Chapter Five
He woke at a decent time the next morning, and decided that if he was going to shut himself up in his apartment for an indefinite amount of time, he would need a great deal of supplies. And weapons. Once he had those, he could use some of his furniture to barricade his doors and windows. Staying safe wasn’t going to be an issue. Staying sane, on the other hand, would be an entirely different feat. This would be a temporary arrangement while he came up with a more coherent plan. This was the only line of action he could take at the moment, all things considered.
Jeremy left for the One-Stop Superstore at an ideal time, late in the morning. Bright and crowded. He’d likely be followed, but the hitman wouldn’t be able to do anything until Jeremy was all alone. And by the time he was alone, he’d be safe in his fortified apartment. When he left, he locked his front door, but didn’t take any further precautions. The idea of doing so didn’t occur to him.
The walk to the One-Stop was a long one, but it was far too crowded to be able to drive. One could only drive within Los Angeles in the wee hours of the morning, if they were lucky. Otherwise they would find themselves in a traffic jam that lasted for almost a day. The streets were narrow and favored the pedestrians on the peripherals, so the majority of inner-city commute was done on foot. The people had no other choice.
Jeremy purchased a good deal of non-perishables from the store and two guns from a sports shop in the same complex. He’d never bought a firearm before, and was astounded at how downright easy it was to obtain one. They didn’t even ask for identification—not that anyone would need a card to identify Jeremy Malone. He was quietly thankful to be able to walk in and make his purchases without any hassle, especially with the situation in which he’d found himself.
To say that the grocery load was heavy was an understatement. He only had four bags, but cans were ridiculously heavy, not to mention the firearms. The walk home was a slow, sluggish struggle, but Jeremy made sure not to take it for granted. He wouldn’t be exercising or getting any fresh air like this for a long time. This was an opportunity for him to stretch his legs and exert his muscles before he rotted away in his own home.
God, he hoped it wouldn’t be that long. But who knew what would happen?
“Hi, Jeremy.”
“Oh, Shiloh.” The CEO looked down and sure enough saw the little boy striding in an upbeat matter right beside him. “How’re you this morning?”
“Okay. Those look heavy. Need any help?”
Jeremy laughed. “Oh, no. It’s okay. I got it.”
“Your hands are all red. Those bags are really weighing down on you. Let me have two, and you can carry the other two.”
“No, Shiloh, it’s really okay. I got this.” Shiloh shrugged and jammed his hands into the pockets of his jeans, but no sooner than he’d done that did Jeremy’s shoulder cramp, forcing him to put all of his bags down and stretch. “Ow…ow. I hate when that happens.”
“Let me carry them for a bit, then.”
“All four?”
“Yeah. It’s okay.” Shiloh smiled up at Jeremy, baring the gap in his teeth. Without any further warning, he grabbed two bags in each hand and lifted them with ease. The two continued walking once more as if nothing had happened.
“Geez, Shiloh. Way to make me feel like an old geezer. How the hell are you holding them so easily?”
“They’re not that heavy.” Realizing that those words might be construed as an insult, he quickly shook his head. “To me, I mean. I’m sorry. I know they were hurting your hands. Is your shoulder okay?”
Jeremy winced, his face burning with embarrassment. “Yeah, I’m okay. I just moved it weird under the weight.”
“Oh, okay. So, are we taking these back to your place?”
“Mm-hm. It’s not too much farther from here. My shoulder isn’t hurting anymore—let me grab two.”
“No, I got this.” Shiloh grinned slyly up at Jeremy.
“That’s not fair.” The two continued to walk in silence, and Shiloh didn’t seem weighed down by the bags at all. He was glad that the boy hadn’t taken the time to inspect the bags; otherwise he’d have noticed the fact that Jeremy was trying to take two guns back to his house. That was enough to arouse some suspicion.
“So, what grade are you in?”
“Third.”
“You do well in school?”
“I guess.” Shiloh shrugged. “I have a lot of trouble reading. I can’t do it fast like the other kids. Math and science are okay, but I guess that’s because Mom is really good at those subjects. She helps me with homework whenever she has the time.”
“You spend an awful lot of time with her. How about your brother? Was that the guy you were with yesterday?”
“Yup. That’s Amantias. He’s the coolest brother ever.”
“Amanitas? That’s a weird name.”
“It’s a nickname,” Shiloh replied with a shrug.
“Then what’s his real name?”
“I dunno.”
Jeremy craned his neck back in surprise, a look of disbelief on his face. Deciding not to question it, he simply nodded. “Do you hang out with him a lot?”
