Changes Ch. 05

"That's crazy talk - something else - like what, babe? Get a job? What'd you do? What can you do?" He chortled.

The chortle was perhaps what egged her own and broke the spell.

"Weeeeeell, I was at this Diner today, Martin. They told me they'd be happy to give me a-"

"A diner?" A burst of laughter came through the phone. "You? You're way too good a fuck to be in a diner, babe. Come on, that's just crazy. What, you gonna serve burnt hash like that loser sister of yours?"

Her chest felt cold. "Lee isn't a loser, Martin." She replied quietly. She felt proud that they'd offered her a chance. And Lee took me in.

"You were the one who said it, babe. Or that nerd nephew? Jesus. Is that where you are now? Near that trailer- trash park?"

"Hey!" She said sharply. "Don't you fucking talk about them like that, Martin. They took me in. They took me in while you were too busy fucking. Too busy fucking those whores of yours, or up on coke to even notice I was fucking gone! So don't you fucking talk to me like that. You've never really worked a day in your life anyway. What do you know? Asshole!"

"I work fine, you little bitch. I work hard enough so that I can give your broke ass some nice living as long as you're with me and to as you're told. So don't tell me I don't work - who do you think bought you all that expensive shit you were always around in? That's me. I did. You never did anything to deserve that except being a really awesome lay."

Jessica swallowed hard. "Fuck you, Martin. You hear me? Fuck you."

"Fuck me? Yeah, you will! You'll come back, begging to be taken back in like you did after that night on Ibiza. And I will. I'll take you back and give you what you're used to. What you love. Your clothes. Your jewelry. It's all here. Your stuff is all here. You can come back, crawl downstairs and suck my dick while I tell you what I'll buy for you next. Just like a good li'l whore does. Like you've always done."

The cold went to ice and she had to swallow again. The fact that she'd done fairly close to what he was telling her didn't improve matters one bit.

"The only reason I'd come back to you" Jess began quietly "is so that I could take a baseball bat to your FUCKING NUTS! OKAY? Asshole!" She said the last part loudly. Fuck. How could I ever consider...how could I forget...jesus.

He snorted. "Bitch, you were a piece of yachted-up trailer trash when I found you in that Miami club. A niiiiice piece of ass, fabulous tits, and a great cunt. And a great dicksucker. You know I love that. But that's what you are. So get off that high horse of yours and realize - you're not good enough to work for shit. You wouldn't know how to make money, or what to do with more than you can spend. Fuck. You'd spend a normal salary on a fucking cab tip or-"

She put down the phone and inhaled, looking up at the cornflower-blue sky. Fucking...She put it back to her ear. He was still talking.

"...ut you're lucky. I'ma take you back. I'll give you the life you want because I love you. I do. And you're mine. My li'l babe. My li'l butterfly, alright? Just get that sweet tight ass down to Palm Beach, and I'll pick you up, regardless of how you look. I'll even have that nice Versace ready and pressed for you that you love so much. You can put it on straight away once wash all that trailer filth off riiiiight you."

"You can give that dress to your fucking whores, Martin!" She seethed "I don't want it. I don't want your shit anymore. Keep it. Do whatever with it. Shove it up your ass, for all I care. We're done! Don't fucking call me again. EVER! Okay? EVER! DONE! YOU HEAR ME?" She said loudly.

Again, he snorted. "Oh, that's how it is? You don't want it? Guess I'll do whatever with it then, won't I? There it is. Oh, and there's a pair of scissors. Perfect!" There was a ripping, tearing sound. "And there went the dress. You liked that one, didn't you?"

She had. Jess swallowed. I looked so awesome-

"Pissed yet? Oh, what's this? Look - some mug with some print on it. 'Jessica - congrats on your super-awesome grade'. Jesus fucking christ, you classless trailer whore. What sort of shit is-"

"Martin! That's from middle school! Don't do anything with that. I want it-"

A loud 'crash' sounded through the phone, porcelain breaking. Mrs. Greenridge helped me make that. It had been her favorite mug. She felt tears sting her eyes and sniffed.

