The Peach Pits

Chapter 12

 Mae rolled out of Jesse's bed. She couldn't erase the smile on her face from the night before. After she and Jesse counted the money and split it in half, she'd gotten nearly a thousand dollars from their little heist. Jesse was nowhere to be found but she could smell food cooking. She wandered into the kitchen.

"Don't tell me you're a chef," Mae called. "What, did you steal some food from the store too?"

Mae looked up. The boy standing in front of the stove definitely wasn't Jesse. He turned around. He had to be Jesse's brother. They looked just alike, except his eyes were blue and he looked leagues nicer than Jesse. He smiled at her.

"Too?" he asked. "What's my brother gotten you into now?"

Mae heard Jesse stand up in the living room. He came into the kitchen. "Like you give a shit," he muttered, punching his brother's shoulder. He turned to Mae. "Don't let him fool you."

Mae didn't know how to answer. She sat at the kitchen table. Now, she felt a little exposed in her tanktop and shorts. She hadn't expected Jesse's brother to be home. Then again, he lived here. She was the guest.

"Grab some plates," Gabe ordered Jesse. He reached into the cabinet and took out three plates. They had an idle conversation about someone who Mae figured was Gabe's girlfriend or something.

Jesse brought her a plate of pancakes and eggs. "You like orange juice?" he asked. Mae nodded. For a million dollars, she couldn't remember the last time someone made her breakfast. Trina wasn't a bad cook, but she also normally wasn't an early riser either. Her idea of a good breakfast was normally toast or cereal.

"Thanks," Mae said to both boys as they joined her at the table.

"No problem," Gabe said calmly. "So, you wanna explain what you and my brother did last night?"

Mae looked to Jesse. Her stomach dropped. "Just a little hit," Jesse said, cutting into his pancakes. "Nothing crazy. I see you're home, though." His tone was accusing.

"I am."

"And?" Jesse asked impatiently.

Gabe looked to Mae and then shook his head. "We can talk later." Mae felt like she was intruding, even though she had a feeling she might not want to hear the conversation anyway.

"He sells drugs... among other stuff," Jesse said bluntly. "Mae knows now. So spill the beans."

Gabe looked at Jesse like he could stab him. With that evil look on his face, Mae saw the family resemblance. She couldn't get it out of her head that she was eating breakfast with two criminals. Now she was part of the club too, she realized.

"Are you from around here Mae?" Gabe questioned. His expression was back to normal.

"Lived here my whole life."

"She's going to college in the fall," Jesse said, as if it was his good news to share.

Gabe raised his eyebrows. "So you're smart?"

"I guess so..."

"Then for the life of me I can't understand why you'd wanna get caught up with Jesse."

Mae sipped her juice. "He's been really nice to me," Mae said firmly.

Gabe looked at Jesse like he was disappointed in him. "Something wrong with that?" Jesse questioned.

Gabe shook his head. "Course not. Just... Jesse has a reputation of not keeping his word." Mae felt the words were directed more at Jesse than at her.