“No, I don’t get to see him very much… He doesn’t live with Mom and me but he comes to visit every so often. He goes around and does work with some of his friends. Sometimes I get to help, but it’s never anything fun. Like the delivery I was making that day I met you.”
“What does he do for work, then?”
“I’m not sure… He says he’s a liberator, but I don’t know what that word means. I looked it up online but it didn’t really tell me what he did.”
Jeremy cocked his head to the side. “A liberator frees people. But I don’t know how that would apply to your brother.”
“He said he’d tell me more about it when I was older. Maybe even let me come with him.”
“I think you should focus on school for now.”
“That’s what Mom says. I want to, but Amanitas is so cool and I want to be like him. He doesn’t go to school.”
“How old is he? Did he drop out?”
“Seventeen. And I don’t think he went to school in the first place.”
Jeremy frowned. This kid’s story was becoming stranger and more confusing the more he heard. Deciding to change the topic to something less troubling, he said, “Do you like soda?”
“Soda?”
“You know. The sweet fizzy stuff?”
“Oh, I’ve never had it. I’m not allowed.”
“Well, I feel like I should give you something for helping me carry my stuff. Want to try some when we get back to my place?
“Really?”
“It’s not that big a deal. C’mon, this is the apartment complex. Let’s go get some.”
“Okay!” Shiloh’s level of excitement didn’t match the reward, but Jeremy found it endearing. They walked up a few flights of stairs and down the hall, and by the time they reached Jeremy’s door he was winded from the climb. Shiloh, however, was unfazed despite having to carry the bags. As Jeremy stopped to key in his lock code, Shiloh made a strange face at the door.
“What’s wrong?”
“Do you have company?”
“No, why?”
“I was just wondering. There’s someone in there. I didn’t know if he was your friend or your family or something.”
“Wait—what?! What do you mean?” After that exclamation, Jeremy put a hand over his mouth and lowered his voice considerably. “You’re telling me that someone’s in my apartment? How do you know?”
“He’s right behind the door, actually. I figured he was waiting to greet you. I can feel the vibrations he’s making in the floor. And he smells like the disinfectant in hospitals and beef jerky. Definitely a person-smell. Behind him the apartment smells different. Who is he, Jeremy?”
Jeremy had no time to question. Any other time he would have dismissed Shiloh’s insight and barged in anyway. But right now, it was all too plausible that someone was in there and that they were both in great danger. Jeremy hadn’t expected a home invasion, but now that he thought about it, it was the perfect plan now that Jeremy had been able to evade him for so long. If Shiloh hadn’t clued him in, he would have met his demise the moment he opened his door.
“We have to get out of here, Shiloh. Come on.” He ushered the boy back down the hall and toward the stairwell. Distressed, the younger of the two craned his neck past Jeremy to look at the groceries they’d discarded. “Your stuff! You’re just going to leave it like that?”
“We can go get it later. We have to leave now.” Once they were descending the stairwell, he clarified, “That man isn’t in there to greet me.”
“What’s he there for?”
Wait, why was he telling this to Shiloh? He was too young to understand. He couldn’t get this kid involved. “…to collect taxes.”
“You can’t pay your taxes? But you just bought all that food!”
“I’m…really behind on my taxes. Really, really behind. I’m owe a lot. I can’t pay it right now.”
“Then why don’t you go in there and tell him you don’t have the money?”
“Because if he’s broken into my home, he really means business. I might get in trouble with the law.”
Shiloh’s mouth made a big “O” as he heard this, and the two left the complex. Once they reached the sidewalk, he grabbed one of Jeremy’s hands. Funny how relative danger was. “But what are you gonna do? He’s in your house. That means you can’t go in there.”
Jeremy took a deep breath. That was a good question. What was he going to do? A good deal of his necessities were in that apartment, and he would need them if he was going to go on the run like he’d originally planned to do once he figured things out. He needed someplace safe to stay. He needed people to rely on. Real people.
“I need to find a place to hide out for a little while. But I don’t know where. I don’t have any family here. I don’t have any friends, either… Shiloh, you should get going. I need to figure these things out. I have some real grown-up problems to deal with and I don’t want you getting involved.”
Shiloh angrily puffed out his cheeks, letting go of Jeremy’s hand. “No friends, huh?”
“No—I mean—yeah, you’re my friend. You’re definitely my friend. I just mean…I need a friend who’d be willing to put me up for a few days. Like a grown-up with a place of his own.”
“I’m not a grown-up but I’m your friend and I have a home. Why don’t you come stay with me?”
