner to find Tina.
The two men scooped rice from their bowls with long chopsticks, each staring at their own food as if a glance across the table would start a nuclear war.
Silently, their server filled the teapot and retreated into the kitchen.
Timmy poured his father a cup of tea and refilled his own.
His father set his chopsticks down with a grunt and patted his stomach, preparing to push from the table.
“Don’t go,” Timmy said in Chinese. “We need to talk.”
“You’ve dishonored the family,” Baba grunted. “What’s to talk about?”
“I’m going to make her my wife,” Timmy stated in a calm voice. In any negotiation, it was advantageous to lead off with the most extreme position.
“She’s unsuitable. Just like the other women you toyed with. All tramps. Not good girls. You want to get married, I’ll arrange it.”
“I don’t want to marry someone you choose,” Timmy said.
Actually, he didn’t want to marry anyone right now, but the sooner he got his father to back off on his personal life, the better.
“You’re not choosing well,” Baba said. “Didn’t your mother teach you anything?”
“She taught me to respect women, and in my grief for her and my excitement of coming to America, I stopped respecting them and became a playboy.” Timmy met his father’s disapproving gaze. “I’m now going back to being honorable, and I choose Tina.”
“Why?”
“Why did you choose her to be your buddy?”
“She found a dog for me,” Baba said. “She likes the same things I do, but it doesn’t mean I’m going to marry her.”
“You enjoyed your friendship with her until I stepped into the picture.” Timmy leaned back when the server cleared the empty dinner plates and rice bowls.
“She was an interesting character, but I kept my distance.” Baba’s nostrils flared. “I even told you not to go after her because I thought of her like a daughter.”
“And like a daughter, she disappointed you.” Timmy nailed his father with a stern glare. “So, you’re disowning her.”
“Thank God she’s not my real daughter.” Baba returned his glare with a stone face. “She’s bad news, Timmy. Have you seen her tattoos? Snakes. Demons. Thorns and barbed wire. And her piercings. The scars of who knows what witchcraft rituals, the motorcycle club jackets. She’s dangerous and has bad connections. Surely, you know how dangerous it was to let her stay in the main house. How do you know she didn’t steal our valuables?”
“I trust her,” Timmy said.
“You can’t hand out trust without testing them first,” Baba said. “Always test and even then, don’t trust fully. It’s how I grew my company and made my fortune.”
“I’ve already tested her,” Timmy said. “She gave my money back.”
“Small peanuts when she can get her hands on the entire kit and caboodle when she becomes your wife.” Baba threw his hands up and grabbed his head. “Ai ya! You can’t possibly be so blind.”
“You haven’t asked if I’m in love with her,” Timmy said.
“It doesn’t matter. What matters are a good family, an agreeable disposition, motherly instincts, good habits, no vices like drinking and drugs, womanly manners, and exemplary moral character. Your mother had all these.”
The gears ground to a halt inside Timmy’s gut.
His mother might have had all of those wonderful attributes, but did she have Baba’s undying love?
From the way he grieved her, it would appear so, but then again, he could be grieving for the loss of his agreeable companion who was a good woman of high moral character.
“I’m going to ask for her hand within the year,” Timmy said, sticking to his plan. “If you want to hold your grandson, you should be sure to be friends with your grandson’s esteemed mother.”
Crash.
The teapot went flying when his father shoved the table so hard it tilted.
Timmy watched his father storm from the restaurant.
His father hated having the tables turned on him, but Timmy held a baby’s smile over all his dad’s billions.
While paying the bill, Timmy took a small picture of his mother out of his wallet and kissed the plastic it was encased in.
I do want a woman as good and kind as you, he thought. And even though she doesn’t look like you, and she had a tough childhood, she’s good inside. I hope you’ll approve of her and that Baba will stop comparing Tina to you.
THIRTY-FOUR
Tina finished her shift and rushed back to her basement apartment. She had good news for her mother, but only if Dana would truly rehabilitate.
There was no way Tina could allow her mother to use her apartment as a stashing place for stolen goods. All the stuff had to go, or Tina would call the police.
She parked the Lamborghini at an angle to the curb, unable to find a full-sized parking spot and ran down the steps to her door. She didn’t have a key, but if her mother refused to open the door, she’d call the landlady and have her open the door.
“Dana! Open up,” Tina shouted, pounding on the door.
There was no response, so Tina tried the doorknob. It was unlocked.
She barged in and her heart skidded to a stop.
Her dresser drawers were emptied out, and the closet was bare. The stolen goods were also gone.
Tina reached underneath her mattress, feeling around for her stash where she kept her cash.
Nothing.
“Dana, you witch!” she yelled, stomping her feet and punching the walls. “I come home early to tell you about a job and you steal from me?”
Her mother had never cared about her feelings. She was always wrapped up in herself and what she needed. While Tina was young, Dana acted like she was an inconvenience to be hidden in the closet.
Now, she was gone, after using her for a place to stay and even worse, stealing from her.
Why of all the people in the world, did she have to be so unlucky to have Dana Lee as her mother?
Tina picked up the trash and sifted through the debris, looking for her purse, wallet, and keys.
Half an hour later, she gave up. She was going to have to replace her ID cards. Fortunately, she had no credit or debit cards, but she did have an ATM card—not that her mother would know the PIN.
Tina locked up and walked to the landlady’s apartment. She wasn’t in, so Tina left her a note, asking her to change the locks and add it to her rent.
