Page 73 of Detour

“I think Angela’s had enough,” I spit.

“And if she hasn’t, I sure the fuck have.” Beck posts up on my side. “Damn, woman, up until today I thought I had the world’s worst mom, and she abandoned me.”

Angela’s mom sneers, “Lucky her.” Jesus. This bitch is evil. “You boys are wasting your time. My daughter isn’t worth the trouble. You’ll see soon enough.”

“Leave,” Beck demands.

“You’ve outstayed your welcome.” If there ever was one.

“Excuse me? My daughter lives here. I’ll come around whenever I damn well please!” She sticks her finger in my face and I rear back to avoid her talon-like nails. This demon came to play. Little does she know I’d take on the devil himself to protect Angela.

“Yeah?” I spread my hands out wide. “I live here, too, and I’m telling you to leave.”

“What? Are you paying her bills or something? Wouldn’t surprise me. She tries to act better than me but she’s cut from the same unwanted cloth.”

How can she play victim while simultaneously being the villain? I’d be impressed if I wasn’t so fucking disgusted. This woman raised Angela?

“You don’t even know her, do you? Angela wouldn’t accept a handout if it was her last option. She fights for her independence and refuses to be a charity case. She works her ass off, choosing to take the hard road repeatedly instead of taking any shortcuts. She’s smart and tough as nails.” For anyone to not see that is ludicrous. “And you’re wrong, Angela isn’t unwanted. I want her. I want her exactly the way she is. Which from what I’ve seen today, aside from a few physical features, is nothing like you.” Thank fuck.

She barks out a harsh laugh. “Oh, really? And yet, she just left with someone else. You may think you want her, but does she want you?” She steps closer and I step back, careful not to let her too close. I don’t know what this monster is capable of. “You can try to see the good in her all you want. At the end of the day she’ll only ever choose herself. She’ll leave this world the way she entered it, alone and completely useless.”

And…wow. Just wow. No wonder Angela doesn’t trust anyone. This nut job spewing her bullshit would make anybody jaded.

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll choose her, over and over again.” I just need Angela to believe it first. Seeing where she came from shows I’ve got a steep road ahead but I’ve never backed down from digging in and pushing full throttle, and I’m not about to start now.

“We choose her,” Beck adds firmly, nodding when I look over at him. “Every time.”

“Yo, B, these new Civics are supposed to be unstealable, right?” Having stayed quiet until now, Marc steps up to my other side, surprising all of us. Beck’s eyes light up like a kid on Christmas morning. “How easy would it be to reset the immobilizer?” Marc makes it a point to stay out of other people’s business until he feels it necessary. Guess he’s reached his limit. Welcome to the fucking club.

Hands rubbing together, Beck whistles, sidling up to the red hood. “Too easy, bro.”

“If we see you here again causing problems, I’ll personally see to it that your car goes missing.” After a beat he adds, “Whether you’re in it or not. Now fuck off and don’t come back.”

“How dare you threaten me!”

“Anyone hear me threaten her?”

“Threaten who?” Beck asks innocently, glaring at the woman in question.

“Nope. The only threats I heard were the ones you’ve been making toward your own daughter.” I raise my eyebrows, letting the accusation linger.

Her face pales as she opens her door to climb in. “Suit yourselves. Just remember, trash can’t be saved.”

With that unfounded fact that I’m positive environmentalists everywhere would disagree with, we turn to watch her leave.

As usual, Beck’s the first to break the silence. “Goddamn, she was nasty. I need a drink.”

“Make that two.”

“Three,” I add.

Beck claps me on the back. “You gonna call her?”

“Fuck.” I run my hands through my hair, wishing I had a hat to cover it with. “I have to. We got her car.”

This makes Marc laugh. “How long ‘til she figures out there’s nothing wrong with it?”

I groan, turning for the stairs. “Don’t remind me.”