Page 15 of Sugar and Skulls

I laugh and take a seat on the stool. It’s been a year since my aunt’s seen me.

“I need you to come with me, Jesse. I need to talk to you about a few things and you have to go back to your aunt’s. I’ll have to place you somewhere else if you don’t agree to stay with her. We both know that with your previous behavior issues and your age no foster family will take you. You’ll end up in a juvenile detention center until you turn eighteen. Neither of us want that so let’s grab your things and get you moved back in with Renee.”

I turn around realizing that Dan and Raffe are now privy to my private business. Raffe is white like he’s seen a ghost. I suppose seeing a past fuck will do that to a guy and Dan looks like he wants to turn me over his knee, ground me or some shit.

“Fine. But, you have to tell Renee I want my goddamn bedroom door put back on my room.”

She shakes her head and looks confused.

“Yeah, no door, no go.”

“Of course, of course, come on,” she says impatiently. I’m sure she’s in a hurry to go ruin more kid’s lives today.

I grab my bag, stopping by Dan to squeeze his arm. “I’m fine. Stop looking like someone kicked your dog. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He nods but doesn’t say anything as I follow the suit out.

When I get to suit’s car she says we have to make a stop at the local doctor’s office before we do anything else. “Why the doctor?” I ask, smacking my gum loudly to annoy her.

“Someone has come forward; he says he’s your dad. We have to run a DNA test and then we will go from there.”

What!

“I don’t have a dad.”

“Don’t be silly. Everyone human on the planet has a dad. It’s biology, Jesse. You’re a smart girl, come on now.”

I shake my head.Your daddy is coming for you.I hear the scary man with tattoos say in my head.

Well, it certainly took him long enough. So long in fact that I don’t need him anymore.

Maybe he should have come before mama overdosed.

Before grandma and grandpa died.

Before Rick.

Before Father Gabriel.

Before Trap County.

Before I became a mean girl who doesn’t need a daddy.

I don’t need anyone.

No. Fucking. One.

We get my blood drawn, pick up my shit from Old man Tom’s camper and then head to Renee’s. She is sitting at the table smoking a cigarette and Jimmy is watching a stupid game show. He chuckles when we walk in, making my skin crawl.

Suit lady looks at him. “Put her door back up.” She points to my old room. He shrugs, shoots me a smirk and heads out to the shed to get the door.

“Next time she goes missing call me,” she tells my aunt who looks about as enthused as a dead rat.

“Sure thing,” Aunt Renee says. She puts out her smoke and gets up to hold the door open for Jimmy who is now bringing the door inside.

“You call me if you need anything and I’ll call as soon as I get those results,” suit lady tells me.

“What results,” Jimmy asks, stopping in the middle of the living room, peeking around my bedroom door.

“I’m sorry, but confidentiality,” suit lady answers with a smug look on her face. “Keep in mind, Renee, you receive monthly payments to take care of Jesse. I expect that is what they are being used for.”

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