Gabe
My gut clenches as we sail down the street where the turn-off to the trailer park is. I tap Jason’s shoulder, and he slows down and pulls off to the side.
“What’s up?” he asks.
“Where are you going to park this?” I ask.
Jason flips his visor up, showing me his puzzled look. “At the trailer.”
“Jason…Doug will know that you’re with the HellCats if you roll up in a motorcycle.”
“I won’t confirm anything,” Jason says.
“You won’t have to! Where the hell would you get the money for a motorcycle that costs thousands of dollars if you don’t work for the HellCats? What job would give you that kind of cash that quickly?”
His eyes look down as he considers this. “Why should I have to hide who I am?” he asks.
“I’m not saying you should do that, but maybe don’t park this thing at the trailer park.”
Jason starts the bike, a look of determination on his face. “If he wants to start shit with me, he can go ahead.”
Jesus Christ.
Jason drives, making a right onto the gravel road that weaves through the trailer park.
Everyone watches us as we stop in front of the trailer. We hop off the bike, and I hear the screech of Doug’s front door.
He waddles out with a mean expression etched into his features.
My mom follows him onto the porch, and her jaw drops.
Jason sees all of it but refuses to acknowledge Doug’s gawking. Instead, he rolls the bike to the back of the trailer and begins chaining it to the tree. I follow, preparing myself for what might come.
A moment later, Doug stomps into the backyard and yells, “Where the hell did that come from?”
Jason looks at him for a couple of beats. “A fuckin’ bike shop. Where do you think?”
Mom rushes in next, wrapping her arm around Doug’s, but he pulls away from her and marches to Jason. “And how the hell did you afford that?”
“With money I made from my job,” Jason answers without hesitation.
“And what job is that?” Doug asks, his veins bulging in his neck.
“None of your business,” Jason says, his fists clenching at his sides.
Mom hurries between them. “Boys. Let’s not do this.”
Jason huffs a laugh and says, “How many times is your wife going to have to protect you from getting your ass kicked, old man?”
I step in next, pushing myself in front of Jason, but he says, “Gabe. This is going to happen, and I won’t let you get hurt. Stand over there.”
He moves me to the side, but Mom won’t budge. “Doug, come back home, now.”
“I know what you’re doing,” Doug spits at Jason. “You think you’re smart, don’t you?”
“I’ve had enough of your shit, is what I think.”
Jason’s words turn Doug’s face crimson, and he maneuvers away from Mom and swings, but Jason ducks and punches Doug in the gut.
Doug falls over, holding his stomach and heaving.
Jason stands over him—his face red and his body shaking. I can see it happening: the years of pain Doug inflicted on him have bubbled to the surface, and he’s about to unleash hell.
I try to step forward to stop it, but I’m too slow. Jason kicks Doug in the gut. He does it again. And again.
“How’s it feel?” Jason screams. “How’s it feel?”
He continues kicking the shit out of Doug, who tries to get up, but Jason won’t let him. Mom screams, begging Jason to stop, and some of the neighbors have wandered over to watch.
They’re gonna call the cops.
I finally wrap my arms around Jason and pull him backward, the two of us stumbling on a root and crashing to the ground.
“Gabe, I told you to back off,” Jason hollers.
I crawl to him and cup his face. “He’s not worth it. Don’t do this.”
Jason looks in my eyes, his chest heaving as he stares at me with gritted teeth.
Doug writhes on the ground while Mom tends to him, then manages to push himself up onto his hands and knees, drool falling from his mouth as he coughs.
He watches Jason with pure hate in his eyes.
Eventually, he musters the strength to stand on both feet, raises a finger at Jason, and says, “You’re done, kid. I’m gonna beat you so—“
“Try it!” Jason retorts, leaping to his feet. “Just try it, Doug! Let’s see who hits the ground first!”
Doug stares at Jason in shock for a moment, but then his face reddens, and he shakes as he speaks in a low, haunting voice.
“I want you out of here. You’re not welcome here anymore. You can go live on the street for all I care.”
Jason pulls a wad of cash from his pocket and waves it in front of Doug. “You see this? I have money now, asshole. You want me to go? Fine. I’ll leave.”
“No!” I scream while running to Jason and placing my hands on his upper arms. “Fuck him! Don’t leave because of him.”
