But they didn’t notice. They weren’t looking for a kidnapping victim. They were looking for drugs or some other type of connection to Grizz’s illicit dealings. I wasn’t even on their radar.
The next morning Blue told me he would take me back to the motel before he went to work. It was clear. The police were gone.
Jan made a counter offer. “You know, Kit, you’re welcome to spend the day with us. I mean, Blue has to work, but the boys and I are home by ourselves. We could hang out and lay by the pool while Timmy and Kevin play. Just have some girlfriend time, if you want.”
I looked over at Blue to get his approval. Before he could say a word, Timmy started jumping up and down and yelling, “Kit! Kit can stay with us. Kit can swim in the pool and be here and be friends with mommy!”
Timmy looked like a miniature version of Blue. I glanced at the youngest, Kevin. I imagined this was how Grunt looked at his age. I could definitely see a family resemblance.
I smiled down at them. Grunt never told me he had two adorable nephews. As an only child myself, I was anxious to accept Jan’s offer. But it would be up to Blue.
Blue seemed hesitant at first, but then said, “Sure. I can bring you back tonight or send someone to get you. Just don’t leave the house, okay? We’ve had enough drama.”
He kissed Jan on the lips, then bent down and kissed each child on the head. He then ruffled their hair and went out the door. I didn’t hear the motorcycle start, and I walked over to the front window.
“Surprised, aren’t you?” Jan asked. She must have been reading my mind. “It’s not all about the gang, you know. A lot of them have families, like Blue. It’s not always about the motorcycles, either.”
She nodded at something out the window, and I noticed Blue driving away in a small gold pickup truck. I hadn’t noticed it when we pulled in yesterday.
She smiled at me then and said, “Want to help me get these monsters fed? I have a couple of things to do around the house, and then we can spend the rest of the day out back by the pool.”
I was only too eager to help, and before I knew it, we had fed the boys and cleaned up the kitchen. She told me to watch TV or relax while she did some chores. She took the children in the family room and went to a closet.
“Okay, boys, special toy time,” she said as she pulled what looked like a large laundry bag out of the closet. She proceeded to dump a huge pile of blocks on the floor. Timmy and Kevin were excited. They obviously loved playing with these blocks, and they jumped up and down and clapped. Jan smiled at me. “It’s amazing how just keeping back a little something from them makes it more special. They will spend hours stacking these blocks, knocking them down and then starting all over again.”
I decided I really liked Jan. I asked her if I could help do anything. I’d seen enough TV. I wanted to start some girlfriend time. We spent the morning chatting. We alternated between small chores and spending time with the kids. I would fold laundry while she ironed a couple of Blue’s shirts. I swept the kitchen floor while she emptied the dishwasher. I watered her houseplants while she stripped down the boys’ beds. It was an amicable and comfortable morning. She shared some things with me I should have known but never really gave much thought to.
For instance, I hadn’t paid much attention to the comings and goings of the gang. I was under the assumption almost all of them lived at the motel and their job was whatever gang activities they participated in. I was wrong. The only full-time residents of the motel were Grizz, Grunt, Moe and Chowder.
I interrupted her. “What about Willow? The first night I was there she said something to Grizz about waiting for him in their room.” Jan explained that Willow didn’t live at the motel full-time, but had use of the empty rooms whenever she wanted. They all did.
Chowder was a quiet, unassuming part of the gang. I’d not given him much thought. I’m not sure I ever even heard him speak. No, I wasn’t worried about his tongue. I’m pretty sure he was just a quiet guy. He was a master carpenter by trade, and he was the one responsible for remodeling Grizz’s units. He was the motel handyman and maintenance person. He took care of the yard and anything else that needed fixing—clogged toilets, broken windows, fuse boxes. He even made sure the light bulbs were replaced when they blew out. Of course, it was a rundown old motel, and there was only so much fixing he could do. It wasn’t necessary for him to concern himself with things like the playground equipment, the old gas pumps or the empty, cement pool.
Jan couldn’t tell me a whole lot about Moe. I tried to fish around for information on why she lost her tongue. I wasn’t going to outright ask so I tried dropping subtle hints about my curiosity. Either she didn’t take the bait, didn’t know or decided she wouldn’t be the one to tell me. She breezed over Moe and went right to her favorite of the group: her brother-in-law, Grunt.
