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Chapter Nine

The following morning,after visiting with Chenoa, Steel sat on his Harley in the hospital’s parking lot, plugging in his sister’s phone number.

“Hi, Steel. To what do I owe the honor of a phone call from you?”

“I wanna know why you’re dumping your kids withShimá. You know she’s not well, or doesn’t that matter to you, Chitsa?”

He heard her sigh loudly.

“How is this your fuckin’ business?Shimálikes having my kids with her. The older ones help her around the house, and the younger ones make her feel useful. Why do you think you know everything?”

“’Cause I do. Your older kids aren’t doing shit around the house. Last time I was there, the fridge was bare, the bedrooms were a mess, andShimálooked pale, tired, and weak. She hadn’t even eaten. Don’t try to bullshit me that you give a damn about our mother.”

“I do. It’s just that I’ve been very busy and feeling stressed. I thought it would help if I was away from the kids for a while.”

“Translation: you’re shacking up with some asshole who doesn’t want your kids around. Fuck, Chitsa. How can you dump your children atShimá’swhenever a jerk you’re into tells you to? How do you think that makes your kids feel?”

“I don’t need you lecturing me. My children are just fine. Anyway, they like hanging out atShimá’s.”

“Why wasn’t there any food in her fridge? She told me she’s getting food stamps for the four children and herself. Are you buying the food and keeping it for you and whichever asshole you’re fucking now?”

“Times are tough. I sometimes don’t have any food.Shimátold me that I could use some of the money for me, but she’s been losing the cards too much. I’m going to have to take charge of them.”

“No, you’re gonna get a fucking job, take your kids back, and act like a mother.Shimácould use some help with the grocery shopping. We can take turns. I’ve gotten you two jobs you blew off. You can work at one of our businesses. We need a receptionist at the tattoo shop.”

“I can’t work right now. I’m having too many allergies this summer. Maybe in the fall when the weather turns cooler.”

“Does your loser work?”

“He’s not a loser. He’s between jobs.”

“So no one’s working, and you haveShimátaking care of your kids. That stops right now. Visiting their grandmother is one thing, but living with her and you taking advantage of her is another.”

“IfShimáhad a problem with it, she’d tell me. She hasn’t, so butt the fuck out of my life.”

“You know damn good and wellShimáwould never tell you the grandkids are too much. She’s always trying to do everything for all of us. You’re taking terrible advantage of her. It stops now, Chitsa. You don’t want to make me madder than I am.”

There was a long pause.

“I gotta go.”

“You take care of this or I will.”

“Okay. It’s better when I don’t hear from you.”

“It’s better when you’re not a selfish bitch.”

“Nice talking to you. Not.” The phone went dead.

Steel took in deep breaths, slowing exhaling them to calm his ire. His sister had always been so selfish. Even when she was young, she never wanted to share with him, their brother, or their cousins, and she never helped their mother even when she was sick. Steel remembered that he and his brother, Wayne, helped their mother by cleaning the dishes, dusting the house, and peeling the potatoes, even though their father made fun of them and called them pussies. But Chitsa just sat around like a princess, not lifting a finger. Their mother never once called her on it.

He pulled his hair back and secured it with a tie, then switched on the ignition. His younger sister drove him crazy. She’d had four children by four different men, and she acted like they were such an inconvenience in her life. He felt sorry for his three nephews and niece.

What a fucking mess life is right now.

He pulled out of the parking lot and sped toward the reservation, wanting to see his mother. He may even run into Breanna. The thought of seeing her in her professional clothes, her golden hair tumbling down her back, made his dick twitch.

On second thought, it’d be best if I don’t see her.