Portia spent the last Saturday morning of June attempting to move the hummingbirds across town to her new place. She started by transplanting some of the bee balm from her flower garden. She carefully uprooted three flowers and placed them in a shallow cake pan.
She took them, by bus, back to the apartment. When she arrived, Alex was in the shower. She planted the flowers just outside her bedroom window and went to her room to check the view. She passed Alex in the hallway.
“What are you doing up so early today?” she asked.
“I’m going to Carlisle Barracks,” he replied blankly.
“What?”
“Ace asked me to make a run for him.”
“Alex, please tell me you’re kidding. You’re just beginning to get your feet beneath you again.”
“I know, but it’s extra money and I can’t break a promise to Ace. He’s the one who got me the warehouse job.”
“I bet he’d understand if you didn’t go.”
I don’t know if he would and I don’t want to find out. Besides, I really need the money.”
“I told you I can help you with rent.”
“It’s not about rent.”
“Then what is it?”
“Ramona’s car is broken down.”
“Why can’t she fix it herself?”
“She doesn’t have the money and I feel responsible.”
“Ramona’s a deadbeat.”
“She’s still Penny’s mom.”
“I know but…”
“Portia, you can’t possibly understand what it’s like to be a parent until you have this baby of your own. Everything changes.”
“Then why would you do this?”
“I owe this to Ace.”
“Just talk to him,” urged Portia.
“I’ll see what I can do.”
Alex went to his room while Portia tended to her new garden. She knew it was no use arguing about it. Alex was set in his ways and there was no changing that.
He packed a duffel bag with extra clothes and basic supplies: a flashlight and some batteries, a first aid kit, and jumper cables. He also took his toolbox. As an afterthought, he added a butterfly knife and a small 9 mm pistol. When he finished packing, he secured Penny in the passenger’s seat and took her to his parent’s house. After he left Penny with his mom, he headed over to Ace’s.
It was George, not Ace, who answered the door at Ace’s apartment. George handed Alex a shoebox.
“What’s this?”
“Some acid sheets and an eight-ball.”
“That’s it?”
“Yeah, that’s it.”
Alex returned to his car with the package. He figured the less he knew, the better. He dumped the box in the passenger’s seat and headed to the Army base.
After Portia successfully transplanted all of her bee balm, she returned home one last time. She immediately headed to her bedroom and proceeded to remove the bird feeder from its hook. A collection of birds was gathered around her window.
"Shoo, birds, shoo!"
They flitted back and forth, finally settling at the feeder. They were like bees on a summer day, bound and determined to get the best spot near a pitcher of fresh lemonade.
"Alright, you win," announced Portia, "I'll just have to buy another feeder for my new birds."
The old birds weren’t worried about the new birds. They were happy as long as Portia left the feeder behind.
"What are you doing in my room?" said a voice. It was Phoebe. She stood in the doorway behind Portia, her hands propped on her hips.
"I was trying to get my feeder, but there are too many birds."
"I know, they keep me awake every morning."
"You don’t like it?"
"Not at all."
“I guess I have to leave them here.”
Phoebe shrugged.
As Portia stood at the window, Phoebe went about her business, plucking a ratty pair of jean shorts and a dirty t-shirt off the floor. She pulled a wad of dollar bills from her pocket and stuffed it into her jewelry drawer.
The drawer had become filled with odd trinkets since Portia moved out: small diamond rings, tennis bracelets, and gold necklaces. Portia opened one of the drawers. Phoebe quickly shut it again.
"Keep your paws off my stuff."
"Is this all from Teddy?"
"Of course not. It's from some of the old businessmen who visit the club. A few of them have proposed to me right in the middle of the club while I’m shaking my ass in their face. Can you believe it? I'll probably take it all to a pawn shop."
"Some of these are pretty nice."
"Don't get any ideas," spat Phoebe, "I've got it all inventoried in my head. "
"I don't want any of it."
"Good," said Phoebe, "Just keep it that way."
Phoebe tucked her tube-dress, thong, and spiked heels into her duffel bag. Without saying another word, she was gone. Portia closed the bedroom window and left her old birds alone. She went to work, where Bill was tending to the shop.
“Good afternoon,” he said, “how are you today?”
“Not so good.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Just my brother and sister – they keep making bad decisions with their lives.”
“You can never fix your family,” chuckled Bill, “My wife has been trying for years, but it’s no use. I will always be me.”
“That’s so true,” said Portia.
She turned towards work to get her mind away from Alex and Phoebe.
The foot traffic through the store was heavy enough to do just that. She also thought about the new birds. She set aside a hummingbird feeder and bag of regular bird feed to purchase at the end of the day.
