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Part XII: 1988- End of Innocence
"I kind of hope it is a boy," Jamie said, realizing her slip of the tongue, "On the other hand, a girl would be nice too."
"Hm," Jimmy looked like he wanted to say more, but evidently decided against it, "Guess it's nice not to be picky."
He looked off in the general direction of the house, perhaps trying to scout out his sister.
"You said something about your Dad. But why do I get the feeling you've got no place to go home to tonight?"
-Jimmy
"You offering?" asked Jamie, an eyebrow raised.
"That wasn't a come-on," said Jimmy flatly, "But my sister got the impression...I think...that you needed lookin' after. She can't mind her own business, and I can only mind hers so much before I get headaches. But if you need a place to kip, I know one. You know...if home sweet home isn't an option."
-Jimmy
"It isn't tonight," Jamie replied, "And I'd appreciate it if you'd let me."
"Fine. I could use some good karma anyway, and Sal knows her own way home, as she's reminded me. Come on," he nodded to a spot by the pavement at the base of the ridge, where a dinged-up Harley roadster waited, sticking out like a sore thumb about the parked cars and chained-up bikes of the other revelers, "Unless you have a ride of your own?"
-Jimmy
"Afraid not," Jamie smiled at the old bike, "I guess this is the part where I say take me home, James."
She'd never ridden on a motorcycle before...
"Ha, good one," he paused, "That's my, uh...name. James," he ground out the cigarette under his boot, "Jim to most. Jimmy, if you wanna get fresh, which isn't recommended."
He grabbed a helmet from the bike's undercarriage, tossing a spare to her, "What should I call you? You can make something if you want. I'd get why a chick in your position would prefer code names."
-Jimmy
"Well...Jimmy," A plan had formed in her mind.
She was still pissed at Noah. Those words had fucking hurt...Payback was needed, "You can call me Audrey."
"Audrey, huh? That's cool."
He palmed the extra helmet at her, "You ever ridden one of these dust-eaters before?"
-Jimmy
"Can't say that I have," Jamie smiled, "Would you take me for a spin?"
"That's the idea. Place I have in mind's on the other end of town," he strapped his helmet on, swinging one leg over the bike to position himself behind the handlebars, "Just grab on. I'll take it easy for your sake."
He gunned the engine, "On three: 1...say your prayers...2...bye-bye hopes and fears...3!"
He kicked them into gear, sending them ripping up the road away from the ostentatious house by the shore.
-Jimmy
Jamie had strapped the helmet on, and put her arms around his waist, when he took off.
"Yee-haw!" She let out a rebel yell, as the wind came to her face.
"You're supposed to yell something defiant and irresponsible. I'll show you," he flipped off the row of lake houses they were riding past, "CAPITALISM KILLS!" he looked over his shoulder, "See, something like that?"
He turned them off the promenade walk down a more trafficked road away from the lake, "So, you from around here?"
-Jimmy
"Nah, New in town," She held on tighter to him, "Moved here, about 4 months ago."
"And, uh, if you don't mind me asking...how'd a girl like you get mixed up with a guy like Devlin?"
-Jimmy
"Well, I like to party," Jamie began, "And Pamela's birthday party seemed like the place to go. And we were all pretty drunk."
Jimmy snorted, "You sound like my sister. You know, she'll talk a big game about how much she hates the St. George pricks and St. Mary twats, but she'll run up to their big fancy houses whenever there's free booze and a bit of smack. Guess she thinks it's reparations or something."
He shrugged, "I could go without it."
-Jimmy
"I've never done drugs, just drank," Jamie said, "Besides...you don't have to be a rich snob, to have a good time."
"Yeah, well..." he shrugged, "Guess my idea of a good time's a little different."
They crossed a trestle bridge over a babbling brook. The street lamps to either side of the road were in evident disrepair, and Jimmy slowed down considerably the better to navigate the poorly paved road.
"I know it looks a certain way," he began, "But I did not bring you here to strangle you and eat your bones. Just one of those rustic neighborhoods you hear about."
-Jimmy
"Are you kidding? I love neighborhoods like this!"
She looked around and asked, "Which one is yours?"
"Oh, I don't live here," he dropped the kickstand at the curb, "Friend of mine does."