"So that shit you care about, huh? Not dresses, but your worthless shit you have everywhere here? Jesus, how much did I let you bring aboard? Full of your shit!"

"Stop it, Martin! I..I want that stuff! I'll send someone down... I' want it! I'll pay for shipping"

"Yeah, fuck that noise, bitch. You can come down here and beg for it. Until then...well, here's your jewelry. Box. A loooot of shit in it, isn't it? Time to clean house. Time to clean this fucking house! Time to throw this shit overboard. Why? Because I can afford it, you cunt! Unlike you!"

"Martin! I'm serious!" She pressed the phone to her ear. "This isn't funny...I want that! That's everything I've collected since I was sixteen! "

"Yeah? Well, shouldn't have left then!" There was more wind in the background. "It's going over-the-fuck-board."

A series of splashes sounded through the phone.

She closed her eyes. That...piece...of...SHIT! A few moments, then...

"You still there? Ready to come down yet, skank? Cause there's lots of more here. A fucking mountain of your shit, Jess."

"Martin..." She swallowed. Her hand trembled. She wanted to punch a wall. "You...fucking, MANIPULATIVE, piece of-!"

"I gueeeeeeess not. Wait. The fuck is this? I've never seen this. Who's the guy? Is this you? The fuck? You look what...twelve?"

Oh fuck. "Martin, listen to me. That's a picture of my dad! That's the only picture I have of him left with me!" Her voice rose and she was almost shouting, but she didn't care. "Don't do anything with that! Please! I want that! He passe-"

"Oh, that's so sad, slut. Well, maybe if you hadn't left, it wouldn't be going into the fucking ocean, whore!"

"Martin!" She shouted at the phone now. "No! Don't do that! I'm begging you! It's my dad! I want that picture. I'll send for it. I'll pay - I swear - just don't do anything with that!"

A heart reeled when she heard the splash. She saw the picture, her dad holding her shoulders with pride as she'd won the track & field at school in 7th grade, grinning like a moron.

"YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. "I'll FUCKING KILL YOU! I SWEAR I'LL COME-NGHAAAH!" She slammed the phone against the car, ignoring the pain that blossomed in her hand. She punched it again, felt the flip part of the phone breaking, something cutting into her palm. She lifted it, smashed it the phone to the gravel. Stomped on it. Again. Struck her bleeding, clenched fist against the car.

Again. Again.

Something in her hand cracked.

****

Adam was ahead of Kris out of the office. Aunt Jess was by Kris's car, screaming and slamming her hand - no, her phone - into the car, then the ground, then punching the car.

"I SWEAR I'LL COME-" She screamed, slamming it to the floor. Red was trickling from between her fingers.

"Jess!" Kris cried out. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"I'LL KILL HIM! I'LL FUCKING KILL-" Jess stomped on the remains of the phone with her shoe, again, again and again. Tears were running down her cheeks.

"Aunt Jessica!" Adam walked forward and tried to take her arm, but she shoved him away.

"That PIECE OF SHIT! That fucking SHIT! That mother-FUCKER" Jess screamed.

Kris walked forward, took aim, and slapped his aunt - hard. "Jess! STOP IT - NOW!" Her voice held a sharp edge, and every ounce of playfulness was gone.

Jess dropped to her knees, clutching her cheek, weeping. Sobs wracked her shoulders. "That...p-piece of s-shit." She mumbled, quiet now, except for her sobs. "He broke my mug. He threw...he threw away..."

"Who?" Adam leaned down next to her. Watching her weep felt....eerie.

"Martin." She mumbled thickly.

"Your ex?"

"Uh-huh."

"Babe." Kris put a hand under her chin and angled her head up - gently but firmly. "Talk to me. Make some damn sense!"

"H-He..." Jess, her eyes red-rimmed, tracks of tears on her cheeks,. "Kris...he...threw my stuff out. He...my m-mug that i-....my picture with my dad. It's the only...the only thing i had left of just me and h-." She started weeping again, this time leaning against Kris.

