Day’s Break

Vee parked the bike a street block down and counted down her time, as she snuck through the brush between the cookie-cutter houses. Still draped in red, there was the matter of a shower to be addressed, going anywhere like this is likely to draw attention. She climbed the tree outside her window and shimmied the branch to her deck. Veronica opened her deck doors and snuck in. Climbing straight into the shower, she carefully set her clothing on a towel to take with her for disposal. The shower was a much-welcomed comfort, she allowed it to swallow her for a moment. Heat seeping into her skin leaching the chill from her bones. Vee climbed out, pacing the length of her room. She pulled on a dark oversized hoodie from her closest, some sweats, sneakers, and a black ballcap. Items clattered across her bed as she emptied her backpack. She pulled items from her closet, stuffing them into the bag. Clothes, money, jewelry, whatever she could find of value or use. She spotted a picture on her wall, a picture of her and Vince, well really a picture of all three of them but Vicky was being sour in the back. She looked truly happy here. She never remembered being that happy. Her arms wrapped around her little brother, Vince. She laughed to herself, he was only 10 here but he knew her better than she did at times. Her last allowance was this. She reached back to collect the picture taped to the wall.

"Nikki?" Vince... Damn. Vee turned to see him standing in her doorway. She looked to the ground, she'd been hoping to avoid this.

"Hey buddy..." she looked at him sorrowfully. He returned her look with a knowing face. He wasn't happy about this but he didn't look surprised.

"Can I come?" He always asked this when she said she would run away. She always told him of course.

"No bud. Ya can't." she knew it broke his heart.

"So, you're really going then..." His knowing eyes pierced her, "It's ok..." His eyes dropped to the floor, "I never saw you. You weren't here." She held her arms open to him and he accepted them shuffling over to her and hugging her. "I love you, Nikki."

"I love you, too, Vince." with those last words, she was gone.

She stuffed the picture into her backpack and pulled it on. The keys were still warm in her pocket, Vee shuffled them around absorbing its heat. When she reached the bike, she was almost entirely on autopilot, the bike gripped to the street dragging her off into the darkness. Veronica made a stop at the river outside of town, just upstream from Aaron's. She climbed off the bike with some effort, pulled out the towel-wrapped mess of clothing. None of this felt real. His face burned into the back of her eyelids. Vee's hands started to shake, she flung the towel of clothing off the side of the bridge as if she could push the reality of the night away with it. Her breathing hiked as she silently coached herself through the movements. She pulled her cellphone from her pocket and glared at the background before dialing 911 letting it ring till answered and tossing it in as well. Her final act to the play she wrote herself out of. The phone gurgled under the water momentarily before drowning out entirely, with any luck her stuff would make it close to Aaron's house by the time it was found. She lurched the bike forward trying to keep the hum of the engine as low as possible.

Her mind was unsettled. Escort service who did he think he was? Who did he think she was? Some brainless bimbo? Trying to be hard by sucking up to some 2-bit pot dealer... she mulled the idea around. Stuck between indignation and anger. That was his brilliant idea... Well had she actually been what he thought, it might have been. I mean... Women are so malleable... Eager to bend over backward for the smallest hint of approval and men.. cock driven ingrates with the self-control of starved piranha. Why not take advantage of it? If this idea were to be executed in a place with more people and fewer social rules... not spearheaded but a complete moron...

Veronica drove directly south on I-5 just under an hour and a half until the welcoming signage of Willows, CA pulled her out of her thoughts. She pulled off onto Biggs-Willow Rd and parked just off of Tehama St. at the Willow Easy Self Storage. She walked into the lot tilting the hat over her face a bit. The empty lot eased some of her paranoia. She walked the row counting down unit numbers.

"Can I help you miss?" the man's voice was raspy and low, he didn't look anywhere near her face.

Vee smiled softly letting the dimming light and hat conceal her face, "I think I got it figured out. Thanks though" She turned quickly continuing to search the lockers.

"What unit are you looking for?" He pressed only too happy to help.

Vee flashed her white teeth at the man in what could be misconstrued as a smile. She sighed and said, "I, um, am looking for unit A37"

The man glanced down the row pulling off his hat habitually, rubbing his forearm against his brow wiping away imaginary sweat. His eyes searched the lockers till he spotted one with a ragged yellow slip attached to the front.

