Page 55 of My Soul for Sale

“Shit! I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I wasn’t looking where I was going.” I look up and instantly my stomach churns and my heart races.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“That’s what you wanna know after not seeing your mother in years?”

“You’ve not made it easy to talk to you and you’ve never been much of a mother,” I spit.

“Blame me. That’s rich, you always were a mouthy brat. Always wanting too much, asking for things I couldn’t give.” Her face reddens, and she bares her teeth.

She looks god awful, not taking care of herself at all. Her hair is a mess and looks like it's falling out or matted, her eyes are sunken in and her teeth are broken or missing.

“I asked for love, time, and maybe a dollar or two here and there so I could get necessities. But you were too busy spending every dime you could on booze and heroin. Don’t blame me for your shitty life choices. It’s been nice, Ali. I hope to do this again never.” I head toward the truck and open the door.

“You’re driving a Duttin Construction truck. Why?” She storms around to my door and grabs it.

“None of your business,” I snap.

“You’re fucking him, aren’t you? Atlas, that little pervert who watched you like a hawk. I should have known that he’d find you.”

“Is that why you got a restraining order against them? Because you knew how we felt about each other back then?”

It doesn’t matter, because I’m with them now. But I want to know what was going on in her drugged brain that she thought using legal action to keep them away from me was the right course of action.

She smiles a filthy smile. “If I couldn’t have their money and acceptance, then neither could you. They threw me out, so they lost you, too. Actions have consequences.”

“You disgust me. That’s so wrong. Rip threw you out because you were fucking Drivvy.”

“I needed that money.”

“You need to get clean and get your life together.” I roll my eyes.

“Like you? Working as a bartender at some shit hole.”

My eyes widen because how the fuck does she know where I work? Has she kept tabs on me?

“How do you know where I work?”

“Saw you leaving one night when I was working the corner for Drivvy. Went back the next morning and asked. The bitch behind the bar told me you work there. I ain’t visited or bothered you there, but do you have some cash I could borrow?”

Fucking Trina.

I dig in the glove compartment looking for any sort of cash and grab a twenty and ten. I’ll pay Rip back when I can make it to an ATM. Shoving the money at her, she takes it.

“Now leave me alone, Ali. I have no interest in you being in my life.”

“Fuck you too. Little bitch. Oh, and I hope you didn’t leave anything in my mom’s house. I had to let the bank take it. They were asking for too much. I have other bills.”

Bills as in her hobbies. I’m not going to tell her I bought it and there sure as hell wasn’t anything left inside minus dirt and dust.

“Thanks for the heads up. I got to go.” I slam the door and luckily, she rips her hand out of the way in time or she’d be missing a finger or two.

She slams her fist on the window. “Cunt!”

I ignore her, turning the key and flooring it in reverse, backing out onto the street.

I’m not going to let her get to me. This is how she’s been my whole life. I have a good life without her. I have a house that I bought myself. Two men who say they care and I’m giving them a chance. I have a job I love even if my coworker is a bitch.

She has no hold on me, I tell myself as I drive, trying to calm my racing heart.

---