Page 30 of The Runaway

“I feelweird…”Yeah, no shit.Smiling wryly, I didn’t reply to her slur as I led her through the back hallway to the small yard. My sister was already back there, lounging, a cigarette hanging from her lips. “I didn’t think… this happened.”

“You took, like, 2,000 milligrams of Advil at once, Joci. I’m surprised you’re still standing.” Emily glanced up from her phone at my grumble, and I sat Joci in the chair next to her to run my hand through my hair. She slumped a little but managed, somehow, while I pulled a fresh pack from my pocket. “You’re probably high as fuck right now.”

“Why so many? I get wanting to ease the stress of meeting the family, but there’s better ways than Advil?” My sister cast me a curious look, sucking on the butt of her cigarette to hold her breath.

“She hurt her shoulder last night, but she still wanted to show up. I tried to get her to go to the hospital, but…” Sticking both sticks between my lips, I lit them both before passing one to Joci and shrugging. “I’m taking her after. That’s as good as I could get.”

“Right… You know, Jacob, you can just say you screwed around too rough.” I scowled lightly, but Emily was tipsy and not really invested too much in the conversation. “That’s why Mom and Dad helped you leave the house. You made it uncomfortable for everyone. I’m shocked Caleb’s not leaving on his own… maybe not so much, actually.”

“We didn’t screw around too bad, Em. She legitimately hurt her shoulder. She’s got metal pins, and she reached too far up.” She waved me off in disinterest, and I inhaled a deep, toxic breath and rocked back on my heels. The clouds hung heavy and dark in the air, the smell of snow tantalizing my nose before being swept away by my exhale. “Anyway, I’m not planning on staying forever.”

“I didn’t expect you to. I wouldn’t, either, but I live here, so… Like, no offence or anything, Jacob— but I’m so tired of listening to Mom talk about you and Caleb’s drama like it’s the end of the world. Caleb’s a spoiled brat. You shouldn’t have let him live with you in the first place, but you did, so you shouldn’t have given him so many chances. Aunt Jess isfuckedup because she sure as Hell doesn’t want Caleb back. It’s just a reminder of how much of a failure of a mom she is that he can’t be independent or do anything to improve himself.”She’s kinda bitter today, ain’t she?Arching a brow quizzically, I frowned under furrowed brows. Emily wasn’t the kind to swear, let alone call someone else a failure so blatantly. Flopping her head back, she stared into space with an alcoholic blush staining her thin cheeks. “I don’t know. He asked me if I’d let him use the guest room. He’d pay me, not be a bother…blah…blah…blah.”

“Is everything okay, Em?” Her baby blues met mine briefly before she nodded, closing her eyes to take a deep drag of her smoke. She flicked her wrist dismissively, her lean nose scrunching up at my probing.

“I’m fine. I’m going to quit being a lawyer. That’s all. It’s bumming me out a little because Mom doesn’t support ripples, and quitting is definitely a ripple. She’s all about my life falling apart and all that, but I’m burnt out. I’m 30. I’ve been a lawyer for 10 years. It’s time to find something else.”

“Ah…” Honestly, Emily had mentioned quitting at her firm, but I didn’t put any stock into it. To know she was actually going to quit was good for her, of course, and I glanced over at Joci briefly. She gingerly sat back, wincing when she rested on the chair back, but she was quick to hide it behind a puff of smoke. “Do you know what you’re gonna do next?”

“I already have another job. I’m going to this agency— Brass Herring Solutions. They’re based in California. I start in February. Basically, they’re like a higher end staffing agency for people like you— people with degrees and experience that just can’t seem to find jobs where they’re at.” My brows rose in surprise, and Emily cocked a smirk as she reached down to produce a dark green beer bottle. She was pretty, showing her age but well, but by looking, no one would ever guess she was a beer girl. “It’s the farthest thing from law that I could find… and the farthest thing from New York City that was willing to transplant me. I’msotired of living with Mom and Dad. Like— I love them, but Jesus Christ do they suck to live with.”

“You’ve wanted to live in Cali since we went there on Spring Break in high school. It’s great that you actually get to go.” I really didn’t know what else to say; my sister was an adult and could do whatever she wanted. If she hated New York City, she should leave. If she hated her job, she should quit. The only one that would protest is our mom, and that didn’t carry much weight. “Mom’s just gonna have to suck it up.”

