“Yes, Mama.” Star handed Killyama the doll she was washing. “Don’t let Angie drown. She doesn’t swim as good as Kassandra.”
“I won’t.” She turned on the water to remove the shampoo as Sex Piston sunk down next to her, choosing one of the dolls. She gently dunked the doll then shampooed it as if she were doing one of the rich bitches who frequently visited her shop.
“Don’t do it.” The bitch lifted her troubled eyes to hers.
Killyama couldn’t be closer to the woman if they had shared the same blood. Probably closer. She and Sex Piston didn’t fight often, whereas Sex Piston and Diamond fought constantly.
“I won’t.” She knew they weren’t talking about the shampoo.
“I can’t watch you get hurt like that again.”
Setting the doll down on the edge of the tub, she reached for another one. “I’ve gotten him out of my system.”
“Men like Train aren’t easy to get over. I tried to stay away from Stud. So I’m asking you to do something I couldn’t do.”
“Train isn’t Stud and never will be. I’m moving to Knoxville when Hammer finds me an apartment.” She had given in to the idea of Lexington. However, business had become so steady they hadn’t had any time to go look at the apartments Hammer had selected before they had been taken off the market.
Sex Piston bowed her head, meticulously washing the doll. “This is all my fault,” she said, biting down on her trembling lip.
“Stop. I don’t want to hear you say that again. It’s not your fault I like the dude. I swore I wouldn’t be like my mother, and I fell for a man just like my father, if not worse. I should have left town the day I came back from taking that ride from him, but I knew I would miss you all. I’ll get over him. I’ll find someone I will care about more, and then move back home.”
“What if you don’t? What if you never come back?”
Killyama nudged her with her shoulder. “I’ll be back.”
“You swear?”
“I swear. Have I ever lied to you?”
“Yes, when you swore to me you wouldn’t get involved when you heard Stud and me arguing about talking to Knox about Sasha.” Her eyes dropped to the bandana at her throat. The bitch was smarter than others gave her credit for.
“Well, other than that time?”
“No, you never have.”
“You’ll see. I’ll be back before you know it. It’s not going to be hard to find someone. Hell, my only requirement is a big dick.”
Star came back in, holding enough towels so each doll could be dried separately. Setting them on the counter, she slipped between her and Sex Piston.
Seeing her mother’s sad expression, Star handed her the doll she was about to wash off. “You can do Ken, Mama. He likes his hair washed.”
“You do him, Star. I’m afraid I’ll drown him.” Sex Piston stared at the doll vengefully, as if it were Train incarnate.
“I’ll do him.” Killyama took the doll from Sex Piston, not wanting the girl’s feelings to be hurt.
“Careful,” Star warned. “His head falls off. Mama broke it accidently, and Daddy glued it back on, but it falls off a lot.”
“Does it?” Killyama took her eyes off the doll for a brief second to look at Star. When she turned back, the doll’s head was floating in the sudsy water.
Star fished his head out then took the headless body from her.
“I’m sorry, Star. How about I buy you a new one?” Killyama apologized to the upset girl.
Mollified, she wiggled the head back onto the body. “Can you just buy me a different Barbie I don’t have? I don’t want any more boy dolls. They break too easily.”
Killyama laughed, flicking water on Star’s cheek and starting a water fight. Then the three of them dried off before they finished the dolls.
Killyama enjoyed the afternoon with Star then went into the backyard to play with Rocky as Sex Piston cooked dinner. It was midnight when she drove home to her apartment.
She hadn’t wanted to leave. The love and intimacy in the family always drove home what was missing from her own life, what she never had: her own family.
Growing up, it had been her and her mother, with spurts of appearances from Hammer and Jonas. The only one she had always wanted to be there would show up when no one would know, keeping his identity a secret.
Inside her apartment, she carried her laptop to her bed. After showering, she rested on the bed, letting the cat snuggle next to her as she searched for the doll Star had told her she wanted. Clicking on “purchase,” she checked out before going to another site.
She scrolled down the options available, choosing what she wanted, checking out, and then closing the laptop when the receipt flashed across the screen.