"A37?" his face betrayed the conditions tied to her answer, he glanced back at Vee.

She let a smile spread slow across her face, "Is that a problem?"

The man pulled his hat on scratching his head clearly uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. "Seems it's been a bit... since you last paid your bill."

Veronica licked her lips annoyedly, "How long's a bit?" The man jerked his thumb behind him, the dim office light still flickering. Vee sighed heavily dragging herself away from the unit toward the office.

The countertop was yellowed and gave the place a 'still standing since the 80s vibe. She planted her crossed arms on the counter and glanced at the TV screen with a newscast exclaiming "Murder in a small town!" Her jaw clenched working to sate her growing discomfort. The man combed through the discolored binder, "Yeah, things just seem to get worse and worse these days."

She darted her eyes back to him waiting on an explanation.

"Guess they are saying it was a lovers triangle gone wrong the guy walked in on his girlfriend and his friend and just plain lost it. Found the boyfriend dead and the girl missing along with the lover"

Lovers triangle my ass, she thought, Aaron couldn't please his hand with that tick tac he calls a…

"$305.52" the man said.

Veronica looked at the $85 dollars her wallet bared "Could you take $85 for now?

"Pay the balance or lose the locker"

"I can pay it, I just.." She began.

He cut her off "Do you want the key or not?" Veronica sighed shuffling her credit card out holding her breath. She handed it over begrudgingly.

He slid the card ignoring what he interpreted as dramatics and dropped the key on the counter. He returned his attention to the tv as she walked out the door. He peered at the security camera as she opened the unit. The TV flashed an image of Aaron on the screen with the word "found dead" and then a picture of Veronica who was still being searched for but the tone is seeming grim. He looked a little closer at the pretty black-haired girl grinning in a school photo. The program ended with a phone number for the tips line. He shook his head at what was clearly his imagination and watched Veronica walk out of view from the cameras. The machine beeped reminding him of the receipt he failed to remove. He snatched it up crumbling it for the trash, but something nagged at him to open the receipt, he looked it over. The card info read:

**** **** **** 6427

Veronica Black

***

Veronica searched the boxes in the dimly lit unit. Frustrated she started yanking down boxes spilling the contents on the floor. One box poured out a black bag as several jars of weed crashed around her. She opened the bag, 2, 4 6….. 10, 11….14k. Maybe Aaron did a little better than she expected. Veronica felt her heart kick up, as she tried to calmly sort thru the cash. She grabbed the couple of unbroken jars and stuffed them in the bag. She risked a quick glance around the lot, only to catch a glimpse of the red recording light on the security camera. She closed the unit and tossing the key over the fence. Securing the bag with the cash over her shoulder and her bag on her back Vee kicked the life back into the bike and quickly tore down the street.

Goodbye Willow, goodbye redding, goodbye... everything she thought to herself. Intentional to avoid thinking about the night, she didn't have time for a breakdown. She hardly had time for the allowances she was already making. Or maybe didn't even have the time for those.

When she finally reached the bright lights of LA, the sun was breaking in the early dawn. Veronica kept driving until she was nearly sure the motels wouldn't have security cameras. Headed south on Harbor Freeway and unsure of exactly where she was but desperate for the welcoming embrace of a bed she pulled into the "Hi-Lite Motel", and bike locked her wheel to a cement block. It wouldn't really stop anyone from stealing it just make them think twice about the effort they would want to apply. She walked into the dim office and stared at the grimy man at the desk. "I need a room" her eyes were heavy and her body was hardly holding itself up. She had no patience, and yet the man wanted to test it anyway.

"We don't do overnighters." He said glancing around her almost expectantly. Vee eyed the panel of keys on the wall with only a few missing Vee had no energy to play whatever game this was. She only reached in her bag and set a stack of cash on the desk and held out her hand. He didn't seem to question it accepting the cash and dropping a key in her hand. He returned his attention to the T.V. on the far end of the desk.

Veronica drug herself to the room. She tossed her bags to the corner and observed the decay. The room was dingy and smelled of mildew. She was too tired to care. Vee locked the door and pinned a chair under the handle. She didn't bother to kick off her shoes, she just dropped herself on the bed. Her mask faded away the pain set in and even that wasn't enough to stave off the sleep that took her.