“What about you? Mom said you paid $30,000 dollars for your girlfriend, and that she’s slow and doesn’t know what peanut butter is.” Joci snorted a laugh before I could scoff in disgust— did my mom honestly tell everyone different amounts? What did that achieve when everyone in the family could just cross-reference? That brief moment when she was believed before being figured out? Was there even a point to such a lie? “She’s just getting worse now that she’s not hyper-involved in all her kids lives. Ever since Roerich told her off for trying to pick up Paul from school and pitching a fit when she wasn’t on the list, she’s gotten real bad.”

“Peanut butter isn’t a real popular thing in Russia, apparently. And no— I said I paid $15grand for her, but she’s moving here on business. We met at the bar by my place her first night here. Mom brought Auntie Jess over to argue with me, and when she started losing, she shifted focus to Joci to try to cover it up.” Even now, it boiled my blood as that scenario flashed in my mind’s eye, and I shook my head. “She just has nothing to do now that she’s got no kids, Em. She’s so bored she wants to meddle.”

“You guys are great.” Slurring heavily, Joci smiled sweetly as I trained my gaze on her. “I got my mom and dad killed. That’s not okay. You’re good.”

“I’m sure your parents would be proud of you moving to America if they were alive, Joci.” My sister shot me a confused look out of the corner of my eye, but I ignored her when Joci sniffed a little. “You okay?”

“… No…” Glazed, brown eyes met mine from under her heavy lids, and I paused lifting my cigarette to my lips. She tinged green, lips trembling as a white ring formed around them. “I’m g-gonn—”

“Oh, shit! Hey— hey, hey, hey—” Joci flopped to the side as I dropped my cigarette, and I gathered up her hair away from her face. She hadn’t drunk more than a few sips, and hadn’t eaten anything at all, but what spewed onto the concrete slab was still pretty impressive. Busted capsules bounced between my shoes, and I pursed my lips and held my breath. “It’s okay— you’re alright. It’s just all the Advil.”

At least no one’s around to see it, or she’d die of embarrassment.

31

Jacob

“Trust me, okay. You’re not going to be the only person that pukes tonight.” I touched Joci’s arm to point at my sister-in-law as she hastily sipped her third or fourth Twisted Tea of the afternoon. “Sandra usually heads into the bathroom about two hours in. She’ll slip upstairs for 20 minutes, come back down— do it again until Roerich hauls her drunk ass to the car and leaves.”

“I do trust you, Jacob. I don’t want to look bad.” She wasn’t slurring anymore, and her eyes didn’t droop anymore. That was good. At least, now, I could breathe alright and not worry about her falling over or puking again. Joci had swallowed so many gels that at least one didn’t burst. “Your family is nice. Your sister— she’s good.”

“She’s an alcoholic. Being a lawyer is very stressful. I’m not surprised she’s quitting; I’m just surprised it took so long. Emily never wanted to be a lawyer. What about you? What did you think you’d be doing for a living by 27?” Leaning against my side, she sighed a soft, wistful sigh, and I rubbed her lower back firmly. “There had to be something, even in Russia.”

“Russia sucks. You’re born high, or you’re born a pig waiting to be hung up on a hook.” I was under the impression that Russia reallysuckedfor everyone without a certain last name. “When I was little… I wanted to be a singer. I was good… until Anatoly ruined my voice. No one likes a singer that can’t sing.”

“I wouldloveif you sang for me, Joci.” My fingers crept down, and she smirked at me in that little, sexy way she did. “We’re going to leave after we eat. Should be any minute, now. My mom has been cooking all day— it’s gonna be good. How much experience do you have with American food?”

“Not much… I’m not eating too good. I stay in the hotel, or I’m with you, and… I don’t— I don’t eat at the hotel. My boss buys food, but it always is gross.” My brows rose, concern swarming my mouth at Joci’s confession, and I reached to pull her hair back before she could hide behind it. “You’re upset— I knew you would be. I never think about it. Being…hungry…”

“I take it you have some experience with going a few days between meals.” I couldn’t believe that fucking sentence came out of my mouth, and Joci’s smile faltered. “Really, Joci… It’s in the past, alright? You’re gonna do great here. We’ll be just fine.”

“You’re so happy all the time. I’m long enough here to touch it.” Cupping her hands together, Joci steepled her fingers together. Reaching to cover her hands in mine, I held her fingertips to my lips to taste her. Even if she wasn’t sick as shit, she didn’t taste of sweat or tremble. “Sometimes… there’s so tiny chances, but this isn’t tiny.”

“I wouldn’t saytiny, no.” Our banter came to an end when my mom called out that it was time to sit, and I took her hand to guide her to the kitchen. The congestion of people seating themselves was worse than 5pm traffic, and I glanced over the heads of everyone through narrowed eyes. All the kids sat at a folding table pushed up against the wall, and the adults were at the dining table.