Chapter 10

I worried the whole drive home. I worried the whole time I was home alone. I worried the whole time I stood in front of my closet. What would I wear? I had to wear something nice, but I couldn’t find anything. Terello’s, the place we’d be going to, was a very fancy restaurant in the center of downtown Miami. I’d never actually gone�"never had the opportunity. Many of the richer kids at school would go there before dances or other special events. Being poor I never got the option�"ever.

My closet door was wide open and I stood directly before it drowned in complete confusion. I don’t have much when it comes to dress attire. My mind went to my father. He was business man who always needed to be dressed nicely. Perhaps he would have a suit I could wear?

I made sure my mother or Jerry wasn’t home before I walked into my parent’s room. My father had left a few suits behind in his hasty get away. The one that caught my eye was a stylish silver suit. My fingers ran over the soft material as it hung from the hanger inside the wooden closet. Before my mother could come home I grabbed the suit and ran to my room.

                As I tried it on I realized my father’s shoulders and arms were larger than mine, the pants fit perfectly though. I decided that I would pair the pants with a dark blue dress shirt and a silver tie.

                When I was looking over everything a knock rapped quickly and loudly on my door. My mom came right in without waiting for my answer. My mother’s usually bright blue eyes were bloodshot and her hair was a mess�"this was becoming common. “Why are you all dressed up?” her voice was raspy from drinking and smoking all day. Today was her day off so she must’ve spent the whole day at the bar with Jerry.

“I’m going out tonight.” I didn’t take my eyes off my reflection. My hand grabbed the tie around my throat and I messed with the fabric, making it perfect.

                She coughed loudly and then spoke: “to hell you are. The kitchen is a mess.”

                “Then clean it.” I restarted to tie my tie. I’d never said anything like this to my mother. I had no idea where I was getting this kind of attitude from.

                Her footsteps got closer “you listen carefully boy, when I tell you to do something you do it.” She was standing next to me with her index finger stabbing into my shoulder.

 I finished tying my tie and looked over at her. With all the attitude and strength I could muster I shot my mouth off: “It’s your mess�"you clean it up.” I snapped my head to her.

Her nose flared in anger and I could see the muscles in her neck become tense and strained. “You’ll be sorry you said that.” With the flick of her hair she stomped out of my room. A laugh snorted out of my nose the newfound strength was kind of nice�"short lived, but nice.

A few moments after my mother had left the room I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. The steps sounded loudly until they stopped in front of my door. A hand hit the open door to my room whipping it into my wall and creating a hole where the knob smashed into the plaster behind it. My body leapt back as Jerry walked in. It wasn’t until now that I had realized his alarming size. He stood a good foot taller than me with broad strong shoulders.

He didn’t stop. Like a bulldozer crashing through a building Jerry pushed his way towards me. My mom popped in behind him like she was his little cheerleader, cheering for him to hurt me. His left hand grabbed a hold of my throat and lifted me inches off the floor against the wall. My fingers wrapped around his wrist and pulled with all my force. My neck crushed underneath the weight of his strength. I gasped for air only to be brought piercing pain. Tears swelled from my eyes and I whimpered. A scream of help cried through my head, but knew not even Phoenix could hear me. My feet kicked the wall behind me, trying to find something to hold myself up.

Jerry’s face got really close to mine�"inches. My vision began to tunnel and my body began to give up its fight against this large man. Jerry’s mouth opened spreading the foul stench of alcohol and Cheetos throughout my nostrils. “You’ll soon understand, boy, not to talk to your mother like that.” I coughed for air and continued to try and pull away his hand from my throat. With his shoulder he pushed my Adams apple deep into the back of my throat.

When his hand left my neck I dropped to the ground in a heap of skin and bones. My body slumped onto the floor and I coughed trying to breathe. “Now clean the damn kitchen.”Jerry shouted loudly. He sniffed and turned around to face my mother. His feet began to leave my room. Before he left he stopped in front of my mother: “What’s for dinner, love?” She smiled up at him and he put his arm around her shoulder.

                Both he and my mother left with a slam of my dark door. Plaster from the wall fell loudly to the ground. I listened to their footsteps and my body collapsed as soon as I knew they were gone. What the hell had just happened? My body shook in a pool of sweat on my brown carpeted floor. With a pull from my elbow I loosened my tie and collar that seemed to help with the suffocation. I crawled over to my bed and grabbed the silver phone lying on top of the clue comforter.

