Pork Read online

  Sandy stared at him for a minute. “I don’t understand you, Stevie. You’re acting like she’s your wife when she’s just a silly jungle girl. But if you’re sure this is the right thing to do, you should go ahead,” she said before getting up to leave. “I’m a bit tired, so I’m going to rest in the classroom, okay?”

  “Sure.”

  Sandy walked away. Steven stared at her back, unsure now even of his own feelings. He felt bad when Sandy called Pork a silly jungle girl. Maybe she was right. Maybe he was overreacting. But he had to protect Pork. She didn’t have anyone else, and at this point, she was counting on him. It wouldn’t be fair to give her up now.

  “Sandy?” he called and she turned. “Please don’t tell my momma or anyone else about any of this, okay? Not even Molly. Promise?”

  Sandy nodded before disappearing around the corner. She might not have been the easiest or the most understanding girl, but she was definitely trustworthy and smart.

  ***

  Butch had watched, with great interest, the exchange between Steven and Sandy. He and his friends were in the cafeteria having lunch while Steven and Sandy were talking just outside on the bench. Although he couldn’t hear their words, he saw through the window as Sandy got up and left in a huff. Steven called her back to say something, and Sandy nodded with a pout before walking away.

  “Hey, Tommy,” Butch said, nudging his friend with an elbow.

  “What?”

  Butch’s eyes were still on Steven, who was eating his sandwich alone. “I think I know what we should do this summer.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “See that there?” He jutted his chin toward the window and Tommy looked out. Steven was chewing his sandwich with his eyes downcast. “I’m telling you Tommy, those two are hiding something.”

  “Two? I only see Stevie there.”

  “Sandy was with him a second ago before she huffed off. There’s something going on, Tommy. Her face gave it away.”

  Tommy watched Steven for a minute before turning back to Butch. “What has any of this got to do with our summer?”

  “We’re going to follow Stevie and find out where he’s been going every day.”

  “What for?”

  “Something tells me we’ll be pleasantly surprised, Tommy,” Butch said with a malicious grin.

  ***

  Just before Steven went to the tree house that afternoon, he made a detour to Bob’s Garage.

  “Uncle Bob!” he called out. “Uncle Bob!”

  Fenton was washing a car in the yard, and he raised his hand in greeting when he saw Steven.

  “Hey, Stevie!”

  “Hi, Fenton. Is Uncle Bob around?”

  “Yeah, he’s in the garage somewhere. Why are you lookin’ for him?”

  “I… uh, was wondering if I could work here during summer break.”

  “Oh, that’d be a great help, kid. Travis just quit two days ago and cars been pilin’ up like crazy.”

  Bob came out then, wiping his greasy hands on a dirty cloth. He was a portly man in his fifties and bald. Surprisingly, though, the patch of moustache above his lips had stayed thick and black for as long as Steven had known him. He was good with cars, and many people, including a few from the next county, brought theirs to him. Steven had heard some folks say Bob had the hands of a magician. As far as Steven was concerned, he was a very kind man. His overalls and face were smudged with oil, but he hadn’t lost his pleasant demeanor.

  “Hey, Stevie. What are you doing here?”

  “Hi, Uncle Bob. I thought of working here for the summer. And the weekends.”

  “That’d be great, kid. We could use an extra pair of hands. Fenton here’s been bitchin’ and moanin’ since Travis up and left.” Bob glanced at Fenton and then back at Steven. “You think you can start after school tomorrow, kid?”

  Steven thought about this for a second. It’d be difficult to care for Pork with him gone all day. But if he could drop by the tree house in the mornings and give her something to eat, she should be able to get through the day until he went to the tree house again after work. Finally, he said, “Yeah, sure, Uncle Bob. I can start tomorrow.”

  “Good. Now I better get back in there and get fixin’. Cars comin’ out through my ears. Folks from outta town. I’ll see you tomorrow, kid,” he said as he carried his bulky body back into the garage.