“I don’t think your mom would be too cool with that, Shiloh… I mean, from what I’ve heard about her so far…”
“No, you don’t understand! She takes in people down on their luck all the time! We have a guest room in the back of our house. When someone needs a place to stay while they get back up on their feet, she lets them stay there for a few days. Like, people who lost their homes and stuff. You can’t go back to your home, so that means you’re homeless, right? That’s all I have to tell her and she’ll let you stay for sure!”
Jeremy was skeptical. “For sure?”
“Yeah. Just let me give her a call.” The young boy reached the small backpack he’d been carrying and found his cell phone—a small, cheap plastic model, most likely bought by his mother for the sole purpose of the two being in touch. Shiloh dialed the number with practiced ease and pressed the phone to his face.
“Hello?”
“Hi Mom. Hey…I found another one. Can I bring him home?”
“You know you aren’t allowed to talk to strangers.”
“But this guy is my friend. And he doesn’t have a place to stay right now. Can I just bring him over so you can meet him? I promise he’s a good guy.”
“How old is he?”
Shiloh moved the phone away from his mouth and looked up at Jeremy. “How old are you?”
Jeremy, flustered, murmured, “Twenty-five.”
“Twenty-five, Mom.”
“What’s a grown man like that doing talking to you?”
“He’s the man who stuck up for me the other day.”
“The one who hit Mrs. Romero’s boy?”
“…yeah. But don’t worry. He only did it to help me. Can I bring him over? Please?”
“…I suppose. But I don’t want you talking to any more strangers, you hear me? Even if they stick up for you.”
“Okay, Mom.” Shiloh beamed up at Jeremy after hanging up his phone and putting it away. “You’re good to come over. Just be polite. I’m sure she’ll like you.” Despite these words, Jeremy wasn’t so sure. Staying with someone else right here in Los Angeles definitely wasn’t in the master plan, but perhaps it’d be a good opportunity for him to get his head on straight. Perhaps with a family vouching for him, he’d even get the law on his side and end this before it had to escalate to him fleeing the country. Then Fox would officially be fired, and Jeremy would be able to run the media as he pleased. After this though process completed itself, Jeremy was able to return Shiloh’s enthusiasm. Maybe this little predicament would work itself out after all. Shiloh’s mother couldn’t have been too much of a soccer-mom if she took in homeless people. There was nothing to worry about.
--
Their house was smaller than Jeremy could have imagined. He was sure that his apartment was bigger than this dilapidated old thing. Shiloh lived in a bad part of town—one of the many “bad parts” that made up the majority of Los Angeles. Jeremy avoided these parts like the plague. This was where some of his more street-wise friends found hook-ups, he imagined. He never knew, being too chicken to ever follow along. The neighborhood reeked of poverty, and sadly enough their house was the nicest looking one in sight. Then again, if only he and his mother and the occasional guest lived there, it didn’t have to be that big. Jeremy was just used to a lot more space. He’d have to get over that, however, if he was going to be taken in by this family’s good will.
Shiloh fished in his pocket for a key—a real old-fashioned key, made of steel and everything. There was no locking system on a door, no code to memorize… If Shiloh lost that key, he’d be locked out. Jeremy couldn’t imagine the headache that came with keeping track of something so small. The door creaked as Shiloh turned the handle and pushed it open, the hinges crying out for oil. The sound made Jeremy cringe, but he did his best to re-compose himself for the fated meeting with the boy’s mother. He told Jeremy to wait in the hall while he summoned her, and soon came back with the last person he had ever expected to be associated with Shiloh.
“Vera?”
“You.” The two stared each other down for a few seconds before the young woman snapped her head down at her son. “This is your friend? How on Earth did that come to be?”
“What?” Shiloh was startled and panicked, and possibly on the verge of tears from what Jeremy could see. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mom! I didn’t know you knew each other!”
“Didn’t I tell you about that creep at the clinic from the other day? I thought I made it very clear when you asked me how my day was.”
“I remember that, but—this his him?” Shiloh looked back and forth between his mother and his friend, very confused. “It couldn’t possibly be him! Jeremy’s my best friend! He’s the nicest guy I know! Besides Gene.” Vera was not persuaded. She took a few long strides toward Jeremy, poking a finger at his chest. “What do you want with Shiloh? Why’ve you been talking to him? Are you some kind of pervert?”
