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Mikey Kelley was an uncomplicated child. He had school friends but didn't really attach himself to anyone special. He loved Annabelle, the kitten Maddox stole from Girty Meadows. Although the little pet belonged to his sister, she spent more time with Mikey. Maddox didn't mind. She'd forgotten the cat days after she brought her home.
Mikey didn't know if he liked Jack Meadows. Jack seemed to spend a lot of time at the Kelley's trailer. Mikey accepted him as one of Maddox's friends. He wasn't nice like Sailor Kent or pretty like Dora Cortez. Jack treated him like a baby and snapped at him if he hung around.
During the summer, Mikey stayed out of the trailer. He found things to do at the local playground or at the lake. When a group of kids got up a baseball game at the school, he played shortstop. He was good at it, and he was short.
Mikey was nine years old that summer. Although he didn't want to admit it, he had a crush on Kennedy Kent. He kept his eye on her and imagined himself as her rescuer. He would appear the moment she got into trouble, like Clyde Martin when he saved Sailor from drowning.
Kennedy Kent stood outside the ice cream shop, waiting in the long line. Sailor asked her to walk into town with her and promised a banana split if she behaved. Her sister went into the department store and shopped without buying anything, then went into the bookshop across the street. She spent ages picking out a new novel. Clyde appeared, and they walked along Main Street discussing the book. Kennedy trailed behind them, bored. She wanted her ice cream.
Finally, they joined the long line and waited. The summer day was hot, and the sun burned the top of Kennedy's head while they waited. Sailor and Clyde continued to talk, ignoring her. Their hands twined together. They looked mushy at each other. They moved up in the line a little at a time.
Mikey Kelley sidled up to Kennedy. It took him a long time to say hi. The word clung to his tongue, refusing to slide out. When he finally spoke, Kennedy glared at him disdainfully. She wasn't interested in Mikey. She was still playing dolls with her girlfriends and sleeping with her pink teddy bear. He stood beside her, not knowing whether to speak again or go away.
A rough hand encircled his upper arm before he could decide. Maddox yanked her brother away and pulled him along the sidewalk. She glared at Sailor and Clyde. Her best friend rarely spoke to her since she started dating. She didn't know what she did to offend Sailor. The incident at the lake was long forgotten.
"Have you seen Jack?" Maddox hissed, tightening her grip on her brother's arm.
Mikey shrugged. He should have told her Jack was at the trailer but didn't. Maddox had bullied and harassed him his entire life, and he wasn't forthcoming with information. His sister twisted his wrist until he nearly screamed.
"Where's Jack?" Maddox tried again. "Tell me."
"At the trailer," Mikey finally relented.
Maddox's mind whirled. Enola had pushed her and Mikey out of their home early that morning. She claimed she had a fierce headache and didn't want them disturbing her. Their mother wouldn't let anyone in under those conditions.
"Liar!" Maddox yelled, drawing the ice cream lines' attention. "Liar," she hissed, lowering her voice.
"I'm telling the truth," Mikey whimpered. "I went back for my baseball mitt and saw him go in. He…he let himself in."
Maddox let go of her brother's arm and ran. Her sneakers slapped the sidewalk. She wouldn't let a moment pass if she had to live it away from Jack. Surely, he had gone to find her that morning. He planned to spend the day with her.
The screen door rattled when she yanked it open. The back porch where her mother usually sprawled was empty. Maddox entered the trailer, which appeared abandoned. The bedroom door was firmly shut. Her mother did have a headache, and Jack was not there. Mikey lied to her. She turned to leave.
"Why are you back here?" Enola asked, leaning in the bedroom doorway. Maddox swung toward her. Her mother wore a filmy thigh-length nightie and scant panties. Maddox was used to seeing her half-dressed. Her eyes grew wide when she noticed Jack hovering behind her.
Maddox swallowed a huge throat lump. She had not expected to see Jack Meadows in her parents' bedroom.
Jack sidled around Enola, holding a wrench. He quickly returned it to her father's open toolbox. His guilty eyes met Maddox's and held them.
"Jack was tightening the sink faucet," Enola made an excuse. "You know how it always drips. It was driving me crazy."
Maddox did not wonder why her father hadn't fixed the faucet. It was Michael Kelley's job to fix things at the trailer park. Instead of questioning her mother, she accepted the response. Jack, she was sure, could fix things, too. Her father was usually busy, and if the faucet annoyed Anola and Jack was available, she would ask him to look at it.
Jack glared at Maddox, his hard eyes growing steely. He hated her at that moment. She was a pest; she annoyed him. Jack did not know the first thing about plumbing and never fixed anything in his life. He held the wrench only because Enola shoved it into his fat fist.
Jack was making progress with Enola. She had kissed him the day before and fondled him where he liked fondling. When he touched her breasts, his entire body tingled. He could barely control himself when his hand wandered between her legs. It was his first real experience with sex.
Enola let Jack's experimentation go only so far. She enjoyed teasing and tempting him with her body. She did not know how far she was going to let him go. Enola longed for sex, and Jack tempted her. She didn't want Michael touching her, but she would have let him if he had. Jack was available, young, and strong. He would make love to her easily if she let him.
