CHAPTER 68

I shake my head and just marvel at the level of planning that goes on when I'm not there is kind of startling but also reassuring. Jackie and Imelda rejoin us, Jackie clothed now and we start to discuss options that everyone is still going over for Jackie. It's not looking good and Mr. Delauter is even checking a few things but it's still not good news, just barely hopeful news. We eat and go about our days, Kori puts me in 'you sit and rest' while Imelda and her take Jackie out to go handle some more business. I sit alone for the day and check on Liz back in with our parents, everything up there is going alright but Liz is getting more information about Ben and I tell her about how I gave him the chance to tell her and she thanks me for it. I ask her if she would have accepted it and Liz tells me she doesn't know but to ask him to try to be honest with her again in the future and to stop taking him to strip clubs where he ends up having sex with a guy in drag. I shake my head at it and say I'll do my best and end our text message conversation.

I'd like to say that Sunday evening we were able to get some good news going for Jackie; I'd also like to say that I won the lottery and was able to just skip college and live an interesting life for the rest of my life. Sadly no good news or prospects come when Jackie returns that evening, Monday and Tuesday are no better and while I've paid a bit to the Motel my time is running out and I need to pay again for a few more days when I get the worst news.

"Your card has had a hold put on it," the older woman tells me with no real compassion Wednesday morning," You have by three to pay or have the room cleared."

I'm stunned, I didn't think I'd run out of money and a quick phone call to Mr. Delauter answers my questions in an unhappy manner.

"I put a hold on your card until you can come to me with this Jackie problem resolved," He tells me over my cell phone.

"But I have nowhere for her to go permanently, what am I supposed to do to put her out on the street again," I say furious.

"You're sinking money into a solution to a problem that is only going to escalate to a worse scenario. You need to get a hold of yourself and start handling the situation like a man would," He tells me in a stern tone," A little boy would just say 'please spend more money on it' but you're not a little boy so figure out a plan or find her a halfway house."

"If it comes down to it I'll sleep on the street with her, you can explain it to Loretta and everyone else where I'm at. If you can find me," I tell him coldly, hanging up the phone.

I get back into the room and Jackie is shuffling her feet like she knows what is happening. I sit her down and go through my pockets, I've got about a hundred and fifty bucks on me cash and the card is dead without Mr. Delauter to reactivate it. I could go to Loretta but I don't want to get her and Mr. Delauter in a fight just because of me. I start to pack things up when Jackie starts to talk.

"There is a mission house I can go to," She says quietly," They don't have a lot but I can sleep there and you can come back for me every day so we can go check out my options."

"No, and we can't go to Imelda's mom because I still need to help her out with her job situation," I say, getting frustrated.

"Guy, just take me to the mission house, I'll be fine," Jackie says, trying to put on a brave face.

We finish packing and she points out where the place is before we leave and return the hotel key around Noon. I don't know what I'm doing but we're riding around for hours and while I know where the mission house is I can't take her there but I don't know where else to go. We stop for fuel and food before hopping back on my bike and cruising around till the sun starts to set. It's later than I'd care for it to be and we're nowhere near the mission house when I decide to swallow my pride and pull up to a very familiar business. The tattoo parlor's closed sign is up but I know people are still inside as I lead Jackie up and knock on the door loudly. I get a 'we're closed' but I knock

again louder and finally Vicki comes up to the door and sees me there before opening it excitedly.

"Hey Guy, I'm glad you came back," Vicki says, hugging me before noticing Jackie," Who's your friend?"

They do introductions and we head inside with Vicki locking up the door after us. I can see the Old Man in his back office and Smitty is putting things away as I start to make my way back to the Old Man.

"Hey Vicki could you please keep Jackie company for me while I handle this," I say walking past Smitty and into the office closing the door.

"Well you look like you're doing better and worse all at the same time kid. I'm glad to see you back though and I'm still sorry about what happened to you with Sid the other day," the Old Man tells me as I sit down," You don't come around this late for… well ever."

Get sat down and I want to speak but I'm at the end of the road here and it's down to overpasses and sleeping on pallets. The image of Jackie when I saw her again comes back into my mind hard and fast causing me to break down and start crying in front of him. It's only a few seconds before he's got his hand on my back and is trying to calm me down.

"Take your time kid, if it's this serious and you can't go home talk to me. I owe you that much at least," the Old Man tells me in a fatherly tone.

"It's my friend Jackie; I've been putting her up in a crappy motel for the past few days. Before that she was living on the street, she's over two months pregnant and the father kicked her out. She has no home, no family and it's my fault," I say choking on my words.

"Kid, how the hell is all this your fault," he asks, confused.

"I didn't take care of her like she did me, we had a bad fight and instead of doing the right thing and making sure she was okay last year I left. Now I have no money and I'm out of options," I tell him, feeling a little beaten by the world.

"Okay but you're both here now, I can get her a spot to sleep and food in her belly, hell maybe a job or something if that's what you think she needs," the Old Man offers, scrambling for options.

"She needs a family," I say, hanging my head.

I sit in quiet pain and fear as the Old Man is just sitting with his hand on my back, as I finally start to feel like I should leave a firm hand on my shoulder holding me in place.

"Her name is Jackie? And she needs a family," He asks as I nod and see his face has grim determination," She's not crazy or nothing, has no major problems and her ex isn't some high up asswipe?"

"He's an assistant manager for a pizza place in the mall," I tell him, getting a chuckle.

"Rules boy, that patch ever comes off and she's out of your life get me," He says as I nod in acceptance," And we're square you and me, all friendly and looking out for each other and you give me the fucking benefit of the doubt when I throw something your way and it goes sideways."

"I'll let the Devil's Best slide too," I say before he cuts me off.

"The fuck you will, that asshole owes you and I'll see that damn apology and tell him what he can do to fix shit between him and me to your benefit," he says firmly," Now those are my terms, can you handle it?"

I nod my head and resign myself to whatever he has planned as I watch him start rummaging through a locker in the office before pulling something out of a box. He leads me out of the office and our audience of Smitty, Vicki and Jackie are staring as he sits me down on one of the waiting chairs.

"Girl you come here," the Old Man says as Vicki starts to move before he stops her," Not you Vicki, her."