Page 40 of Last One Standing
Phoenix excused himself because he had to go to an audition, and Noel was taking him. We wished him good luck. There was no hiding how nervous he was, but I had faith in the kid.
“I’m gonna go inside.” Pika stood and gathered all our dishes.
“I can take mine in.” I tried to help, but he waved me away.
“Nah, I’m good.”
“Why are you so eager to go inside?” Kona cocked his head to the side and rested his hands on his lap.
“Uhhhh…”
“Spit it out.” Kona smirked.
“Okay, so Nick told me he had some video games and wanted to know if I wanted to play them and?—”
Kona held up his hand. “Go have fun. I know we need to get back to your lessons, but I’ll need to figure out what to do with that since all your schoolwork is at the clubhouse.”
“If you put a list together of what you need, one of us will be sure to get it for you.” Education was important; we’d absolutely help them.
“It’s not your responsibility,” Kona said and then shooed Pika away.
The kid ran, dishes jiggling. A small laugh fell from Kona’s lips.
“There weren’t any video games at the clubhouse. He’d play some things on his phone, but he always wanted a PlayStation. It’s nice to see him be a kid.”
I relaxed in my chair and regarded Kona. “He’s been in your care for years. Can I ask how that happened?”
Kona sighed, and I thought he’d brush me off, and I wouldn’t fault him for it. I wanted him to feel comfortable here, and no matter what he told me, I’d keep him safe. But he surprised me and started talking.
“I wanted to be a singer, the best drag queen that ever was. My mother fully supported that dream, but I had to move out of our little town and to the big city.” He made jazz hands and chuckled. “I got a job waiting tables while auditioning, got a few breaks, but they were in dive clubs, and I knew I’d have to crawl my way up.”
“Success is never easy.”
He hummed. “I was okay. I lived in a shitty apartment, but all I had to worry about was myself. Then I got a call from some social worker. My mother had died suddenly, hit by a car on her way home, and my brother needed me. There was nothing for me in that small town, so I drove to get him and brought him back with me.”
He’d had a home, job, a car—I didn’t know how it had all gone bad for him.
“Department of Children and Families wasn’t thrilled with my living conditions and said I needed a more child-friendlyenvironment. Unable to afford it, I sold my beat-up car and got a better apartment. I thought we’d be okay. I was careful with our money, Pika was going to the school by our place, I had a job.” He hung his head. “Of course, that’s when it went to shit.”
I wanted to reach over and take his hand, offer him comfort. Such an odd feeling for me. I loved my brothers and their partners, but I was never a touchy-feely guy. But right now, I wanted to hold Kona.
“One night some drunk guy grabbed me as I was walking to my dressing room, got real handsy. I pushed him off and when he came at me again, I decked him.”
“Good for you.” Although Kona was slight, I knew he was a firecracker.
He snorted. “Not the best idea, because he was the owner’s brother. I got fired, and I was certainly blacklisted since I couldn’t get a job anywhere. I tried being a waiter, busboy, sanitation worker—nothing. I knew we’d have to leave the city to try and find a cheaper apartment to live. We survived on what I was saving, and soon it ran out. DCF contacted me after an anonymous person said Pika wasn’t being taken care of. They came by and pretty much threatened me, told me to find a job, or they’d give Pika to the state. They didn’t offer to help me find one…no, that would be kind.”
“The government makes it impossible to succeed.”
He nodded. “I actually contemplated giving Pika to DCF, thinking they’d find a home for him with great people, but in the end, I packed us up and we ran. Living on the streets is not glamorous, and we struggled a lot. I used whatever cash I had to get us tents, food, clothes to keep us warm, whatever I could.”
“That had to be so hard.”
“It was, but I would do anything for Pika.”
“There was no life insurance or anything from your mom?”
He shook his head. “She couldn’t afford anything like that.” He shrugged. “Anyway, one night there was an encampment sweep.” He looked at me. “Do you know what that is?”
