Page 22 of Rue

“Why’s it a thing?” she asked casually, bending to flip herhair to brush out.

“His dad… his dad was fucked up. Real fucked up. Used to beat on his mom all the time, and he had anger. Accused her of cheatin’ on him ‘cause she loved her kids. That shit was fucked up. She lef’ one day to get Geo ‘n his sisters from school, they was sick. She got home, and he’d woke up from his nap, pissed she was gone. Tied her up to a chair lined up all the kids. Both his little sisters, him on the end. He was the oldest. Made her watch while he pulled out his gun. Geo watched him… both his baby sisters… his mom strugglin’ the whole time tryna break free ‘n save them. She tipped the chair and broke it just as he shot Marta. Lunged up and knocked his dad over when he aimed at Geo’s head. He shot her as she came at him, but she landed on him, and… Geo said he didn’t remember what happened. He remembered getting up and moving, watching the gun slide across the floor… then the police were there. They took the gun out of his hand and told him he’d shot his dad in the head three times. Kept shootin’ even after it was empty. His mom lived for about four days… but he didn’t get to see her again. He has a thing now about makin’ sure little kids never get hurt… but he don't give a shit about adults. Disrespect ain’t tolerated from no one, and bitches are weak. He don't let them in the organization or his head. He said if his mom wasn’t so weak, she’d ‘a shot that piece of shit in his sleep. She could ’a any time, and she didn’t. She let him kill her kids instead ‘cause she was weak.”

Sailor wiped away tears as she stood up, wrapping her hair in her usual messy bun.

“You don't mention that shit, though, you hear me? I’ll shoot you myself if you think to…”

“I won’t,” she interrupted quickly.

“You ready?”

She gave him a slight nod, then wiped her eyes again before letting him lead her back out front.

Nudging her back to her seat next to Geo, she wrapped back up in the blanket as Geo glanced at her.

“Kick them off,” he demanded, motioning to her feet andthe shoes. “Sit like you was.”

She kicked them off and curled up, and he pulled her feet close again, tucking them against his hip as he looked at his phone.

“How long on food?” Geo asked Mig.

“12 minutes,” Mig answered, looking at his phone.

“Where them fools?”

“They all answered that they’ll be here as fast as they can get here, except for Davon. He hasn’t seen the message yet.”

“That fool better wake the fuck up and get his ass here,” Geo scowled.

Sailor shook her head. “It’s Sunday,” she told him softly, then hesitated.

“What, he at church or some shit?”

“No… not really.”

“The fuck does that even mean, not really?”

“Every Sunday, he goes to the Highpointe Baptist church side lot. There’s a basketball court there, and he and a lot of other guys play basketball while their families are inside. They opt out of the sermon or whatever. He… he goes every Sunday even though his family doesn’t go there. Pick up games.”

“That where you went to church?” Geo asked darkly, lowering his phone and looking at her.

“When my mom wasn’t sick? Before. I haven’t been since she got sick.”

“He still goes? He start goin’ there to see you?”

“I don't know that… He did show up there the same week I mentioned to someone else I had to go to church on Sunday. He asked where then he was out there playing basketball the next Sunday. Talked to me when I came out.”

“That shit wasn’t coincidence,” Geo snorted.

“I never thought it was, but I think he kept going because he liked it and not because of me. I made it clear I wasn’t interested, and he mostly laid off. Joked sometimes but never pressed it. Anyway, he goes every Sunday and plays till noon. Turns his phone off till it’s over and the doors open. Says that’shis time and no one else’s.”

Geo snorted. “It’s always my fuckin’ time.”

“He’ll see the texts as soon as church lets out, right after noon,” she shrugged.

“It’s 12:33,” Mig spoke up, giving her a flat look.

Sailor shrugged, rolling her shoulders as she blushed.

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