Hitting Rock Bottom

Chapter 11 Family Bond

Malachi's POV

I'm pacing around in the back yard of my house.. This is a new place I was able to buy for my mother, sister and I, to make sure that we are a little further out of the ghetto but not too far, I couldn't afford that much.. like on the brim of the ghetto, more like. It's what I could afford for her for now, but I will get her a better one.. mark my words.

This place is a 5 bedroom which is double the size of our old house and has a yard in the back, plus gives her a little more freedom.. It's the best I can do at the moment for the two only ladies in my life.

I continue to keep pacing, running my hand through my long curly hair as I puff on my joint, trying to figure out what I should do next. That's how I think is by smoking and for some reason I have to run my hand through my hair to help out with that as well. It's more calming then anything but I find myself doing it everytime I'm stressed.

"What's going on with you Mal?" I hear from behind me as I turn around, hiding my joint causing her to laugh. "Don't worry yourself scary cat.. It's just me not Mama." It's my sister Cecilia. "Hey Cece." I say to her as I take another hit of my joint, then passing it to her. "So are you going to tell me what's going on?" She asks me with a smoke filled mouth as I chuckle at her appearance, taking the joint back from her.

"I just.. uh.. have something I have to take care of.. that I don't want to." I vaguely state to her. She steps in front of me to stop my pacing as I pass the joint back to her, trying to distract her but I don't know if it will be that easy.

"It's that mob boss guy right?" She asks me with one hand on her hip as she passes the joint back to me. I nod at her but turning away to pace a little more trying to think about what my next step should be.

"I don't know why you work for him.. that's not a job.. I know you think it is, because of the fact that you get paid good money. but doing his dirty work for him is not something to be proud of." She spats at me from behind as I quickly flip around to face her.

"I'm proud of the fact that I could put a better roof over Ma's head in a little safer area.. same for you.. at least you don't have to worry about getting shot all the time now that you live here.. Yeah it's not a regular 9 to 5 job, but it's something that pays for our bills and takes care of you two.. and I will do ANYTHING to make sure you're both safe." I say to her now holding her shoulders.

"But it's blood money.. how can I ever feel good about dirty money... What do you mean by anything? Did he threatened us?" She asks me as I let go of her shoulders looking away.

"He did, he did threaten us and that's why you can't say no to whatever this is." I look over at her not denying or agreeing but I think she knows she is right since I haven't responded at all.. I accidentally answered her without even trying. "Ok... then what do you have to do? Kill someone?" She asks as I shake my head. "Beat someone up or threaten them?" She asks me again as I shake my head once more.

"Steal something?" She tries again going down the list of bad things I have done for money.. because this is my sister and I tell her almost everything. I just don't answer her again as she takes my cheeks into her hands. "Why is it so bad to just steal something.. you have been stealing from shitty rich assholes all our lives.. what's different now?"

I stare at her for a moment until I confess. "She is just sweet and gorgeous.. and has so much going on right now.. she doesn't deserve this." She looks surprised by my words, I watch her eyes pan all over my face, looking for a lie but not seeing one. So she softly whispers back. "Then just tell him you don't want the job."

"I did." I quickly reply to her as she asks. "So what did he say?" I give her a sad look as she nods. "Right.. threatened mom and I." I nod looking ashamed and feeling it too. "So what are you going to do?" She asks me as I hold the smoking joint up and she nods understanding why I'm out here.

"You know it's kinda nice to see you liking someone.. who is she?" She asks as I shake my head. "I never said I liked her." I spat back as my mother voice can be heard from behind us. "Who is this girl you like?" I flip around holding the joint behind my back because my mom doesn't know about my job or lifestyle at all really. I feel my sister taking the joint from my hand as she hides it and gets rid of it for me, like the good sister she is.

"She is just a woman.. I met the other night.. at the bar.. and I took her to dad's spot to help make her feel better." I answer her with honesty because she can see straight through me like a glass window when I'm lying.

"So you do like her? And you took her to dad's spot? You never do that.. What's her name then?" My sister asks poking the bear as I glare over at her. "Her name is none of your business and I was just trying to help her out.. she was assaulted by a meth head and was pretty upset about other things.. so I wanted to make her feel better." I explain so casually that they both keep looking back and forth between each other, before my mother asks. "You said she has other stuff going on.. and she told you these other things?"

I slowly nod as she smiles and says.. "It's nice to see you liking a girl.. I agree with your sister about that.. and.. you will have to invite her over for dinner." I shake my head. "No ma.. it's not like that.. she just has a lot going on.. and she's married.. and dealing with her own medical stuff." I try to explain to make her stop with this inquirey as my sister states. "You're dating a married woman?!" I shake my head again getting frustrated. "I'm not dating her!" I spat as my mother blatantly states. "So you like a married woman then?"

