Page 36 of Close to Falling

“You don’t have any on.”

“I’m not talking about me.”

“River, I’m covered up,” I say, pulling his shirt over my knees.

He rolls his eyes and takes a hit of his cigarette. “You never listen.”

“Tell me what you two were talking about.”

He looks over at me and sighs. Taking one last hit of his smoke,he stands and flicks it into the yard.“If you’re gonna be half-naked, then get in the house.”

“Fine,” I say, standing up beside him and opening the door. “After you.” I smile sarcastically.

He grabs the door. “Get in,” he says. I roll my eyes and walk past him. He slaps me on the ass, and I hear the door shut.

“So spill,” I say, plopping down on the couch, crossing my arms and ankles. He sits down beside me, bare-chested and just in sweats. He runs a hand through his hair and looks over at me. “Okay, I’ll start. Landon says Pops is in with the Brothers. Is this true?”

He smirks and shakes his head. “The boy can’t keep his mouth shut, can he?”

“Well, at least someone is being honest with me,” I say. “So it is true. What are you wanting, some kind of relationship with this man? I mean, I know he is your biological father, but really he hasn’t been there for you for years, and now all of a sudden you are speaking? I don’t understand. Who started this conversation?” I ask.

“I don’t want any relationship with him, B. I contacted him because I knew he knew people, and I wanted a job,” he says. “And I got one. It’s lined up. I start next month.”

“The hell you are, River!”

“Maddie, calm down,” he says on a deep breath. “This is going to be quick money. I’ll make enough for us to get out of here and have a good life.”

“You and this quick money shit. I have a good life. I don’t need you going into crime to make quick money.”

“I won’t be going into crime, B. Don’t act stupid.”

“Don't call me stupid, River.”

“I didn't call you stupid. I said you wereactingstupid.”

“Same difference,” I say, rolling my eyes. “So, what will you be doing exactly?”

“I’ll be driving a forklift, loading the trucks.”

“Loading them with what?”

“Supplies,” he says vaguely.

“What kind of supplies?”

“Different kinds for different things,” he replies. “That’s all you need to know. So don’t go asking anyone questions. If anybody asks what I do, just tell them I work at the docks driving a forklift.”

“This sounds shady as shit, River.” I rub my face and stand up. I need something. All this stress is making me antsy. “I have to pee,” I say, walking to the back of the house and into the bathroom. Grabbing my makeup bag out from under the cabinet, I pull out the smaller bag inside and open the Q-tip holder. Tipping it upside down, two pills land in my hand as the Q-tips fall onto the countertop and to the floor. I pop the pills into my mouth and quickly pick up the mess before I put everything back and flush the toilet. I run my hands under the water and take a breath before I walk back into the living room.

“Baby, it’s going to be fine,” River says as I walk back into the room with my nail between my teeth. I walk over to him and sit down.

Searching his eyes, I say, “I don’t want you to get into trouble. It would kill me if something happened to you.”

“I won’t. This is going to be fine.”

“I don’t believe you, River. This time I don’t believe you. You don’t have to do any of this. Continue working with Frankie. You make decent money there.”

“I don’t make shit there, Maddie! Look at where I live,” he says, waving his hand around. “I don’t want you to live in a trailer park. You deserve better than this fucking trashy place.”

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