“P-pervert? Why would I even…? Vera, I run into the kid on my way to work. That’s all. He comes up to me and strikes conversation. I can’t just ignore him. Just look at that face!” He gestured to Shiloh, who despite his confusion, was making that stupidly cute face. “It’s hard to explain but I feel like we have a connection.” Shiloh nodded briskly in affirmation. Vera simply rolled her eyes and turned her poke into a flat palm, pushing Jeremy out the door. “You creep. Get out of my house. If I hear about you talking to my son any more, I’ll have you arrested.”
“No, Vera, you don’t understand—“
“That’s Dr. Evans to you. I don’t care what your issues are; you’re not bringing them into this house or anywhere near Shiloh. Do you hear me? Get out.”
“If you shut me out I’m going to be killed.”
Vera quirked a brow, then after a moment of contemplation, sighed deeply and lowered her hand. The stress was apparent on her face, and Jeremy did feel bad for imposing himself so insistently. He wouldn’t be doing this if he had no other choice. To his relief, she said without making further eye contact, “All right, I’ll humor you. What’s your story?”
“Fox Campbell hired a hitman to off me and he’s in my home as we speak. I have no possessions on me save for my wallet. I don’t have a plan for the long run but if I don’t act quickly and get to safety, I’m going to be killed.” Jeremy found it easier to explain his story rationally now that he’d had time to think about it. Before Vera could reply, their attention was quickly drawn to a very flustered Shiloh. “You said it was a tax collector!” A pause. “What’s a hitman?” Shaking her head, Vera looked up again, narrowing her eyes at Jeremy. “And why should I believe this tall tale? Hm?”
“Shiloh was with me when I returned to my apartment. He said that someone was waiting for me inside.”
“Uh—what?! What was he doing going home with you?”
“No, no… I know it sounds bad, but he was just helping me carry groceries.” Jeremy slapped his forehead with the palm of his hands, knowing that each word spoken in his defense was also working to dig his grave. Vera quietly murmured, “Is this true, Shi?”
“Yeah, I promise!”
“I can show you the receipt, Vera—“
“No, Shiloh doesn’t lie to me. His word is good enough. So, he said there was someone in your home. Your immediate instinct was not to go to the police, but to ask this boy if he could house you?”
“The police aren’t on my side. I don’t exactly have a good history with them. They always catch me at my worst…” He scratched the back of his head. “I’d need some very compelling evidence to get them to actually do anything. And Shiloh offered; I didn’t just invite myself.”
Vera placed a hand on her hip, and with another sigh, she turned her back to her visitor and her son. “I need time to think about this…”
“Please let him stay, Mom. He doesn’t have anywhere else to go. He doesn’t have any family and I’m his only friend.” Jeremy cringed as Shiloh attempted to speak up in his defense. This situation was only growing more and more pathetic. Jeremy wasn’t about to beg on his own behalf, but if he was turned away, he had no chance. It all rode on Shiloh’s ability to manipulate the circumstances.
Vera turned around and took a deep breath. Shiloh and Jeremy exchanged glances as an excruciating period of waiting passed. When she finally turned around, she said, “I don’t put guests up for free. You’ll have to earn the time you need through work. I can probably train you to do basic tasks at the clinic. Book keeping, all that. But I don’t want you staying for more than a month—I don’t allow any boarder any more than that, and I won’t change the rules for you. Does that sound fair? If not, you’re on your own.”
Jeremy shifted uncomfortably. The idea of working in a hospital with sick poor people was far less than appealing. “I already have a job, though…”
“When I talked to Fox, he said you hardly even show up. I think you have more than enough time to commit to the clinic.”
“What if I pay rent instead?”
“Is the idea of doing work really so unappealing to you?”
“I can pay however much you want. I inherited a lot from my dad. I have plenty.”
Shiloh began to jump up and down impatiently. “We need money at the clinic!”
The same thought process began to click into motion in Vera’s head, and it became apparent through the brightening of her expression. “How much are we talking? You didn’t give a number.”
“I do mean however much you want. If I rent out a new place under my name and my credit, I can be tracked. I need to lay low right now. No one would ever expect to find me here, you know? You hate me, so it’s the perfect cover. For that I’m willing to pay whatever.”
“Ugh.” Vera ran her fingers through her hair and slumped over, obviously distressed. “I really, really want a reason to say no to you. You can stay for now, and I’ll talk about what you could pay with Gene tomorrow. Does that sound fair?” She slowly unwound her fingers and looked up, refusing to smile at Jeremy despite the chance he presented to save the Mercy Clinic. Shiloh continued jumping up and down, excited beyond all belief. With a half-smirk, Jeremy nodded his head. “I think we have a deal.”
