What Passes For Normal

Chapter 12

"It won't be for very long, I'm sure," Neea said. "Just until she can get into a rehab clinic."

"How long?" Teddy asked. He stood in the doorway of her bedroom as she folded laundry on her bed.

"A few days maybe."

"It's already been long enough!" Teddy said, raising his voice. "This is too much!"

"Please, Ted," Neea said. "She'll hear you."

Darwin was resting downstairs on the couch in the living room. Neea had gotten her cleaned up and bandaged then made her a sandwich for lunch. After that the girl just needed sleep.

"I don't care if she hears me!" said Teddy loudly.

"Listen, we'll get her into a clinic, and then I'm sure her parents will want to come and take her home when she's feeling better. But until then we can't just send her back out onto the streets."

"Mom, this is totally insane! I'm not doing this, OK?"

"Ted, it's just..."

"You didn't even ask me first! You do this stuff and it's like it doesn't even matter what I think! I'll go to Dad's if I have to, I mean it. I'm not staying here if she's..." Teddy stopped himself. He was so mad his voice was getting shaky.

Neea knew not to push him. She waited, adding a neatly folded t-shirt to a stack of Teddy's clothes, and listened as his breathing settled. Finally she left the laundry and went to where Teddy stood, took his hand in both of hers and said quietly, "I'm just so worried about what will happen to Darwin if we don't help her."

Teddy looked at his mother and sighed. He knew what she meant.

Sienna.

• • • •

Somehow I wasn't KO'ed when Kodi punched me. I went down immediately of course, but stayed conscious, even while he stood over me and hit me twice more in the face.

I had my hands up to try and protect myself but that wasn't doing any good. I remember shutting my eyes, waiting for another punch, but he didn't hit me again. He just said "Fuck, Darwin," as if he was disappointed that I'd forced him to beat me up. Then he took off.

I stayed there on the ground groaning pathetically until a car started to come down the alley, then I got up, pretending like I'd just been having a nap or something, pulled my hood forward so people wouldn't see my messed up face, and walked away. My mouth and cheek were throbbing and I was surprised, when I checked, that all my teeth seemed to be in place.

Kodi's rage was both totally in character and completely unexpected. It obviously wasn't just about the memorial to Lorraine, or even Kodi being embarrassed for his lack of scientific knowledge—there was clearly something else going on. I think I was more than just collateral damage.

I think Kodi was pissed at me because I was making it awkward for him to be with Bryn. He didn't lure me to the alley to beat me up, but all that anger was boiling up inside him and it just came blasting out.

I'm back at Neea and Teddy's but I didn't exactly decide to come here. From that alley, I just walked, not trying to find Kodi, not going back to the Couch and the others, not going to Yvonne's or to the Gin Hole or to have a cup of tea at the fucking Empress Hotel—not going to any of the other places I could have gone, and by not going anyplace else, I ended up here.

The meth is definitely wearing off and the dreaded come-down's coming on but so far isn't too bad. I'm lying on the couch in the living room under a heavy blanket. I'm dead tired but not exactly sleepy, so I'm just lying here eyes closed, hearing but not really listening to Neea and Teddy talking upstairs, probably about me.