He dismounted fluidly, removing his helmet with a flourish, "That's the place," he nodded to a ramshackle house about the dimensions of a suburban garage. A light was on in the little window that faced the street. The yard was a lush garden overgrown with fragrant green leaves.
"Rosemary and shit," he shrugged, "Kinda thing goes over my head."
-Jimmy
"My mom used to do some gardening," Jamie took her helmet off and dismounted gingerly, "I never did get the hang of it."
As she stood up, she almost lost her balance, grabbing Jimmy for support.
"No worries about waking anyone up," Jimmy said easily as he led Jamie up the loose earthen path to the door, "They're after hours people here."
He knocked lightly on the door with his knuckles, biting his lip pensively as he waited. There was some rustling from beyond the door, a flash of movement beyond the drawn curtain in the window, as of something leaping off the windowsill. The drapery was pulled aside, revealing a careworn face with an exasperated expression. Jimmy raised a hand in greeting. The woman's lips moved in an unheard admonition, and she vanished from the window.
Jimmy tapped his boot against the patio restlessly. The latch was drawn aside, and the door opened to reveal the woman in full length. She was in her mid-40s or so, with sleek black hair held together by untidy pins. She wore a pale floral housecoat, and her feet were bare.
"James," she began warily.
"Mrs. L," he said easily, "I was wondering if you could do me a favor."
The woman eyed Jamie, "What have you gotten this girl into?"
"It's nothing like that."
She snorted, "We will see about that. Have you been riding?"
"Only way I know."
"Then leave your boots by the door. I won't have you tracking road dust into the house. Between the cat and the boy, I've my hands full enough," she turned to Jamie, "You are thin as a stick. You will eat."
This was not phrased as an offer.
-Jimmy and Mrs. L
Jamie almost took offense to that, but instead said, "Yes, ma'am, I will."
Noting what Jimmy was doing, she took her own boots off, and left them by Jimmy's.
"I am Mrs. Lakotos," Mrs. L told them as she led them across the threshold into a poky, yet homey little room that was a combination dining room, kitchen, and sitting area, "You do not go to the girls' school?"
"Nah, she's college bound or something. We met tonight," at another look from her, he added, "It isn't like that."
"I hope not for her sake," she looked at Jamie, "He's a wild one. If I had daughters..."
"Ah, but you only have me," another boy emerged from a door across the room. He must've been about 15 or 16, with his mother's russet complexion and a head of rich black curls.
"Hey, Leo," Jimmy greeted with a little smile, "Staying out of trouble?"
"Better than you, from the look of it," he looked from Jimmy to Jamie with a smile, "I'm Leo."
"You're Leandro," Mrs. L said shortly, "It isn't as hard as that," she returned to the stove and retrieved some dishes from a cupboard. A furry black head poked out, green eyes scanning the room hungrily.
"Enóchlisi!" Mrs. L barked, shooing the cat down from the cupboard so she could reach inside.
-Mrs. L, Jimmy, and Leo
"I'm Audrey..." Jamie began, as she looked around, "Audrey Steele."
Hopefully, her friends would never learn she used their names in a campaign of deciet.
Mrs. L made a noise of dim approval as she shooed the cat away from the counter.
"Oh, come on," Leo said softly, picking the cat up, "You know better than to get on her bad side. You want to be an appetizer."
"You watch the smart mouth!"
"Syngnómi, mitéra," he said contritely.
"Sosta,"
"I like when they do that," said Jimmy, "Makes you feel nice and excluded."
"You're too included, sometimes," said Leo.
"Here," Mrs. L, setting some bowls down on the table, "There is some stifado left from dinner."
"No cat parts?" asked Jimmy, pulling a chair out for Jamie.
"Rabbit."
"Gnarly."
-Jimmy, Leo, and Mrs. L
"Sounds delicious," Jamie said, without hint of sarcasm in her voice, as she sat down, "So...you're Italian?"
They all looked at her dubiously for a protracted length of time. The cat was struggling to jump from Leo's arms into the stewpot on the table.
"Greek," whispered Jimmy.
"We are Roma," Mrs. L said curtly.
"Gypsies," supplied Leo.
"We don't use that word," his mother interjected, sitting down.
"But we're from Greece originally," said Leo, "Do you want something to drink?"
"Got any ouzo?" asked Jimmy cheekily. Leo turned to Jamie, "Coke or Pepsi?"
-Jimmy, Mrs. L, and Leo