Twice as Hard - 2nd Excerpt
TWICE AS HARD - (2nd)
First Excerpt
The blank canvas seemed to mock AJ, defying him to put something on it that people would consider “art.” His mind was elsewhere, perhaps for the first time, struggling with the basic elements of adulthood and independence: Where will I find a job? What will I do about getting an apartment? Will I be able to finish school? My God, how do I tell all of this to Momma?!
The answers were as elusive as the image he wanted to paint, but couldn’t fix in his mind.
Finally he pushed himself away from his makeshift easel and lit up one of the cheap cigarettes that his stepfather, Felix, would buy for him. It was a big deal when the family finally realized AJ was smoking. Angela Williams was a long time smoker who bought her cigarettes by the carton. When AJ first started pilfering her smokes, he could make a pack last him about as long as the other nine packs lasted his mother, just under a week. In time he started smoking more, however, and Angela noticed her supply diminishing at a rate disproportionate to her habit.
AJ’s baby sister, Melina, was the person who finally let the cat out of the bag. She had known all along that her brother was raiding mom’s nicotine supply, but as long as AJ could drop the occasional bribe, Melina’s discretion could be counted upon. When the candies and other treats ran out, so did sibling loyalty.
Felix, however, argued against Angela’s stated intent to punish the boy. Instead, and to AJ’s astonished delight, he said that he would support his stepson’s smoking habit. “It’s better for him to do it here at home than out on the streets, where God knows what AJ can get into,” he said. His liberalism even extended to alcohol, because when Felix found out the youngster was also sneaking libations from the ‘hidden’ stash, Felix would even give AJ an occasional drink (but only the cheap stuff). The teen smiled as he considered how fortunate he was to have such a great step dad. Then the most irritating voice in his world shook him from his reverie.
“AJ! Come get the PHONE!” It was 11-year-old Melina, as usual, being overly dramatic. “It’s your SWEETY PIE!”
“I’ll take it in the kitchen!” AJ replied, and extinguished his cigarette. Although he had permission to smoke in front of his parents, he wasn’t yet comfortable with it and seldom exercised the privilege.
“Hey, baby.” It was Lois. She called at every opportunity whenever she was in the city, because the Jones family had no telephone service at their tiny Wayne County shack. Nor did Jones have hot running water or modern restroom facilities. Water was heated in kettles on an old cast iron, pot-bellied, wood-burning stove. If the water was for bathing, a huge metal tub (just large enough to accommodate one adult, scrunched into a fetal position) was utilized. AJ didn’t really believe the horror stories Lois told him about her father’s violent tendencies, but he didn’t want a child of his growing up in the environment Jones provided for his own offspring.
“Hey, Lois – how you feeling?”
“I’m okay, just a little worried about our situation. You come up with any ideas yet?”
“I’m thinking on some stuff.” AJ shook a cigarette out of his pack and lit it right there in the kitchen. Damn family values – this was stressful! “My brother-in-law might be able to get me work at his spot.”
“What does he do?”
“Does it matter?” AJ snapped. “He brings home a paycheck that’s what he does! That’s what I need to do, too.” The young man regretted his harsh words as soon as they spilled from his lips. A stretch of silence increased the tension. “Look, Lois, I’m sorry for snapping at you. I’m just a little stressed by all this.”
“I understand.” There was another period of silence. “I think my sister will let me stay with her for awhile.”
“You told Penny?!” AJ asked, incredulous. Penny was Lois’ second oldest sister and Lois usually stayed with Penny and her husband Carl whenever the teenager came to Rochester. AJ got along okay with both Penny and Carl, but he didn’t believe Penny could be counted on for discretion in something as big as news of a pregnancy.
“No, not Penny. My other sister – Anita.”
“Ah,” said AJ, finally understanding. Only two years older than Lois, Anita had recently moved to the city in order to attend nursing classes at one of the local colleges and to care for her 5-month-old son, Chucky. Apparently, the idea of raising a child in her father’s house was no more appealing to Anita than it was to AJ. “ But doesn’t she have just a one-bedroom?”
“Yeah, but it’s only for awhile, right?” Lois’ words contained both hope and despair. “By the time the baby gets here, we’ll have something of our own, right?”
And there you have it – back on me again. It always comes back on me in the end. AJ muttered something lukewarm, and then told Lois he was working on a new painting and asked her to call him later. The lovebirds hung up, neither feeling any more secure than when the call started. AJ wondered how he would be able to meet the challenges that seemed to rise from the very ground in front of him. Lois wondered how long it would be before her young boyfriend turned chicken and fled in juvenile terror.
posted by JahStorm @ 11:24 AM
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