Vee woke to the sound of ruffling, she looked up slowly to see a young boy rummaging through her bags. She slowly slid herself off the bed and stood between him and the door. "What the fuck are you doing in here?!" Her voice was rough and startled the kid. He spun around looking for an immediate escape, dashing across the bed. Vee threw a punch into his gut knocking him back on his ass, and off into the floor. "The fuck are you doing in here?!"

"Damn you ain't have to hit me?" the kid held his stomach glaring at Veronica but no longer trying to escape.

"Watch your fuckin mouth!" she chided habitually as if she'd been talking to her brother.

He gave her an unimpressed look "Coming from a model example, I'm sure" he had her there.

"I asked you a question, what are you doing in my room?" She wouldn't admit to the validity of his point.

"I'm just trying to eat" he explained. "Shit, doesn't look like you were hurting for it anyways." She looked down at the kid, feeling bad for having assaulted him.

"How did you get in?" her voice was softer now. She shuffled through her backpack and pulled out a bag of chips tossing it at him. His eyes lit up and he reminded her of Vince.

"Window" he nodded in the direction of the open window while cramming a handful of chips in his mouth. She watched him eat like he'd been starved. A small smile crept past her brooding. She glanced at the window noticing the locks were long broken.

"I'll have to fix that," she mumbled stepping out of the center of the room no longer blocking the door. Vee was plenty sure as long as there was food in his hands he wasn't going anywhere. "So tell me why I shouldn't call the cops."

The unimpressed expression washing over him again "Not like they would show up" he said, his mouth still full. "You new 'round here or somethin'? Come to think of it, you don't look like you from 'round here." He sat on the floor seemingly uncaring about its cleanliness.

"Don't think that's your business, kid." She said and paused. "Where is a store around here?"

"Is that your bike outside?" he asked not listening to her.

"Kiddo, If you gonna eat my food, you're gonna answer my questions. Store?" She redirected his attention.

"Yeah, there's one bout a block and a half up on 103rd. Is that bike yours?" he pressed on.

"Yeah It's my bike." she laughed at his excitement.

"Can I ride it?" he jumped at the question.

"No. Are you crazy? Ain't letting no 12-year-old kid ride my BMW." She looked at him amused.

"I'm 15 and I ain't no kid." He said it flatly as though he truly believed it. Veronica couldn't help but laugh a bit.

"Ok, ok. Not a kid, but hey you come back later I'll give you some real food. Ok?" She felt for the kid, he reminded her of her brother. He hesitated a bit, but his hunger won over, and he agreed. He got up and walk for the door with the chips still in hand.

"Use a stick.... for the window. Use a stick to hold it shut." he said as he walked out the door. She smiled as he left and got up off the bed where she sat.

Veronica looked around the room and was grossed out a bit by the bed she settled for sleeping in. She decided she would pick up a few things to clean up the place. Might as well stay here. Cheap, and well she already made a friend... Vee was amused by this idea. She looked around the room for a make-shift stick and settled for wiggling one of the backrest support bars from the chair that served at her door lock. Veronica wedged it in place and shut the curtains. It was dark behind the thick floral print crops of fabric, and none of the lights seemed to work. She just added it all to her list of things she would do. Vee grabbed her bathroom bag and headed for the shower. After the nice rinse, she felt better. At least there was hot water here. Making mental notes of everything to grab at the store, Vee swung her purse over her shoulder and headed for the door. In this area, the BMW seemed a bit ostentatious, so walking it would be.

The heat was already deadly, sweat beaded at her forehead, and she could feel her northern skin frying. Maybe next time she would get up sooner than 3 pm to do little walkabouts. The store was only about a block ahead. Vee powered on praying for the indulgence of an air conditioner. Halfway down the block Veronica was drowned in her thoughts of cool air when the sound of a whistle drew her attention.

She glaced expectantly in the direction of the sound, her gaze accompanied by her middle finger.

"Damn just tryna be friendly." he apparently CAN use words "Yo ass ugly anyways" Veronica bit back a return comment, cracked her neck, and kept walking.

