My Name Is Venus Black(22)

When he’s done, Tessa bursts into clapping but stops when Leo clamps his hands on his ears. He clearly hates loud noises. But then she gets an idea. If Leo can count, maybe he can do the ABCs? She begins to sing the ABC song, and sure enough, Leo joins in. The way he sounds singing makes Tessa want to laugh, but she holds it back. When they finish the song, she doesn’t clap.

She just says, “Leo, you can sing the ABCs.”

She leaves the apartment that afternoon thrilled by her discoveries. Three big successes in one day—Cheetos, counting, and ABCs!

Tessa is dying to tell someone about Leo, but there’s no one to tell but her mom. So she lets herself whisper out loud, “Mom, can you believe it?”

That night, as she cuts the fat off the chicken breasts she’s using to make chicken and dumplings, she worries about Leo in a new way. If Leo can count and talk, shouldn’t he be in school? Her dad says Phil teaches Leo at home. But Tessa knows better—there’s no evidence of anything like that in the apartment.

She does see evidence of Leo’s father, though. There are beer bottles. Clothes lying all over the floor. Food left out and, often, dirty dishes in the sink. But there’s a lot missing, too. No pictures on the walls. No photos anywhere. No signs, really, of a family.

She debates telling her dad everything, confessing to what she’s pretty sure is called “breaking and entering.” But she just can’t bring herself. Usually, she and her father talk a lot while they eat dinner. He asks her about her day. About her homework. He tells her how grateful he is that she is such a good girl. Sometimes he tells her funny stories about the people who come for tattoos.



But tonight she can’t think of anything to talk about, because she can’t talk about Leo. So, in near silence, they eat the chicken and dumplings and canned green beans she made. “Are you working tonight?” Tessa finally asks.

“Nope,” says her father. “But guess what? It’s figure skating on the Olympics tonight.”

“Oh, that’s my favorite!” Tessa says, and she means it. Plus, she loves to watch any kind of sports with her father. She likes to lean up against him. She likes to study the tattoo of her name on his left arm. Sometimes he puts his arm around her. She likes to wait on him as if she’s a waitress. Do you want a beer? Can I get you some potato chips?

During a commercial, Tessa checks out the front window to see if Leo’s dad has gotten home yet, but there’s still no sign of the Impala. She wishes again that she could tell her dad about the boy. She could lie and say he let her in, but lying is a bad sin, and her mother would see it happening.

She brings her dad some potato chips and ranch dip, his favorite. He puts one arm around her shoulder, which makes her realize Leo must never get hugs, since he won’t allow touching. What would that feel like, to live without ever getting hugged?

Maybe someday Leo will let her. At every commercial break, she checks her bedroom for the sound of knocking. She can’t bear the idea of him knocking and her not being there to knock back.



* * *



—

ONE DAY TESSA is in the grocery store with her dad, when she spots a huge metal bin full of plastic balls in various swirly colors. She thinks of Leo and the red ball he calls Venus. Surely he’d like another ball.



The next day is Saturday, so when she sees Phil’s car leave earlier than usual, she figures he has errands to run on his way to work. She takes her gift to Leo, and just like she’d hoped, he clearly likes it. She watches Leo spin the swirly purple ball in one place. Then she teaches him how to roll it on the floor back and forth with her. She finally tires of the game and stands, ready to go. Just then, the door to the apartment opens. Phil is standing there with a bag of groceries, looking surprised and angry. “What the hell is going on?” he says.

“I’m sorry,” Tessa stammers. “Remember me? I’m Tony’s daughter, Tessa. I’m just visiting Leo. We’re friends.”

For a moment, she can see that Phil is wavering, trying to decide something. Then he forces his mouth into a smile. “Well, isn’t that nice. Did Leo let you in?”

Tessa ignores his question.

“I actually need to go home now,” she says. “Goodbye, Leo!”

She races from the apartment, down the long back hall and around the corner to her own door. Why didn’t she watch for the Impala? Why wasn’t she more careful?



* * *



—

ONCE THE GIRL is gone, Tinker’s anger spikes. “How the hell did that girl get in here?” he demands of Leo. “Did you unlock the door, Leo?”

Of course, the kid won’t answer. He is lying on the ground, twirling a purple ball that Tinker’s never seen before. “God damn it, answer me!” Tinker says. He strides over and kicks the ball as hard as he can against the wall. He’s gratified when it bounces back and hits Leo in the face.

When Leo starts to wail, Tinker wishes he could hit the kid. Spank him or something. But, God damn it to hell, he’s too good a person. Instead, he grabs Leo by the arm, and of course he starts screaming, “No touching! No touching!” Still, Tinker drags him into the bedroom and roughly shoves him onto the floor of the closet.



Let him knock his head all he wants.

He returns to the living room and looks around. The girl left behind a bag of Cheetos, on the kitchen counter. What the hell has been going on?