Vera, not missing a beat, told Shiloh to show Jeremy his room and disappeared into her own bedroom to think things through.
“This way, Jeremy. Your room is across from mine!” Judging by the boy’s excitement, this was easily the best day in his entire life. He already had a brother; why was this such a big deal?
Jeremy had a feeling that he was in for a long stay, despite Vera’s discouraging attitude. After being shown his room, where he would have put down his belongings in the event that he had any, Jeremy was given the tour of the small house. Despite its size and outward appearance, it was quite comfortable on the inside, and well-kept. In passing, Jeremy noticed a list on a whiteboard posted on the refrigerator containing Shiloh’s chores for the week—the kid had a lot on his plate, and he appeared to be very obedient, which was probably why the place looked so nice. Jeremy imagined that Vera was too busy with work at the clinic to take on the role of a homemaker. From what he gathered, it was just the two of them that lived here. He vaguely wondered what their story was, but knew that it wouldn’t be his place to ask until he was on better terms with the young doctor.
After a short period of time, she rejoined the two boys, and immediately confronted Jeremy with a thought that had apparently occurred to her after she had agreed to let him stay.
“What if you put us in danger? If this hitman is trailing you, who’s to say he won’t come back here?”
Jeremy shrugged, obviously not as concerned about it as she was. “First off, I don’t even think he can track me unless he finds me in public and starts to follow me. Fox used to pinpoint my location by tracking my cell phone, but I broke it a while back. I’ve been roughing it without one for over a week.” He grinned with a misplaced sense of pride. “Second…would he really kill anyone other than who he was hired to off? I mean, that’d be doing extra work, and Fox only hired him for me. What would be the point?”
Vera shook her head. “You’re too naïve. Regardless of whether or not he was paid to kill additional people, he might hurt us in the process. Ever think about that?” At this thought, Jeremy shrunk back. He really didn’t know what to say to that. This was a sticky situation no matter which way he approached it. Perhaps it would have been best if he had just fled the area in the first place.
“Why don’t we just tell Amanitas and have him take care of it?” Shiloh chirped. His mother scowled and rose her hand to smack him upside the head, but stopped herself. “You know better than that, Shiloh. I don’t want you talking like that ever again. You get those ideas out of that head of yours, you hear me?”
“But he’s trying to kill Jeremy!”
“I said stop with that. Under no circumstances should you ever—“ Vera stopped short as Jeremy interrupted with a raised hand. “What?”
“What are we talking about?”
“It’s none of your business. And don’t interrupt,” she almost spat. “We’ll figure something out, but neither of you are contacting Amanitas about this, okay? Not a word.” Shiloh frowned and hung his head. “Sorry, Mom… I was only trying to help.”
“You can help by washing your hands and getting dinner started.”
“Yes’m.”
Vera looked up at Jeremy and jerked her head in the direction of the kitchen. “You too. I know how you feel about work but everyone in this house has to do chores. No exceptions.” Jeremy merely shrugged and followed behind Shiloh, disdainful of the reputation he’d already earned himself. Vera disappeared into her bedroom once more to make a phone call, and the two began talking once more.
“So what were you guys talking about, anyway? What’s your brother got to do with any of this?”
Shiloh kept his eyes forward as he scrubbed his hands pink. “I’m not allowed to talk about it.”
“Not even a hint?”
“Let’s just say that I have to follow Mom’s rules and Amanitas doesn’t.”
That didn’t really clear anything up, but Jeremy decided not to pursue it as he took his turn at the sink. Shiloh began gathering the ingredients with a familiarity that was odd for a third grader. He certainly was mature for his age, and very cooperative. Jeremy recalled that he rarely emerged from his bedroom when he was eight years old, let alone respond to his father. There was something admirable in Shiloh’s dedication to following the rules and being a good kid. Jeremy could appreciate his determination.
When the three finally sat down for dinner, a stifling silence settled in the household. Vera refused to look up at Jeremy, and Shiloh kept his mouth shut in fear of sparking another heated argument. Nonetheless, there was something appealing in eating with other people; Jeremy rarely had the chance unless he was out with acquaintances for the night. And that never meant anything. The fact that he and Shiloh had actually put forth the effort to prepare the food from scratch was rewarding on another level. The two had collaborated quite well and had the meal prepared before Vera had even expected it.
Realizing that he was walking on eggshells at this point, Jeremy volunteered to rinse the dishes and put them through the machine after they finished eating. At the very least, his offer broke the silence. Vera stood to help him and dismissed Shiloh to his room to complete his homework. Suddenly feeling the need to test the waters, Jeremy started on a new topic as he picked up two of the plates from the table.