Jan was really fond of Grunt. She told me how he had always been welcome to live with her and Blue, but had decided not to. He’d been so young when Blue had brought him to the motel. Blue used to live there then. Grunt was only there a year when Blue met Jan and moved out.
“Wasn’t he worried about leaving his little brother with Grizz?”
“No, never,” Jan said, her pretty brown eyes thoughtful. “Grizz was always good and fair to Grunt. I don’t think Grizz has any family, and just like that kitten of yours he rescued, he watched over Grunt when Blue wasn’t around. Yeah, I heard what happened with the kitten,” she said as I gave her a curious look.
She continued, “Grunt has always been an old soul. I think he’d been disillusioned with domestic life from his home experience and then foster care. I really believe he likes being on his own. But he’s always welcome here. I’ve loved him dearly from the beginning.”
From the little I knew about Grunt, I had to agree with her. An old soul? Delia once told me I was an old soul. I’d never heard anyone else ever called that before.
The chores were finally done and the little ones went down easily for their nap. Jan told me they were only thirteen months apart. They sure were cuties. She took me in the master bedroom and opened a dresser drawer and started pulling out bathing suits. “Let’s find you something to wear,” she said. “Pick out anything you like and try it on. I’ve got my favorite drying over the shower rod. I’ll be out in a few.”
She went into the bathroom and shut the door. I looked through the pile of suits and settled on a yellow bikini that tied at the hips. It was adjustable so it should fit. Jan was tall and slender. I was short and slender, but maybe just a little curvier. I put the bathing suit on. I was tying the straps at my left hip when she came out.
Jan stopped and looked at me. “How old are you again?”
“Fifteen, why?” I was starting to feel a little self-conscious.
“You don’t look fifteen.”
I turned and looked at myself in the mirror over their dresser. I could see what she meant. The bikini bottom fit me perfectly. The top; however, was a little too small. I guess I had a bigger chest than she did and my breasts looked like they were struggling to break free of the yellow fabric.
“You look better in that than I do. You can keep it.”
I thanked her as we got some towels and headed for the backyard. We laid in the sun the rest of the afternoon. Jan left the boy’s bedroom window cracked, and when we heard Timmy and Kevin waking from their nap we went in and made them some lunch. Then we changed them into their swimming trunks and brought them out back. They were too small to go in the built-in pool by themselves, so they played in a little blow-up pool in the grass next to the concrete. When Jan and I wanted to cool off, we each took one in the pool with us.
I really enjoyed myself and was sorry when Blue got home. I guess Jan hadn’t realized the time, because she kept apologizing, saying she was sorry she didn’t think to fix me some dinner before I had to go back to the motel. I told her it was no problem. I had plenty to eat back there. She told Blue she would have dinner ready after he got back from returning me to the motel.
I went into the guest room to change. I was packing my bag when Jan knocked lightly and walked in. I smiled at her and told her I thought I’d gotten everything, but if I forgot something, maybe we could spend another day together and I could get it then. I was smiling at her and waiting for her to say something.
But Jan just stood there in her bathing suit, the towel wrapped tightly around her.
“Blue told me he sees Grunt watching you.” An icy look matched the tone in her voice. “You better not be leading him on. If you do anything, I mean anything, to make Grizz think there is anything between you and Grunt, and he hurts Grunt in any way, I will personally see to it that you suffer.”
I was so shocked by her change in personality, I couldn’t even respond.
She continued, “I know what you think. I’ve seen your kind. You think because you’re with that hulking ape you can get away with anything. Well, just know things don’t last. It won’t be long before Blue is running that show and your ass will be grass then. And if you’re even thinking about telling Grizz we had this conversation? Well, let’s just say, Kit”—she practically spat my name—“that accidents happen all the time. You understand? You know now who you’re dealing with?”
Yeah, I knew who I was dealing with. Psycho woman of the century, that’s who.
I’d had enough drama for one month. I picked my bag up and slung it over one shoulder. Then I looked her right in the eyes and with a tone that said she was nothing more than an ant to be stepped on, I said, “Fuck you, Jan.”
I walked past her, and as I headed down the hallway toward the front door I couldn’t resist one last parting shot.
“You know, Jan,” I said in as sweet a voice as I could muster. “If Blue’s late for supper, I’m sure it’s because he’s getting one of those fantastic blow jobs Chicky is famous for.”
And with that, I picked my helmet up off the bench by the front door and walked out.