I groan out running my hand through my hair again as I end this conversation. "I have to go and get to work.. Don't wait up for me." I turn around giving my mother a small hug. "Yeah you do! You work all night long if you have to." my sister yells as I flip her off and my mother smacks her arm... I turn and leave them in the back yard to try to figure out on my own what I should do next. I drive for a little bit, to the better side of the city.. the rich side.

Maybe I can just break into their place while she is not there.. and just get it really quickly. I think to myself as I pull up to her street again. I look around to see this is a busy side of town. There are people all around even with it almost being dinner time.

I take a look around, noticing a good amount of cameras on the property and a sign that's out front, showing the security service she goes through. This place looks more locked up then what I was lead on to believe and with all the traffic in this area it's something I can't do, unless it's dark out.. at the least.

I groan out pulling away from her place.. because I don't know what to do just yet and I would have to make a move at night if anything and it's not night time yet. I drive to the closest bar to her place.. which ends up being the same one she was at, with me last night.

I get off my motorcycle and walking in as I sit down at the bar. "Hey man another double whiskey, on the rocks?" The bartender asks me as I nod my head at him. "Yeah thanks."

He walks across the bar grabbing the same whiskey and pouring it for me. He slides it over as I take it and sipping on the strong almost almond flavoring. I look down at the whiskey as I sway it around in the glass. The ice melts as I continue to rotate the glass in my hold until I hear the same melodic voice, that somehow surprisingly caught my attention time and time again. I look up to see that the bartender is playing the news and on is that gorgeous woman. Her smile is bright and inviting as she starts by explaining something but I'm not listening to what she is saying, just watching her lips move as she talks. This puts me into a trance. I stare up at her for a while until I hear. "Fancy seeing you here." I quickly turn to see Yvette at my side.

"Yvette.. hey." I say softly to her as I watch her smile emerge into a face-splitting one in no time at all. "I can't believe you're one to watch the news.. you don't look like that kind of man." She states as I chuckle and reply. "I'm not that kind of man."

"And yet here you are watching me on the news." I flip my hair up into a bun to get it out of my way as I softly reply. "and yet here I am watching you... on the news.. because the bartender had it on." She giggles as the bartender slides her over a pink drink that looks girly beyond belief. "Thanks." She replies to the bartender.

"So what did you think?" She asks me as my eyes go wide realizing she is still talking with me. "Um well I couldn't hear any of it really.. I was just.. I don't know.. dazing off." I stutter through as she giggles and shakes her head before looking away from me.

"It's nice to hear that." I say to her as she looks over at me curiously. "hear what?" I watch as she takes a sip and I do the same before softly replying. "Your laugh.. it's beautiful.. almost as beautiful as you." I look away nervously as I hear the squeaks of the stool moving.

I look over to see her scooting closer to me as she just smiles but looks just as nervous as I feel. I have to just keep telling myself that nothing can happen because she is married.. we are just two people hanging out at a bar, and happens to be sitting right next to each other.. that's all.. right.. that's all.

"Oh man she is beautiful.. just like you told me." I hear as my eyes go wide and I flip around to see my sister staring at me with her arms crossed across my chest. I shake my head. "Cece this is not the time." I try to warn her as she smirks at me then extends her hand out to Yvette. "Hey I'm Malachi's sister Cecilia.. but everyone calls me Cece."

Yvette smiles over at me then her as she takes her hand and shaking it saying. "I'm Yvette.. now you have to tell me.. your brother said I was beautiful?" She asks playfully staring over at me as I shake my head glaring at my sister.

My sister laughs as she states. "Not only that but how nice you were too." Yvette tips her head to the side staring at me as she says in reply to her. "Well he was way nicer to me than I was to him.. but I'm glad to know I left a good impression.. but just know he left an even better one." I swallow as I stare over at her for probably far too long as my sister clears her throat and exclaims, "how about a shot?!" I shake my head at my sister being the crazy party animal that she is, as I hear Yvette reply, "Sure but only if Malachi will with me." I look over to see her staring at me almost flirtatious as I slowly nod at her.

"Yeah! Bartender?! 3 shots please!" Cece yells across us as I just continue to stare over at Yvette's gorgeous, bright eyes that are enthralling to say the least.. here goes a crazy night of shots.. and drunken fun that might evolve into a complete job. Maybe I can get into her place tonight to steal those stones if anything.. this could help me solve this issue quickly. So I can put this all behind me.