“Sitting at the bar, taking shots,” Fat Louise answered. “I tried to get you to leave with me and Bear, but you told me no. Stud was with several brothers playing pool in the back room.”
Sex Piston again tried to prod her own memory, but came up with a blank. “You guys remember anything?”
Their “no” was unanimous.
“The last thing I remember is getting that third bottle of Tequila,” Killyama said thoughtfully.
“Three bottles?” Fat Louise asked, wide-eyed. “That might explain why you guys don’t remember anything.”
“I don’t remember the third bottle,” Sex Piston admitted.
“You remember more than me. I don’t remember the second one,” Crazy Bitch confessed.
“If someone was doing her job, it wouldn’t have mattered how many bottles we had drunk,” Killyama reminded them.
“I’m sorry I let you guys down. It won’t happen again.”
“You’re right about that. The next time it’s your turn, I’ll drink beer.” Killyama snapped.
Fat Louise’s lips trembled. “I’ll make it up to you; you’ll see.”
Sex Piston sighed. She had never been able to stay mad at Fat Louise, despite her many screw ups. “Like I said, you can repay me by helping Ma watch those kids.”
“I’ll be at your house bright and early, Sex Piston. I won’t let you down again. How many kids does he have?”
“Three,” Crazy Bitch answered.
“Are they nice?” Fat Louise asked, eager to please.
“You’re going to love them,” Sex Piston lied.
* * *
Stud handed his daughter over to a heavy-eyed Sizzle, who gave him a cheerful smile. Sex Piston was leaning against the doorway, drinking a cup of coffee and giving him her usual fuck-off glare, which he ignored.
Placing Star’s diaper bag on the couch, he leaned over to kiss his daughter’s cheek. “Later, baby girl.”
Giving Sex Piston a smile, he left his daughter giggling.
Stud went back outside and climbed into his truck. Aware Sex Piston was watching from the window, he drove off without glancing in her direction. Going around the block, he took several turns around the neighborhood before parking behind a truck several doors down from Sex Piston’s house.
Five minutes later, Sex Piston came out and got on her bike. He admired the way she maneuvered the bike onto the road, riding off in the opposite direction from him.
Skulls had already left for his job, and Stud knew that Sex Piston was heading to open her beauty salon. He was about to pull out and return to her mother’s house and get his daughter when the roar of a car coming down the road caught his attention. A familiar green car pulled into the driveway of Sex Piston’s house.
Fat Louise hurriedly got out of the car and went to the door, knocking impatiently. Sizzle answered the door with Star in her arms. Fat Louise held her arms out for his daughter and Star went immediately to her. Fat Louise stepped into the house and Sizzle closed the door behind her.
Stud sat there for an hour, making sure he was right that Fat Louise was Star’s new babysitter whether Sex Piston’s mom knew it or not.
He started his truck, whistling. He now had the bitches where he wanted them; it was up to Star to do the rest.
* * *
Stud sat in Rabbit’s borrowed truck, across the street from the school, watching the schoolhouse. The line for pick-ups was long.
He whistled to himself as he watched Killyama pulling up to pick up his girls. The unfortunate Assistant Principal checked her list in fright as Killyama waited. Finally, she allowed Meri and Keri to get into the backseat of the car.
Stud watched as the car pulled out of the school parking lot in the direction of Sex Piston’s home.
He made himself wait a couple of hours before going to pick up his girls. Sex Piston’s whole crew was there, trying to manage them.
Star was crying while Crazy Bitch tried to change her diaper. Meri was playing a game on Killyma’s phone while she tried to get it back, and Keri was screaming at Fat Louise for eating her snack. Sizzle sat on the couch, talking on her cell phone while the chaos surrounded her.
Stud opened his mouth to calm the situation down when Sex Piston came in the door behind him. Taking one look, she took control. Going to Star, she leaned over, expertly taping the diaper closed then lifting the tearful baby and balancing Star on her hip, swaying her into silence. Then she went to the struggling Killyama and Meri. She reached between them, snagging the phone and handing it to a furious Killyama.
“Shut up!” Silence ensued into the room at Sex Piston’s yell.
“She downloaded a six dollar game onto my phone!” Killyama said, her fingers trying to clear her phone.
“Stud, give her six bucks.” Sex Piston held out her hand.
Stud didn’t argue as he took a ten out of his wallet and placed it in her waiting hand.