"Oh...shit. Honey..." Kris murmured, stroking her hair.

Odd nickname. Adam swallowed. If that had really been the last picture of Jess and his grandfather...wow. Some class-A asshole to do that. Why'd...

"Shh...baby, it's okay. It'll be okay. Adam, sweets?" Kris motioned to him. "Come on. Let's get her to the car."

He nodded.

"I can walk." She mumbled, voice cracking.

"Sure you can. Come on. Let me see that hand, babe. Come on. Open it." Kris inhaled sharply. "Fucking hell...office first, Adam."

They went inside and sat Jess down on the couch and Kris disappeared for a moment.

"Hey," Adam asked, touching Jess shoulder. "It'll be okay."

"..N-No." She shook her head. "It's gone, Adam. Fuck. That..." She looked away holding her hand up. Blood streamed from a multitude of small cuts and lacerations, dripping on the carpeted floor. "Shit." She blinked at her hand, then at Kris coming back with the first aid kit. "Kris...shit, I'm so sorry, i-"

"Hey! Don't worry about it." Kris replied sharply and grabbed a roll of gauze. "Hand." She grimaced when Jess complied. "Ugh. You really made a mess of it. Look at this. Does this hurt? Can you move them? Anything broken?" She gently moved Jess' fingers.

"It's...fine. I think." Jess said thickly.

"Alright. Sit still. Adam - here."

He took the bottle of disinfectant and cleaned her wound. Jessica inhaled sharply and bit her lower lip. "It...hurts."

"Course it does," Kris muttered. "You bashed a damn cell phone into your damn hand. No. Sit still." She wrapped the bandage around Jess's hand, both the palm and parts of individual fingers until it seemed she was holding a mitten. "Alright. That should do it. She might need to go to the hospital - check in a day or so and replace it."

Adam nodded.

"Shit. Alright." Kris straightened and eyed her. "Babe. Hey!" She snapped her fingers and Jessica looked up. "You with us?"

"Yeah...not deaf." She muttered and inhaled unsteadily. ".. Fuck." She glanced at him. "Sorry that...you saw that, Adam."

"I've seen you pissed before." He shrugged and smiled.

"Head home. And sleep, rest, whatever. Okay?"

She inhaled, half-a-sob "But I still have jobs to-"

"Home, Jess." Kris repeated firmly. "I'm serious. If I find out you're not home, I'll come and kick your ass. Judging by how it went a few nights ago, that'd be pretty easy."

Jess narrowed her eyes.

"What?" Kris crossed her arms "Don't fuck with me here, Jess. You're injured. Adam? You take her home?"

"I..." he cleared his throat. "Yeah. Of course."

"And call me when you guys are home."

"Mhm. Come on, aunt Jess."

She looked about to protest but rose.

They walked to the car. She glared daggers at him when he opened the door for her. "I'm not a fucking invalid, Adam."

"Hey, you heard her. Get in. I'm just doing as i'm told." He smiled to try and make some humor, but she just stepped inside and let him close the door.

He drove them toward home. Jess was silent and stared out the right window.

"That was a serious asshole move. I'm sorry, Aunt Jess. Whatever...that mug and picture was."

Jess looked over. "It...it was just a picture of me and your grandfather. I don't have much of him. Anything now. And...some stupid arts and crafts-mug from when i was in middle school. It's...stupid." She sniffled.

"You brought them there for a reason though, right?"

"...Yeah."

"So - asshole move. He's an asshole."

"Yeah." She whispered. "He is."

"But hey. You're here now. And that really sucks - but you're away from him. And you're not going back." He eyed her. "Right?"

She shook her head firmly. "Right. No. I'm not."

He pulled the car up by the house. They'd been gone for maybe an hour or so. He opened the door for her and she gave him an exasperated look, a bit more 'normal' than before.

"Seriously, dude?"

"Just...making sure. You heard Kristina. She'll kick your ass."

