“And we’ll get you more clothes tomorrow. More underwear, too.”
“Good.”
I lingered there for a second. I wanted to see her get up, make sure she got into the shower, but I didn’t wait. I figured she wouldn’t get up in front of me anyway. I left the room, shut the door, and locked it again. I stood there for a few minutes, waited until I heard the toilet flush, then hurried downstairs, out the front door, and over to my next door neighbor’s place. I knocked a few times until an old woman with deep wrinkles and light brown skin answered, her thin hair down to her shoulders, wearing a simple floral housedress.
“Mrs. Suarez,” I said. “I need a favor.”
“You’re gonna ask for more of Cindy’s clothes, aren’t you?” She gave me a frown. “You’re not a sicko, are you, Steven?”
“No, ma’am,” I said. “Just need underwear for my cousin. I’m sorry to do this, she’s really forgetful. I’m pretty embarrassed.”
Mrs. Suarez gave me a look then shook her head. “You’re lucky you’re a good man and take care of your block,” she said, turning away. “Otherwise, I’d assume you’re just a pervert.”
She disappeared inside and I let out a breath. Mrs. Suarez’s teenage daughter was the source of Colleen’s first round of clean clothes, but I’d neglected to ask for underwear like an idiot. I was going to have to get Colleen her own stuff, otherwise I was going to ruin my reputation in my own damn neighborhood.
Mrs. Suarez returned with a handful of underwear and shoved them into my arms. There were two old, fraying bras and three pairs of black panties, each of them big and cotton. One had bleach stains on it.
“There,” she said. “Best I can do without Cindy getting mad.”
“Thank you,” I said. “You’re a saint. You’re better than a saint.”
“Aye, get outta here, crazy,” she said, giving me a little smile.
I laughed and waved, then ran back to my place. I hurried inside, carried the underwear up to Colleen’s room, and unlocked her door. The shower was running as I came inside. I was tempted to check on her, since the bathroom door still hadn’t been fixed. It was hanging open and wood splinters were still on the tile floor.
I dropped the stack of underwear on the bed but lingered only for a second. She’d invite me into the shower sooner or later, but she had to do it on her own. I kicked down her door one time too many already, and I knew I’d pay for that sooner or later.
I turned and left, leaving the door unlocked and open a crack behind me.* * *I parked the SUV outside of Sergio’s Bakery and climbed out. Colleen stared out the window at me with a frown on her face. I gestured with my head for her to follow, and she reluctantly got out of the car.
“This is it?” she asked.
“This is it,” I said. “Come on, let’s go in.”
She didn’t move. “This is just some bakery. You want me to meet with some violent criminal in a nice-looking hipster bakery?”
I winced and shook my head. “Don’t let them hear you say that,” I warned.
“Say what?”
“Hipster bakery. Sergio will lose his shit.”
“Who’s Sergio?”
“He’s sort of Dante’s mentor. Sort of mine, too, in a way.”
“I’m not sure what that means. He’s like your mobster mentor?”
I nodded and ran a hand through my hair.
“Look, me and Dante, we came up in this crew,” I said. “Sergio was the Capo back then. We went through some shit with him, had some bad times, and Sergio retired and started this place. Now Dante uses it as a sort of meeting spot, brings a lot of business into his old mentor, helps out around here when he can. You know, that sort of thing.”
“Got it, so he’s a gangster with a heart of gold.”
I snorted and shook my head. “Not even fucking close,” I said. “He just owes Sergio a lot, and Dante doesn’t turn his back on his responsibilities.” I turned away from her and walked to the door. “Now come on, let’s go.”
She followed me and headed into the bakery when I held the door for her. I stepped in behind her and the smell of fresh baked bread hit me square in the chest, and a smile came to my lips.
It’d been a while since I came to the bakery. I’d been too busy and I had my own spots to check on these days. But Sergio’s smelled exactly the way I remembered. I used to spend long hours in this place, and it felt like coming home to be there again.
Colleen lingered just in the threshold and I moved up behind her. I put a hand on her lower back and I felt her tense, but she didn’t pull herself away. The bakery had an industrial feel to it, mostly grays and browns. There were tables and chairs on either side of the main open space, with ceiling fans turning lazy circles up near the ceiling. A young guy with black hair and a bored smile stood behind the counter next to the pastry display and in front of the baskets packed full of fresh bread.