Cadaverous Love

Chapter Fifty-Four

Dallas

I take a side glance over at Emily, who's slumped dead tired between me and the kid.

What the hell is she thinking? What are we gonna do with this kid? It's not like he'll have any better of a life in Tulsa.

"Is she sleeping?" He asks. I don't look at him or pay any attention to his question. I don't know how to talk to a two feet tall, walking-talking-dirt-ball-smart-ass of a kid. "Or did she die?" I do a quick double take at Emily, when I see her chest rise and fall I turn back to the road.

"No." I say plainly.

"Oh, okay." He looks out of the window, "how old are you?"

I don't respond. I guess it's not that I don't want to talk to him, I just feel like there's a hot piece of coal stuck in my throat.

"How old is she? Is she younger than you or is she old?"

Why is he asking so many questions? He didn't want to even look at me thirty minutes ago--but thirty minutes ago he didn't have Emily separating the two of us. I guess I can't blame him, she feels... I don't know... safe. I sigh, knowing I have to talk to him in order to make this trip bearable.

"I'm eighteen, she's sixteen." I tell him.

"Wow," he breathes out in amazement, "you guys are old." I hold in a laugh. "Do old people have parents?"

"Yeah," I nod. Dumb question.

"Do you have parents?"

"Kind of," I slip up and quickly correct myself, "what's it t'you?"

He gives a one shoulder shrug, "I dunno, how can you kinda have parents?"

I shake my head, "I don't know where one of them is and I'm only half sure the other one is dead."

"Same here," he says, "my daddy died not very long ago. He talked to me once about how mommy left him. I've been looking for new ones ever since. You guys seem okay. You're not very daddy-like though." What the hell is with this kid? I wonder. "Why do you guys yell at eachother?" My face immediately drops.

"I don't know," I say blankly, knowing and not knowing, but really just not wanting to talk anymore. I clench my jaw, I regret my decision of giving him the OK. to talk and ask questions.

He falls silent and looks out of the window. It's a stupid long drive and I don't want to stop; as much as I say I hate Tulsa, I miss it. It's better than New York. I miss my janky old bed at Buck's, and I miss the feeling of the floorboards humming from the loud music under my feet. Man, I need to find a new place to stay.

I dig through my jean jacket pocket, finding a couple of Almond Joys I had been saving for Emily, they're her favorite. I toss one in the kids lap. After he eats it quickly and mumbles a thank you, he falls asleep.

***

"She's still sleeping?" The kid chimes back up as I park down the street from the Curtis's. Still not sure of what I'm going to do.

"Yeah, I know," I half-spit, laying my forehead against the steering wheel. I kill the engine and shut off the headlights.

"It's been like a whole day."

"Can you just shut your mouth for a minute?" I sigh, tired. I become frustrated with my own short temper when I hear the clink of his teeth hitting one another. I lean back in the seat, pinching the bridge of my nose. "What am I going to do? Fuck."

"Fuck," the kid mutters.

"Hey," I say, "don't swear."

"But you just did."