The Intangible by Washington C. J

Author:Washington, C. J.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Little A
Published: 2022-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 36

MARISSA

5 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT

December 2016

“Long time no see,” Marissa said. She hadn’t expected Jen to answer. She hadn’t expected Jen to be home. Jen moved aside to let Marissa in.

Over the years, the frills had disappeared from Jen’s apartment. Marissa had bought her a television for her last birthday, but it was nowhere to be seen. Marissa never asked about it. She understood. Sold to buy drugs or pay rent because the rent money had bought drugs.

Marissa sat on the worn couch.

“How is she?” Jen asked.

“Patrick tells me she’s getting better. He hasn’t left the hospital.”

“They all blame me. I can’t—”

“No need to explain,” Marissa told her. “Sit down. Let’s talk.”

Jen didn’t move. “I’m sorry.”

“I know. Please sit.”

Jen sat reluctantly in a chair across from Marissa. Marissa reached into her briefcase and pulled out papers she’d been carrying for the past five days. “I want you to grant temporary guardianship of Laura to Patrick and me.”

“You don’t think I can take care of her?”

Marissa shook her head. Patrick had told Marissa to ask for permanent guardianship, but he was cantankerous, and Marissa couldn’t do that to Jen. This whole affair proved something Marissa had always suspected: Patrick was meant to be a parent and Marissa was not. She felt guilty about it, but there it was.

“I can take care of her. I know it. I just need a chance.”

“I don’t want to argue.”

“You think you’re just going to take my child?”

“Don’t make me the bad guy.”

“You’re doing that all on your own.”

“I didn’t make you do this,” Marissa said quietly, forgetting the promise she’d made herself, that she wouldn’t let this turn into a fight. “If you don’t sign these”—Marissa held up the papers—“you won’t get another cent from me.”

Jen’s mouth fell open. Marissa gave Jen an allowance each week. She knew Jen used the money to buy drugs sometimes, but Marissa preferred that to prostitution or any other host of ways Jen might acquire drugs. The rock-bottom thing was a myth. The streets were full of people who’d hit rock bottom. There were no miracles waiting there.

“I took care of you when—”

“Stop it, Jen. When Mom left, I wanted to get a job. Do you remember that?”

“You wanted to clean our neighbors’ homes.”

“I was twelve. It was the only thing I could think of. And you told me I had a good brain and that I should concentrate on school. What I’m doing now, I’m not doing to you. I’m doing it for my sixteen-year-old sister who took care of me. If I could go back in time and tell that sixteen-year-old what is happening, she would beg me to do this.”

Jen put her face in her hands and cried. Marissa couldn’t hold back her own tears.

“I want to be that girl again. I want that more than anything in the world.”

“I know,” Marissa said. “This isn’t your fault. You’re sick.”

“The first time I—it never occurred to me that—if I had known, I never would have—”

“It isn’t over.

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