Killing Kate(24)

“Fuck, Jenna, why do you insist on doing such degrading things to yourself?”

“Because I’m unskilled and will make more money that way,” I told him.

Devin arrives with burgers and fries and we scarf them down like lions after a kill. Then we get to work and spend another three hours unloading the truck, even though after my meal I just want to nap. I take frequent smoke breaks and Devin joins me a few times. “The worst part about moving in with you is that I’m going to start chain smoking again,” Devin says and I punch him on the arm. “But it’s totally worth it to hang out with my cheerful and sweet sister,” he adds sarcastically for Justin’s hearing benefit. Justin grins at us and I find myself glancing at his arms as he lifts a heavy box. Damn, he’s strong, I think.

Since we have the truck for another day and we’re losing daylight we decide to call it a night, having spent the bulk of our day loading and unloading a truck. I’m exhausted and just want to crawl into bed and die, but I know I am expected to follow through with the dinner plan. Justin drives us over to his mother’s house, another bungalow that is much better maintained than the house and about ten minutes from us. The minute the three of us walk in the door we are bombarded with Louisa Fiero, who is five feet nothing, with white hair piled on her head in a huge bun. She smells like bread and garlic, which I inhale as she hugs and kisses me on both cheeks. I adore her immediately. She graciously accepts the bottle of mediocre red wine we purchased last minute and ushers us into her kitchen to goad us into feasting upon fresh baked rolls and butter. I swear she churned it herself; it’s like no butter I’ve ever purchased before at the grocery store, which has probably happened twice in my life, but still.

Justin looks odd and out of place in his own childhood home. His parents are both short and stocky while he is tall and extremely fit. He’s not skinny and bony like Devin and me and looks like he actually bothers to work out and take care of himself. The home is modest and lived in while he is clean cut and fresh. But the family resemblance is obvious. He has his mother’s bright green eyes and his father’s strong jaw and straight, kind of long nose. His father, Joe Fiero, is retired from working for forty two years as a Chicago Police detective and says very little but smiles a lot. Louisa does all of the talking for him and even though I can’t cook, she immediately accepts me into her kitchen and has me chopping zucchini and tomatoes and garlic for a quick bruschetta.

“So are you glad to be back in the neighborhood?” Louisa asks Devin and me over copious amounts of pasta and yet more bread and a huge green salad. I can barely breathe I’m so stuffed full of food, but for some reason I keep eating because everything tastes so good. “It’s been so long since you’ve been back.”

“Ma, they just moved today,” Justin says. “They haven’t had much time to decide if they’re glad to be back in the neighborhood, I’m sure.”

“Hush, Justin. How was the move? Did everything go well? Do you need more bread, Jenna?” she asks me. I get the idea that Louisa loves to ask questions but doesn’t really need to hear the answers. Before I can say no, another huge roll is on my plate. “How’s the house? Did your father leave it in good condition?”

Devin manages to answer this one because my mouth is stuffed full of tastiness. “It’s in good condition, but it needs a bit of work,” he replies. “Jenna wants to gut the bathroom and put in a fancy shower and I’d like to get new appliances in the kitchen.”

“You kids and your fancy gadgets,” Louisa says. “I was just telling Joe about how for fifty years we haven’t needed a microwave and everyone has a microwave. Does your kitchen have a microwave?”

I grin and Devin responds, “Yes, I believe it does have a microwave.”

“So it’s very up to date!” Louisa says, clapping her hands. She sighs and peers over at me, making me slightly uncomfortable. “Jenna,” she starts, “you are so beautiful. I always knew you’d be gorgeous.”

“Um, thank you,” I say. I look at Devin who shrugs and looks down at his plate. Justin is smiling at me queerly. I turn as red as the sauce.

“You take after your mother, I mean before she…” Louisa trails off and my color fades completely until I’m as white as the tablecloth.

“Ma!” Justin looks alarmed and I decide it’d be a good time to pipe up.

“It’s alright, Justin,” I say. “Thank you Mrs. Fiero.”

“Louisa, please, dear.”