Page 52 of Cocky Origins: May and Jerald Cocker

Rocking her, I whisper, “It’s okay, we’re here now,” and look up at Sable as she paces.

Gertie asks, “What do we do? Should we call the police?”

Sable shakes her head. “Lily is coming to my house! My parents will make sure nothing happens to Lily ever again. This is my fault. I knew I couldn’t trust that woman’s promise! But what was I supposed to do? I was only sixteen at the time!She’s supposed to be the grown-up! I’m supposed to believe her when she promises something like that!”

I look at Gertie, both of us realizing this isn’t the first time it’s happened. We weren’t in on it, but Sable and Lily are best friends. They must have kept it secret in hopes it was just the once.

Gertie places a reassuring hand on Sable, stopping the pacing. “We should go. Just in case she comes back.”

I help Lily up, her body a noodle from sadness. Throwing her arm around my shoulder, I whisper, “We must hurry, Lily. Please walk fast!”

She leans on me, not trusting her own legs, her judgment, or her heritage. My mind can’t help but travel back to all the times she mentioned her Mother’s love of booze. The disdain that was in her eyes. Jokes edged in pain. Smile forced.All of our parents know Mrs. Marlow has a problem. It’s why mine accepted that Lily had to visit her in the hospital. And why Tommy needed looking after by someone trustworthy like me.

“Where is Tommy?!” I ask.

Sable answers for her. “He went to live with their father, didn’t you know?”

My silence says I didn’t.

It’s dark outside, the beginning of southern winter. We hurry into the car. Sable turns the key, but the car doesn’t start. We see headlights approach, and Gertie and I twist in the backseat.

“Is it her?”

“I can’t tell.”

We hear Lily say, “It’s her.”

Fear launches into us. We look forward. Lily is craning her head to see past us through the back window, headlights lighting up her damaged face.

“Hurry, Sable!” I urge, heart beating like wild.

She jiggles the key, “I’m trying!“pulls it out, puts it back in, and turns it again. “Oh please!”

Mrs. Marlow parks behind us, and Lily slinks down. The engine starts, and Sable grabs the wheel, but now we’re all frozen with fear.

Gertie and I watch Mrs. Marlow out of our peripheral vision. The driver’s door opens. She steps out. Walks around the back of her car. Onto the sidewalk. Up the steps. Fumbles with her keys. Drops them. Has trouble picking them up. A slew of curses fill the night.

Sable slowly pulls away from the curb, hands tight around the wheel. Gertie and I have yet to breathe.

Lily is dully staring out the window at her Mother. “Guess she found other bottles.”

29

MAY

Sable’s house is dark, too, so we all go up together. Gertie keeps twisting her hair between two fingers while staring off. Lily is walking on her own now, but her eyes have lost their light, and there is none of the usual bounce in her step. We’re all trudging, to be honest.

The door is unlocked, not uncommon in our town, and we walk in with each of us heading for a lamp — one in the wallpapered hall leading to the guest washroom, one in the elegant foyer, and two in the comfortable living room where we collapse onto the same couch and chairs we shared sandwiches on with the boys seventy-nine days ago.

Gertie asks, “Where are your folks tonight? Not out of town again?”

Sable lets out a long breath. “At a party I would guess. I don’t even have to ask if Lily can stay with us.They wouldn’t notice either way. Ever since my brother left for college last year, I never see them.”

“They probably know how grown-up you are,” Gertie offers. “It’s not like you need looking after.“

“True.” The telephone rings, and we go ice cold. “Perhaps I had better not answer.”

As it rings we stare at each other until I say, “What if I answered?”

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