She walked into the little store, severely disappointed by the dry heat that wafted as she entered. She was almost expecting it, especially after that encounter, having left her face hot with embarrassment. She wandered around the store picking up cleaning items, light bulbs, and laundry soap. She drug her items to the front counter. The clerk was unattractive and underdressed even for this establishment. She barely looked at Veronica, gum popping in her mouth. The smell of whisky and cigarettes lingered on the lady at the counter.

"That it for ya" She chewed the words with her gum her teeth were brown and horse-shaped.

"Let me get one of those tracphones, that $100 visa, and a pack of crushes" Veronica affixed her attention to her nails.

"You got ID?" she said searching for the barcode on the box of laundry soap. Veronica glared at the gum rolling around in the woman's mouth for moments before she snipped

Veronica patted her pockets as if to search them "Must have left it at home." Veronica's voice was bored and impatient.

"Where you from?" she looked her up and down

"I live all the way across town," Veronica said feigning inconvenience.

The woman tilted her head at Vee. Seemingly unconvinced.

Veronica slid a couple of bills across the counter "Keep the change," The flashing money thing was becoming a bit of a bad habit she would need to tone down, but it was at least effective. She collected the bags and walked the block back to her hotel room, in the heat.

Veronica spent the next few hours cleaning every last inch of the hotel room. She stripped the bed and washed the bedding in the newly cleaned bathtub, and scrubbed down the bed as well. Topping off her scrub with a heavy layer of disinfectant. Finally, she remembered her promise of food, pulling out her phone she tapped away until she found something appetizing on the food delivery service.

As night began to fall Veronica's pace began to slow. She glanced out the window looking for her expected company, guessing he had decided even free food wasn't worth spending an evening with her. She began to open and sort the food, glancing over the home-style tamales and tacos. An excited knock at the door made her jump, spilling some rice on the floor. She set the package on the table and made her way around the bed to the window peeping out to see her little house guest standing anxiously at her door. With a laugh, she opened the door and let him in.

Replacing her security system and started explaining the options. "Alright, I wasn't really sure what all you would like so I stuck with the basics" She stacked a plate high and set it in the microwave. His eyes were wide, and he looked to practically be drooling. Maybe he was something close to starving. Leave it to Vee to take in a stray. The beep of the nuke brought her attention back and she pulled the plate out handing it to him. "What's your name, kid?" she looked at him, his face already full.

"Nao." his mouth was stuffed when he replied.

"Nao?" She repeated. This time he nodded apparently there is a point when he deems his mouth too full to talk. He swallowed his bite and explained.

"It's short for Naoko. My mom was Japanese."

"Was?" Vee caught the word.

"She died... died when I was young. How bout you?" He continued stuffing food down his face with his words.

"Vee," she said her name dismissively "So you live with your dad?" Veronica prodded. Nao shook his head swallowing down another bite.

"Not really. I was staying with my grandma but I don't know, we don't really get along." Vee frowned at this. He was only 15. No wonder why he was coming here and stealing stuff.

"Well... You can't just go around stealing, Nao," Veronica said more to herself than to him. "Look Kiddo, you need something you come to me. ok?"

Nao considered this inhaling the contents of a tamale. Veronica didn't fully understand the expression he gave her but he was already reaching for more when he agreed. He took the leftovers with him when he left, promising to return in the morning to have breakfast. Veronica sighed looking around her little home, the bedding wasn't yet done drying. She glanced at the time on her phone debating what to do with her time. She locked up her room and hid her stash of money under the coffee table under a loose board.

The bike would likely be fine for this trip. With some effort, she kicked the bike to life and drove south. The city was kind of beautiful at night, no less active than during the day. It was different than home. A set of neon lights declared a location "Diamante". A bar. Perfect. Vee pulled the bike into the parking lot and killed the engine. She swung her leg over and observed the parking lot. Several nice cars set in the lot. Veronica zipped her keys into her purse and strutted to the doors. As she entered, she glanced around the crowded room. There was a group of men in the back gathered around a pool table. She imagined they were the owners of the cars in the lot. Vee found herself wondering toward that end of the bar while observing them. She realized what she was doing and stopped at the bar.

