Your favourite movie is While You Were Sleeping? said Anna.
What? said Shaun, panicked.
Gotcha, said Anna.
Shaun looked at her, deadpan. Youre such a dork.
I know, she said.
She read that Shauns favourite food was anything American, his favourite drink was Dr Pepper, his favourite sport was baseball, his favourite place was Florida.
I see youre becoming a real Irish man, said Anna, pointing to the screen.
Ah, but my favourite girl is Irish, said Shaun. Thats the difference.
She scrolled down further and saw question marks in the career section.
Dont you know what you want to do? said Anna.
No, said Shaun. Its like I look at my future and its blank, you know? Like living on the edge of this cliff, but not being able to see a thing.
Have you been watching Dawsons Creek again?
Four
Stingers Creek, North Central Texas, 1979
Flakes of rust flew from the battered white pickup as it lurched from side to side along the twisted road out of Stingers Creek. It was after midnight and Wanda Rawlins was slumped, disorientated, against the passenger door, her skinny legs splayed under the dashboard. Her face was pale and her white blonde hair with its dark roots lay in damp strands across her cheeks. Dukes eyes flickered open. The sickly smell of pine air freshener flooded his nostrils. He looked up at his mama, his fingers clawing listlessly at her arm. He could see flashes of light across her face and black pools of mascara under her eyes. She was staring out the window. He tried to speak, but his throat was dry and raw from screaming. The only colour on his face was the redness that flared at the centre of his forehead. Slow throbs pulsed through his head and a cold tingling sensation moved in waves down his arms to his fingertips. Darts of pain spiked beneath him and he slowly shifted his tiny frame onto its side, his navy shorts twisting around him. He passed out with the effort.
I think he moved, I think he moved, cried Wanda. Come on, baby, come on, baby, come back to me, she began to sob. She clutched his head to her stomach, spilling tears onto his face. She got no response.
Whats happening to him? Whats happening to him? she screamed, shaking Dukes shoulders, too wasted to know any different.
Calm down, Wanda, said the driver, calm the fuck down or we wont be taking him any further than the end of this road.
Wanda sat in silence for the rest of the journey, rocking Duke jerkily back and forth, his bare legs dangling over the seat edge.
Ten minutes later, they screeched into a parking lot and came to a stop. Wanda pushed open the door and hauled herself out, pulling Duke with her, taking his limp body in her arms. She staggered through the double doors in front of her into a brightly lit hallway. Dukes eyes opened again, fleetingly. Hospital, he thought.
What the fuck you doin bringin him through the house, you dumb bitch? hissed Hector Batista, pulling shut his living room door behind him. His accent was thick. Told you to bring him around back. Who you think you are? He glanced down at the vomit on Dukes T-shirt, shook his head and grabbed Wandas elbow, guiding her roughly out the door she came in. Hector nodded at the driver of the pickup to follow them around.
A fluorescent light pierced the darkness in the filthy room, swinging low over a metal table at the centre. Wanda lay Duke down and began to sob again, spreading herself across her sons body. Hector pulled her aside and reached over to lift the boys eyelids, shining his light in.
Pupils OK, he said. What happened to him? No-one answered.
You say on the phone he hit his head. Is that all I look for? said Hector.
Yeah, said the driver.
Hector wrung cold water out of a grimy cloth at the sink and turned back to place it on Dukes forehead. His eyes opened.
Can you remember what happened? asked Hector.
Duke tried to shake his head.
You know what day it is? asked Hector.
Friday, whispered Duke.
Tell me who is your president.
He wouldnt said Wanda.
Jimmy Carter, said Duke, proud.
Hes just fine, said Hector. Little concussion. Wake him up some times during the night, make sure he dont get any worse and keep him away from jumping around for the next weeks. He must rest.
Duke moved his head slowly to look at his mother. From behind her, the driver of the pickup stepped out. Dukes eyes shot wide in alarm and he opened his mouth to scream. Hectors hand was quick as he clamped it over the little boys cracked lips. Duke was writhing underneath the pressure, his eyes darting everywhere. He couldnt breathe.
You stop, I let go, said Hector, his face two inches from Dukes. He held his hand firm until Duke calmed down, the energy draining from his shuddering body.
Hector leered at the driver. Los niños pequeños hacen mucho ruido, he said.
No speaky the Spanish, said the driver.
Hector walked over and whispered to him: Little boys make lots of noise. He laughed.
Duke had curled into a ball on his side and began to cry. He felt the hand of the driver in the small of his back.
No more boo-hoos, Dukey. No more boo-hoos.
