Sadie shrugs. “No idea. But the land is all protected by some private group. Ray says the guys that live out here come to the shop sometimes to get their four-wheelers repaired.”
Before turning away, I see a lone wolf, standing on the edge of the forest. I point to it. “Do you–” But before I can even finish my thought, the wild animal darts back into the forest, out of sight.
Sadie places a lid on the cooked pasta. “Hey, while we wait for Ray, wanna see that box I have of yours?”
A few minutes later we settle on the carpeted floor of her living room with a shoebox between us. “I didn’t go through it, I mean, not too much at least,” Sadie says.
I pull off the lid, memories flooding my senses. The contents of the box smell like our last foster home—stale cigarettes and cheap beer. I pull out a strip of four frames, Sadie and me in a photo booth at a local arcade. We’re making funny faces and cracking up.
“How did we manage to smile like that?” I ask.
She wrinkles her nose. “Keep on, keeping’ on, right?”
I thumb through the other photos, a sum of my childhood—not in a single picture am I with an adult. No grown-ups were ever there with a hand on my shoulder on Christmas morning, or as I blew out birthday candles. It was always me against the world. Except for the years where I had Sadie by my side.
There’s an old keychain with a rabbit’s foot and a blue ribbon I got for my drawing in the school art show. “The story of my life, huh, all in this box?”
Sadie sighs, squeezing my knee. “You know, I saw my mom a few years back. She was still using, and living with the same guy who beat her.”
“The one who put her in the coma?”
Sadie nods. Her face written in sorrow as she remembers all she lost… all she never had. “I realized she’s never going to be there for me. But at least it was closure. Did you ever learn anything about—”
I cut her off. “No. I don’t want to talk about it.”
Sadie nods, as if remembering the girl I was when we were preteens. I was as closed off about my past then as I am now.
“The thing is,” I tell her, sifting through the box. “There isn’t anything to tell.” At the bottom of the box, I see a ring. It looks antique; with a tiny paw print stamped on the inside. I slip it on my middle finger, looking at it as I talk. “I was placed into foster care when I was a baby and was too much of a handful for anyone to adopt. That’s it.”
“But don’t you wonder?”
I roll my eyes. “Finding my deadbeat parents is the least of my concerns at the moment.”
Just then, Ray comes in the front door. He drops a toolbox on the floor and shrugs off a jacket. Sadie jumps up from the carpet and practically leaps into his arms.
“Hey, baby,” he greets Sadie with a long kiss. Long enough that I look away out of awkwardness. “You make me something good to eat?”
“Yes, it’s all ready.” Sadie looks down, seemingly smaller now that Ray is here, taking up more than his share of the space. “Rem, this is Ray, Ray, Rem.”
“It better be ready,” he says firmly, not acknowledging my presence.
I push my lips forward, wondering what the hell is with his tone. But I drop it as we move to the table and sit down to eat.
“Rem got here a few hours ago,” Sadie says, bringing the pot of pasta to the table and scooping it onto our plates.
“This looks so good,” I say appreciatively, reaching for a piece of the toasty warm garlic bread.
“Yeah, but Sadie should lay off,” he says, giving Sadie raised eyebrows as she reaches for a piece of bread. “You don’t need the extra carbs.”
I scoff in shock. Is Ray for reals right now? Sadie is gorgeous, but that’s beside the point. No man has the right to talk to her that way.
Before I can say something, though, Sadie drops the piece of bread and reaches for the green salad instead, using the tongs to dish some up on her plate. I bite my tongue, grateful for this place to stay and wanting to trust Sadie’s judgment. Besides, what do I know? Maybe Sadie’s wanting to cut back on her calories. I must be misunderstanding something.
Feeling especially proud of my verbal restraint, I reach for the salad bowl of and serve myself in solidarity.
“So, how long are you squatting?” Ray grunts my way.
“Ray,” Sadie says gently, with a shake of her head. “We talked about this.”
“Yeah, and I told you how I felt.”
I furrow my brows, twisting the new ring around my finger. “Look, I’m not here to impose.”
Ray snorts. “Then what are you here for?”
I look over at Sadie, and she shakes her head, nearly imperceptibly. She’s warning me.
She should remember I never listen to warnings. “What’s your problem?” I ask Ray. “Sadie invited me.”
“Sadie what?” he snarls shooting Sadie a hard glare. “You told me she invited herself.”
“Right, well, I mean…” Sadie looks swallowed up in fear. And it doesn’t take a nuclear physicist to figure out what the fuck is happening. Sadie’s mom lost custody of her child because she wouldn’t leave abusive situations. I hate the idea of the same thing happening to my oldest friend.
“Well it’s her home too,” I say in defense.
“She has no say in what happens here. She can barely help pay for things with her dead-end cashier job.”
I look at Sadie. Her eyes are downcast, and she brushes away a tear that falls down her round cheek. My heart breaks for her. But I’m not na?ve enough to wear blinders . Maybe Sadie needed me here, to help her. Maybe that’s why she reached out in the first place. I can’t do a lot in terms of helping her, it’s not like I have much money--but I do know how to stand up for people. And I will always stand up for her.
“I saw the bruises on Sadie’s arm,” I say. “I know what kind of guy you are.”
“Rem, don’t,” Sadie pleads with me, but Ray is already set off.
“What the hell did you say to this little beggar?” he demands of Sadie, standing up from the table. “You tell her our personal business?”
Sadie shakes her head, reaching for him. “No, I didn’t say anything, I swear, Ray. You have to believe me.”
I’m sick to my stomach, but the anger that boils in my belly is stronger than any fear I might feel. “Sadie, listen to me. You need to get out of this situation.”
“Don’t tell my baby what she needs to do. That is my job.”
I hurl my disgust at him. “Your job?” I look at Sadie, who’s letting Ray wrap an arm around her. “Sadie, listen to me. If you need a safe— “
“Rem, stop,” she says softly. “It’s better for both of us if you just go.”
“Go? And leave you with this ass wipe?”
Sadie won’t meet my eye and Ray is ready to fight.
“Get out of here, you little bum,” he growls, reaching for my backpack on the couch. “Go back to the streets where you came from.” He walks to the front door, swinging it open.