It was just before nine o’clock when an unexpected (and unwelcome) visitor came to the store. He came up and stood beside her as she organized the pet food aisle.
“Hey, Portia.”
“Hey Darren. I’m not supposed to have visitors at work.”
“I need to talk to you for a second.”
“Can’t it wait?”
“It’s about Alex.”
Portia tossed the bag of dog food onto the shelf and glanced up at Darren.
“He’s at Ace’s and he’s messed up.”
“What happened?”
“I’m not sure. He told me not to tell you anything.”
Portia went to Bill and explained her situation. Bill let her leave early since the store was about to close anyway. Darren offered to take her and she had no option but to say yes.
Being a Saturday night in the middle of summer, everyone was gathered at Aces, inside and out. Darren led Portia to the apartment. She heard the whispers of gossip from people as she and Darren cut through the crowd. She ignored them, intent on finding her brother.
“Hey, aren’t you Alex’s little sister?” asked George, who was standing just outside the doorway.
Portia nodded.
“He’s in the back with Ace.”
Portia cut through the living room, pushing people out of her way as she went. A few pushed back and Portia just ignored them. Alex sat on Ace’s bed, his shirt off. His chest was wrapped with elastic bandages and surgical tape.
“Alex! Are you alright?”
“Yeah,” he reassured, grimacing as he stood up.
“You’re not alright. What happened to you?”
“I got into a fight with a pair of guys at one of those roadside rest areas.”
“What caused that?”
“Just before I got to Carlisle Barracks, I pulled into a rest area. Everything seemed normal when I went to the restroom, but when I came out, I saw two guys in uniform hanging out around my car. I went out and confronted them. They said they weren’t doing anything, but I noticed the shoebox was missing. One was standing on the sidewalk, smoking and watching the restroom. The other was standing next to my car. I went to open my door and one guy stood in my way. I pushed him and he shoved me to the ground. The next thing I knew was they both jumped me.”
“And nobody did anything?” asked Portia.
“People don’t care,” said Alex, “even if the car alarm was going off and I was shouting for help, people would just mind their own business.”
“Oh come on,” she replied.
“Look at this.”
Alex peeled his bandage away. A large purple and yellow bruise had swollen on his left side.
“One of the guys pinned my arms while the other punched me a few times.”
“That’s a mighty beating,” said George, “you’re lucky you got out alive.”
“Oh Alex, we should take you to the hospital.”
“No, I’m fine.”
“I insist.”
They went to the Emergency Room. It was Alex’s second visit in two months. This time, though, the visit would cost $100. Alex left the E.R. before they even finished filling out paperwork.
“Come on, let’s go.”
“You’ve done everything so far,” said Portia, “Let me pay for it.”
“No, don’t worry about it.”
Alex nodded to Darren and he helped him back to the car.
“You’ve got to take care of yourself.”
“I’m fine, sis.”
Alex ignored Portia as he headed back to the car. Darren took him to Ace’s, where they switched out into Alex’s car. Portia noticed two things. The first was the scratched window. There were two pry bar marks near the key lock. There was also a bottle of Dr. Pepper in the soft drink caddy between the seats. Maybe she was making a big deal over nothing.
“Alex?”
“Yeah, sis?”
“When did you say you confronted the guys?”
“In the parking lot.”
Portia shook the can of Dr. Pepper. It was nearly full.
“What? I got that when I got back to Pittsburgh.”
Portia nodded.
“I swear to you that’s how it happened,” Alex pointed to his ribs, “You think I’d fake this?”
“No, I guess not.”
Still, Portia’s confidence in her brother had waned, even since this morning, when he said he’d talk to Ace. She didn’t know that Alex hadn’t even seen Ace all day. In fact, nobody had seen him. Not Alex. Not Darren. Not even Ace’s right hand man, George.
Alex wondered what Ace would say when he found out his package disappeared. That would come later. Right now, Alex was headed home to get some ice on his ribs.
“Sis, can you do me a favor and pick up Penny?”
“Of course,” she replied.
“Thanks a ton.”
Alex went inside while Portia drove back home to pick up Penny. As she did, she finished off the rest of the Dr. Pepper. She retrieved Penny, but not without questions from her mother.
“Where’s Alex? Why can’t he pick her up? Why don’t you just leave her with me, that way I know she’ll be in good hands?”
Portia loaded Penny into her car seat and took her to the apartment. When she arrived, Alex was laying face down on his bed, an ice pack tucked under his ribs. It didn’t look comfortable at all. Portia untied Alex’s boots and popped them off his feet. Otherwise, she left him there. She tucked Penny into her crib and then went to bed herself.
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