Page 28 of The Bargain

I started at the obvious places under the bed, under the mattress, behind the dresser, in the toilet water tank. Nothing.

Okay. She was smarter than Eddie had been.

I opened the first drawer. At the sight of her panties, I couldn’t help but frown. I did feel a bit like a pervert as I detailed her underwear. Except for a red thong, which seemed to be an anomaly, it was all white cotton briefs with flowers or other childish designs on them - not what I’d expected for a hooker.

“What are you doing in my room?”

I froze for a second at the voice before turning around, my nostrils flaring in anger, showing her what I’d found. She was even more of a conniving bitch than I’d thought.

“It’s my house. Nothing here is yours - especially not this!” I barked, nudging the gold bracelet wrapped around my forefinger. “Where did you find this? Did you break into my mother’s room?”

She tightened her hold around the child. “I’ve not been anywhere in this house except for this room and the kitchen. That bracelet is mine.” She jerked her chin toward me in defiance.

I took a threatening step toward her, growling. How fucking stupid did she think I was?

“You’re going to tell me you bought this? I dare you to fucking lie.”

“No.” She shook her head. “Eddie gave it to me as a present for-” She stopped again. “He gave it to me over a year ago.”

“He didn’t!” Eddie wouldn’t have taken something from my mother. He knew how defensive I was about all of her belongings. He would not have been that reckless, especially not by giving it to someone he knew would sell it.

“Yes, he did!” She insisted. I couldn’t see any deception on her face.

“Why hide it then?” I challenged. “If you had nothing to hide, then why keep it under your underwear.”

“Because I know the opinion you have of me. Because I knew your reaction would be something like what it just was and because I knew you wouldn’t believe me. I’m just a cheap whore, aren't I? With no conscience or morals. But even when I was starving, even when I had to sell my own clothes to feed Timmy, I kept it.” She pointed an accusing finger at me. “I knew how much it meant to Eddie. I knew what it meant to him, giving it to me. I. Didn’t. Steal. It.”

She looked at it with longing, she clearly cared for it. Sighing, she looked down at the child. “Take it back if you want. I guess Eddie didn’t have the right to take it anyway.” Shaking her head, she walked to the connecting door into the nursery.

She stayed there for a few minutes. Whilst my instinct told me to take the bracelet back and leave the room, I waited for her, uncertain as to why.

Part of me wanted to know her, to find the chink in her carefully erected armor but she could not win, not against me. She had the drugs. I knew she did. Both the druggie and my man had told me she’d taken it.

I looked around her room again, still standing in front of the dresser. I could still look if I wanted to. It was not like I owed her any respect. And it was not like she could go anywhere.

She came back, surprised to still find me here.

She looked down longingly at the bracelet still in my hand.

“This was one of my mother’s favorite pieces of jewelry,” I told her, unsure as to why. She didn’t deserve any explanation. I revisited the memory of my mother, the burning pain mixed with anger burned my lungs and turned everything inside out.

“It’s a very lovely bracelet,” she replied gently. I didn't deserve that tone, not after the way I’d treated her.

I lifted it up to eye level, dangling the bracelet on my forefinger. This was one of the cheapest pieces she’d owned. Using my thumb, I gently brushed the delicate cold gold band. I looked down at the three dangling charms: the butterfly, the heart, and the anchor.

The anchor - her family. That had not been enough for her to stay. “It’s not worth much,” I said, keeping my eyes on the bracelet.

“It was worth a lot to Eddie. He cared for it very much.”

“And he gave it toyou?” I couldn’t help but comment.

She winced, but for once I was not even trying to be mean. I just knew how drug addicts sold everything. I was also still surprised that he’d managed to take it from our mother’s room.

I sighed, putting it back on her dresser. If she hadn’t sold it by now, she would not sell it.And if she did, so what? Your mother didn’t love you enough to stay, so why should you care?

I sighed, jerking my head toward the book on her nightstand. “You like to read?”

She detailed me, all tensed, her lips pursed.

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