The sarcasm in Sam’s voice was caustic.
“What do you want from me, Sam? I have to try. I’ll never forgive myself if I don’t try.”
“Theroen would never forgive you for going back,” Sam said. Two drew in a shocked breath, and Sam looked up at her, saw the expression on Two’s face, and immediately put her hand to her forehead in regret. “I’m sorry, Two. Really. That was unfair.”
After a moment, Two shook her head. “No. It would only be unfair if it wasn’t true. But I have to, Sam. I have to. Go home. Get away from this. Forget you ever met me, or Abraham, or any of us, and go back to your life.”
Sam considered this, and nodded. “Okay, Two. I’m sorry you have to do this, but I know damn well I can’t stop you, and I don’t know enough about this to try and talk you out of it. I’ll stop making you feel bad about it.”
“Are you leaving?”
“I have nowhere to be... might as well hang here. I’ll leave when you do. Or when we run out of cigarettes. Whichever comes first.”
Two nodded, and lit another.
* * *
Time passed, and girls began to show up. Two greeted each with a sardonic grin. They knew her. Darren’s top girls had been known by all, and Two was one of them. They asked where he was.
Darren was out, she told them. Would he be back soon? No... no, she didn’t think so. One by one, each girl got the point. Most left smiling. None had called the cops. Two might not have brought salvation -- many girls would simply move on to new pimps and pushers -- but at least she had brought them temporary freedom.
Molly was one of the last, and she came in bruised and bleeding, black eyes like raccoon markings, rail thin. The heroin was finally getting the better of her. Two could see it in her posture, in her eyes, and in the way it had eaten away at her body. Molly took one look at Two, and her shoulders slumped. She looked down at the ground and began to weep.
Two crossed the distance between them at a run and took Molly up in her arms, holding the girl, crying herself, murmuring words of comfort to her friend. Finally, through hitching breaths, Molly was able to speak.
“I thought you were dead!”
“No. Just gone. Are you okay, Molly?”
Molly sniffled and looked up at Two. “Yes. I mean... no. I mean...”
“You’re hurt, but you’ll live.”
Molly nodded. She embraced Two again for a moment, then stood back.
“You look different.”
Two smiled at this, wiping her eyes. “I guess I am. No more heroin. No more Darren. At all. We took care of him.”
Molly’s eyes widened. “Is he...”
“Dead? Yes.”
The expression that followed this piece of news had no business on the face of a twelve year old. It was a combination of satisfaction, glee, and hate. It hurt Two’s heart to see it there, but she understood. She understood very well.
“Good,” Molly said.
“Yes. Listen, sweetheart, how do you feel?”
Molly pondered this a moment, then sighed. “I feel dead, Two. I don’t even like the shit anymore, you know? I mean... I like it when I’m taking it, but I don’t really want it. I need it, though.”
Two nodded. “This isn’t supposed to be your life. We’re going to change that.”
“We are?”
“Yes. Here, hang on a second.” Two counted out several hundred dollars in cash and set it on the desk. “You’re going to take a cab to eighteenth street, and get out at Sid’s bar. You’re going to ask the man at the door if you can talk to Rhes. Chances are that the guy you’re asking will be Rhes, but it might be the other bouncer. If Rhes isn’t there, tell the bouncer Dan that Two said he needs to call Rhes right now. Can you remember this?”
Molly nodded, big eyes peering at Two, trying to keep track.
“Good. When you meet Rhes, you’re going to give him the note I’m about to write, and whatever cash you don’t spend on the cab. He’s going to take you in until I get back. Trust me, he’ll do it. ”
“Where are you going? Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. I’m going away for a bit. I have things I have to take care of.”
“Who are these people?”
“Friends. Don’t worry about me, kiddo. Get yourself into that cab, and go see Rhes.”
“Okay, Two.”
Two found paper in the desk, and scribbled out