Beautiful Scamp

There’s the sound of a lock being thrown and I turn back just as the door cracks open.

“Hey, Theresa,” I say, smiling. “It’s only me.”

It opens wide and there’s Theresa, an old friend of mine, with her daughter Cara and Pip just behind. “Sammy,” she says, using the name my mom used to call me. “Sorry, we heard shots earlier. You okay? You look flushed.”

I shake my head. “I’m fine, I was running. Sorry I’m late, I got caught up and lost track of time.”

Theresa smiles. “It’s fine, she’s good as gold. How are the studies going?”

“Going well,” I lie. I haven’t been to my classes at the community college for weeks, not since I stopped working for my father. “So much to do right now though. A lot of homework. Are you good to have Pip again tomorrow?”

She frowns. “Sorry I can’t, didn’t I tell you? Cara’s dad is taking her for the week, but I have to drop her over there. I’d take Pip with me but it wouldn’t be much fun for her on the bus all day.”

“Um, you haven’t asked me,” Pip says. “I have band practice tomorrow, we have a concert coming up, remember?”

“Practice on a Sunday?”

“Duh.” She rolls her eyes at me. “See ya, Caz.” She squeezes out past Theresa, who grins as she moves out of the way.

“Proper little teens they are now, huh?”

“Right?” I grin. “Thanks for today, Theresa, you’re a lifesaver. See ya, Caz,” I add with a wink at Cara, who tries not to laugh.

As we walk back down Theresa’s front yard, Pip doesn’t say a word. Life’s been tough for her recently, too, and I’ve been giving her space to process. Having to lie to her friends isn’t helping, I know that, but I care about her. For a long time, we’ve been all each other had, and I don’t know what I’d do without her to give my life direction.

“Hey, you know if you need to talk…” I begin, but then follow her gaze to a dark figure running past the end of the road.

Her voice is hesitant when she speaks. “Who’s that?”

My breath catches as he spots us and sets off at a sprint in our direction. He’s here. He found us. “Val—” I draw a deep breath, shaking my head. “An old friend.”

***

Val

When I catch up to her, I feel like my heart is about to beat out of my chest. Not only have I just run miles through the city, but I’ve also proven myself to Scamp. Proven that I won’t leave her, no matter what she does.

A moment of doubt strikes me as I look at her, breathing hard. “I have proven myself, right?”

She laughs and nods. “Not bad, Valiant. Not bad.”

“Who are you?” her sister says, eyeing me suspiciously, and I grin through the struggle to get my breath as we turn and start walking back the way I came.

“Actually, we’ve met before, although I’m not surprised you don’t remember me. You were only seven then. Pip, right?” For a second, she just stares at me, then she nods slowly. “I’m Valiant, although these days,” I glance at Scamp, “everyone calls me Val.”

“Val…” Scamp repeats thoughtfully. “It suits you.”

“So, you promised I could take you to lunch.”

“I said if you kept up—” She catches herself, drawing a quick breath, the argument forgotten on her lips, and nods as we stop at the end of the street. “Okay. But not tomorrow, I have to take Pip to band practice.”

“What time?”

“Two,” Pip says before Scamp can speak, and gets a glare for it.

“But—”

“Then bring her too,” I say, shrugging. “Lunch at twelve. I’ll drop her off at practice after we eat.” Turning my attention to Pip again, I say, “Where would you like to go to lunch?”

“Coney Island,” she says without missing a beat, and I can’t help the grin.

“You don’t want to go somewhere we can sit down?”

She shakes her head. “Uh uh. Chili dogs and cheese fries. You said you have a car, we can eat in there.”

Scamp frowns. “Pip, I’m sure Val doesn’t want the smell of chili dogs in his car forever after…”

“Coney Island it is,” I say, nodding. “Detroit City on Dexter. My treat.”

“Are you sure?” Scamp searches my face, but looking for what I can’t tell. Deceit? Perhaps, but she won’t see any. I’ll never lie to her or hurt her. I’ll never let her get hurt.

“I’m sure. Now let me walk you home.”

Scamp shakes her head quickly. “No, you don’t have to do that.”

“I want to though. What sort of man would I be if I let you walk back up Livernois alone?”

Pip opens her mouth as if to speak, but Scamp talks over her. “The kind that respects a woman’s wishes. Show me I can trust you, Val.”