14. Cori - Age 16 #2
“I think Deck pulled you out of a dumpster yesterday. And then I had to help you shower and take a piss. And right now, you can barely stand. Whether you can take care of yourself is a much longer conversation these days, Big Brother. But at this moment, you need to take your sorry ass to Rosa’s and hide until this blows over.
She’s only three blocks away. I think you’re sober enough to walk.
I’ll text her and let her know you’re coming. ”
“Cori—”
“Johnny, stop arguing! We don’t have the time.
I’ve done so much for you, taken care of you so many times.
I’m asking you to do this for me. Not make it harder by wasting time and asking a bunch of questions.
Maybe you can help Deck later. But for now, you need to get out of here since this is the first place Chi-chi will look for you. ”
He put his head in his hands before reaching for the water again. After taking a sip, he lifted his defeated eyes to mine. “Okay. I’ll go to fucking Rosa’s… Because you’re right, I do owe you.”
“Thank you.”
“But you know I don’t love it.”
“I know.” I reached out my sock-covered hand to brush his hair from his forehead before pressing a kiss there. “Now go put some pants on. No one else needs to see your stupid pink skull boxers.”
I went back to the bathroom and grabbed the small dustpan beneath the sink.
I was able to limp around enough to sweep most of the glass from the floor, set the couch to rights, and pick up the things that had come off the counter.
Sadly, the fish-shaped clay blob I made in elementary school that we used as a sponge holder had paid the ultimate price.
I sighed, throwing the pieces in the garbage. RIP Nemo.
All the while, my foot kept bleeding. The dishrag still captured most of the blood, but I knew I needed to figure out something else soon.
Johnny reappeared in cleanish clothes with his hair and teeth brushed.
“Tell Rosa or Lupe to let me know when you get there,” I said.
“I still can’t believe my phone is in that dumpster.” He shook his head. “But Cori, if Chi-chi’s really coming, it’s not safe for you here either.”
I’d already thought of that. My original idea had been to go with him to Rosa’s, but my mom’s presence blew up that plan.
Even if Chi-chi came, I hoped it would be okay since I wasn’t the one he was after.
I’d heard a lot of terrible things about Chi-chi, but I’d never heard of him harming women or children.
“I can’t leave Mom when she’s like this. She could have a seizure or choke on her own vomit or whatever. Who knows if she has weird injuries we can’t see? Honestly, if she’s not awake and talking by the morning, I need to take her to the hospital.”
“She’ll hate that. CPS would come for sure.”
“I know. But I don’t know what else to do.”
Johnny nodded. “You’re the boss.”
Actually, I’m your sixteen-year-old little sister, but whatever.
After Johnny left, I texted Rosa to let her know he was on his way.
Because of her position as a youth leader, I had to use a special relay system to text her.
I got frustrated waiting for her reply, but when it came, she said of course Johnny could stay with her, but I’d have some explaining to do later.
I expected nothing less. Thankfully, Johnny wasn’t a Center kid.
Center kids couldn’t go to Rosa’s personal home.
But this situation, while still a big ask, was more the equivalent of her having a family member visit.
I checked on my mom to find her response level unchanged, but I tried to make her more comfortable anyway by pulling down her dress and taking off her jewelry.
Her ankle still looked puffy, but I didn’t know how to help that.
It wasn’t like we had a compression brace lying around.
I settled for putting a bag of frozen tater tots on top of it while she slept.
In the bathroom, I held my foot over the sink and let the water run over the cut until it ran pink and finally clear.
Getting my first proper look at the wound, I registered how deep the cut was.
The glass had sunk straight into my flesh.
Thank goodness I’d been wearing shoes. I knew it needed stitches, but no way would that be happening.
Tossing the disgusting dishrag in the shower stall, I found an old hand towel we could afford to throw away and wrapped it around my foot.
After taking off my other shoe and sock so I didn’t feel so lopsided, I washed the cuts on my hands with soap and water before putting the socks back on.
I could get Band-Aids for myself and an ankle brace for Mom at the Center tomorrow.
But first, we had to get through the night.
While I cleaned my foot, the text came through confirming Johnny had reached Rosa’s safely.
One less thing to worry about. I checked on my mom—still out cold—and turned off all the lights in the trailer.
We didn’t have a car. Hopefully, if the place looked dead enough, Chi-chi would assume Johnny had hidden somewhere else.
In the meantime, I lay on my bed, clutching my phone. I texted Deck, letting him know Johnny was alright, but that I needed to stay in the trailer because of my mom. I hoped I’d hear from him soon that he’d found Eliazar safe and sound.