"Vodka, straight." Her voice was smooth, Vee leaned on the counter awaiting her drink, glancing back at the group of men. One of them seemed to have noticed her as well. Veronica glanced away looking around the room slowly, trying to look as if she hadn't noticed his attention. The bartender, a beautiful woman, set a drink in front of her and walked away. Vee grabbed the glass and slipped into an empty booth in the back. The perfect view of... Of the man walking towards her. His face was confident, but the rag hanging from his neck said he definitely had some kind of affiliation. He had a drink in his right hand and a gold band on his middle finger. The clink of the glass on the table next to her brought her attention to. His gold ring clicking as he drummed his fingers on the side of the cup. Vee followed the intricate pattern of ink up his thick arms and shoulders finally stopping at his face. The expression was ease, his slight smile made him look relaxed, and the press of his eyebrows said something between confidence, and flirt. He was admittedly attractive but obviously dangerous, she thought to herself

"Wha' goin' on?" his voice was low and his accent was laden with patois, Vee flicked her hair back.

"Not much, just.. chillin'... just gettin' a drink." Veronica raised her glass as proof, "How about you?" she asked politely.

"Celebrating." He said, not altogether unaware of her nervous tone.

"Oh?" She inquired.

"Just got a big promotion." Vee glance over his tattoos assuming what kind of promotion that was.

"Oh. Well, congrats. What kinda promotion?" She glanced back at his friends, who seemed to be watching the conversation. When she looked back at him, his only response was a smile.

"You'll have to excuse me, I'm new to the city, but should that mean something to me?" She gestured toward the bandana wrapped around his neck and glanced at her nails putting on a calm face, but listening intently.

"Death Row should mean somethin' to everyone in this city." The tone he held was hard, his face a bit more serious. She saw his attention shift a bit. Her eyes shot toward the subject of his interest. A tall man sauntered through the crowd. His walk was similar to the man in front of her, but something was different. Perhaps the way everyone's attention shifted to him, or the way he held his shoulders back, his chest pressed out like armor. He was dressed too well for the bar he was in. The white button-up seemed tailored and the sleeves were rolled. What showed of his forearms was covered in tattoos, that presumably met up with the one on the right side of his neck reading 'DCDR'. His pants appeared pressed and the shine on his shoes had her assuming he was well off. It was a stunning contrast to Vee herself and yet, comparable. Her black hair was silky and straight highlighting her green eyes. She had worn a simple black dress, her gold hoops found their way through her hair and matched the herringbone chain. As he approached the man in front of Vee, his eyes cut over her. She could feel all her facade fail her, as his copper eyes burrowed into her. Her mouth hung open, her gaze locked on him. He smirked, amusement evident. Veronica snapped her jaw shut, not used to being on the other side of that look.

"Sup, D." the man in front of her snapped her out of her gawking. He sounded stiff, and yet friendly, the way a soldier would address a commander.

"Ay, Jerem." Her eyes were still glued to him, he noticed too. His eyes shifted a glance at her, holding down his amusement only barely. He angled toward 'Jerem' and mumbled something. Jerem nodded and 'D' walked away to join his friends.

"Jeremy, by the way, but most just call me Jerem." He extended his hand, expectantly.

"Veronica, but you can call me Vee." She accepted his handshake placing her hand in his delicately. She tried desperately to regain her composure. Avoiding 'D' with her eyes.

"Vee, I like that." he smiled smoothly. This might have been attractive had she been able to pull her attention away from the hole being burned into her face with a pair of eyes from behind Jeremy.

"You, uh, keep an interesting variety of company," She said, floundering under the gaze from across the room.

"Yeah," the word stretched mirroring her own general discomfort. Jeremy rubbed the back of his neck pulling out his phone and checking it. Just then, the vibe of the room changed, the group of men, lead by -guess who- started for the door. D patted Jeremy on the shoulder in a 'get moving' fashion. "Ay, I'll catch you later. I.. gotta take care of some business." he headed for the door without waiting for her response.

"Okay..." She mumbled to herself. Face still hot from the interaction she sat with herself for a moment. Sighing heavily, she sunk back into her seat. Unsettled by her own perturbation. It was not long before someone else presented themselves at her table. Without so much as a glimpse in their direction, Vee slammed the Vodka back and grabbed her purse. Leaving a 20 on the counter, she headed outside. What the hell was that? Her mind still wrapped around the interaction. She popped the under-seat compartment open and pulled out her helmet. Her head was filled with questions. She wrapped her hair around itself and out of her way and pushed the seat back into place.