  When Steven reached the clearing in front of his tree house, Pork was washing herself in the creek. It was the first time he had seen her without her clothes. Her skin was slightly tanned, her belly protruding. He noticed her flat chest and averted his eyes. She used a small piece of cloth to wipe her face and body while standing in the deepest section of the creek, which was slightly above her ankles. When she was done cleaning herself, she rinsed her panties and t-shirt, wringing them with all her might. She spread the only two pieces of clothing she possessed on a branch and sat in the water for a moment.

  Steven decided to whistle a tune to announce his presence, but it did nothing to encourage Pork to cover herself. She got up, smiled, and walked out of the water, still naked. Steven felt more and more uncomfortable with every step she took, but pretended to remain calm. An idea popped into his mind, and he dropped his backpack on the ground to remove his shirt.

  “Here, wear this,” he said.

  “Why?” She cocked her head, squinting her eyes against the sun.

  Steven struggled to come up with a reasonable reply.

  “Because otherwise, you’ll catch a cold.”

  “It hot.”

  “And because it’s wrong for a pretty young girl like you to walk around naked.”

  “Papa say it alright,” Pork said with wide eyes.

  “Please wear it, Pork,” Steven pleaded, still holding out the shirt. She glanced at it, took it, and slipped it on. She struggled with the buttons, hooking them in the wrong holes, so he undid them for her and buttoned them correctly. “There,” he said when he was done. The shirt was long enough to cover her butt, and Steven was satisfied. I have to get her more clothes soon.

  He took her hand and checked the bruises. They were still there, but didn’t look as bad as before. He held her arm and they crossed the clearing to the tree house.

  When they’d eaten and fed Mildred, Pork snuggled up to him and lay on his chest.

  “I got a job at Bob’s today,” Steven said. “He wants me to start work after school tomorrow and I agreed. So I’m not going to be around so much anymore, but I’ll come and see you every single day before I go to school and after I finish work, okay?” Pork nodded. “Now, I want you to promise me that you’ll feed Mildred and keep our tree house safe. Can you do that?” She nodded again. “And most importantly, I want you to be safe. Run if your pa comes looking for you. Run as far away from him as you can and don’t ever let him catch you, okay?” Pork nodded, flicking her fingers. “I don’t want anything to happen to you,” he said, stroking her hair. “So please be safe while I’m gone.” Pork nodded again and he kissed her cheek. “Good. I’ll bring food every day so you won’t have to worry about that.”

  Pork looked up at him and smiled.

  ***

  Soon it was time for Sandy to leave for summer camp. Steven wanted to say goodbye, so he left Bob’s early and headed to Sandy’s place, kicking dirt and dust along the way. Nanny Gwen let him in and he headed straight for Sandy’s bedroom. When he pushed the door open, he saw a large backpack on the floor and folded clothes and toiletries spread out on her bed. In the midst of this, Sandy sat staring out the window.

  “Hi, Sandy,” he said. Sandy turned and smiled sadly, confounding Steven. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m heading off to summer camp again,” she said, shrugging.

  “You don’t like summer camp?”

  “I go there every summer and I’m sick of it. I wish for once I could spend summer with my parents,” Sandy said, a flicker of rage dancing in her eyes, made more dramatic by her fiery hair.

>   “Why don’t you tell your parents that?”

  “When? When do I ever get to see them? To talk to them? Every time we discuss this over the phone, my mom just cuts me off with a laugh, saying summer camp will make me a better person.” Steven remained silent and Sandy shook her head. Then, in a softer voice, she said, “I don’t think my parents like me, Stevie. I think they don’t want to be around me.” Her lips trembled. “I wish my mom was like yours,” she said and her voice shook. Steven didn’t know what to say, so he watched her hide her face in her palms. She began to sob. Feeling a little awkward, he sat next to her and laid an arm over her shoulder.

  “I’m sure that’s not true, Sandy. I’m sure they love you. They’re just busy,” he said. He was sure it wouldn’t help, but he didn’t know what else to say. A minute later, she looked up at him with red eyes. She wiped her tears and rose to get a tissue to blow her nose.

  “So you’ll be working at Bob’s?” she asked when she was a bit more composed.