                The phone rang once before Phoenix answered. “Hey,” He spoke so cheerfully. Phoenix paused and I could feel the tension in our conversation now. “What’s wrong?” He asked seriously.

                “I can’t go.” My voice cracked with pain. I could hardly get those three words out. The air still couldn’t flow through my crushed esophagus “My mom and her boyfriend don’t want me out.”           

                I knew on the other line he was now reading my mind. I obviously wasn’t telling him the whole truth and he sensed that. “I’ll kill him,” Phoenix hissed over the line.

“No,” I quickly said. “It’s fine. It’s not like something like this hasn’t happened before. We’ll just reschedule that’s all.”

                “Why the hell would you think that it’s fine for him to do that?” He sighed “give me two minutes I’ll change their minds.” 

“Wait.” I called out to him, but it was too late. The line went silent on his end. A smile twitched at my lips. It was nice to have someone so powerful on my side. But I also felt a pierce of fear stab through me. What would Jerry do when Phoenix came for him?

 I rolled my sleeves up over my elbows when I heard a ring at the door. Heat was still pouring from my body. The adrenaline was forcing sweat out of every single pore. Quickly, I went to the top of the stairs to look and see what was going on. Phoenix stood at the front door with his charming smile. He wore straight legged pinstripe dress pants with a dark grey dress shirt. My mother let him step in. Her eyes were open largely and her mouth gaped open. “It’s nice to meet you Ms. Barnes.” How’d he know she was going by her maiden name? Mind reading must be cool. From behind him he pulled out a bouquet of colorful flowers. She gasped and brought her hands to her face. Everyone was a sucker for his charm. “They’re beautiful.” She grabbed them and smelled them. She turned around and yelled. “Jerry, get your a*s out here�"Phoenix Oreson is here.” ‘Nice mom�"very classy’. Jerry practically ran around the corner of the kitchen.

“Phoenix Oreson?” He chimed loudly as he ran around to see Phoenix. Jerry shoved his hand straight out so that he could shake hand with a famous Hero. Phoenix’s eyes snapped on as if a light had gone off in his head. My mother was too occupied with the flowers to notice. Phoenix’s Jaw squared and his eyes narrowed. His hand wrapped tightly around Jerry’s and his other arm went to the back of Jerry’s elbow. Phoenix brought their faces close�"inches. His face went serious and hard. Jerry’s face became white and panicked. Phoenix forcefully pulled away and immediately returned to his charming self. Slowly his eyes dimmed to normal.

A big smile crossed my face as Jerry cowered back and leaned against the kitchen arch with his hands in his pocket. My mom was star struck and ridiculously giddy. “What can we do for you, Mr. Oreson?”

“Oh please call me Phoenix.” She smiled flirtatiously as he spoke. “You see I was planning on taking Collin out tonight, not realizing he had other duties. The thing is it’s sort of a family get together on our one night off. So I came to see if it was at all possible for Collin to go out tonight.” Phoenix was so suave. I wish I could be like that. I couldn’t even tell a lie straight�"I could hardly tell the truth straight.

My mother couldn’t resist him�"who could? “Of course he can.” Her mood had completely shifted from where it was five minutes ago. “Have him back whenever you would like.”

                I took a step down the stairs and Phoenix’s attention turned to me. A large smile spread across his face as he noticed my presence.

                Jerry tightened up and sunk his face into the floor. I found my spot next to Phoenix. My mom smiled at me. “Why didn’t you say you were going out with Phoenix?”

Phoenix’s eyes gazed over at me and a smirk crossed his face “Yeah Collin, Why didn’t you mention me?”

                My eyes narrowed into a glare. “It didn’t come up in conversation. It’s not like I was given a chance to speak anyways.” I tried to sound rude but my voice cracked with pain and my eyes clenched together tightly from the ferocious sting in my throat.

Phoenix’s face completely changed. Anger filled his eyes and again his body tightened up. Jerry’s head had lifted and was watching Phoenix now. “We should get going.” He practically hissed the words from between his teeth.

A warm hand fell on the small of my back. “Sure honey, Have a good time you two.”My mother spoke as if she was the best mother in the world. Her feet floated underneath her and she danced with the flowers. I spun around and faced the door.

Phoenix kissed my mother’s cheek. “I’ll keep him safe.” She smiled and danced her way into the kitchen with her flowers. Phoenix walked up behind me and pulled the door open. Quickly I stepped out into the yellow stained hall. The old floor boards creaked beneath my feet, showing the sign of aging. The setting sun filled the hallway to the glass door. It was time to start my date with Phoenix Oreson.