“So, what’s the story with you and Shiloh? And Amanitas? Were you married?”
“That’s an awfully personal question,” Vera replied with a smirk. She looked exhausted, but appeared to be in a better mood now. Much to Jeremy’s surprise, she proceeded to answer. “I was never married. And I didn’t conceive Shiloh; he was adopted. Amanitas ended up with another…family,” she paused on that word, as if she was using the term loosely. “…but the two have always been in close contact.” The doctor rolled her shoulders before continuing to run the food-specked dishes under the stream of water. “It was kind of a sudden decision, but I felt like I needed to do it. I needed the company and there’s no shortage of homeless kids ever since Roe v. Wade was overturned. I officially gained custody five years ago, but I’ve known him since he was a baby. He really is a charming boy. I’m sort of glad I broke from the norm… You rarely hear of single women adopting, so it felt good to be that one who didn’t need a husband, you know? It’s nice, just the two of us.”
The story suited the small family; Jeremy had no trouble picturing it. “What did you do before you opened the clinic?”
Startlingly, Vera cringed as if she were both expecting the question and hoping that it wouldn’t come up. Jeremy threw his pruning hands up, shaking his head. “Should I not have asked? I’m sorry.”
“No, no. I just have a kink in my neck.” She rubbed the back of it with her hand, and tried to replicate the facial expression. “I finished med school just about a year before I came down here with Shiloh and opened up the clinic. I worked odd jobs in different hospitals to pay for it, but truth be told I’m still in debt.” She laughed softly. “But I don’t mind. I feel better doing this than being one of those hot-shots who make six figures, you know? I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I made it just about the money. I figured opening a low-income clinic would be the only way I’d be certain I was helping people for the sake of helping people. I guess it’s costly, but we’re getting by. I make sure Shiloh has everything he needs first and foremost.”
“He really is a great kid.”
“He likes you a lot, you know. He’s spent the past week blabbering on about how he has a new best friend and how he’s the coolest guy ever. I mean, I guess I’d feel that way if someone punched the lights out of my bully.” She laughed as Jeremy groaned.
“I really didn’t mean for it to happen that way. Honest. He just wouldn’t let up. Why don’t you let Shiloh hit back, anyway? He said that there’s no circumstance where it’s acceptable. Is that really true? Did you tell him that?”
Vera selected the appropriate cleaning cycle on the dishwasher before turning her back to it and leaning up against it, folding her arms across her chest. “Yeah, what’s it to you? If I tell him to stick up for himself with his fists he’s going to turn into grow into one of those overaggressive macho men who can’t get a single point across with words. If he learns to use his words effectively, he’s going to become an effective adult. Simple as that. If that means that he gets a few black eyes, so be it. There’s no shame in that.”
“I guess I can see the values that’d come from that… But it still bothers me. Shiloh’s a strong kid, physically. He shouldn’t have to deal with people picking on him just ‘cause he’s a little short and looks like he could be an easy victim. Remember how I told you he helped with my groceries? He insisted on carrying all of them, and did it without any effort. The way I see it…one good hit on that big kid’s face and no one’s ever gonna mess with him again. Then he can start using his words.”
“I appreciate the advice, but I can raise my kid without it. We need to change our thinking if Shiloh’s generation is going to be any smarter about things than this one.”
Jeremy shrugged. “How about Amanitas? Is he a good influence?”
“Jeremy, I think it’s best that you don’t talk to Amanitas. At all.”
“Why?”
“I don’t want you getting mixed up with him. I know he’s only a teenager, but he terrifies me. He’s fallen in with the wrong crowd, and…well, he’s not doing too well. I can’t do much about Shiloh wanting to see him, but it’d be a real bad thing if you got on his bad side.”
Jeremy didn’t really have anything to say in response, and by that time the dishwasher beeped, indicating that it had finished. He shooed Vera out of the way as he stooped to unload it, knowing that she was tired enough.
“It’s going to take a little more than that to get me to like you.”
“Well, I’m already here, aren’t I? I had to have made some progress.”
“I don’t forgive you for what you did the other day, but…I guess you’re just too dumb to know any better. Can’t blame you if you’re not the real problem, can I?”
“About that…”
“No, Jeremy, let’s just not talk about that. I’d rather not pick that argument up where it left off. Not tonight…”
“Alright. I am sorry, though.”
“You’re sorry but that doesn’t change what happened. Everything under this roof is earned—including forgiveness. You want it, you gotta work for it.”