  “Yeah.”

  “That’s good. You’ll look after Pork as well?”

  Steven nodded. “When are you leaving?” he asked.

  “Tomorrow, at dawn.”

  Steven nodded again. “Well, I hope you have a safe trip, Sandy. I promise we’ll talk when you get back. And try to have fun.” Sandy nodded, and her lips quivered again. Steven hugged her and said, “I’m going to miss you.”

  Sandy hugged him back, sobbing into his shoulder.

  Chapter 9

  Steven spent the better part of the following days at Bob’s, helping Fenton wash and wax cars. It was hard work, especially in the almost unbearable heat of summer. Luckily, he worked with water, and the money he was making made it worth his time. He’d finish work around six, head to the tree house to check up on Pork, and return to his momma’s house around eight.

  When he finally had thirty bucks in his hands, he rushed to Marla’s, the town’s biggest convenient store, and bought bread, canned tuna, orange juice, and a new t-shirt and panties for Pork. There wasn’t a whole lot to choose from at Marla’s, but he was sure Pork would love what he got her. It was a pink t-shirt with a picture of a princess on it.

  Steven handed Pork the shopping bag from Marla’s and she took it with a curious look on her face.

  “What?” she asked.

  “I bought us some food and a present for you. Open it,” Steven said as Pork stared blankly at him, the edge of her t-shirt tight in her grip. When she refused to open the bag, Steven took it back from her and sat down. Pork sat opposite him, scratching her ear. She opened her mouth and rolled her tongue over her lower lip, making it shimmer.

  “Here.” He took out five cans of tuna, a loaf of bread, and three bottles of orange juice and lined them up on the floor. He also got out a can opener, paper cups and plates, and a spoon. “Do you know how to make sandwiches?”

  Pork shook her head.

  “Okay, I’ll teach you in a minute. I want you to make sandwiches and eat them whenever you’re hungry. Don’t starve yourself, okay?” Pork nodded. “Good. Now, here’s something else I got you.” Steven pulled out the bright pink t-shirt and held it up by the shoulders for Pork to see. The princess’s glittery crown glimmered as he showed it off. “Do you like it?” Pork placed her hands on both her cheeks as she stared at the t-shirt. She made no attempt at grabbing it, but her eyes shone.

  “For Pork?” she asked after a minute.

  “Yes, I bought it for you.”

  “For Pork?” she repeated again.

  “Yes,” Steven said. “Don’t you like it?”

  Pork nodded, raised a shoulder to scratch an itch on her chin, and reached for the t-shirt with both hands. Her eyes followed the crown as she took the t-shirt from him and rubbed it on her cheek. She then sat in a corner with it, closed her eyes, and enjoyed the feel of the smooth cotton on her skin, swaying her body as if a song were playing. Steven was amused. “Hey Pork, once you’re done admiring the t-shirt, I want to show you how to make sandwiches. And here are some new panties, also for you.” Steven placed the panties on the ledge.

  As Pork’s eyes were still closed, he wondered if she had heard him. He rose to check on Mildred and found the bird quiet, looking almost content with its eyes closed. He arranged the groceries on a ledge and cleaned up the tree house, disposing of trash and straightening some of his stuff on the floor.

  “You have to start cleaning this place up before it turns into a pigsty, Pork.” Steven laughed as he noticed the irony in his statement. He turned around to her and asked, “Are you going to wear that tomorrow?”

  She opened her eyes and shook her head.

  Steven’s eyes drooped. “Why not?”

  Pork shook her head again.

  “Come on, Pork, why not?”

  “Pork like it.”

  Steven sighed. He was too tired to reason with her. “Fine, come here. Let me teach you how to make a sandwich.”

  Pork rose and walked toward him, the collar of the new t-shirt bunched up in her hand and the other end dragging on the floor. Steven shook his head before unpacking a loaf of bread.

