Page 24 of Servant

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“We have helpers. We’ve had them since we were little, people responsible for us for a long time. Sort of nannies, but not really. Just watchers, kind of. Mine was a kind lady named Roseanna who liked to cook. She didn’t talk much, but she liked to be in the kitchen, so I hung out in the kitchen with her.” He shrugged. “Picked up some things.”

Interesting. “Why did you need them? After your mothers left, couldn’t your fathers, I don’t know, raise you, for the most part? They had one child each. Or hire nannies?”

He shook his head. “They aren’t really paternal. I suppose they thought those helpers were as good as nannies. I guess it was good enough. And I learned how to cook scrambled eggs.” He winked at me. “Are you guys going straight to work? It’s early to be leaving.”

I shook my head. “I realized last night I left my money, all my savings, in the trailer. I can’t leave it there. My mother has stolen from me before, so Ace is going to bring me there to get it first.”

Caesar frowned and then turned to Ace. “Do you think you’ll run into any problems?”

“Maybe. If you want to come along, two of us are certainly better than one. Just in case they don’t know my name as well as they know Rowan’s, since apparently just seeing him made a grown man all but piss himself and sober up fast.”

Caesar nodded. “Give me two seconds to get dressed, and I’ll meet you guys over there. I’ll run some errands before I come back home. Don’t go in without me.”

“We’ll wait. Or knowing you, you’ll beat us there since you drive like a lunatic.” Ace reached out his hand, and I took it. I supposed I could object. It was my problem and my place, after all. I agreed to go with Ace, not with Caesar, but I sort of liked that they would both be there. It was more distant, but I could still feel that creepy man’s hands on me.

Two of them were better than one in this situation.

“So, in this part of the story, you won’t tell me why…Rowan is scarier than you two?” I winked at Ace and smiled at Caesar. “That’s what you’re saying?”

Ace choked and then laughed. “Actually, no. But I suppose people think that he is. I’m probably the scariest of the whole bunch of us.”

Caesar nodded. “I’d disagree, but I think he probably is deep down. He looks like such a sweetheart and acts like such a good guy, but if you take away the veneer, Ace is psychotic. Am I kidding? Wow. I just don’t know, but you’re getting in the car with him.”

I laughed as Ace squeezed my hand. “Not to you, Maci. I’m as sweet as a newborn kitten with you.”

My mother had brought a kitten home once. “They bite.”

“Yes, they do.” He kissed my cheek. “But not you. Never you.”

Maybe I’d have to revisit theAce is the sweetestidea I had earlier.

He hadn’t been wrong. After playing with his song list in the car—he liked a surprising amount of nineties metal—and giggling most of the time, we only beat Caesar to my trailer by a minute. How they all knew exactly where it was fell beyond my knowledge. I could ask and probably get an answer to that one, however, it seemed highly likely I was getting used to not being told things. I wasn’t sure what that said about me. I decided right then not to consider that issue until I was alone and had some time to dwell. In any case, Caesar showed up thirty seconds after we arrived.

“Told you.” Ace pointed at Caesar’s car with his thumb. “Maniac.”

“Good to know.” I winked at him, and he winked back. My cheeks heated up. Flirting was fun. It just was, and I loved it.

I headed toward my home. My mom’s car, the one I always used, was still there, and the other one that had been there the night before. I stopped and turned to my friends. “They’re probably out cold. I’d like to keep them that way. They won’t wake early, but don’t actively try, okay?”

Ace nodded. “No banging pots and pans. Got it.”

“This is your mom. That’s why she gets any respect at all,” Caesar added. “But yes, we’ll do as you want when it comes to your mom.”

“Otherwise, you’d do to her whatever you did to Mrs. Reemus?” I shot that out as I headed to the door.

Ace laughed. “That was Griffin, but point taken.”

“Like you wouldn’t have done exactly the same thing,” Caesar answered him. “I was going to. He just did it first.”

“No, that’s not actually what I would have done,” Ace replied.

I didn’t get to hear what else they said as I quickly entered my trailer. I took a deep breath. It stunk of the party they must have continued after I left. The living room was empty. Disgusting, like it had been trampled by a group of barn animals, but empty of anyone who might see me. My mother’s door was open enough, I could hear snores coming from inside. Loud ones.

If I weren’t mistaken, snores from at least two different people. Maybe even three. Perhaps they were all in there together. She’d certainly wanted me to participate. I shuddered, and a strong set of arms came around me from behind.

Ace whispered in my ear, “It’s okay. You’re not alone. Just go get your money, and we’ll leave. No need to stay while she has them here.”

“This is a nice location.” Caesar looked around. “Pretty views of the woods. Developers keep trying to knock those down, but believe it or not, my father, the mayor, has turned out to be something of an environmentalist. The woods are staying. Anyway, pretty view.”


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