“Fair enough. I hopefully won’t be in your hair for too long. I just need a place to stay while I figure out how I’m going to get out of here for good. It’s not something you can exactly decide overnight. And Vera?”
“Yeah?” “If that hitman follows me or comes around… If he comes to you, just turn me in. Okay?”
Vera laughed, trying to dismiss the situation like it would never happen. Jeremy knew that it could, however,
“Good night, Jeremy.”
She disappeared into her son’s room to check on the status of his homework, and Jeremy took that as his cue to return to his own. A few minutes later, Vera peeked her head into his room.
“Just…another thought. I want you to come to the clinic with me tomorrow morning. Not going to make you work, but I want to check something.”
Jeremy eyed her with suspicion.
“I mean straight to the clinic. No stops.”
“What’s this all about?”
Vera shook her head and bid him a quiet good night, closing the door behind her.
--
Jeremy accompanied Vera to the clinic the next morning as promised, although he grumbled the whole way. He had a killer headache, but he chocked that up to a lack of sleep and his agitation from this whole fiasco. They spoke very little, and when they arrived Vera murmured something to Gene in private and then led Jeremy to an empty part of the lobby waiting area.
“Wait here. I have to see some patients.”
“Why am I waiting here, again?”
“I just want to check you out. See if you’re healthy. Can’t have Shiloh getting sick. Here’s a bottle of water, and there are some magazines on the coffee table.”
“There’s more to this, isn’t there?”
Vera smiled and shook her head, much like she had the previous night, and disappeared behind the desk and into one of the examination rooms. A patient was called in by the receptionist shortly after.
By the time the first hour rolled by, Jeremy had blown through a magazine cover to cover and now his eyes had trouble focusing. No matter which position on the chair he took, he couldn’t seem to get comfortable. It wasn’t necessarily an uncomfortable chair, but he was aching from it, and no stretching could alleviate it. By this point, some of the patients in the lobby had taken notice. He didn’t want to draw so much attention to himself, but he was feeling so miserable. The next time Gene appeared, he asked for another bottle of water.
By the passing of the third hour (and still no sign of Vera), Jeremy noticed his hands trembling. Why was he even waiting this long? If she wanted to have a look at him, she could have done it at home. There were so many other things he could have been doing—like going to work. He laughed aloud at that thought. No, he just wanted to be away from here. Back with his friends, living it up. Ever since his father died, Jeremy had discovered this unbelievable freedom. No accountability—Fox certainly wasn’t the boss of him—and no obligations. His parties probably ran on the excessive side, but it wasn’t like he was wanting for money. As long as no one else was getting hurt, he never saw a problem in it.
Yeah, a drink with his friends sounded really good right now. A drink, and then… Jeremy squeezed his eyes shut. He knew what he was craving. And the more he thought about it, he realized that this was what this sit-in was all about. It hadn’t been all that long, though. Not even a day. Why was he freaking out like this?
This probably meant that Vera wanted him to be stone-cold sober while he lived with her. This was definitely a statement. Would he be able to manage? Probably not. He felt like he was going to throw up. Maybe this whole arrangement wasn’t worth it. He’d probably be better off renting another place. Maybe hiding with some friends. Friends with hook-ups. That sounded so much more appealing. This idea was half-baked to begin with.
As Jeremy stood up to leave, Vera opened the door to the examination room, dismissing a patient. Without any sense of urgency, she called his name next. He chomped down on his lower lip.
“Wanna come back here with me?”
Jeremy resisted the urge to shake his head. Maybe he could explain things calmly when they were in private. He just really needed to leave.
The moment he stepped into the examination room, Jeremy grabbed the small waste basket and disposed of last night’s dinner. Vera watched from a distance, her arms folded like this was the most casual meeting in the world. Jeremy looked up at her wide-eyed, like a cornered animal about to be kicked.
“I’m afraid there’s no easy way to do this.”
“Do what?”
“I think you have an idea right about now.”
Jeremy dry-heaved again.
“Take your time.”
It took him a few moments to compose himself, but when he did, he sat up on the examination table and swung his legs back and forth like a small child. He just couldn’t sit still.
“Jeremy, you need to get this out of your system. It might take a few days, but I know you can do this.”
“But why?” His voice was now hoarse, and with the added element of desperation, he fit the profile of the common addict.
“Besides the obvious?” Vera laughed. “I can’t have you doing any of this stuff while you’re living with me. I can’t turn a blind eye to it while my son’s in the house. I am taking a huge risk, letting you in like this. The only thing keeping me from getting a restraining order is the fact that we need you to keep the clinic afloat. Not only do you have a man after your life, but you have the potential to screw up Shiloh’s.”