“It’s time,” Jason says.
“I’ll give you till the end of the week,” Doug yells.
But Mom clears her throat and steps in the middle of the chaos. “This is my trailer. If there are any ultimatums, I will be the one dictating them. Understand?” Then she turns to Jason and says, “I don’t want you to leave.”
Doug looks at her in disbelief. “What?” he asks.
“This is my place, and I want Jason here. If you two can’t get along, then stay out of each other’s way, but Jason’s not leaving until I say so. Got it?”
Doug looks like he might spontaneously combust. He opens his mouth to speak, but he can’t find the words. He finally lets out a frustrated grunt and turns to stomp off.
Then he stops.
His shoulders tense, and he turns to Mom and says, “Maybe you should move back into your trailer. Since this is your place.”
Mom shudders, her eyes growing wide. “You’re going to do that to me? You’re going to kick your son out of your life again, then push me away, too?”
Doug crosses his arms over his chest and nods.
Mom huffs a laugh. “Wow. You haven’t changed a bit.”
That one lands. Hard. Doug looks ashen, but Mom doesn’t stop. “I think I will move back in here,” she says in defiance.
By the look on Doug’s face, he definitely did not expect her to say that.
For the first time, I see fear in Doug’s eyes, but he schools his features, clenching his jaw once more.
“Fine. Get your shit out of my place. I should have known you’d defend a criminal.
That seems to be a nasty habit of yours—siding with thieves and murderers. ”
My mom’s arms drop to her sides. “Don’t,” she warns him with an edge to her voice.
“Jason, why don’t you ask your little friend what actually happened when his real dad died?”
I don’t even have time to be horrified because Mom takes off running and lunges at Doug. They land on the ground with a thud, Mom on top of him, and she beats the shit out of him.
“YOU BASTARD,” she screams, smashing Doug with her fists, who tries to fight back, but Mom won’t give him the chance.
Jason and I jet forward, tearing Mom off Doug, but not before letting her get a few more slugs in.
I manage to pull Mom off, her arms swinging the entire time, and Jason lowers to grab Doug by the collar.
“You’re right, old man. I am with the HellCats, and if you don’t get your sorry ass off Linda’s property, I will end you.
And I have the connections now to make it happen. ”
Jason lifts Doug off the ground by his shirt and shoves him. “Out,” he yells, pointing to the direction of Doug’s trailer.
Doug stands there, bloodied and humiliated. He points his finger at Mom and yells, “I’ll get you, you bitch—”
And that’s when Jason gives him one last blow to the nose. “I said OUT!”
Doug hollers in pain, cursing and whining that his nose is broken, then finally stumbles away. “Don’t even try to call the cops,” Jason yells after him. “You don’t want to experience what I can do to you.”
I look around, and the entire trailer park is watching: kids, families, old men clutching Bud Light, everyone.
“You all good?” One of the older guys asks.
The three of us look at each other. “We are now,” Mom replies. “Thank you.”
I feel like I’m having an out-of-body experience as it all begins to settle. People slowly walk off now that the show is over, and the three of us stand there looking at each other.
“You okay?” Jason asks Mom.
She wraps her arms around herself. “Yeah. I think so.”
Jason smiles. “You beat the fuck out of him.”
Mom’s eyes meet his, and she smirks. “I didn’t survive two years in prison for nothing, kiddo.”
Jason barks out a laugh, and Mom giggles. But I’m not laughing.
Jason stops, and he looks at me. “What did he mean?” he asks. “What did he mean when he said ask—”
“Nothing,” my mom blurts out. Then, she collects herself and gives us both soft smiles. “He’s just babbling nonsense.”
I can tell he’s not convinced, and I don’t know what to do right now, so I just…stay quiet.
“Let’s go inside, boys,” Mom says. “Please tell me there’s beer in the fridge.”
We follow her inside, but then my head starts to spin, and I’m afraid I’ll faint. “I’m gonna lie down for a second,” I whisper to Jason.
“Do you want me to come?” he asks.
I shake my head and hurry away because I can’t look at him.
I grab Smudge from the kitchen table, rush to the bedroom, and close the door behind me.
When my head hits the pillow, I clutch Smudge and let the tears fall—because I know what I have to do.