Duke shivered. All he could remember was Boohoo coming into his room. What he couldnt remember was the mans weight bearing down on him, pushing harder each time, slamming his forehead into the wall over and over again, until he crumpled and lay face down, unmoving on his bed.
Wanda Rawlins heard a faint knock on the screen door and pulled it open carefully. Smoke billowed out around her. She flicked her hand at it.
Mornin, Mrs Rawlins, said Donnie. Duke about?
Duke had an accident yesterday, hes resting.
What happened?
Nothin much. He had a knock to the head. She smiled. You boys. You sure know how to scare the livin hell out of a mother.
Can I see him? asked Donnie.
For a few minutes, said Wanda, stepping back to let him in.
Donnie walked in to the kitchen and was hit with a smell that caught at the back of his throat. The oven was wide open and a baking tray lay diagonally across the folded-down door. Cracked black circles steamed on the surface. More had fallen to the floor.
Tray was hot, laughed Wanda. And I didnt quite make it in time, she said.
Well, Im sure theyll taste just fine, said Donnie.
Wanda laughed out loud. And Im Julia Child.
Duke lay on his side, covered by a thin sheet. His face was pale and beads of sweat gathered on his forehead.
Duke lay on his side, covered by a thin sheet. His face was pale and beads of sweat gathered on his forehead.
Hey, said Donnie. How you doin?
Duke tried to talk, but his lips stuck together. He wiped his mouth.
Im OK, he said. My throat hurts.
Hows that? said Donnie. I thought you hit your head.
Just does, said Duke.
You fall from a tree?
Duke hesitated. He opened his mouth, then closed it just as quick.
Yup. What an idiot.
Wanda slid her thumb under her nose and pushed herself up from the kitchen chair, slipping her feet back into her mules. She picked up the baking tray and went to the doorway of Dukes room.
Look what I made for you, sweetie, she laughed, her eyes wide. To cheer up my little soldier. Duke lifted his head to see her. She looked crazy. They didnt quite work out, she explained looking down at the cookies. Mama fucked up. She laughed again.
Im talkin to Donnie, said Duke.
Arent you even gonna thank your mama? she pouted.
Thank you, Mama, he said flatly.
Aw, she said, walking over to the bed. She let the tray hang by her side, dropping the cookies onto the floor. She leaned down to look at them and picked something up.
Found you a chocolate chip! she said, holding up a burnt cookie crumb. She put it up to Dukes mouth. He buried his head back into the pillow.
No! he said. I dont want it.
Jeez, Duke, no need to shout. You want this, Donnie? she said as it crumbled between her fingers. Oops!
Then she held up her hand. Shush, she said, trying to focus. Shh. They heard twigs cracking as someone walked up to the front of the house. A shadow passed over the blind in the bedroom.
Donnie, you stay right where you are, sweetheart. I have myself a visitor, said Wanda, smoothing down her hair, leaving black crumbs on the blonde.
She left the room and went to the kitchen. Westley Ames stood at the door.
Hey, Wanda, he said. Is this a good time?
You know, Westley? You shoulda called, but I guess its OK.
I have some excellent produce for you, he said and she could see his hand flex in his jacket pocket. You look mighty interested, he chuckled.
Dukes taken a knock, Westley, she said. Hes resting.
Westleys eyes flashed anger and the smile disappeared. He clenched the bag again. Wanda looked up at him.
Come back tomorrow, Westley, she said and closed the door. She turned back. Or later tonight, she shouted from the open window.
Five
Surprise! said Joe, carrying a large box into the kitchen. Magic paint stripper. A tip from Danny. It will get through all that crap on the lantern house walls. I hope. He put it down by the back door. Anna ran towards him and jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs tightly around his waist.
Hellooo, she said. Welcome home to your wife!
This is great, he said. I gotta go away more often.
She shook her head. No, no, no. Never again. She kissed him all over his face.
I missed you, he said. Way too much.
She climbed down. How did Giulio take to you leaving early?
What could he do? He knew hed screwed up. He always knows.
Hes an oddball.
I know. And Ive got some of his genes.
Dont worry. I could never forget that.
Thats going to take a while, said Joe, pointing to the paint stripper. You have to put it on, cover it with paper, then wait a couple days, see what happens. Its a big job for one little lady.
Well, Ill get some of the guys to help, if I can. But I couldnt just hand the whole thing over to anyone.
No, said Joe. That would be a disaster.
She gave him one of her looks. Joe laughed.
Im going out to the workshop, he said. Peteys waiting.
Already?
I know. I can always sleep later.
He was barely in the door when Petey started. Did you ever hear how some lighthouse keepers earned extra money? he asked, not waiting for an answer. They turned to shoemaking, prostitution and distilling. In 1862... He stopped suddenly.