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Chapter 5 - Nick

Mom was making meatloaf, a real treat when we were able to have it. Mom looked tired, so I offered to help. She worked a ten to six job at Faulkner’s Diner as a waitress, and it must not have been a real good day. She had to work, since our dad was killed in an accident at work when Aaron and Angel were only two.

“Need any help, mom?” I asked as I peeked in the doorway of the kitchen. “It smells really good.”

“Thank you, Nick.” Mom said. “But right now, all that needs to be done is setting the table. Oh, Aaron needs help finding his pajamas again. Angel is looking for her teddy. BJ and Leslie are doing their schoolwork, so don’t worry about them.”

“Okay mom.”

I found Angel’s teddy under the bed… wearing Aaron’s pajamas. I stripped the bear of the pajamas, gave it back to Angel, then got Aaron into his PJs, thankfully without protest. He looked a little sleepy to me.

We finally ate about ten minutes later. The meatloaf was a little burnt, but it was still delicious. Aaron didn’t want to eat his meatloaf, but mom said that if he wasn’t going to eat it, he wouldn’t get any chocolate chip cookies. Still sulking a little, Aaron ate.

After dinner, I helped mom clear the table and wash the dishes. As I dried them, I asked if I could go for a walk.

“But, Nick, it’s almost dark outside!”

“I won’t be long, mom. I promise! And I’ve got my switchblade and I still remember some karate from when Texas taught me.”

“Well…”

“I’ll be home before dark, mom.”

“Well… all right.” Mom hesitantly agreed. “But don’t go too far!”

I shook my head. “Just to A.J’s house and back; a block and a half.”

Mom still looked a little worried, but she let me go. I said “see you later” to everyone, then headed out the door of our one-bedroom apartment. I know, it’s small, but that’s all we could afford. Besides, I couldn’t really imagine living anywhere else.

Well… no, actually I could. Maybe it was just daydreaming, but as I ambled along the leaf-strewn sidewalk, I couldn’t help wondering what it might be like living on the rich side of town. All that money, and anything you could by with it. Like a new car, or new clothes, or anything you wanted!

Rich people got all the lucky breaks, I thought.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t realize how dark it was until my foot caught in a crack in the sidewalk and I fell on my knees. Looking up, I saw the streetlights flickering on up and down the road. My eyes widened as I realized I’d passed AJ’s house by at least one block.

I got to my feet; all senses on alert and ready. The dark was when the Alley Cats really liked to roam the streets and look for people out for a nighttime stroll waiting to be jumped. Before I put myself in danger, I turned around and began running for home.

I slowed down as I got to my building and looked over my shoulder. I gasped; I could have sworn I saw a shadow trailing me. I tore open the door and raced up one flight of stairs to our apartment. Quietly opening the door, I saw that mom had pulled open the sofa bed; she and the twins were fast asleep. The covers had fallen to the floor, so I picked them up and covered the trio on the bed.

Slipping out of my shoes as I entered the bedroom, I saw that BJ and Leslie were kind enough to let me have the bed tonight as they took the floor in sleeping bags. That was a tradition with our family; we’d share the bed each night, but mom would always get the sofa bed. I said a quick prayer as I’d been taught since I was little, then crawled under the covers.

Sleep came easy for me that night, probably because of getting the exercise outside.