Page 132 of Diem

Is this what Diem sees every time he comes here? Shit.

“What do you need, baby doll?” she asks, lighting up a cigarette. Ignoring the curl of smoke that burns my nose, I lean against the wall, the safest place at this point and rub my sweaty palms down my jeans.

“I, well I came about Diem,” I say and she leans back, her nightgown riding up her thighs.

Averting my gaze, I frown when she says, “What’s that kid done now?”

“Um, nothing, I guess. I just…”

Staring at the woman whose pathetic facade creates an ache in my chest, I sigh because this was a waste of my time. Does the woman even know her son? From where I’m standing, I’m not sure she even knows where she is. “Never mind, I’m sorry for bugging you.”

She eyes me silently until I push open the door, and I pause when she says, “Diem’s a good boy.”

Nodding, I say quietly, “Yeah.”

Maybe he was, but I don’t know where that goodness went. It feels like it’s buried beneath years of horror that I can’t comprehend.

“Shoulda ran away with my boy when I had the chance,” she mumbles.

“Ran?” I ask and she huffs before taking another puff of her cigarette.

“That boy is stuck. Ain’t nothing anybody can do. He’s a McCafferty and that old bastard ain’t gonna let him go.”

I drop my wide eyes when her nightgown bunches at her waist, which she is oblivious too as she grabs a pipe off the table. I have zero desire to watch her get high and back down the steps.

When I go to close the door, she looks up and in a moment of weird clarity says, “He’s a good boy.”

With a sad smile, I close the door and get in my car. Although my heart aches for Diem’s anger, it also burns for the boy turned man whose path was laid out for him before he ever had the option to say no.

∞∞∞

Penny answers the door with a wary frown, and I brush past her when she says, “Why are you here?”

“You want to prove my dad, did it? Fine. What’s next?”

She eyes me dubiously before leading me up to her room. Once we’re inside, she plops down on a bean bag on the floor. “How do I know you’re not just here to find out what I know?”

“Charming Charlie is a boat,” I say, sitting down opposite her.

Her mouth drops and she leans forward. “Who’s?”

“Frank McCafferty. Supposedly he’s been missing for a year though. Have you heard anymore from Dr. Love?”

She shakes her head and I ask, “Penny, why do you think my brother is involved?”

I sense her hesitation and say, “Please.”

With a sigh, she pulls up the messages and hands me her phone.

Dr. Love:You’re playing a dangerous game. Stay away from this.

SweetPetite:Stay away from who?

Dr. Love:You know who….

SweetPetite:I think you should go fuck yourself.

Dr. Love:Back off, or I’ll have to put you in your play pen and spank you.

---