Page 90 of Bad for You

He just sleeps.

And sleeps.

Perhaps it’s because it’s the first time he’s felt safe enough to do so.

Lewis is now sixteen years old, but I barely recognize the boy in this motel bed as my brother.

After I threw his ass in the shower and scrubbed him clean, I put him to bed and told him to sleep because he was safe.

That was three days ago.

But soon, he’ll wake as he’ll be jonesing for his next hit.

Aldo gave me some drugs to help with the withdrawal, but it seems fucking pointless to mask one addiction with another.

When the door opens, I reach for my piece on the coffee table, but when I see it’s Bria, I chill the fuck out. She’s not here to hurt us.

She tosses a bag of fast food in front of me. The smell turns my stomach, but I appreciate the sentiment.

“You have to eat something,” she says, locking the door behind her.

“Last I checked, my mom burned in a fire. But thanks.”

She rolls her eyes, not bothered by my morbid sense of humor because she has one too. She sits beside me, offering me a beer from the six-pack. Now this is more my language.

We drink in silence, both watching Lewis sleep soundly.

I’ve had this stupid idea that won’t go away. I told Bria about Gianna. She thankfully put to rest the notion that Gianna isn’t her mom—the world doesn’t need her offspring in it. But Bria has balls. She’s also fucking smart.

And that’s why I thought she could talk to Valentina and smack some sense into her.

Even though Gianna isn’t her mom, she knows who she is, and what she did to her father. Maybe if Bria were to tell her the things she’s told me, then Valentina may listen.

Probably not, but it’s worth a shot.

“Spit it out.”

She knows me well because we’re both schemers. She promises she’s stopped dealing her dad’s shit. But I’m not too sure.

“Remember the girl I was telling you about?”

“How can I forget?” she replies, tongue in cheek.

I ignore her quip. “I can’t leave her with Gianna.”

“She’s a big girl, Lenny. You can’t save everyone.”

“She isn’t everyone,” I correct, unable to keep the hostility from my tone. “She’s a pain in the ass, but she’s my pain in the ass. I have to at least try.”

“Try what?” Bria asks, eyeing me suspiciously.

“Maybe you could talk to her.”

“About?”

“About fucking unicorns. What do you think?” I reply while she chuckles, humored by my discomfort.

“I don’t know why you think me talking to her will change her mind, but sure, I owe you.”

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