“I don’t know what—“
“What if he found something? Got curious? Got ideas? He looks up to you—more than you probably think. What if he catches you doing something really bad? What’s he going to think?”
“I don’t know if I can…”
“Look, it’s going to be rough. I know. The doctor part of me really wants to see you through this. If you keep on this trajectory you’re going to die in a matter of years.”
Jeremy went quiet. He hadn’t thought about death so much, not before this whole hitman ordeal. Now that he thought about it, Fox didn’t really need to pay someone like that.
“The weekend’s coming up. I’m going to be busy, but I’m going to have Shiloh keep an eye on you. You aren’t to leave the house for any reason. Any slip-ups and you get the boot. Okay?”
Jeremy slowly nodded. He didn’t feel any better that day.
--
He began his weekend under house arrest—as he called it—after a nearly sleepless night. He was too agitated to lie still, despite the fact that he was aching to the very bone and his entire body cried out for rest. The other two in the house soundly, judging by the silence. Jeremy was tempted beyond any sane logic to sneak out, but part of him at this point wanted to prove to himself that he didn’t have a problem. The denial was classic—clichéd, even—but he was convinced that he’d never really gone overboard. Everyone got together with friends, everyone let loose every once in a while. It was a part of being young. Jeremy was under a lot of stress on a regular basis, and Fox didn’t make things any easier. He needed to unwind every once in a while. Everyone did.
It was well into the wee hours that Jeremy decided to try and stop forcing rest. He turned on the light and took a moment to take in his surroundings, which he hadn’t really bothered to look at before. It certainly was…a peculiar room to house guests in. There were no pictures or decorations on the wall; it was literally plastered from wall to wall with newspapers. Real ones; the kind that hadn’t been around for decades.
From an artistic standpoint, Jeremy supposed that it could have been a decent choice of décor, but in reality it just looked odd. Eccentric. He stood to get a better look at some of them, wondering what the date was. They were all pretty recent.
The byline before each of the articles he could make out was what really struck him. Jonah Malone had been dead for almost ten years now. Vera was hoarding copies of the last running newspaper before their extinction, started and run by Jeremy’s grandfather. She’d come off as a little eccentric, but not this outright strange. Everyone had a hobby, he supposed, but this was borderline obsessive. In any case, the reading material helped calm him down.
--
“We should play a board game.”
Shiloh peered down at where Jeremy had stationed himself on the couch. He was staring up at the ceiling, his eyes half-lidded, almost entirely convinced that he had died sometime between nine and eleven that morning.
“No.”
“Cards?”
“No.”
“What’s wrong? Mom says you’re sick.”
“Then I’m sick.”
The boy twisted his mouth, apparently not content with that answer. In any case, he was concerned. He disappeared into the kitchen and quickly returned with a glass of water. Jeremy whined for a moment before accepting it. He wasn’t quite sure what he could keep down at the moment.
“Let’s just watch some TV.”
“We can’t. Only when Mom’s home.”
“Why?”
“She doesn’t like me watching it without her there. Says it’s a lot of ANC garbage. And stuff.”
Jeremy snorted. It was true that the ANC broadcasted most of the programming, but it was public TV. There was only so much their censors could water down. Then again, Jeremy didn’t spend a whole lot of time in that department.
Noon came and went, and Jeremy only grew more restless. He was tired from the previous night, but the agitation which had kept him up then was making him anxious now. Shiloh’s voice was like nails on a chalk board, and he just wouldn’t go away. Jeremy liked talking to him back when they only met in passing, but now… Now it was like he had a kid of his own. Let’s play this. Let’s do that. Vera was a sick and twisted woman—of that much Jeremy was certain. At this point even Fox seemed more benevolent.
“I’m dying, Shiloh.”
“You don’t look like you’re dying.”
“I want to die.”
Shiloh eventually grew tired of Jeremy’s whining (after remaining vigilant by his side for hours, to his credit), and secluded himself in his room until his mother came home. Several times Jeremy had his hand on the front door, ready to leave, but he had to prove Vera wrong. He didn’t have a problem. He led a very casual social life, and happened to know how to have a good time. All of this was just a minor incident, something caused by the stress of the hitman and the sudden change of his environment. As soon as he got his wits about him, he’d be fine. That was what this new living arrangement was all about.
“I have a problem,” was the first thing Jeremy blurted to Vera when she finally came home. She gave him her best sympathetic look and then told him to help her put away the groceries.