“Hi, Axel,” she said timidly. “Tommy, what are you doin’ out here in the rain? Come on in ’fore you catch cold. Axel, you come on in, too.” Her forehead wrinkled and she motioned for them to enter.
Dad sighed, shook his head as if beside himself with grief, then stood up. He dusted off his pants with the back of his hands, then started to walk up. Axel stood at the bottom of the steps, watching his father make his way to the front door. Rigid appendages moved like a spasmodic android in need of emollient along the hinges.
“Tammy,” Axel called out, taking a step forward.
“Yeah?” She held the door open for his father, who entered the house and soon disappeared.
“I’ll come in, but I need to speak to Tommy alone.” He came up the steps, and looked at her, eye to eye. She cocked her head to the side. “He’s had a long day. I ’magine he’s going to go lie down upstairs. I can talk to him there.”
“Axel, you don’t look so well. Have you eaten, son?” She placed her hand on his shoulder. “I’ve got some food put away. It ain’t much, but it’ll do.” He looked at Tammy’s arm all bandaged up, and his core seared with distress and indignation.
“Tammy, I’ve already eaten at my mama’s house. Thanks for the offer, though. Can you do me a favor?”
“Yes.”
“Would you mind stayin’ down here on the first floor for a few minutes? Don’t come up at all. Don’t talk to him. Don’t say nothin’. Me and that man need to have a word.”
She clasped her hands, and her face flushed with shades of red. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. Perhaps she was worried for Tommy, though he’d tried to sound as calm as possible. “I was going to straighten up down here anyway.” She suddenly turned away as if seeing a burst of light and looked out the front door, towards his truck. Axel followed her line of sight, and took notice of English sitting there, the glow of her phone on her face. The headlights were still on as he’d kept heat running, so his baby would stay warm.
“Who’s that in your truck?”
“My girlfriend.”
Tammy rocked back on her heels, coughed, then placed her good hand on her hip.
“You thank she’d wanna come in here? It’s awfully miserable out there. Rainin’ and all.”
“I’ve got the heat on. I didn’t plan on stayin’ long, but I can ask her.”
Tammy’s cheeks warmed to a pretty pink shade as they plumped like baking bread. He made a mad dash to his truck, returning moments later with English in tow.
“Hi, there. I’m Tammy. I liken myself to Axel’s stepmother, though I know that’s not accurate. Tommy and I ain’t married, technically. We may as well be though. Just something I tell myself.” Tammy chortled as she extended her good hand to shake English’s.
“Hi, Tammy. I’m English. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Baby, I won’t be long.” He wrapped his arm around English’s waist. “I’m going upstairs to speak with Tommy.” English nodded and followed Tammy into the living room, where she took a seat on the floral printed couch.
As he went up the steps, he heard Tammy offering English a drink and a slice of chocolate cake. The steps squeaked under his weight, and he took deep breaths as he climbed. Once he reached the second floor, he noted how dull it was, especially on such a dreary night. It was an old house, rich with history, smells, and strange sounds. The walls were a peculiar shade of blue, and looked as if they were made of wood. They weren’t. It was wallpaper that had splintered and torn over the years.
Framed photos of famous baseball players and mostly relatives of Tammy’s hung on the wall. The area smelled like cinnamon air spray, mildly of mildew, and strong bleach. He tapped on the closed master bedroom door, and heard his father moan. Taking that as an invitation, he turned the knob and entered the room.
The radio was on, and the television, too, but on mute. Joe Jackson’s, ‘Steppin Out,’ played at that moment. His dad lay down with a can of beer in his hand. It was unopened. Axel sat down on the edge of the bed.
Neither said a word for a long while. Axel looked around the room, noticing Tammy’s make-up and perfumes neatly displayed on a mirrored tray, atop a vanity with matching chair. The windows were covered in pink and white floral curtains, and it smelled like baby powder and cigarettes. The sound of the can opening broke the silence, followed by hard gulps.
“Why’d you bail me outta jail?”
“Because Tammy asked me to.” Axel stretched his legs and leaned back.
“If I had called you, you wouldn’t have come?”