Page 10 of Lick

I don’t care if she gets sick. I don’t care if she dies. If she were gone, then me and my sister would be out of this nightmare. Maybe then we could go someplace where people actually care about us.

“You don’t want your mama to get sick, do ya?” I don’t answer. “Hmm, then if you can’t help her then maybe that baby sister of yours can. She is so sweet, isn’t she?”

I feel my heart start to race and sweat break out on my forehead. I hate my life. I hate this. I hate him, and I hate her. I want to go. I want to run far away from here. I want to go and never look back. But I can’t leave my sister, and I don’t know how to get her and me out without getting caught and brought right back here.

So I do the only thing I can to keep my sister safe.

A while later, I hear the soft voice of my sister as she peeks her head into my room. “Ty?”

“Why are you out of your room?”

“I don’t wanna be alone,” she whispers.

“Come on.”

Standing, I grab her hand. I don’t want to be in my room anymore. She follows me out and through the kitchen. Once we’re out back in our small yard, I take a deep breath. The walls of the house feel like they’re closing in on me. It’s been almost a year since my dad went away and I haven’t been able to see or talk to him.

I turn my head and see my sister sitting on the ground facing the sliding glass door. She’s watching my mother and Teddy push that poison into their arms. “Bets, get away from there. You don’t need to watch that stuff.”

“Why does she do it?” She may only be nine, but my sister has seen and experienced more in her short life than any kid should.

“I don’t know.”

“Why does she allow those people to go into your room?” Her question makes me feel sick inside.

“I don’t know.”

She turns herself around to face me. “I’m not going to do it.”

I tilt my head in question, not sure what she means.

“The drugs. I’m not going to do that. I’m not going to do that awful stuff. I’m going to be a good mom one day. I’m going to love my kids, and I’m not going to do that.”

She knows way too much for her age. I swallow past the emotion I feel well within my throat. “I hope not.”

“I’m not, Ty. I promise, I’m not.”

I sure as hell hope not.

My boots squeak along the tiled floor as I follow an officer down the empty corridor. I can feel the heat of Jenni’s body radiating onto my arm, she’s that close, but she isn’t touching me. I’m not sure how I feel about that. The affection of someone who cares is foreign to me.

When the shock of the news that my sister was dead started to settle, I needed to be alone, but she was there. She gave me just enough space to process everything, but not enough space where I felt like I had to deal with everyone on my own.

“Like we said, we got the call about the body of a Jane Doe–”

“Betsy,” Jenni corrects them. “You know her name, so she’s no longer a Jane Doe. Please don’t disrespect her.”

“Sorry. We found Betsy behind the Easy Eight motel over on Highland. Once we arrived, there was no pulse. The medical examiner believes she had been there for a couple of hours.”

The pain of how my sister died slices through me. Alone.

We stop at two swinging double doors. The word ‘Morgue’ is etched on a plastic plaque stuck to both doors. “This is where we leave you. You’ll need to go through those doors, and the M.E. can help you from here,” the officer tells us before he turns and walks away.

Before we can proceed, a woman with dark skin and even darker hair walks through the doors. “Mr. McCoy?” she questions, and I nod in response. “I’m Dr. Alford. I’m sorry to have to meet you under these circumstances.” She stretches her hand to mine, and I take it with a soft shake. “Right this way. I’ll try to take as little of your time as possible.” She gives me a slight smile before descending back behind the doors.

The feel of Jenni’s fingers intertwining with mine stops my next step. I turn to finally face her. “Will you stay out here?”

“No.”