Chapter 26

At the curb he stopped, wheezing, as the bus took the next turn and left him behind. So he had to wait another fifteen minutes or so, kicking stones out into the street and trying to catch his breath, and muttering to himself every now and then about what a jackass Lamar could be. It was hisfault that Stacy missed the bus. Once he figured out it was Ange on the other end of the line, he grew sullen and mean, simmering in the living room while Stacy pulled his shoes back on. “Where you going?” he wanted to know. Stacy went into the bathroom to comb the cap imprint out of his hair and ignored him.

When he came out, Lamar had the tv muted again. “I asked where you was going,” he said, anger coiled in his voice like a snake ready to strike. “Who was on the phone?”