Playette

Rubbing my arms, I come to a stop out front of a perfectly manicured house. It’s small, almost cottage-like, and perfect in every way. I shouldn’t be here. But it’s the last place they will think to look for me, so my knuckles tap on the door while I try to think of a good excuse.

“Oh, hell no,” Sharon says the minute she sees me. “I knew you were trouble. You’re in trouble, right?” I nod, not even bothering to lie. What’s the point? She looks behind her then back to me before she opens the door letting me in. “Look, you can’t stay for long. I know who they are and I can’t risk it.”

“Mommy.” A little girl with blonde curly hair walks up to Sharon and wraps her little arms around Sharon’s legs. Sharon leans down and picks her up then places her on her hip.

“You need to go back to sleep. No staying up tonight,” Sharon says then looks back to me. ”Stay here. Don’t touch anything.”

I nod and she walks away.

Rubbing my hands up and down my arms, I’m absolutely freezing even though the room is warm. I look around. What is this place? I see photographs of Sharon and the little girl everywhere. How did I not know this fact? A three-seater black sofa sits in front of a television with a toy chest in the middle, in the corner where someone would put a bookcase is another toy chest. It’s a home you would want to be raised in as a child. It’s sweet and above all feels safe, it’s something I miss.

“What are you doing here?” Sharon crosses her arms over her chest.

“You have a daughter?” I ask, surprised.

“Yes. Now answer me, please.”

“Heather isn’t who she says she is.”

Sharon rolls her eyes. “Of course, not. She was sucking up your ass so hard I knew she was fake.” She walks to her quaint kitchen, opens a top cupboard and pulls out a small Keurig. “Just as I knew you were lying to me about that guy.”

“Don’t ask me to tell you. You have a little one, Sharon.”

She spins and leans on the counter as she watches me. “You’re in trouble?”

I nod and she sighs. “You can stay here for the night, on the couch, it’s all I can give you. Bella has to go to school in the morning and I have my day job.”

“Thank you, Sharon. And sorry…”

She shrugs. “I don’t get it, even if I want to say I do. But if you were my daughter looking for help, I’d hope someone would do exactly that.” She turns around and starts to pour the coffee.

“Where is… where’s her dad?”

“He died when she was two months old. It wasn’t that long after that I started at the club. I had to. I had absolutely no choice. I need to be able to support us.”

“No judgment here, Sharon,” I say holding up my hands.

“It’s just us, and it’s hard. But I do what I can, you know?”

I nod and instantly feel bad for coming here. But I don’t know anyone else, and Heather won’t think to look here as they all think I hate Sharon.

“Do you need money, Issy?” I shake my head. “Are you sure? You don’t have anything on you?”

“I could never take money from you.” Her hand slides into her pocket and she pulls out a few bills sliding them over to me.

“It’s a loan. You can pay me back when you can.”

I nod, putting the cash into my skirt pocket, well, technically, Heather’s skirt, then take the coffee she also slides my way.

“If you see anyone… anyone at all, don’t tell them you saw me,” I tell her.

“Of course.”

“Thanks, Sharon.”

“Mommy,” is called again and Sharon points to the couch. “You can sleep there, blanket and pillow is already on it.” She starts to walk off, leaving me sitting at her counter. “And, Issy…” I turn to look at her, “… don’t mention what we do.”

“Of course.”

Sharon walks off to tend to Bella, and then I hear the soft hum of a voice and I know she’s singing to her. Maybe I’ve had her pegged for the wrong type of person after all. Maybe my judgment of character is way off.

Walking over to the couch, I curl myself up into a ball, and when I close my eyes, a man with a scarred lip and fucked-up back is staring at me.

21

Jasper

“Find her,” I scream, throwing the nearest thing my hand comes in contact with.

Ace shakes his head. “I could have killed her, boss,” he says.

I turn to look at him. “I could have killed you, too,” I bark.

“You love her?” He states it, but it’s a good question, and a smile forms on his lips like he’s just figured something out.