Pleading a headache, she pushed Maddox and Mikey out the door early in the morning. Enola knew Jack would arrive promptly. He showed up by habit each morning after the children left. She still thought of Maddox and Mikey as children; she does not consider Jack a child. Enola fantasized that she was in her late teens and that Jack was one of her peers. He would help her recapture her youth.
Jack appeared and let himself in through the screen door. He kissed her, exploring her mouth with his tongue. His open palms cupped her breasts, then grabbed her between the legs. She moaned against his ample chest, putty in his inexperienced hands. Lifting her, he carried her into the bedroom and dropped her unceremoniously onto the squeaking bed. He straddled her and was ready to take her roughly. Enola strained her rapturous body toward his growing manhood.
The screen door squealed open and then banged shut. Enola collapsed onto the mattress, her longings thwarted. Confusion etched Jack's face. His anticipation drained away, and his expression flattened. Enola moved first. Barely thinking, she pushed Jack off and, leaping from the bed, thrust the wrench into his hands. She confronted her daughter at the bedroom door.
Maddox's face brightened as she turned toward Jack. He had come to fetch her that morning and ended up helping her mother. She felt intensely happy.
"Let's go to the lake, Jacky," she bubbled, reaching for his hand. "We can play with my raft."
Jack withheld his hand and glared at Maddox. No one called him Jacky. The nickname annoyed him. Maddox's smiling, innocent face annoyed him. He was desperate for sex and nearly there. She spoiled his initiation. He reached out with both hands and shoved her hard. Maddox stumbled and fell against the kitchen counter. She hit her head on the Formica and blanked out.
When she woke up, Jack and her mother stood above her. Maddox was only out for a moment or two. Their faces looked hard and angry, and she did not understand why. Gaining her feet, she stared at them incredulously.
"Get out of here," Jack yelled with authority. "Don't come back."
"I…I live here," Maddox rebuked, backing away.
"Your mother told you to clear out," Jack continued, his voice rising. "Clear out."
Tears stood out in Maddox's eyes. She tried not to cry but couldn't control her emotions. Her happy plans for Jack dissipated. Why was he yelling at her? What was wrong?
Enola stood in the background, allowing Jack a full leash. Maddox sank onto the worn couch. She didn't know what to do or where to go. Her tears overflowed. Her mother did not pity her or comfort her. She felt the same as Jack. Maddox had ruined everything.
"Do what you told, Maxi," Enola finally stated. "Go find Sailor and do something. Jack's too busy to play with you."
"Yeah, go find Sailor, Maxi," Jack echoed. He wanted to get back to business in the bedroom. "Go play Barbies with your little friend, Maxi…Pad." He chuckled. "Maxi Pad, ha-ha."
Enola stifled her own laughter. Maxi Pad. That was a good one. She liked it.
Maddox's face flamed. She understood the reference all too well. Her mother gave her a package a few months ago in preparation of her first menstrual flow. She had yet to experience it, although she knew Sailor had hers a few months ago. She felt left out and behind and flared at the new nickname.
"Leave me alone, Jack Meadows," Maddox wailed. "Don't ever call me that again."
"Maxi Pad, Maxi Pad," Jack tormented. Enola stood back and smiled.
Maddox leaped from the couch and bolted through the screen door. She ran until she reached Sailor's street. Her friend sat on the front stoop with Kennedy, eating ice cream. Mikey stood across the street watching them. Maddox approached her brother instead of heading toward her friend's house. She grabbed Mikey by the arm and dragged him away.
Sailor and Kennedy watched the confrontation. Maddox swung her brother around by the arm and then pushed him down. She stood above him menacingly. Mikey sprang up and pushed his sister. Maddox whirled her arm and socked him on the ear. Mikey burst into tears and ran away.
Maddox felt satisfaction. She had no reason to strike her brother but had to strike out at someone. Her mind was filled with confusion and anger. Jack mistreated her, and she had to get her aggression out. She used Mikey as her whipping boy, just as she always did.
Maddox walked sedately toward her friend. Sailor glanced up at her, but Kennedy slipped through the front door. The little girl was afraid of Maddox.
"What was that for?" Sailor asked.
"Just because," Maddox answered. She plunked down next to Sailor, taking Kennedy's place.
"It wasn't nice," Sailor remarked flatly.
"Want to go to the lake?" Maddox ignored her friend's statement.
"Not particularly."
Sailor began to rise, but Maddox held her back.
"Are we still friends?"
"Sure." Sailor shrugged. How could she say no? They became friends in the first grade. It was hard to break it off after so many years.
"Ok." Maddox hugged her knees.
She felt adrift in her life. Jack mistreated her, but she continued to love him. Sailor grew more distant as the summer progressed. They would go back to school in another few weeks. Eighth grade didn't make her feel as nervous as seventh did. Maddox knew the middle school corridors and classrooms now, as well as the teachers. She would pick up the treads of the previous year and carry on in familiar territory.
Jack would pick up the threads, too. He would spend his time in school instead of at the trailer. Her mother couldn't monopolize her boyfriend's time, and they would grow closer. Maddox determined to make him ask her to the fall dance. Jack would become hers as certainly as Clyde belonged to Sailor.
ns 15.158.61.11da2