  ***

  Steven didn’t tell his momma he had been working at Bob’s. At least not at first. He had to make sure she was in a really good mood before attempting to tell her something she had warned him against. And waiting for his momma to be in a good mood was a lot like waiting for the moon to turn blue. There was no guessing how she might react, but it was better for her to hear it from him than one of the neighbors. After working at Bob’s for three weeks, he had a little extra cash he planned on giving his momma. It wasn’t a lot, but she could definitely use it.

  On Saturday morning, Steven woke up early and got ready as he usually did to drop by the tree house and head to Bob’s. His momma had just come home, a little later than normal.

  “Momma, are you all right?” he asked when he saw her, clear-eyed and sober.

  “I’m fine. They changed my shift at the diner so I came home a little late.”

  Steven nodded.

  “Where’re you going?” she asked, not really interested. After working for ten straight hours, she probably just wanted some sleep.

  He wondered if now might be a good time to tell her. If she went into a fit, he could just leave for Bob’s. Any other time, he might get stuck with her. Steven swallowed hard. It had to be now. It’s going to ruin the rest of my day for sure, but better get it done with sooner rather than later. He licked his lips and approached his momma as she fell onto the couch and closed her eyes.

  “Momma, I’ve been working at Bob’s Garage, washing cars.” Steven waited for her murderous eyes to open and swallow him whole, but they stayed closed. Seizing the moment, he decided to go all the way. “Since he’s getting a lot of out-of-town cars in, I’ll be working the weekends too when school starts again. I won’t be cutting school,” he added quickly. His momma opened her eyes, turned her head toward him, and sighed.

  “Thought you look tanned,” she said before closing her eyes again.

  “I, uh, I made some money,” Steven stuttered, pulling a wad of cash from his pocket. “This is for you.” He stretched his hand out and almost hit her nose. Her eyes opened, focused on the money, and then closed again.

  “You keep it,” she said.

  “But…”

  “You best get going if you don’t want to be late for work,” she said evenly, and Steven turned around. If he stayed a moment longer, she most likely wouldn’t think twice about spanking him. It didn’t matter that she didn’t take the money. At least he had told her. He stuffed the bills into his pocket and headed out.

  ***

  Butch woke up cursing Steven at six that morning. It was Saturday and he had every intention of spending it sleeping late. But he had promised to meet Tommy near Steven’s place so they could follow Steven until they discovered his little secret. Since Butch had seen Steven passing down the main street a little after six-thirty in the morning, they made plan
s to meet at six-fifteen.

  Butch went to the kitchen while pulling on a sweatshirt, made instant coffee, gulped it down to rouse his brain, and ran out the door. The sun was already out, so he pulled on his hoodie and snuck his hands in the front pockets to reduce his chances of being found out.

  “What took you so long?” Tommy asked as soon as he saw Butch. He was crouching by a tree near Steven’s house.

  “Do you know what time it is? Who the hell wakes up this early on a summer Saturday?” Butch said tartly.

  “You’re a lazy pig, Butch,” Tommy said and shook his head. “Oh look, here he comes now.”

  Butch moved closer to Tommy and the two huddled together as Steven closed the front door. He wore a backpack and glanced at the dirt road briefly before walking down the path. Tommy and Butch stood still and watched him as he passed right by them. When Steven had gone a little farther, the duo stepped out from behind their tree and followed quietly. Soon Steven turned onto the main street where Sandy’s house was located.

  “You think he’s going to Sandy’s?” Tommy asked.

  “Don’t think so. I heard she’s at summer camp. He’s going somewhere else.” When Steven walked past Sandy’s place, Butch lifted an eyebrow and shrugged at Tommy. Soon, they reached the pathway that led to the tree house. The two were still on Steven’s tail, trying their best to walk among the trees instead of directly behind him. “Where the hell is he going?” Butch asked when Steven crossed the broken bridge. Butch was panting.

  They waited for a while and then crossed the bridge themselves. Steven was ahead of them, crossing the clearing now. The tree house was right in front of them, but they didn’t see it until Steven went around to climb the ladder.

  Butch and Tommy stopped just before the clearing or Steven would spot them for sure. Instead, they crouched along the edge of the clearing, crossed the creek, and stood among the maple and elm trees at the edge of the woods.