Jess snorted. "She could try. Bitch always had more mouth than sense." But there wasn't much spark to it. She looked frazzled. Both of her knees on the pants were scraped, the fabric slightly frayed. Her hand bandaged gave her a hurt look, and one of her earrings hung askew. Her hair was messy - not the planned red mass it'd been before. She looked...beat.

"Come on. Kristina was right about that. You should rest."

"It's three-fucking-pm!" She glared.

"Aand you should rest. At least a little. At least...not try to find more jobs today, right?"

"Which one of us is the older anyway?"

"Well, I guess that's me now." He grinned.

"Twerp." She muttered but went inside with a faint smile.

His mom stood in the kitchen, preparing vegetables for dinner in a blue apron. She frowned up when they entered. "Hey, you two. What - that was quick? You already found a job?" She sounded dubious.

Aunt Jessica sighed. "Nah, Lee, but-"

"But what? How many places did you check?" His mom crossed her arms.

"Well, just the diner, but if-"

"Jess, for Pete's sake! Is it this again? I swear I won't be subsidizing your laziness anymore this time. You can live somewhere else if you don't at least show a little bit of initiative, okay? One place-"

"Lee, I'm telling-" Jess tried interjecting

His mother went right on, stepping closer. "One place isn't enough. You said you have several. If we have three people here, we need a bigger budget - and I can't pay more, nor can Adam - he shouldn't pay at all. What? Are you too proud to stand at a stove, or serve coffee? Not everything can be handed to you on a silver platter, you know."

"Mom," Adam said, but she didn't listen to him either.

"Life isn't easy like that. If you think it is, maybe this life isn't for you. Maybe you really should go back to your other life, that yacht, all your nice clothes and that...Martin if that's all the effort you can bring up. Jesus, Jessica. I thought that for once you might have changed a little bit, I guess-"

Jessica stood with her mouth open, tears in her eyes and one trickling down her cheek. "Lee, i-"

"No, don't 'Lee' me. This is how it always goes with you, Jess-"

"Mom! Stop it! Right now! Be QUIET!" Adam shouted and stepped up between his mom and Jess, pointing one finger in his Mother's face.

Aileen stood with her mouth open, but she stopped talking.

He wasn't facing her, so he could only hear the quick steps as his aunt retreated up the stairs.

"Are you out of your damn mind, young man?" His mom hissed, stepping up to him and jabbing a finger against his chest. "You may be an adult now - technically - but if you think that gives you the right to speak to me like that, you have another thing coming. You do not speak to me in such a tone. I am your mother! If Jessica is influencing you to somehow-"

"Will you listen, mom?" He interjected and crossed his arms. "She did look for jobs. She even found one - the first one she applied for, I think. The roadside diner by the Interstate - they'll call her. Then her ex called."

Aileen was frowning. "Oh. Really?"

"Not sure what happened there - but not a good call. Must have threatened her or something, and when she wouldn't do what he wanted, he started throwing her stuff away. Some...mug or something from her childhood and some...picture of her and grandpa? She went batshit. Smashed her phone, hurt her hand so it had to be bandaged" He frowned at her. "That's why her hand was wrapped - didn't you see that?"

Her mother had hand one hand to her mouth now, her eyes wide.

"She cried and...yeah." He sighed. "Mom. She wanted to keep looking for jobs, even when..."

"Oh god..." His mom sat down, closing her eyes. "Oh...Jess. Goddammit."

"Yeaaaaah..." He sighed.

She folded her kitchen towel and rose. "Oh, Lord. I...I have to go talk to her!"

"No!" He stood in front of her. "Look, she'll be pissed. Or angry. Leave...her be for a while, okay?"

"I'm her sister, Adam! I...I have to-"

"Yeah, and you just eviscerated her." he frowned. "You told her to go back to the guy who just called her and destroyed her. How's that gonna play?"

Aileen swallowed. "I can..." she trailed off.

"Leave her be for a bit, mom. I'll go up to her with some coffee and something to eat later."

His mom gave took a deep breath and then nodded. "Alright...just...let her know, okay? I have to leave for the shift in a bit, you know. Goddammit."

Adam nodded. "I will".