Trailer Park Noir

“Really? Are you sure?”

“Unless maybe Aunt Rose could do it.”

“Yeah, I suppose I could call her and ask. But it would be kind of a pain for her to come all the way over here and pick you up, take you to the church, then go home, come back to the church two hours later, pick you and bring you back over here.”

“That’s okay, Mommy. I don’t mind missing it. Really.”

“You’re sure, now.”

“I’m sure.” She gave Anna a big smile. “Don’t worry. Jesus will understand.”

* * * *

Sherry sat bolt upright in bed, sweat dripping from her.

She’d heard a sound somewhere in the night.

Andy snored beside her.

Sherry listened hard, wondering what she’d heard.

“Andy?” she whispered. “Andy? I heard something.”

He did not stir, did not even budge.

She got up and stood beside the bed and realized she was shaking. It was hot in the trailer, but she was shivering as if she were freezing cold, sweating as if she were sweltering. She felt sick to her stomach.

She listened, but heard nothing.

Sherry walked down the hall, her body quaking, and went to the bathroom, where she hunkered down at the toilet and vomited. Afterward, she rinsed out her mouth, brushed her teeth, and left the bathroom. She went down the hall, then through the dark kitchen to the dark living room, where she turned on the light on the end table by the couch. She turned on the swamp cooler then. The VCR clock read 3:22. She found her kit on the couch. She fumbled with it, unzipped it, and removed the contents. Her hands were shaking so bad that it was difficult to prepare the stuff, but she somehow managed. She used her teeth as well as her right hand to tie on the tourniquet.

The needle trembled in her hand and she cried a little as she tried to steady her hand enough to inject herself. She sniffled and whimpered and finally drove the spike home. Then she sat back and let it flow through her.

The shakes subsided. The sweating stopped. She moaned a little as she melted into the couch, became a part of it.

“What’d I tell you about that shit, huh?”

She opened her eyes halfway. Andy stood before her, frowning down at her. He wore his boxers and had his hands on his hips, elbows out at his sides.

“I told you it would be a problem once you started that shit,” he said. “It’s one thing to do it for a day, but two, three days – that shit gets under your skin.”

She realized the needle was still in her arm, the tourniquet still on. She removed the needle, undid the tourniquet, put them back in her kit.

“I-I, I thought I heard something,” she said.

“You were having withdrawals, weren’t you?” he said. “Your side of the bed is soaking wet.”

“No, really, Andy, I heard something.”

“What? What did you hear?”

“I don’t know. But it scared me. I thought it might be those men… coming back for us.”

Andy rolled his eyes. “Nobody’s coming back for us, okay? So just quit worryin’ about it. You wanna worry about somethin’, worry about how you’re gonna get off that shit, ‘cause I’m not gonna support your habit, and I’m not gonna hang around with a junky. I’m goin’ back to bed.”

He turned and left the living room.

Sherry stretched out on the couch and turned on the TV. She watched an old movie without comprehending it. She wallowed in how good she felt until she drifted off on a cloud.

Eighteen

The next morning, Kendra ate her breakfast while Mommy hurried around getting ready for work. Mommy had gotten up early enough to fix her a delicious breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast. Dexter sat beside her chair staring up at her with big, pleading eyes.

“Here, Dex,” Kendra said, breaking off a piece of bacon. She held it down for the dog and he plucked it from her fingers with his teeth and chomped it down quickly.

“Don’t get him into the habit of eating at the table,” Mommy said as she hurried by on her way back to the bathroom.

“We won’t tell, Dexter,” Kendra whispered as she gave him another piece of bacon.

When she was finally ready, Mommy stood before her and said, “How do I look?”

She wore a grey-and-black suit and black shoes with heels.

“You look very nice, Mommy,” Kendra said.

“You sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure. I’d tell you if something was wrong.”

“Okay.”

“Breakfast was real good, too, Mommy.”

“Good, I’m glad.”

“Aren’t you gonna eat?”

“I’m too nervous to eat. In fact, I’m sick to my stomach.”

“You should take a lunch with you.”

“I’m going to. I’ll do that next.”

She quickly made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and cut up some celery sticks, put them in plastic baggies, then put them in a small brown paper bag.

“Well, it’s about time for me to leave,” Mommy said. She turned to Kendra and looked serious. “Now, you’re going to be good today, right?”

“Yes, Mommy.”

“You can go get the mail if you want, but that’s all. I don’t want you wandering around all day. And do not go down by the river, don’t even think about it. Okay? And keep your clothes on, little girl, I’m serious.”

“Okay.”

“I’ve put the number of my office on the refrigerator door, but only for emergencies, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Now, stand up and give me a hug and kiss.”

Kendra stood and hugged her, then Mommy gave her a wet kiss on the cheek.

“I’ll see you later this afternoon, okay?” Mommy said.

“Okay. Have a good day.”

“I’ll try.”

And then she was gone.

Kendra sat at the table and listened as Mommy started the car, then backed it out and drove it away.

She went on eating her breakfast, planning her day. She felt a tingle of excitement as she thought about what she was going to do later in the morning. She was going to go over to unit five and take some more pictures. And this time she wasn’t going to chicken out. She was going to do whatever Mr. Regent wanted her to do.

She smiled as she ate her eggs.

* * * *

Mo Carey showed up at a few minutes before eleven and seated himself before Reznick’s desk.