I have no one to blame but myself.
I spent the rest of the day shutting the world out and sleeping off everything that happened in the last seventy-twohours. I let myself cry it out. I broke a few things. Cussed a lot. Watched fucking Maury Povich for God onlyknowswhy…
Tomorrow is a different day.
Tomorrow is a great day to be a bad bitch.
I just have to get through this one first.
CHAPTER 28
The Mortician
TWO MONTHS LATER…
“Dammit, Greg!”
I spun sharp, ready to bite his head off for pausing my music while trying not to jerk Mr. Wexler’s artery out, and could just make out a set of chestnut brown pigtails on the other side of the room.
“Em? What are you doing down here, Bug? You know you’re not allowed in the basement.” I scrambled to clamp the vein and cover the body before her short little legs could get her over here.
“How do ya even know what they’re sayin’? It sounds like he stubbed his big toe.” I giggled under my breath, fixing the sheet and making sure she couldn’t see anything from her point of view.
“Sometimes it’s not about what they’re saying. Sometimes it’s about what they’refeeling.” I turned around and picked her up, lest she get any brilliant ideas to sneak peeks, and sat her on the metal table with too much memory on it.
“So…is that why you’re not sayin’ much anymore, Auntie Sev? Are you sad?”
Well, fuck…
“Why do you think I’m sad, Bug?”
She stared up at me, way too smart for her own damn good, and I immediately registered that I’m not doing a very good job at hiding what I haven’t been able to forget about. “You never stay for dinner anymore. Mema says you’re…durcressed.”
“Mema needs to stop talking so loud. Andyouneed to stop eavesdropping. Grown up talks are for grown-ups.” I narrowed my eyes, smirking slowly and she cracked a little devious smile. “But, since I know you’re gonna do it anyway, whatelseare they saying about me?”
“Daddy told Mommy you need to get…um…I don’t really know what it means…”
“You know what? Nevermind. Start walking around with earmuffs.”I’m gonna kill him.I reached my arms around my bestie and squeezed, kissing the top of her head. “I’m okay, Em. I’m sorry. I’ll hang around more. Hey, how are things with what’s her face? Don’t you have a competition coming up?”
“Yeah, Logan’s my friend now. And her mom always brings cupcakes to the gym. She didn’t do that before. Are you sure you didn’t hit her?”
I winked. “Sounds like I hit her a different way. But I’m not opposed to going back to finish the job if they act out. You hear me?”
“Emmaline! You better not be down these stairs!”Greg’s stupid voice echoed through the basement, and I made a face at Em, wrapping my white lab coat around her. He clunked downstairs and stopped at the bottom, looking first at the covered body, and then at me as I smiled innocently. “Did a three-foot monster happen to get lost on her way to the car? You seen her anywhere?”
“Nope,” I said, popping the P. “No monsters down here.” Greg smiled, looking at Emmy’s legs dangling under the hem of my jacket. “Just a princess that’ll never have boobies ‘cause she doesn’t eat her green beans.”
“Heeeyyyy!”She pinched my rib, and I caved, Greg laughing as he came over to grab her. “Viv doesn’t eat hers either! And maybe I don’t wantboobies!”
“You’re not gonna have boobies.Ever.” He wagged a finger at me and lifted Em off the table, playfully popping her behind and pointing her towards the stairs. “Mommy’s waitin’ on you. Get!”
“Love you!”
We both answered and the upper door slammed shut. We were quiet until we stopped hearing her little feet cross the ceiling. Greg looked over at me and I crossed my arms. “Alright. Time for an intervention. I’ve been nice, but you’re talkin’. I’ll stay down here all day if I have to.”
“Lemme just start these mouth sutures. Or the eye caps again, you love those.”
“Don’t do that. Talk to me. What’s going on with you?” He hopped up onto his spot on the table and I pinned him with a look.
