Junkyard Dog(3)

“Yeah. I need to be at the office by eight.”

“We’re old enough to stay at the hotel alone,” Cricket offers and then adds when I roll my eyes. “Add our ages together and we’re eighteen. We could even vote.”

Chipper laughs with a mouth full of burger. “I’m voting for the guy with the best hair.”

I kiss his head. “The law doesn’t add your ages. If I leave you alone, the po-po might get involved.”

Cricket narrows her eyes. I think she’s catching onto how I always use the law as an excuse. I’m never the bad guy! It’s the coppers!

“Soon you’ll be in school, and we’ll get a house. Things will be ironed out in a few weeks.”

Nodding, Cricket returns to eating. I know she’s nervous about school. They’ve gone to the same private school all of their lives. We’d also lived in the same place. Everything was the same for so long, and now nothing is anymore.

“You’ll like it here soon,” I say, more to reassure myself than them.

Chipper nods. Cricket doesn’t. They’re tense after spending time in my sister’s tension-filled house. Life for Honey is very different than my life. Her husband crushes her more every day. Her kids act out, and she’s clearly overwhelmed. Throughout all of the bullshit, she smiles and claims to be happy.

We were never close growing up. She was too passive and played life too safe. As the middle child, I had to be loud to be noticed. I took what I needed, or I wouldn’t get anything. Most of all, I’ve faced my family’s crappy genetics the way Honey never could.

For generations, we’ve been duped. Used and discarded. My family gravitates toward bad people. Every relationship in my family is the same. One is an *; the other is their victim. My family members are always the victims. We can’t help wanting toxic people. This behavior killed my little brother Peat. It also drove my mom to an early grave. Now, the need to love the unlovable looks ready to destroy Honey.

Acceptance was the key to overcoming. I know I want bad men. I’m also drawn to friends who use and neglect me. Unlike Honey, I never married an *. I refuse to stay with anyone I con myself into thinking I love. I choose to be the *, rather than the victim. I take what I need and then leave before the tables turn.

Toby Eddison gave me twins even though he didn’t want kids. His wealthy parents will ensure Chipper and Cricket can afford any college they want. When the Eddison grandparents die one day, the twins will receive a nice chunk of their estate.

These days, a new grandchild rules the estate. Sensing the tides turning, I decided to bail on the train wreck waiting to happen. I hadn’t allowed myself to be shit on by Toby’s recent bride. No need to beg for crumbs when I can take my kids and start fresh.

Angus Hayes is an *, but I know how to deal with them. I don’t fear bad tempers or big mouths. When Honey’s douche husband tried to put me in my place, I told him where to go. The kids might hate the hotel, but they like it better than remaining in that house. They already know the difference between being the * and victim. Honey will always be the latter.

I plan to raise my children to take what they want from life. The Wilburn family has known only misery, but the twins will put an end to that history.





THREE - CANDY


I arrive for my first work day with a queasy stomach from eating too many crappy hotel scrambled eggs. I sip weak coffee from my “Best Mom” coffee mug and wait for Angus Hayes to arrive at the office.

I managed to get the kids up at six. After we finish eating breakfast, I drop them off at Honey’s house. My sister looks like absolute crap and the purple lump on her forehead doesn't help. Honey really isn’t a morning person.

Even cold and nauseous, I feel great while sitting in my car in the Hayes, Inc. parking lot. A new start always invigorates me. Once I get my first paycheck, I’ll put down a deposit on an apartment and get the twins settled. Life will be great. No worries. Anyone who says differently needs a swift kick in the ass.

Hayes nearly crashes his ugly, black monster truck into my gold Hyundai Tucson. I suspect he’s trying to intimidate me. As a mother of a boy, I’d never want to stigmatize an entire gender, yet men are stupid.

I climb out of the car and wave at him as if he hadn’t behaved like an * a minute earlier.

“Morning, boss,” I say, carrying my bag lunch and coffee mug.

Hayes isn’t a morning person either. He glares at me, and I wonder if he’s forgotten who I am. A moment passes before he walks to the front door.

“If you work out, I’ll give you a key.”

“Okay.”

His dark eyes narrow menacingly, and I suspect he isn’t a fan of my morning peppiness. I smile at his irritation as he opens the door.

“I didn’t know if there was a dress code,” I say, following him inside. “I figured since I’ll be moving around all these dusty boxes and organizing things that jeans would be fine.”

“You’re not moving shit.”

Hayes stomps to a small room connected to the front office. I follow him because I don’t know what else to do. Leaning around his wide shoulder to see what he’s doing, I realize we’re in a break room. He hits the button on the coffee pot.

“I like my f*cking coffee black.”